The majestic ocean liner SS United States was officially launched into the waters of Newport News, Virginia, on June 23, 1951. Built entirely in America using groundbreaking naval architecture, she embarked on her historic maiden voyage a little over a year later, sprinting between New York and the Isles of Scilly near Cornwall, England. She stunned the maritime world by completing the grueling transatlantic journey in less than three and a half days, shattering the previous speed record.
The ship’s blistering speed was achieved because she was secretly engineered as a dual-purpose military asset rather than a mere luxury liner. The U.S. government heavily subsidized her construction under a strict agreement that, in the event of war, she could be rapidly converted into a troopship capable of carrying 14,000 soldiers anywhere on earth in days. To keep her lightweight and entirely fireproof, the designers completely banned the use of wood anywhere in her construction—except for the captain’s mahogany grand piano.
