A Man and His Ship: the Story of the SS United States.
Just finished reading this book and I’m glad I did. The book traces the history of America’s Greatest Navel Architect and his quest to build the ship.
At the peak of his power, in the 1940s and 1950s, William Francis Gibbs was considered America’s best naval architect.
His quest to build the finest, fastest, most beautiful ocean liner of his time, the S.S. United States, was a topic of national fascination. When completed in 1952, the ship was hailed as a technological masterpiece at a time when “made in America” meant the best.
Gibbs was an American original, on par with John Roebling of the Brooklyn Bridge and Frank Lloyd Wright of Falling water. Forced to drop out of Harvard following his family’s sudden financial ruin, he overcame debilitating shyness and lack of formal training to become the visionary creator of some of the finest ships in history. He spent forty years dreaming of the ship that became the S.S. United States.
The amazing thing about the ships’ design was that it was SO ADVANCED that the design of the ship’s hull and propellers were considered a Military Secret and held from the public until 1977 a full 25 years after she was lunched.
The story of what many consider to be the greatest American ocean liner of all time. Originally designed to be a secret weapon in the cold war and was designed as a troop ship if needed.
I forgot that to this day she was the last ship to capture the Blue Ribbon for the fastest translantic crossing. She still hods the honot 38 knots and 2/3 rd. power the rest was kept a military secret.
JAKE,I just finished this book.You are right,it is a book that,s hard to put down.Not many books cover a man,s dream. ESPECIALLY from idea to reality. well done. TANKER-builder
I went to Philadelphia a couple times this year to go to the USS Olympia and we passed the SS United States. Its just docked there and rusting away. I know there is talk of restoring her and I hope they do. I think I will buy the book, looks interesting.
I have also started reading the book and finding it very enjoyable. I don’t know if this is mentioned in the book, but Gibbs and Cox had a model shop that turned out many fine ship models, especially navy ships in the '40s and 50s.
STEVES-I still remember seeing models by them while I was in the NAVY.That is what kept me building models during those years.The sheer attention to detail AND correctness was ,to me ,always incredible. I have always hoped my commissions met that standard. TANKER-builder