 | Jim Pollin presents a $120,000-donation check to Executive Director Susan Gibbs as
Conservancy Board Member Frank DeGiulio looks on. Photo by Christine D. Hower |
Stepping Up to the Challenge
and More
Last week we achieved a major milestone that we hope will generate even greater momentum for saving the SS United States. It's been no secret that the ship's carrying costs are formidable, and the Conservancy faces pressing financial pressures, even as we continue to make real progress toward securing a permanent pier and identifying investors ready, willing, and able to help us finally resurrect her.
Last month, we launched a search for a donor to purchase the ship's historic five-bladed propeller to raise funds to help cover the ship's expenses. We searched high and low for a champion - someone who was willing to save this extraordinary 61,000-pound, 18-foot-wide, manganese bronze piece of our history.
Conservancy Supporter Jim Pollin answered our call and made an extraordinarily generous donation of $120,000. His only stipulation? That the propeller remain aboard the ship - a requirement we were delighted to fulfill. Our next task? We must save the rest of the vessel!
Jim's passion for ships and the sea originated when he saw this great ship in her heyday in New York. When he first saw the SS United States in Philadelphia several years ago, he broke down and cried. He believes that destroying "America's Flagship" would be akin to trashing the Lincoln Memorial or the Empire State Building. We couldn't agree more.
 | | Jim Pollin gets emotional talking about the ship while Executive Director Susan Gibbs looks on. Photo by Christine D. Hower |
Along with his generous donation, Jim also issued a challenge grant: He will match up to $100,000 in additional donations to the Conservancy. Needless to say, we hope Jim's contribution will serve as an inspiration to others during this critical time. Every dollar you donate to the Conservancy will now be matched. If your employer has a matching grant program, your donation will stretch even farther: a $50 donation grows to $200!
In so many ways, we've never been closer to ensuring that this great symbol of American innovation and our nation's can-do spirit is saved for future generations. The SS United States offers over half a million square feet of space for retail, restaurants, hospitality, open space, a unique venue for the performing arts, and, of course, the SS United States Center for Design and Discovery.
We have been advancing discussions with several potential partners, and we have identified several viable locations for the ship in her former home port of New York. However, without additional support from public officials and private donors, we're only months away from the unthinkable.
Nothing this big and this important that bears the name of our nation should be left to rust - or worse - scrapped. Destroying our nation's flagship would send the wrong message at home and abroad about how our country views its historical accomplishments, our present-day challenges, and our dreams for the future.
Therefore we ask you to step up to Jim's challenge; click HERE to donate whatever you can and Jim will match it dollar-for-dollar. Let 2014 be the year we celebrate a renewed life and purpose for the SS United States!
We can't thank you enough for your continued support!
Support our efforts now to help save and
redevelop the SS United States --
and have your donation matched dollar-for-dollar!
Also in this Issue:
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 Play Golf? Love United States Art? Save the Date!
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 Join us on Friday, September 19th, for a benefit golf tournament, art exhibit and silent auction being held in memory of Capt William Francis Kolbe to support the SS United States!
The event will be held at Honeybrook Golf Club in Honey Brook, PA. The tournament is open to the public but limited to 144 participants. The Player fee includes cart, range balls, lunch and the exhibit; the Spectator fee includes lunch and the exhibit. A portion of the entry fee is tax deductible. Tee-off time is at 8:30am sharp, with a shot-gun start.
The day's events also include an art exhibition featuring the SS United States through the works of artists Maria Mijares and Paul Stipkovich.
In addition, we'll be holding a silent auction, which will include three limited-edition SS United States Gicl�e prints by Robert Semler, one of which is pictured below. Robert's SS United States Berth Day painting was recently accepted into the juried 16th National American Society of Marine Artists exhibition that opens online in October.  | |
Robert Semler's SS United States Berth Day
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Sponsorships are available for each of the holes along the tournament course.
If you're interested in sponsoring one or more holes during the event, please include that on your registration form or contact Ted Piersol at Honeybrook Golf Club at 610-636-5842.
We're pleased to also let you know that any donations made to the Conservancy leading up to the event will automatically be matched by Jim Pollin's matching gifts pledge! So, in addition to being tax-deductible, your donation will go twice as far! (If your company has a matching gifts program, your gift will go FOUR times as far!) You can make a donation from the tournament registration page or by visiting SaveTheUnitedStates.org.
We have never been as close as we are now to saving America's Flagship! It is through the generosity of our supporters that we have been able to continue moving forward in our goal to saving the SS United States to ensure she endures and thrives for generations to come.
To register for the event, please click HERE.
To make a donation to the Conservancy that will be matched by Jim Pollin, please click HERE. |
A Word of Thanks
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The Conservancy would like to thank the following individuals for their recent donations at the Leadership Circles level:
BLUE RIBAND COUNCIL
Christie Peck - $10,000
FLAGSHIP FOUNDERS' CIRCLE
L. Michael Kelly - $5,000
Edmonds Family Foundation - $2,000
It is through the continued generosity of these and other supporters, such as long-time supporter Susan Fino, that has enabled us to thus-far save our historic ship from an unfortunate fate.
Does your employer sponsor a matching gift program? Let us know so we can apply to the program and have your gift matched!
Many companies will match your donation dollar-for-dollar, thus doubling your gift and helping us to reach our goals much more quickly. As mentioned above, Blue Riband Council member Jim Pollin has pledged to match up to $100,000 in donations. So, if your company has a matching gift program, BOTH your donation AND your company's matching gift will be matched by Jim Pollin's pledge, effectively multiplying your gift by four!
Recently one of our members made a gift to the Conservancy in the amount of $250. He submitted the information to GE's Matching Gift Program, and they matched the full amount. The Conservancy received his gift of $250 plus the matching gift of $250 from GE, and both these amounts will be matched by Jim Pollin's pledge. Therefore, this member's $250 gift has now become $1,000! Help us turn $100,000 for the ship into $200,000 by donating now to have your gift matched. Just click HERE or visit SaveTheUnitedStates.org. This is the year when we must save our great Lady in Waiting!
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Remembering One Whose Life Touched Many
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George Murphy of New Milford, NJ, courtesy of northjersey.com
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The Conservancy would like to extend our sympathy to the family and friends of George E. Murphy of New Milford, NJ, who died on June 4 at the age of 90. The distinguished veteran joined the United States Merchant Marine in 1943 upon graduating from the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, and after many years of service and three wars, he retired from the United States Naval Reserve with the rank of Lieutenant Commander.
While in the Naval Reserve, he was employed with United States Lines as a Port Engineer for over 40 years. He retired in 1988 - the same year he and thousands of other merchant seamen who served during WWII finally received veteran status, a long-overdue honor for which he helped lobby. After retirement, he went on to author two memoirs: It Didn't Happen on My Watch and Scuttlebutt. He remained very active in numerous veteran's organizations until the very end.
Carl Weber, New York Conservancy Chapter co-chair and list moderator of The SS United States Group, wrote: "George had been with the SS United States Group, here on Yahoo, since our humble beginning and would often post his recollections and stories of not only the SS United States but the United States Lines in general. Always a pleasure to speak with and to hear his stories. A wonderful man with quite a history under his belt. My sympathies, on behalf of the group, to his family and friends."
Fair winds and following seas, George.
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In the News
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The media has been abuzz covering supporter Jim Pollin's June 17 donation to save the United States' historic 5-blade propeller, and his pledge to match an additional $100,000 in donations. Below are some of the news stories published in various media outlets.
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Chapter Events
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MULTI-CHAPTER EVENT
Join us on Saturday, July 5, to celebrate both Independence Day for our great nation as well as the record-breaking maiden voyage of the historic ocean liner that bears her name! Southeastern Chapter chair Jordan Morris and Philadelphia Chapter co-chair Steve Perry are busy finalizing details, but the day's events are set to include a flag-raising ceremony by a veteran who served in Afghanistan, as well as a celebratory gathering at Longhorn Steakhouse at 2120 S. Christopher Columbus Boulevard in Philadelphia, across from the ship. Although access to the ship's pier is strictly limited, there is an excellent view of the ship from across the street, and the flag will be lit around 8pm. We also anticipate recording the brief ceremony. So, let's meet up at Longhorn Steakhouse around 6pm for some food and fun, and toast Big U and the anniversary of her winning the Blue Riband!
NEW YORK
If you haven't yet visited, there's still time to see Jonathan Atkin's Hero Project exhibition aboard the Steamship Lilac! You may remember from previous issues of the Conservancy's newsletter that The Hero Project is maritime photographer Captain Jonathan Atkin's visual celebration capturing the beauty and grace of dance artists on board various historic ships, including the SS United States! For more information about The Hero Project, please visit http://www.heroproject.us. For more information about the exhibition aboard the Lilac, including hours, please click HERE. The Hero Project exhibition on board the Lilac runs through June 30.
On Saturday, June 7, the New York Chapter hosted a Lower Manhattan Maritime Heritage Walking Tour. Dan McSweeney and Carl Weber photographed various stops along the tour, which included the former Gibbs & Cox headquarters at 21 West Street; the former International Mercantile Marine/United States Lines headquarters; the Cunard Building; Hildreth Meiere's gold mosaic masterpiece in the lobby at 1 Wall Street; and the Reginal Marsh Maritime Murals at the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Customs House.
The photograph above is a shot of the group at the Commodore Manning/Chief Engineer Kaiser & Crew Marker on lower Broadway commemorating the Big U's record-breaking maiden voyage.
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Poet Sylvia Plath's Dedication to the United States
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The SS United States has had many famous passengers, from royalty to actors, singers and musicians to presidents, art and artists. One of our supporters, Peter K. Steinberg, is a historian from Massachusetts who is an expert on poet Sylvia Plath.
On his web site, which covers all things Plath, he devoted a detailed posting about Sylvia Plath's voyage aboard the SS United States. Whether or not you're familiar with the poet, you'll enjoy the look back to her trip, from the planning stages to dinner to "writing home," as well as the deck plan and vintage photographs Steinberg provides.
In addition, he discusses the poem On Deck that the poet wrote after her passage on board the United States. The poem was published in the July 22, 1961, issue of The New Yorker, and can be read HERE. |
Dates in SS United States History
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June 12, 1934: The keel is laid for US Navy destroyer USS Mahan. The Mahan is the first warship designed by William Francis Gibbs. Gibbs is said to have designed nearly 75% of the US Navy fleet in World War II.
June 14, 1957: Dr. Jonas Salk, inventor of the polio vaccine, departs aboard the SS United States to present at the International Polio Conference in Geneva.
June 14, 1999: The SS United States is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
June 15, 1966: The film Munster, Go Home! is released, starring the cast of the TV sitcom "The Munsters." Exterior shots of the SS United States are featured prominently in the film.
June 16, 1951: The Italian liner Andrea Doria is launched, one week before the SS United States. The Andrea Doria famously sank in a collision in 1956. The United States was designed so that she could have survived a similar collision.
June 20, 1952: The SS United States is officially handed over to United States Lines.
June 22, 1923: SS Leviathan begins trials after her Gibbs refit. She is reported to have made 28 knots, faster than the then-Blue Riband holder Mauretania, but she would never obtain the same speed on a transatlantic voyage.
June 23, 1951: The SS United States is christened by Lucille Connally.
June 23, 1952: United States arrives in New York to prepare for her maiden voyage.
June 28, 1952: An open-house for visitors is hosted aboard the SS United States. More than 19,000 people toured the ship, after waiting in a line that stretched eight blocks.
June 29, 1986: Richard Branson's Virgin Atlantic Challenger II speedboat makes a one-time, one-direction Atlantic crossing and bests the United States' eastbound time. The boat is refueled three times along the way.
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Help us to reach more people
in our quest to save America's Flagship.
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SS United States Conservancy
P.O. Box 32115
Washington, DC 20007
(888)-488-7787
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