When World War II began, and the museum’s model shop closed and Sumner returned to the shipyard as a hull designer. After the War, as Newport News transitioned back to peacetime operation, Sumer found himself at the center of one of the most exciting projects in the history of shipbuilding: the creation of the SS United States.
Karen Hess’ father, Nick Landiak, was a kind of SS United States royalty. Landiak joined the United States’ crew in January 1952 before her record-breaking maiden voyage, and sailed aboard the ship as First Engineer and relieving Executive Chief Engineer until she was withdrawn from service in 1969.
Even at kid, I knew the United States was a special ship. It was not just some ship called the 'United States'. The United States was more than a great ocean liner… it was the fastest ship in the world! Back then, that meant something. To be on the fastest ship that sailed across the Atlantic was something very special.
