The SS United States Conservancy is pleased to announce that our 2010 full color wall calendar featuring artists’ visions of the SS United States is now ready for purchase! Noted maritime artists have generously licensed their amazing works to help the Conservancy in our ongoing fundraising efforts. Artists include Robert C. Semler, Russell Parmerter, David M. Boone, art and filmmaking student Matthew Richards, Gregory Prestegord, Paul McGehee, Simon Fisher, James A. Flood, Thom Sweeney, Robert Beck, Robert Lloyd, and Stephen J. Card (who enthusiastically created a brand new vision of our nation’s flagship specifically for introduction in our calendar). These gorgeous paintings are all featured in full color, in an oversized 11 X 17” format. The Conservancy is eternally grateful to these fine artists for their contributions toward our efforts to save our national flagship. Because our calendar is self-published through Cafepress this year, we’ve had to increase the price, but please know that each purchase goes toward helping us prevent the irreplaceable SS United States from going under the breaker’s torch, and to our ongoing efforts to preserve the legacy of this amazing vessel. Order yours today, and please consider giving the calendar as gifts to your friends and family! To order, please click here, or on the cover image above.
September 7, 2009 – The incomparable SS United States memorabilia collection of Dr. Sarah Forbes and the Windmill Point Restaurant of Nags Head has been donated to the Mariners’ Museum. WVEC, a local station, covered the story of the donation along with some of the history of our nation’s flagship.
August 26, 2009 – Tonight’s well-attended screening of the award-winning documentary SS United States: Lady in Waiting was covered by Philly’s CBS affiliate channel 3 both online and in a ninety-second segment on their 11 o’clock broadcast. Featured in the video segment are clips from the film as well as interviews with the Conservancy’s Susan Gibbs, Dan McSweeney, Joe Rota, and Steven Ujifusa. Both the online article and the broadcast are available here. On a more ominous note, the story has already been picked up by a blog for the scrap metal industry.
August 26, 2009 - Please join us for a FREE public screening of the acclaimed American Public Television documentary SS United States: Lady in Waiting, which chronicles the story of the greatest ship ever built in America, which is now in grave danger of being sold for scrap. The screening is a joint venture of the SS United States Conservancy and Independence Seaport Museum. The screening will take place in the museum’s theater, located at 211 S. Columbus Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19106 on Wednesday August 26, 2009 at 7:00PM. Admission will be on a first come, first served basis.
A discussion and reception will follow the one-hour screening, as well as a chance to view the exhibit “Skin & Bones: Tattoos in the Life of the American Sailor.” The Independence Seaport gift shop will remain open till 9pm.
(L-R: Charles Anderson, Joe Rota, Kate Cronkite, Susan Gibbs. Photo courtesy of Bonnie Davis)
The Conservancy presented its first-ever National Flagship Champion Medal to Walter Cronkite, the late Honorary Chair of the Conservancy’s Advisory Council, on August 12th in Martha’s Vineyard. Ms. Kate Cronkite, Mr. Cronkite’s daughter, accepted the honor on her father’s behalf and congratulated the SS United States Conservancy for its success in raising national awareness of the SS United States. Also attending the Conservancy’s special event were Chip Cronkite, Mr. Cronkite’s son, and Walter Cronkite IV and John Ikard, two of Mr. Cronkite’s grandsons.
The award to Mr. Cronkite was presented in conjunction with a special screening of SS United States: Lady in Waiting, which features Mr. Cronkite. In one of the more poignant moments in the film, Mr. Cronkite called the neglect of the ship a “crime against history”. He claimed that the majestic vessel could “thrill you with pride and wonder.”
Walter Cronkite and the SS United States both shot to stardom in the same year: In 1952, the SS United States smashed the trans-Atlantic speed record on her maiden voyage and Cronkite first served as television anchor during the Democratic and Republican political conventions. The paths of these two stars intersected when Cronkite traveled aboard the SS United Statesin 1953 to cover the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. In presenting the award, SS United States Conservancy President Susan Gibbs noted: “So much has been written about Walter Cronkite in recent weeks. Published tributes have explained how he guided a grateful nation through three tumultuous decades. But it is a source of great pride to us that back in 1953, Walter Cronkite boarded the SS United States, ventured across the North Atlantic, and our Big Ship took care of him.”
(L-R: Chip Cronkite, Kate Cronkite, Susan Gibbs, and one of Walter Cronkite’s grandsons, John Ikard. Photo courtesy of Bonnie Davis.)
Joining Susan Gibbs at the screening were Conservancy Board Members Joe Rota (a former Big U crew member) and Charles Anderson (son of the SS United States’ longest-serving Commodore John Anderson).
The National Flagship Champion Medal was established by the Conservancy in 2009 as its highest honor to supporters of the SS United States.
The Conservancy extends its heartfelt gratitude to Vineyard residents John Murphy and Randy Jardin for their extraordinary generosity and help in making the Martha’s Vineyard event such a success.
August 24, 2009 – Today’s story in The Philadelphia Inquirer has generated more media coverage for out national flagship and her plight. The website CruiseMates had this post today, and NBC Philadelphia also covered the story. Please visit all of these blogs and articles and post your comments in support of saving the SS United States!
Monday, August 24, 2009 – Today’s Philadelphia Inquirer features a significant article about the SS United States and the ongoing efforts to save her.
![SS_United_States_LIW_poster[1]](http://ssunitedstatesconservancy.org/SSUS/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/SS_United_States_LIW_poster1-202x300.jpg "SS_United_States_LIW_poster[1]")
Please join us for a FREE public screening of the acclaimed American Public Television documentary SS United States: Lady in Waiting, which chronicles the story of the greatest ship ever built in America, which is now in grave danger of being sold for scrap. The screening is a joint venture of the SS United States Conservancy and Independence Seaport Museum. The screening will take place in the museum’s theater, located at 211 S. Columbus Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19106 on Wednesday August 26, 2009 at 7:00PM. Admission will be on a first come, first served basis.
A discussion and reception will follow the one-hour screening, as well as a chance to view the exhibit “Skin & Bones: Tattoos in the Life of the American Sailor.” The Independence Seaport gift shop will remain open till 9pm.
According to WHYY, the SS United States is a national treasure equal to the Statue of Liberty and Independence Hall. The late CBS anchor Walter Cronkite, Honorary Chair of the Conservancy’s Advisory Council, described the vessel’s neglect as “a crime against history,” and her rehabilitation will be a “restoration of American pride in something it should be very proud of.” Her designer William Francis Gibbs, America’s greatest naval architect, was a proud Philadelphia native.
Recently, support from Philadelphia philanthropist Gerry Lenfest, who has pledged a $300,000 matching grant, and Congressman Joe Sestak, who is investigating potential federal initiatives, have demonstrated the great momentum in the Philadelphia region for “saving our ship”.
The Conservancy hopes that this great engineering and cultural icon of 1950s America will be given a second life as a vibrant shore side attraction providing jobs and enjoyment for the people of the United States.
In related news, please check out this nice piece published in the South Philly Review, which describes the Conservancy’s recent IKEA event and the general momentum being generated in Philadelphia!
August 7, 2009 – The Philly Weekly Press posted this excellent overview of last Friday’s event at the IKEA in Philadelphia.
The SS United States Conservancy will posthumously present its first-ever National Flagship Champion Medal to Walter Cronkite, Honorary Chair of the Conservancy’s Advisory Council, on Wednesday, August 12th in Martha’s Vineyard. Accepting the award will be Ms. Kate Cronkite and Mr. Walter Cronkite IV, Mr. Cronkite’s daughter and grandson.
The presentation will occur during a screening of the documentary SS United States: Lady in Waiting, produced by Conservancy Board Member Mark Perry of Big Ship Films.
“We are honored to be able to recognize Mr. Cronkite’s support for our national flagship,” said Conservancy President Susan Gibbs. “Anyone who’s seen the documentary Lady in Waiting understands how deeply he felt about the ship and his views on her current state. Having made multiple voyages aboard the vessel, he understood the crucial role she played — and could play again — in American culture.”
In one of the more poignant moments in the documentary, Mr. Cronkite called the neglect of the ship a “crime against history”.
In addition to Susan Gibbs, Conservancy Board Members Joe Rota (a former Big U crew member) and Charles Anderson (son of Commodore John Anderson) will attend the screening.
The National Flagship Champion Medal was established by the Conservancy in 2009 as its highest honor to supporters of the SS United States.
“I can think of no better person to receive our first medal than Mr. Cronkite,” said Gibbs, whose grandfather, William Francis Gibbs, designed the vessel.
“As we move forward in our work to ’save our ship’, this event will no doubt become a landmark in the overall effort,” said Gibbs.
The event will begin at 7 pm at the Old Whaling Church in Edgartown. Tickets cost $15 ($10 for students and seniors) and will be sold at the door. All proceeds will benefit the SS United States Conservancy. For more background on the film visit: www.bigshipfilms.com.
