Inside The ABANDONED S.S United States 

My wife and I sailed on this great ship in 1959, shortly after we were married. Sailed from New York to France. Our room was one of the least expensive, up front in the bow and I think below the waterline. Bunk beds. We thought we were pretty clever and wanted to sneak to the first class area to watch a movie. Did so, Disappointed in that they showed the same movie the next day in our tourist class. The purpose of the trip was to visit my wife's father who lived in Germany. He returned to Germany after his wife (my wife's mother died.) She was raised by another couple who hid from her the information about her birth father until she was about 18 - 19. After we were married we decided we had to visit her real father. Best way to get there at that time was by ship. So the SS United States. . Had a great time visiting him. After in Germany for a short while I received my draft notice so back the the U. S. via the SS United States. Very stormy, no one allowed on deck as they were awash. My lone physical memento from the ship is a clothes hanger, naturally made from stainless steel.

I had a cabin right inside the bow on the last voyage of this ship in 1969. Stood on the upper deck right below the bridge. I watched her plow through the freezing cold North Atlantic. Met the girl that got away and went on to study at the Freie Uni in Berlin. Memory says we stopped at Le Havre and Bremerhaven. Last time I ever travelled with a trunk. By coincidence ,I am now 81!

The fact that your basic RU-vid videos feel like a proper film is remarkable. Your framing, editing, ability to tell a story in pictures and stylizing is outstanding. This simple story was like a journey back and forth through time. Keep up the excellent work, Jake!

I have lived in Philadelphia all of my life and have always wondered what the inside looks like. I’m glad the youtube rabbit whole brought me here.

My late mother loved that ship. She saved up her money and bought a first class ticket once back in the 1950s, I forget which direction. She got to sit at the captain’s table. We have a photo of her on board. I suppose I should chip in for preservation…

It's absolutely amazing how much manpower and planning went into this ship, only for it to slowly rust away and be forgotten.

As someone who sees this ship every time I go to the ikea basically next door, it’s kinda sad to see it in the state it’s in. I really hope some kind of miracle comes along and we get to see it in action again.

Wish they would restore it. This classic ocean liner style is my favorite kind of ship. Beautiful beast

No BSF film is complete without mention of the 2008 recession.

It’s sad to see big ships like this just rotting away

January 1960 I stepped off this ship for the first time in America. It's sad to see her in this condition, rusting, stripped, and rotting away. I'm grateful for the efforts to hopefully give her a future.

It's truly sad when you realize just how much of our history is rotting away and forgotten about.

It’s ironic she sits in Philadelphia, the birthplace of the very first ship to bear the name United States, a frigate launched May 10, 1797 not far from where SS United States sits today.

It's crazy to think that so much history is there, but it's so close to fading away....

Living in Philly, you’ve done what I’ve always wished to do. Every single time I drive past her, I hope on hope that something is able to be done with her so that she doesn’t sit and decay any longer. Well done on the video. Great job!

Wow this was fascinating! It’s very sad to see such a huge piece of history being neglected. Really hope that this project materializes with the restoration or reuse. Always interesting Jake! 🌞

I'm a bit of a ship nerd, I don't think I ever clicked on a video this fast.

About 20 years ago, I watched a documentary on TV about the S.S. United States. They had one of the Captains who sailed her, standing in front of the now deteriorating ship. After talking fondly about her glory years to the camera, he stood with tears in his eyes and a said “I wish they would tow her out and sink her to the bottom of the sea as a decent burial. I’d rather have that than to see her rotting away on the dock.”

As a USAF brat, 5th grader, I rode on it with my family. Bremerhaven to East Coast. Still have the passenger list. Sailed through a hellacious storm with mountainous seas.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!??! Omg! Your production value has just sky rocketed over the last few video! The drone shots, the music/sound, the coinciding flash backs, the adventure! Golly you have always been one of the best- i didn't realize how much better you could become! Congrats man!! Always been incredible- now even more impressive! Love it! Thanks for sharing your passions with us! 👏❤

I love how Susan, and probably the whole conservancy, is so optimistic about how the ship could be saved...but man, even I sitting at home just looking at it through Jake's footage, cannot fathom how you even think let alone start to restore or make anything out of something so historical but so faded and forgotten.

History is free. Trying to bring the past to the present is expensive.

I first saw the _United States_ in 2005 during a fifth-grade class trip to Philly. We went on a cruise of the Delaware River and sailed right behind the ship's stern. I'll always remember how huge she was; hope she gets to sail again someday.

Even in such rough shape she remains classy. Such a beautiful historic vessel. I hope they save her.

For such a large vessel to cross the Atlantic Ocean in 3 days and average over 40 mph is impressive!

“So how bad is the degradation?” Jake: “Well, erm… it’s not great…”

Thanks for the memories... I travelled aboard in 1961 as well as the SS America. I was 11 years old and so excited to travel on the fastest liner in the world. I recognize many of the parts of the ship and visited her from ashore in Philly in 2012. Sad to see her like this, but it's a miracle she hasn't been scrapped, so who knows what the future will bring! Ever hopeful...

Awesome video! I love the then and now video and pictures! Also, wow that drone footage!!

13:11 - That ain't "steel" son; _that propeller is 60,000 pounds of manganese bronze!_ :)

The amount of stuff removed from this ship is truly horrifying - I just can’t even comprehend how it could ever be put back into service or even shown to the public. Her only remaining impression of the era is purely from the exterior. Also Gibbs was absolutely obsessed with fireproofing his ship, after many recent disasters on other vessels of the time. The lack of wood wasn’t purely for weight (indeed in many applications wood would have been lighter). This was frowned upon by some when it came to the ships somewhat colder and stark styling / decor - others felt that it worked and contributed to the general modern feel Of the ship vs. her contemporaries. Elaborating on the props - the only way they could get the ship built with subsidy from the US government was if she had some value in wartime. She had to be easily converted into a fast transport (faster than any sub of the time) and as such her speed was paramount to the military as well - allowing her to leverage state of the art prop and power plant technologies. The cavitation marks on the prop are from the surface friction forces of the water on metal literally causing the water to boil - it’s difficult to comprehend the amount of horsepower being exerted on those things! Actually ONE of the SS United States’ FOUR props generated 14,000 more horsepower than the ENTIRE Titanic. That single prop you were touching lol. Tough to comprehend.

Been a subscriber to this channel for a while now, from the UK originally but living in the Middle East. I just happen to find myself in Philadelphia this weekend for work & drove past this ship today admittedly from a distance. It’s a shame it appears it’s still being left to rot.

I immigrated to the United States from England on this ship in 1963, sad to see it like this.

The film notes the lack of wood as a weight saving measure. Actually, that was for fire prevention, she was meant to serve as a troop carrier in time of war, that's why she was so fast and why the Navy contributed, and as a result they used no wood inside, she even had a custom made piano that was aluminum!

Being docked in Philadelphia has prolonged the ship's lifespan because the Delaware River is fresh rather than salt water. Exposure to the corrosive effects of salt water is highly destructive to ships' hulls, requiring frequent maintenance.

You truly achieved a professional level of filming and editing. Contrats, I've been following your Channel since the First Episodes.

Under normal conditions, the ship would have been scrapped some time about 1980 - maybe 1990. The biggest hurdles facing anyone trying to restore her are cost and viability. After spending tons and tons of cash, how much would anyone have to pay to sail or stay on her for her to recoup the restoration costs?

Feels so cool to at first talk about the ships history and abandonment to actually visit the ship in person!

I wish I could be more optimistic about her fate... I just don't see how the math can work. :(

Such a Beautiful Video of an Even More Beautiful Location!

great video bud. well done. even the music fits well

as much as i love how enthusiastic they are about how the ship will find a buyer and be of use again, i just dont see it happening. the cost would be so astronomical it would probably be cheaper and easier to build an entirely new vessel.

Always fighting a war you can’t ever fully win with ships in the water, takes such an incredible effort and expense just to keep them afloat. Even the very popular and loved museum ships struggle with the cost, its a cruel calculus, especially if they’re just too big to get out of the elements. I always say never pass on a visit to a nearby ship- you never know when something will finally give out it’ll be gone forever.

Great video, it’s such a shame to see her rusting away, I have driven by her so many times! Sometimes I stop for a look but I only can see her through the fence along the street…. I hope she has a bright future with someone that brings her back but respects her past :-)

"Abandoned" and "Bankrupt" from BSF is the best on RU-vid. Can't get enough! Thank you for your content

Those gorgeous opening drones shots. I also love how you juxtapose the footage of the ship’s happy heyday to the depressing current state. Must have been a great explore. Excellent job as always sir.

0:51 “A clean sweep” that’s why we have this broom in shot.

Thank you Jake your very humble and thank you for creating this very special edition to a beautiful ocean liner When you showed that interview with that lovely lady it really moved me All I can say is that the amount of work and commitment and dedication and love that went into creating this beauty only for it to get in this state but its thank to the lady and what she represents and stands for Keep on doing what your doing Jake

My wife in 1969 came over from the UK to the United States on this ship with her family.I believe she said it was the last voyage of this vessel. She was a young girl then. She was interviewed for a book about this ship. She described the ship as very nice and pleasant for the trip across the ocean.

My parents immigrated from Switzerland to the USA aboard the S.S. United States back in 1964. Dad took pictures of their voyage with his 35mm camera on slide film. I truly need to put those photos into a digital format soon. They sailed into New York harbor where my dad photographed the New York city skyline which is far different from what we see today. I was born in 1966 and owe a great deal of gratitude to this ship for safely bringing my parents across the Atlantic to pursue their American dream.

The thing about these permanently docked ships is that - apart from the preservation bit - they need to be brought into dry dock to be restored/preserved. During their ocean going days, they would regularly receive dry dock inspections but I feel their fates have been left to the hands of building experts rather than naval architects.

Sailed on her in 1966 (11 years old), what a playground the whole ship was. Saw Texas across the river 3 times in the theater. Rode from LaHarve France to NYC. What an awesome song at the end, is that Nat King Cole?

How about taking her apart, driving her to Las Vegas, welding her back together and opening Casino SS United States.

I was on this ship in 1956 when my grandparents sailed from Pier 86 NYC to Hamburg, Germany, on it. Just a mere 65 years ago. To this day as a little kid I've never forgotten the feeling of movement I got as the ship pulled out exactly at midnight and I felt like I was moving. Certainly amazing for me to see this ship today.

It's a shame the ship wasn't preserved by the US Navy and maintained in operating condition for occasional special use as sort of a Royal Yacht. With all the money this nation has to allow its flagship to fall into such disrepair is a national embarrassment.

Great film, beautifully weighted. Good luck to the project. Mind-blowingly expensive just to preserve as is, never-mind re-imagine in some way.

As always a wonderful job telling a story on film!

I'm honored to have a cup and saucer from this magnificent ship. It's heartbreaking to witness the uncertain future of this priceless legend. 😥

For some reason I've loved this ship since I was a kid. A symbol of an era I will never see. I hope they save her.

Amazing documentary, I hope for a better future for this ship

I have often seen short snippets of video of this ship when other ships were being discussed and assumed it was scrapped. Thank you for this great video

You've outdone yourself with this one...You successfully conveyed the sadness of her condition, the hopes for her future, the pang of guilt for letting such a historic Americana rot away. She may be a glimmer of her former glory now but you can sense that she's not done yet. I hope the Conservancy is successful in its plans for her. You've done a tremendous job bringing so many emotions to the screen, especially the pride and hope that Gibbs' granddaughter showed.

I'm old enough to remember the hoopla when this ship was launched. Considering the current condition it is unrealistic to believe the ship can be restored and made a paying attraction due to the costs involved. This assumption is based on the many land based attractions which are less than half this ship's age which have been built, used, and are now abandoned for my previously stated economic reasons.

I have so many neat crew items in my personal collection. I have signs from the dining rooms showing meal hours, one that says dining room is closed, cleaning staff sheets that were to be filled out when cabins cleaned. Engineering work pads for repairs to electrical, wiring, sound systems plumbing, lighting . Repair pads for the public rooms like upholstery, curtains, tablecloths and such. A sign showing the hours that hung at the ship’s laundry room. A sign from the baggage department, a sign from the ship’s travel office. 2 small signs from the chief steward if need clean linen. Debarkation forms and landing forms. Also a couple of forms that were to be filled out if worked overtime. Unused luggage tags, forms for the envelopes if put stuff in the purser’s safes. Everything is unused, none of the items are fill out. I have them protected in a binder now.

Hey bro I know you probably won’t see this but you have good videos. Very interesting and eye catching visuals. Your facts are addicting to listen to and I enjoy the video editing. Really awesome job bro keep it up

Wow! Such a great job on these! 🙏🏽👏🏽✊🏾

I've been on the SS Rotterdam many times, never realizing this could have been her fate as well. Hopefully the SS United States can live on! Glad we still have some original ocean liners left.

Great aerial footage!

Hi Jake! Can you make a video about the MS Estonia? It was a ferry that sank in 1994! But recently they found a big hole in the wreck.

5:17, Jake great shot and set up introducing Susan. You clearly saw how much of a resemblance there is between her and her grandfather and you captured that perfectly here.

My parents sailed on this ship.I remember them talking about the speed and beauty of this ship.I hope they can save her.She was once a beautiful ship and I am glad the grandfather never say the decay.

Great video, Jake!

Sailed from England to New York in about 1963 on USS United States. About halfway across, we had quite a storm, high waves and safety lines were rigged in corridors. Not too many folks in first-class dining, but my girlfriend (whose parents paid for the trip) and I were not sick and ate well. Ship did not slow down at all through the storm. You really could not enjoy the open deck because at a sailing speed of about 40 MPH, it was like standing up in a convertible at that speed.

This was great but Closed for Storm was fantastic! I rented via Amazon Prime and it was so moving and so well done. Thank you and congratulations that you got this wonderful invite to tour the SS United States. I've seen it many times from the outside but never like this so thank you.

The fact that this ship has been allowed to deteriorate to this state is a shame and an embarrassment for the USA. Great video as always from you and BSF, Jake!

I drive past this ship regularly. Never knew the story behind it. Thanks for sharing!!

Do an Abandoned episode of the Canadian Disney stores, they’re closing everywhere in Canada this year

What an amazing interview. I couldn’t help but get the feeling in the last 2 or 3 sentences they deep down she knows the fate for this vessel is likely scrap. I hope I’m wrong but just the way she sounded.

The interior's in way better shape than I was expecting, the structure looked pretty sound. Did you get a chance to go down to lower decks and engine room or are those off limits for now?

Real iconic views! Thanks!

Ms. Gibbs connection to and passion about the ship really comes through.

Sigh- it’s so sad to see how much of it has already been gutted. The costs to restore the interior would be astronomical- and even then, it’s still not the ‘real’ interior. Best case scenario for the ship is some kind of ‘Queen Mary’ style museum- and we all know how well that is going. 🙄 Wish there was an easy way to just park it in the desert somehow to slow the decay process.

This video was very well done, cinematic, informative, and carefully put together. For the first time, I actually had a fleeting moment of "feeling" for the ship.

I really like how you showed areas of the ship in its glory referencing how it exists today. I built a model of the ship in the mid/late 60s as a little kid. It was either a Revell or Monogram model. There I was either in late 2005 or early 2006 standing in the IKEA parking lot on Columbus Blvd and seeing those faded stacks across the way at Pier 82. "I know that ship." Raced home and Googled it and sure enough, it had been moored there since 1996. I've contributed to the Conservancy a few times, but here we are in 2024. It's there still, rotting away.

Awesome production. My kind of history lesson

The no wood decks was designed for her to be fire proof. That's why so much Asbestos on her interiors. I think the ship should be a national treasure and set up as a national park. She is a proud part of US history.

Here comes the bright sun once again and I say it’s definitely alright.

We need to preserve this historic piece of art… She along with the Queen Mary, are such beauties from a different time

The damage from the cavitation on the propeller is absolutely insane.

Jeez, it's amazing it's even still floating. I love that you got to record it for posterity. I do not foresee it ever returning to service.

I remember the first time I saw this ship when I was a child. My family and I were crossing the bridge into Philadelphia and I had looked out my window to see these two massive Red smokestacks and a ship that looked very classy being black and white. Young me was in awe at the structure. This was around the year 2002 so she hadn't been sitting dock for that long and the exterior was in much better condition than it is now. I had asked my parents if we could visit the ship one day thinking it to be a museum like the train ones in Pennsylvania. It's a shame it sat for nearly 20 years in that one spot and it's even sadder how the vessel was treated after she was pulled in the late 60's.

Excellent work!!!!!!

What a great video. I sailed on this ship in 1969 from Belgium to NY. I was about 6 or 7 years old. I don't remember a lot but I do remember the swimming pool. I recently found our family's sailing documents and schedule of events, including some dinner menus.

I get so excited when you drop a new film.. This one doesn't disappoint either! Thank you Jake Williams :)

OMG another ship video. Thank you so much, these are my favorite videos from you☺️

I came to the United States from Scotland on this ship in November 1955. I was 6 years old. My mother and my brother were seasick the whole time. I was not. I had the run of the ship. I had a person that took me around the whole ship. I even got to go in the wheelhouse! Vivid memories!

Jake - truly stunning content. I truly believe BSF is the leading channel of its kind on RU-vid

What an incredible experience! I love how you show the original footage of the ship compared to the present. I would I KILL to be able to sail on a true-blooded ocean liner one day

Absolutely incredible job. I feel so lucky to be able to get this content for free. Please keep doing what you’re doing!

I sailed to England on this ship in August 1958 when I was six. It was magical. The hit songs at that time were "Volare" and the theme from the movie "The Vikings." Whenever I hear those tunes I'm thrown back to the week when the Atlantic was downright pacific and the sailing was sweet.

I'm just in the process of building the Revell kit of this fantastic ship for a friend who's grandfather served on her and have loved the history behind her,very sad sight to see