OKALOOSA COUNTY, Fla. (WJHG\/WECP) – The SS United States is set to be sunk, and it will become the world\u2019s largest artificial reef. Former passengers said they are holding on to their memories of the ship.<\/p>\n
Known as \u201cAmerica\u2019s Flagship,\u201d the ship carried passengers across the Atlantic for years. Passengers included Hollywood celebrities, U.S. presidents, and active-duty military members.<\/p>\n
The ship waited 30 years for a future in Philadelphia before being set for reefing. By the time the sinking is complete, the ship will be at the bottom of the Gulf.<\/p>\n
Joe Beaman, a former passenger, said he was 8 years old when he first saw the ship in 1956.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I first spotted that ship, I was just overwhelmed as an eight-year-old,\u201d Beaman said. \u201cThe anticipation of knowing that we\u2019re going to be on the fastest ocean liner in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n
Beaman said he couldn\u2019t contain the excitement of being on the fastest ship in the Atlantic and remembered when the ship raced the Queen Mary.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Queen Mary was way out there ahead of us. And as an eight-year-old, my heart was like thump, thump, thump,\u201d he said. \u201cThe race is on. We\u2019re catching it. … We\u2019re gonna win! We\u2019re gonna beat it to New York Harbor. It was just wonderful.\u201d<\/p>\n
Warren Jones, a former passenger and a board member of SS United States Conservancy, described the experience as something he will never forget. And he said he\u2019s never been on a cruise ship since.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s just like no experience. It\u2019s unforgettable,\u201d Jones said.<\/p>\n
Jones said the amenities available to passengers would make any kid feel free to do whatever they wanted.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnytime you want to see a movie, it was just free. You\u2019d go in one of the two theaters and see a movie,\u201d Jones said. \u201cThere was all kinds of music all the time there in announcements and just a real feeling of excitement. And yet you were in this special environment that just felt really upper class.\u201d<\/p>\n
Debbie Lee, a former passenger, said the ship\u2019s craftsmanship and the dress code were different from those on cruises today, and that you had to dress up for every meal, especially the main gala dinner.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust the way it was crafted, and the way that the dress and stuff was so different than your cruises now,\u201d Lee said.<\/p>\n
Lee also remembered the food. She said the menus and their wording differ from those on current cruises, remembering some dishes were French-inspired.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou still get different things, but this is kind of like gourmet-type food,\u201d Lee said.<\/p>\n
Lee even recalls being invited to Vincent Van Patten\u2019s birthday party during her trip back to the United States in June of 1966.<\/p>\n
Jones said he attended the 1984 auction of the ship\u2019s contents and bought items like a stateroom telephone, a dog blanket, and silverware.<\/p>\n
\u201cI did go to the auction of all the ship\u2019s contents in 1984 and bought a few things but not nearly as many as I should have,\u201d Jones said.<\/p>\n
Jones was on the ship in 1961. He now works on preserving its history and is working with other board members on creating a museum to honor the ship\u2019s legacy. The museum will be in Destin at a future date.<\/p>\n
Jones said one of the things that made the ship innovative was that it was the first to have new technology such as microwaves.<\/p>\n
Beaman said, \u201cOnce you\u2019ve been on that ship, part of your heart stays on that ship forever.\u201d<\/p>\n
The sinking will begin at 1 p.m. NewsChannel 7 reporters will be on scene throughout the day.<\/p>\n
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