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June, 2000
An open letter to all fellow admirers of the SS AMERICA…everywhere!
Please permit me to introduce myself. My name is Bill Lee. I was born in Newport News, VA
within sight of AMERICA’s building ways. At the tender age of three, I attended her launching ceremonies. I
really don’t remember that day, but it was the social event of 1939, so I’m told. And I have been
following her adventures ever since.
Sometime in my early childhood, I started collecting AMERICA memorabilia. Much of this
initial part of my collection is in the form of glossy news and pr photos, provided by my father. For decades,
he was managing editor of the local newspaper and had access to what are now rare and treasured items. Many
of these pictures were published in the Newport News Daily Press, and several have notations on the back
in my deceased father’s handwriting that materially adds to their value for me.
My earliest memory of this fine ship is going down to the port area to see her arrive from
Europe loaded with returning troops in late 1945. This was a common occurrence in those immediate post-war days.
Although she was dressed in drab gray, and sailed under the name USS WEST POINT; there was no mistaking her
deeply toned, whistled arrival ‘announcement’. A small boy at the time, I (and other children present) were
allowed to venture onto the roped-off pier area immediately adjacent to her towering, all-riveted hull
after she was safely berthed. We retrieved dozens of coins - mostly Italian - and military script that the
returning soldiers had tossed in jubilation. I still have them all…
Following her re-conversion, and before AMERICA left Newport News in 1946 to enter
transatlantic service, the local shipyard hosted a public spaces’ tour one weekend. I was there both days (thanks to
neighbors/shipbuilders who shared my affection). This was the first occasion that I had to
actually go aboard. Thousands of people attended, and the lines were extremely long that day. Many of
those attending were rank-and file shipbuilders, who came on their days off to proudly show their families and
friends some particular item they had installed or refurbished. This practice I saw repeated again and
again, and, years later it was something I did myself. But that’s another story…
Those same neighbors/shipbuilders, knowing of my interest in AMERICA, often brought me small
items (such as now-rare WEST POINT era booklets that were just tossed in the trash during the re-conversion).
The United States Lines also produced many pr photos of her renewed public spaces (as well as some
comparison views taken during her war years). Of course, my father dutifully brought them home to me to add to my
collection.
When AMERICA left to resume her civilian career, hundreds of people watched from the elevated
advantage point of a bluff just east of the shipyard property as she was backed away from her pier and turned
downstream in the James River. As she passed us, decorated from stem to stern with colorful signal flags,
her great twin steam whistles blasted again and again, answered by the toots of attendant tugs and the higher
pitched voices of numerous vessels anchored in the harbor and berthed at commercial cargo piers. In
subsequent years, watching her leave following annual voyage repair visits to Newport News Shipbuilding (usually
in November) became a pilgrimage of sorts for those of us who followed her career. Her departures were
always well publicized locally, thanks, naturally, to my father! During the fifties, especially, I was
amongst those on the bluff almost every time she departed. One of my favorite pictures of her was taken on one
of occasions. Entitled “The Queen Salutes”, this award-winning photo shows her underway with
steam billowing from both whistles. She never looked (or sounded) better to me!
In 1951, when the SS UNITED STATES when nearing completion, my father arranged a visit for me
with Commodore Harry Manning at a local hotel. He had been advised of my interest in AMERICA, so I carried
along my growing collection, which he patiently (I suppose) reviewed and then complimented as he ended our brief
meeting by presenting me with an autographed photograph of himself on the port bridge wing of AMERICA.
Also in 1951, I wrote to US Lines, advising them of my interest and boldly solicited anything
‘americana’ “they could spare”. Imagine my surprise when I received a bundle of deck plans, New Yorker
ad proofs, and additional pr material. But the biggest surprise was the arrival a few days later of a large,
framed reproduction of W.J. Aylward’s famous painting of AMERICA outbound from New York harbor. This
is a commercially mass-produced piece; probably widely used in US Lines’ agent offices in those
days. It measures some 32 inches by 24 inches, and to this day retains its colorful appearance. And it’s still
quite a treasure which I happily display in a place of honor in my retirement home in North Carolina.
Later in the 50’s, I entered the shipyard’s Apprentice School, and on one occasion had the
opportunity to be assigned to work for a week on the AMERICA during one of her November visits to
NNS. The assigned work itself was unimportant, but I deliberately went to work early every day that week, skipped
lunch and stayed after work until they ran me ashore. I was able to look, and look, and look some more at all
the public spaces, many staterooms and most of the working areas that are usually off limits to visitors
and passengers. A small, nearly empty toolbox, a clipboard with unrelated work orders attached
and a contrived look of authority were my passports! Little did I know that would be my very last time
aboard…
By the mid-sixties, I had finished the Apprentice School and college, and was hard at work in
the shipyard’s nuclear power design department. When AMERICA arrived in 1964 for her traditional voyage
repair visit, I walked down to the waterfront one lunchtime to look her over up close. Since I really had no
business onboard, I didn’t try to find some innovative way to gain access. My mistake.
Days later, her sale was announced, and I watched sadly and with disbelief as her red, white
and blue signature funnels disappeared forever under a coat of Chandris black and blue. With little
other change (except for painting out her name), she quietly sailed from Newport News forever on November
18, 1964. That was the last time I saw her underway, or at all. No longer Queen of the American Merchant
Marine, she did not salute. But those faithful few of us on that well-trod bluff did…
In the long years since, I have continued to accumulate AMERICA memorabilia, and have included
items representative of her several later lives. While several well-meaning friends have sent me
information and pictures in recent years of her current sad state, I must profess no real interest in
perpetuating such memories; nor of visiting what remains. Rather, I prefer to remember her when… I look
forward to the day when the sea finally claims the last of her, and we all can replace those stark, sad images
from the Canary Islands in our minds’ eye with happier visions of AMERICA in her prime.
Nevertheless, I have thoroughly enjoyed finding numerous indications on the Internet that this
once-wonderful ship has left a lasting impression on many others whose paths once crossed hers. And I
applaud those who continue to add to this electronic memory base. I am pleased to make myself (and my life-long
hobby) known to you at this time. Perhaps I may join you in the continued exchange of memories, and
contribute from time to time to your trips down AMERICA’s memory sealane from a different perspective.
There is quite a concentration on the Internet of remembering from former passengers and
crewmembers. There is a third group - the shipbuilders of Newport News - who knew her first…and perhaps best.
The following appeared in the shipyard’s publication upon her return to the service for which she was
originally designed and constructed. I think this anonymous offering best expresses this group’s (and my own)
feelings…
THE BITTERSWEET ROMANCE OF SHIPBUILDING
There is something about a ship that makes it the most loved of man’s inanimate creations. To
share in the formation of a seagoing vessel brings to the shipbuilder That Certain Feeling and he belongs to
her episodes thereafter. He follows her trials at sea, he rejoices in her good fortune and fame, he sets
her apart from all others as his very own, and he mourns her eventual demise.
A crewmember may feel as if he is part of a ship, but the shipbuilder knows he is. He knew
her before she was fully conceived in the drawing rooms, he saw her lying helpless in her shipway cradle, he
was present at her christening, and he witnessed her graceful slide into her natural element. He remembers
her first unassisted step as she backed into the channel, turned her bow seaward and rounded that last
bend - going out of sight - perhaps forever.
To others who may line the riverbank, it is a grand and joyous occasion. She gathers speed,
her freshly painted topsides sparkle, she passes other vessels at anchor in the harbor, she proudly returns
their welcoming salutes with virtually continuous blasts of her own steam whistles. But to the
shipbuilder, it is as if he has given up a daughter in marriage to King Neptune. As she passes from view, and
even as he turns to his next creation, the shipbuilder hesitates, he strains to hear her last faint goodbye.
And then he has That Certain Feeling forevermore.
In the summer of 1989, when she lay neglected in the backwaters of Greece, and in real danger
of being scrapped, Newport News shipbuilders remembered AMERICA one last time. In a wake of
premonition, her eventual demise was marked beforehand by the offering of memories to the yard’s in-house
publication by many of the employees and retirees who had designed, built, converted, re-built and maintained her
from 1938 until 1964. Entitled “Farewell America”, it took most of two issues of this publication to contain
the many fond memories her creators wished to offer in final tribute…and to inspire future generations of
shipbuilders.
Later, when I had occasion to visit my birthplace…and hers…I called upon long retired Commodore
Leroy Alexanderson (who turns 90 this year). As you are no doubt well aware, he was the last master
of the SS UNITED STATES, and is often asked to help publicize efforts to save that equally fine vessel.
But long before that, at one time during the late 40’s, he was master of the AMERICA. When I contacted
him and advised that my interest was to show off my collection, he replied: “Everybody usually wants to
talk about The Big U. But the AMERICA was really superior when it came to comfortable travel. Come on by
and let’s see what you have!” So once again, I found myself in the company of a former AMERICA master, who
studied and complimented my collection, then autographed for me a recent publication about both these
famous US Lines vessels. History can repeat itself… We spent an entire afternoon together as he added
significantly to my understanding of her glory years of transatlantic service, and he also told quite a few ‘sea
stories’ about his entire seafaring career. I’m not sure which one of us enjoyed it the most…
Recently, I visited the Mariners Museum in Virginia and the Maritime Museum in New York. The
Mariners Museum contains many contributions of AMERICA artifacts from NNS, including original oil paintings by
Skinner, her last set of nameboards and a highly detailed model, over twenty feet long. The Maritime Museum
is the main repository of items recovered from the once-proud US Lines. On display there are her
builder’s plate, ship’s bell, additional original paintings and other memorabilia. Only at these two locations can
one now see and touch these few remaining AMERICA treasures.
Feel free to share this message with anyone…everyone you know who may have similar fond
feelings for AMERICA. I wish for you fair winds and a following sea in any and all future efforts you
might undertake to help perpetuate the memory of your ship, their ship…and my ship.
Sincerely,
Bill Lee
E-Mail me at: walee@gateway.net
William A. (Bill) Lee
1001 Brandon Court
Monroe, NC 28110 USA |