SS United States Conservancy
SS United States Conservancy Updates

Free Philadelphia Screening of SS United States: Lady in Waiting this Wednesday

Walter Cronkite's family members accept National Flagship Medal at Martha's Vineyard Event

SS United States Conservancy in the Media

SS United States: Lady in Waiting - Available on Netflix!


August 23, 2009
The SS United States (courtesy Margaret Dexter)
The SS United States (courtesy of Margaret Dexter and the Conservancy Archive Project)

Dear SS United States Conservancy Members and Supporters:

 
While the fate of our irreplaceable national flagship remains in peril, the Conservancy has been putting forth an "all hands on deck" effort.  Below are a few of the ways we have been working to save the SS United States

With our best wishes,

The SS United States Conservancy's Board of Directors
 
  Free Film Screening Wednesday, August 26
   Lady in Waiting to be Shown at Philadelphia Museum

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, 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 South Columbus Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19106 on Wednesday August 26, 2009 at 7:00 PM.  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.

SS United States Conservancy board members Jeff Henry, Steven Ujifusa, Joe Rota and Susan Gibbs will be in attendance and available to answer questions about the film and the SS United States.  The Conservancy extends a special thanks to Susan Caccavale and Mark Brooks for all of their help with the event and outreach in Philadelphia.  We also thank the Maritime Preservation Guild and the Steamship Historical Society of America'd Delaware Valley Chapter for their generous support!

Walter Cronkite's Family Members Accept
National Flagship Champion Medal
Martha's Vineyard Audience
(Photo courtesy of Bonnie Davis)
Martha's Vineyard Event a Huge Success


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.

Kate Cronkite
(L-R: Charles Anderson, Joe Rota, Kate Cronkite, Susan Gibbs. Photo courtesy of Bonnie Davis.)

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 States in 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."

Chip Cronkite
(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.


SS United States Conservancy in the Media
Press Coverage of Philadelphia Events
The Philadelphia Weekly Press posted this excellent overview of the SS United States Conservancy's major awareness-raising event at IKEA in Philadelphia. 

Another nice piece was published in the South Philly Review, which describes the Conservancy's recent IKEA event and the general momentum being generated in Philadelphia. 
 Lady in Waiting on NetFlix!
Lady in Waiting Choices Package 
NetFlixLogo
DVD Rentals To Help Raise Public Awareness

The SS United States Conservancy is pleased to announce that the award-winning documentary SS United States: Lady in Waiting is finally available through NetFlix. If you have a NetFlix account, please take a moment and put the film in your Queue.  Even if you never actually rent the DVD, simply placing it in your Queue will help elevate its ranking on NetFlix, thus helping bring new eyes to the story of our endangered national flagship.


For all the latest news on the SS United States and efforts to save her, please visit and bookmark our blog at www.ssunitedstatesconservancy.org.


Don't forget: The Conservancy's 2010 "Artists' Visions of the SS United States"
full color wall calendar is coming soon!


SS United States Conservancy
P.O. Box 32115
Washington, DC 20007
(888)-488-7787

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