S.S. United States Nominated for National Trust’s America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places List

Preservationists hope Congress will act to protect historic vessel

Washington DC -- The National Trust for Historic Preservation has included the storied ocean liner United States (SSUS) among its 2016 nominees for its prestigious “America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places” list.  The nearly 1000-foot ship still holds the North Atlantic speed record it took on its maiden voyage in 1952 and is considered by historians as among the most important engineering feats of the Twentieth Century.
 
“This is a great honor for our great national flagship,” said Robert Hudson Westover, whose organization, the S.S. United States Foundation, filed the nomination application with the National Trust. “The last time the SSUS created this much excitement was when the Foundation successfully petitioned to have the ship placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.”
 
Although the SSUS is currently owned by Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL), Westover’s organization would like to see the ship converted into maritime museum celebrating American’s history at sea. This vision, however, seems to be at odds with NCL’s stated plans of returning the United States back to sea as a modern-day cruise ship.  NCL has owned the vessel since April, 2013.
 
 “The Foundation can see no possible scenario were putting the ship back to sea wont result in destroying the few historic elements which remain after nearly 30 years of auctioning off items, environmental deterioration and just plain neglect by her previous owners,” said Westover.  “The only historic elements that remain are her two impressive
 
ten-deck-high engine rooms and her overall streamlined outside architecture which is unique among ocean liners.”
 
 According to Westover’s organization, these important historic elements would have to be removed or greatly altered because of the economic necessities of competing in the modern cruise market.
 
The Foundation hopes that if the National Trust selects the S.S. United States for the “11 Most Endangered” list it will help their efforts in Congress to bring about legislation to protect the ship from any further damage to its historic integrity.
 
About Us: The SS United States Foundation is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to protecting and restoring one of our country’s greatest maritime symbols: the SS United States – the greatest ocean liner ever built and our national flagship.

Registered as a 501(c)(3) organization in Washington, DC, the Foundation is committed to saving the "Big U" through an engaged and innovative advocacy movement based primarily on the internet at: www.ssunitedstates.org

March 15, 2015

Dear Friends,
Documentary filmmaker Tim Phillips and his nationally respected production
company is moving forward with plans to produce a film about the great S.S.
United States! The documentary will be shot in High Definition (HD). Tim's
Washington DC based production company, Rock Creek Productions, has been
working on this project for several years now.

(As many of you may remember, Tim attended the SS United States Foundation's
50th anniversary gala on board the Queen Mary in Long Beach, CA.)

Tim would like to interview as many former crew members, passengers and Big
U experts/enthusiasts as possible. For this reason, he and his film crew
will be attending the following Foundation events (please plan to attend and
share your stories!):

April 9th memorial for Mike Alexander at Kings Point
April 30th Foundation annual meeting on board the USS New Jersey
May 22nd Big U boat tour and Union League Mansion event in Philadelphia

If you can't make it to these events please call (703) 625-3037 or send and
email with your story and I will forward it on to Tim. He will contact you
if your story fits the framework of the production.

We Will Save the United States!

Robert Hudson Westover
Chairman
SS United States Foundation
Washington, DC

March 6, 2015

Dear Friends of the SS United States,

2015 is shaping up to be a very pivotal year for the future of the great
national flagship SS United States. Aside from some very encouraging
response in the United States Congress on possible legislation to designate
the Big U as a national monument we will be gathering at numerous events
throughout the year. (Details for these moving and exciting events are below
in the Chairman’s Update.)

Some of the events are as follows:
· This April 9th we will celebrate Mike Alexander’s life and love of the Big
U at the American Merchant Marine Museum in Kings Point, Long Island, NY
· This April 30th we will host the SS United States Foundation’s 8th Annual
Meeting on board the USS New Jersey!
· This May 21st the Foundation will host a Life Time Achievement Award
Tribute for maritime author Bill Miller at the Lockwood Mansion outside New
York City!
· This July the Foundation will host a Washington D.C. area “Friends of the
SS United States Gala!” (Date and location to be announced in the next
update)


Chairman’s Update
After two years of ownership by NCL, the Big U still languishes at pier 82
in Philadelphia. In this timeframe the only official indications of the
current owner’s intent for the vessel are vague at best with dates of
possible refurbishment pushed out to 2010 by some accounts. With this type
of uncertainty, we cannot take a “wait and see” approach. If by chance, NCL
should elect to divest itself of the United States it will be too late to
mount a serious campaign to save her. The type of national movement needed
for a successful strategy to save such a large and significant American icon
has to be ongoing, consistent and completely independent of any taint of
compliance with the current owners. To keep the purity of our cause intact,
and our motivations free from the suggestions of conflict, this Foundation
has never taken a dime in donation money from NCL. And we never will.

To this end the Foundation will continue to lobby Congress until legislation
is introduced and passed giving this national treasure we call United States
back to her people. There are few moments in history when citizens of all
backgrounds unite to save a treasure of such importance. There will never,
Never be another SS United States. Nor will a gutted “modernized” cruise
ship piled on the hull of the great ship suffice as an acceptable
alternative to a proper restoration of an irreplaceable national icon.

Many have asked me how can we take on a giant corporation and win? I say
just look at the history of those who have fought for something against
insurmountable odds and have won. We can all recall such examples. These
united and determined citizens fought on even when all seemed lost for their
“weapons were not carnal but might through the power of God to the pulling
down of strong holds.”

The “weapons” of determination, passion, dedication and resolute action will
always win if they are applied. What the SS United States symbolizes towers
far above the worth, influence or power of any corporation. She is named
for our nation. She helped to end the cold war—one of the most deadly
conflicts in world history—how can any entity stand in opposition to that?

It is this power of determination, passion, dedication and resolute action
that this Foundation and its members embody. Every storm that has washed
over our decks has only made us a stronger and a more united organization.
This organization, is not just saving a ship, we are saving part of America
and therefore part of all of us.

The 8th Annual Meeting of the S.S. United States Foundation:
This April 30th the SS United Foundation will host it's 8th Annual Meeting
on board the storied battleship USS New Jersey! Directly across the Delaware
River from the SS United States, the USS New Jersey offers a stunning view
of the Big U as well as equally stunning views of Philadelphia's skyline. As
always, the annual meeting will be open to the public and attendance is
free. However, since seating is limited Foundation members will receive
first priority play opap games. The meeting will held with an hour
lunch break.

Additionally, the good folks on board the battleship have put together a
special package for those attending the meeting. Aside from donating space
for us to host our meeting in such a nationally significant ship, we have
been informed that those attending the Foundation's meeting will also be
permitted to tour the vessel for a nominal fee of only $5.00! I can think
of few sites as symbolic for us to gather and plan our new strategy to Save
the United States’ historic integrity. For information on directions and
parking or other questions about the USS New Jersey please visit their
Website http://www.battleshipnewjersey.org/index.cfm

We will have a lot to talk about at the annual meeting. The exact direction
this organization takes in dealing with the current owners will be decided
upon and implemented shortly thereafter. Please make plans to attend and
send your RSVP by April 15th. Also you can contribute your suggestions via
e-mail or letters before April 30th, 2015.

Riverboat Tour of the SS United States and Dinner Event at Union League
Mansion:
The date for the Union League Yacht Club’s SS United States event will be
this May 22. The day will begin with a private riverboat tour of both the
United States and the USS New Jersey. Guests will we taken from the League
House Mansion to the yachts for the tour, which will be narrated, by both
the Foundation Chairman and President. Guests will then be taken back to
the mansion for cocktails and dinner followed by a multimedia presentation
on the history, present circumstances and hopeful future of the national
flagship, which will be hosted by Chairman Westover.

The Union League has graciously allowed for members of the Foundation to
attend this very exciting and elegant event. The cost for the entire day’s
activities will be only $90 which includes, transportation to the yachts for
the riverboat tour, the riverboat tours of the United States and New Jersey,
dinner at the historic mansion and the presentation! Please RSVP by April
15 if you wish to attend. Make your check out to the Union League Yacht
Club. This event is exclusively for Foundation members—sorry but space is
limited. Members of the media who would like to attend need to contact the
Foundation by calling 703-635-3037.

For more information about the Union League Yacht Club and mansion please
visit: http://www.unionleague.org/intro.htm

More Events:
The Life Time Achievement Award Tribute for Bill Miller will be held the
Saturday May 21 before the League Mansion event (May 22). We are still
waiting for final pricing arrangements and will send out a separate email
once all the details are hammered out.

Mike Alexander Memorial Service at Kings Point:
The SS United States Foundation cordially invites everyone to a gathering
and reception at the American Merchant Marine Museum in Kings Point, New
York on Saturday, April 9th, 2015, from 1:00 PM to 4:30 PM. The gathering
is to honor Mike Alexander, a founding Board member of the Foundation and a
driving force behind the resurgence of the SS United States into the public
conscience.

The Foundation and its members will gather at the American Merchant Marine
Museum, at the United States Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New
York, on Saturday, April 9th, 2015 to tour the Museum's extensive collection
of artifacts from the vessel to honor Mike's memory.
For more information, please visit the SS United States Foundation's website
at www.ssunitedstates.org , or the Museum’s website at
http://www.usmma.edu/about/Museum/

Please remember that all of these important events, and our grassroots
lobbying activities could not happen without your generous support. We
depend on your tax-deductible donations. Please send your donations to the
address below. And, remember, the SS United States Foundation is the only
Federal 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated exclusively to protecting
the historic integrity of the national flagship as designated under Section
8 of the National Register of Historic Places*.

We Will Save the United States!

Robert Hudson Westover
Chairman
SS United States Foundation
Washington DC

Tax Deductible Donations Mailing Address: SS United States Foundation, P.O.
Box 853, Washington DC 20144

*A clarification about the listing of the S.S. United States on the National
Register of Historic Places: It would seem that other groups/individuals
are claiming to have carried out this long and arduous task. The fact of
the matter is it was the Chairman of the S.S. United States Foundation who
pushed the nomination through several layers of historic commission
recognition. It was your Chairman and President (Matt Smith was the SSUSF
chairman at the time) that attended and testified at both the Philadelphia
and Harrisburg Historic Commission hearings that resulted in a unanimous
vote to nominate the S.S. United States for listing on the National
Register. The only involvement by any other groups/individuals came when
the National Register asked the Foundation to obtain reports from other
experts on the technical features of the ship. So, yes, we did rely on the
expert reports of many. However, the submitting of a written report is by
no means taking a leading role in the nearly two-year process it took to get
the vessel listed on the National Register and those who claim such a
leading role should produce evidence of their attendance at the various
historic commission meetings and/or a detailed explanation of how they went
about contributing to securing the nomination without any regular and or
consistent contact with officials at any of the above mentioned government
entities.

January 10, 2015

2015 Update:

Dear Friends and Supporters,

2014 was an incredibly successful year for the S.S. United States Foundation
and we are starting 2015 off with a bang! The Board of Directors has voted
to select Dan S. Trachtenberg as organization’s new President. As the
President of the only Federally recognized tax-exempt 501c3 nonprofit
organization seeking to save the S.S. United States, Dan will be working
with the Board to implement our new strategies for the coming year.

To start with, Dan has already lined up world-renowned maritime historian
Bill Miller to speak at the 8th Annual Meeting of the S.S. United States
Foundation! (More details below) Dan has written an insightful introduction
letter (or reintroduction letter as this is his second term as President) to
the membership which is attached to this update.

Adding to this exciting news for 2015 is an invitation for Chairman Westover
as well as President Trachtenberg to present a program on the history of our
great national flagship to the prestigious Union League Yacht Club of
Philadelphia this April 29th (the date might change to April 22nd--we will
have the exact date shortly).

The event will include a riverboat tour of the S.S. United States and the
battleship New Jersey as well as dinner and a presentation by the Foundation
at the historic Union League Mansion across the street from Philadelphia's
City Hall. Tickets will first be offered to members of the yacht club and
than to the members of the Foundation. We will send an update as to when
you can purchase tickets to this exciting event.

2015 will also be the year that the Foundation seeks to have legislation
formally introduced in Congress to protect the S.S. United States and have
her turned into possibly a national maritime museum, oceanic research center
and training vessel or all the above.

The Foundation has had a professional grassroots lobbyist meeting with House
Congressional and/or Senate members, (including Senior Staff), from the
Wisconsin, Massachusetts, Maryland, New York, California, Pennsylvania, New
Jersey, Hawaii, District of Columbia and Virginia delegations. The Chairman
reports that the members of Congress he has met with are extremely excited
about preserving the S.S. United States and restoring her to her original
look.

Throughout the year, the Foundation will send updates regarding our progress
in Congress. Remember, to continue sending your letters of support to your
Congressmen and Congresswomen. Additionally, please remember that all your
financial contributions are making this effort possible.

Unlike other Big U organizations that have a more commercial focus and rely
heavily on donations from corporations, we receive all our operating cost
from the membership of this organization and we thank all of you for your
generous support in 2014--which brings us to the next section of this
update:

The Accomplishments for 2014

Membership:
· Over 200 new members joined our cause to Save the United States in 2014.
The bulk of these new members joined after reading Chairman Westover's
full-page article on the history of the Big U in Sea History magazine, the
publication of the National Maritime Historical Society.

· The second wave of membership was directly related to a stirring hour-long
NBC News broadcast of the history of the Titanic which included a 20 minute
narrative of the S.S. United States as it related to the incomparable
William Francis Gibbs and his connection with Philadelphia.

· The third wave of membership was due to the exciting (and now largest)
exhibit of the history of the S.S. United States on board the RMS Queen Mary
in Long Beach, California. This exhibit is entering its third year and the
Foundation still receives numerous inquires, and new members directly from
those who were moved by the exhibit entitled “All Hands on Deck—Save the
United States.”

The Foundation has plans to enhance this wonderful exhibit in the near
future as well as contribute to the Smithsonian exhibit to be launched in
2006!

Media:
· Foundation placements in The New York Times and USA Today as well as many
full-page articles in prestigious maritime publications including Maritime
Matters, Sea History and Professional Mariner as well as radio and TV.
broadcasts, reached millions of Americans in 2014. We look forward to
another spectacular year of media coverage in 2015--possibly the best year
ever!

The Book:
· The Foundation's comprehensive history book "S.S. United States, Fastest
Ship in the World" was picked up by distributors around the world including
a book-selling company in England, Wal-Mart Stores, the world famous Mariner
Museum in New Port News and many other distributors and book sellers.

Our Legislative Agenda:
· Armed with hundreds of letters of support from members across the nation,
the Foundation comprehensive lobbying strategy has opened doors and ears in
Congress to what we are saying: Save the United States in all her splendor
and historic integrity and NO, we DO NOT welcome a historically destructive
faux redo or an ugly hotel on a barge, rather, we envision a ship of power
and grace, restored to her original glory the only ship worthy of the name
United States.

The Website:
· www.ssunitedstates.org continues to be the website of choice for those
wanting to take action to Save the United States. With millions of hits
yearly the Foundation owes a great deal of gratitude to the one man who for
six years has done this thankless and time-consuming job, Mr. Paul Robinson.
Now the proud father of two boys, Paul carried has out his duties
unflinchingly.
When the Foundation's Website was selected as Yahoo's "Pick of the Day" in
April 2013, over 2 million visitors in three days time came to see what was
going on with this organization and they return whenever we get a
substantial media placements, like this year. Thank you Paul!

We hope to have you serve until the great ship is safe and secure.

Sadly, 2014 also brought the passing of the S.S. United States last master,
Commodore Leroy Alexanderson. In honor of the Commodore, the Foundation
worked to make his passing known to the world. We contacted media
throughout the nation resulting in the Commodore's life being celebrated in
"the newspaper of record" The New York Times, as well as The Washington
Post. The fascinating story of Mr. Alexanderson's exciting and rewarding
life was picked up by the Associated Press in Philadelphia, and consequently
the world. Sail on, Sir!

The S.S. United States Foundation Board of Directions, Washington, D.C.

A message from the new President of the S.S. United States Foundation:

Talk about full circle! After an almost four year absence, I once again can
proudly speak to you all as President of the SS United States Foundation.
When I resigned in 2001, personal issues aside, I thought I had accomplished
all I could for the SS United States. We had several fabulous years, and I
felt there was little more to do but sit on the “sidelines” and watch and
see what transpired. In that time, much has changed. Our ship remains, as
she has been, proud, determined, but tired and fading. At rest for 35 years
now, more than double the number of years she was in service. At rest but
eager to move again, eager to serve more than the seagulls. Many with ideas
both genuine and ridiculous have come and gone. Of course, in 2013, an
exciting possibility unfolded when Norwegian Cruise Lines entered the fray,
with bold plans for the future of the vessel. She would sail again, they
said, under the NCL America banner. Since that time, little action on the
part of NCL has taken place. Promises and rumors have once again set in.
Doubts about the vessel are once again the norm, the cruise industry being
the money-driven entity it is adding fuel to the notion that the “bold
ideas” for the SS United States, put forth by NCL, may never see the light
of day.

I finally realized that I no longer wished to remain “retired” from the
fight. I felt that the message had been lost. The disagreements from all
sides had clouded the primary issue; the SS United States should be saved
and allowed to serve a purpose again beyond nostalgia. The SS United States
is the proudest maritime achievement for this country. She must not be
allowed to finally die on some far off beach, she deserves better.

In many respects, the SS United States Foundation has come full circle as
well. We are planning an exciting 2015. Our Annual Meeting is tentatively
being scheduled for May in the New York area, the vessels’ homeport. We
will sponsor tours of local Museums that showcase artifacts from the vessel.
The highlight of the meeting will be a gala reception honoring Maritime
Historian and Author William H. Miller, Jr. The author of countless
masterpieces on the subject of ocean liners, Mr. Miller has a long
association with the SS United States. His 2 works on the vessel, SS UNITED
STATES, THE STORY OF AMERICA'S GREATEST OCEAN LINER, and PICTURE HISTORY OF
THE SS UNITED STATES are benchmarks. It promises to be a fabulous evening.
As the planning moves forward we will surely inform you all as to the date,
place and time.

Here’s to a wonderful 2015. Together, we will save the SS United States!


Very truly yours,

Dan S. Trachtenberg
President
SS United States Foundation

Dear Friends and Supporters:

The S.S. Untied States Foundation has many exciting developments to share
with you! Our "Save the United States" campaign is reaching out to a larger
and more diverse audience than ever before. In many instances new members
had never even heard of the S.S. United States before being made aware of
the national flagship from us. And the message is clear: She is indeed
ready for restoration—a wholehearted restoration of all that she embodies.
It is for this reason we as an organization exist. The Foundation has a
responsibility to actively pursue what we feel is the best option for
preserving this treasure of America maritime prowess.

Irresponsible modernization that would seek to destroy the historic
significance of the United States as stated in the National Register of
Historic Places is something we cannot accept. Calls by some that this is
the “only option” is just not an honest assessment of the future of the
vessel. Many historically sensitive restorations fill the pages of
history—almost every town or city in America can point to such examples.
These careful and consciousness restorations happened because the hearts of
those who sought to save these treasure was bigger than the ill-informed
minds of those could not see beyond a ledger sheet.

About Those Engines: When asked what speeds the powerful engines of United
States could achieve, William Francis Gibbs said this: “Joe Stalin would
like to know”. The engineering and designs of the United States were so
significant and so important to our naval supremacy that they were a closely
guarded secret for many years after the passing of her designers. These
engines brought the maritime world to its knees when the United States broke
speed record after speed record during her sea trials and on her maiden
voyage.

How could anyone who claims to care about the history of this great ship
want to see her very soul ripped from her?

Unfortunately, NCL has gone on the record stating that they will replace the
engines of the United States. Some have tied their hope for the restoration
of the Big U to this same company that if they follow through with their
stated plan to “modernize” the Big U will achieve one objective for certain:
The de-listing of the United States as set forth in the National Register.
De-listing from the National Register may not concern some, but it concerns
us. Nothing would please this organization more than if NCL agreed to at
least keep some portion of one engine room intact, but to date they have yet
to open a dialog with us on historic preservation issues that would not
result in de-listing the Big U from the National Register.

This Foundation worked too hard to get the S.S. United States listed on the
National Register to just give blind confidence to a foreign owned
corporation with no experience in historic restoration that we are aware of.

To this end, we as an organization are moving forward as never before with
our awareness campaign. As the only 501c3 non-profit corporation devoted to
the restoration of the Big U, the Foundation is uniquely positioned to carry
this tremendous responsibility to the general public. We are not just a fan
club reliving her past glory (however enjoyable these reunions are) we are
and always have been a strong and focused advocacy foundation working to
secure a more historically responsible future for the great ship. Here is a
progress report of our ongoing activities:
· Media Awareness: Recent coverage in major newspapers, TV broadcasts and a
full-page article in the venerable publication “Sea History” are just some
of the awareness the Foundation has generated in just the past nine
months—more updates to follow shortly on an exciting national TV broadcast
to be released shortly.
· Project Capitol Hill: In the halls of the United States Congress
representatives of the Foundation have been speaking with elected officials.
The new legislative project is already reaching some of the most influential
members of Congress.
· Exhibits: Aside from the hugely successful SS United States exhibit
onboard the Queen Mary in Long Beach CA, the Foundation is working with two
major International organizations on exhibits featuring the S.S. United
States that will be opened to the public in the very near future. Millions
of visitors will see these exhibits and this is truly an exciting break
though for generating awareness on a dramatic national scale and a vehicle
that will generate an entirely new level of membership in the Foundation.
(We will announce the names of the organizations hosting the exhibits and
the opening dates once we receive approval from these organizations.)
· The Foundation’s official Web-site www.ssunitedstates.org will be going
through some exciting updates over the next few months.
· New Members: Scores of new members have been added to the Foundation’s
rolls this year alone and we hope to hit the 1500 mark by years end!

All of this is happening because of your dedication and support on many
levels. Nothing of what we have accomplished and what we are currently
achieving would be remotely possible without you. We will Save the United
States!

Sincerely,

Robert Hudson Westover
Chairman & CEO