Mar 15, 2017 -- Newsday: Tending to a giant liner’s grand history

Courtesy of Heather Walsh/Newsday.

This excellent profile of Robert Sturm, former SS United States engineer and author of the book SS United States: The View From Down Below, explores his decades-long fascination with the Big U.

“The ship is the epitome of American genius when it comes to naval architecture and marine engineering, both in design and construction and in operation,” Sturm told Newsday.

“It was truly a magnificent piece of work.”

Sturm spoke with reporter Bill Bleyer about his book -- available for purchase here -- in which he "details his knowledge about the ship gleaned during his 44 transatlantic voyages, from 1957 to 1959."

He also discussed his work as a volunteer archivist at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, organizing and cataloging boxes of documents and photographs the museum acquired when United States Lines was dissolved in 1992. Unsurprisingly, the files he lingers the longest over are those related to the Big U.

To read the profile in its entirety, click here.

Mar 9, 2017 -- USA Today: Peek Inside the Last of the Great Ocean Liners

Created by veteran cruise writer, ship photographer, and Conservancy Advisory Council member Peter Knego, this fantastic virtual tour takes visitors inside four of the most iconic trans-Atlantic vessels, including (of course!) the SS United States. Knego includes both historical and current photos of "some of the most spectacular machines ever made for transportation."The tour of the SS United States -- "the largest, fastest, and arguably greatest American passenger ship ever built" -- begins at slide 27 and concludes at slide 51. Knego beautifully summarizes the current condition of ship when he says: "Peeling paint and superficial rust aside, the grace and beauty of the ship's architecture is unparalleled." He finishes by expressing his hope that there will ben more to the story of "one of the mightiest ships to ever grace the seas," a hope the Conservancy is working hard to make a reality.To view the tour, click here.

Feb 25, 2017 -- Tradition Brewing Hull 488 Launch Party

[huge_it_gallery id="12"]The SS United States Conservancy was proud to witness the release of the signature craft beer Hull 488 in 12-ounce cans. Newport News city officials were in attendance, and there was much enthusiasm shared in support of the  the SS United States making a grand return to the place where her hull (number 488) was laid.The energy and support from all attendees is a testament to the enduring power of the SS United States to inspire. Not only did Tradition Brewery donate all proceeds from the silent auction and the sale of Hull 488 at the event to the Conservancy, but they also pledged to donate 5 percent of all proceeds from the sale of cans of Hull 488 going forward!At this time, cans of Hull 488 can be purchased exclusively from the Tradition Brewing tasting room. They plan to launch the beer in stores in New York, Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia in the near future. More information can be found on their website.Thank you to Tradition Brewing for putting on such an incredible event and for your generous contribution to the future of America's Flagship! Thank you, too, to the individuals and organizations who made the event such a success: Barrel Oak Winery, Michael Cole, Jim Flood, Wayne Forth, the Mariners Museum and Park, the Peninsula Fine Arts Center, P.F. Chang's – Newport News, Robert Semler, and the Virginia Living Museum.