The American superliner designed to carry a US Army division

Wars & Conflicts · Published 9 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Built during the Cold War, the SS United States was more than a luxury liner. Designed by William Francis Gibbs, this record-breaking vessel featured secret military capabilities, including the ability to be converted into a massive troopship capable of deploying 14,400 soldiers without needing to refuel.

The ship's design was a masterclass in dual-purpose engineering. While it served as a high-speed icon for United States Lines between 1952 and 1969, its architecture was heavily militarized. Architect William Francis Gibbs incorporated 'national defense features' that cost the US government $25 million, bringing the total construction cost to $71.08 million. These innovations included isolated engineering spaces and redundant systems similar to those found on Forrestal-class aircraft carriers.

Speed was the ship's defining characteristic. It remains the fastest ocean liner to cross the Atlantic in either direction, a record established during a full-power trial on June 10, 1952, when it reached 38.32 knots. While some reports suggested even higher speeds, such as 43 knots, the verified record remains uncontested. To achieve this, the ship utilized four Westinghouse double-reduction geared turbines and a unique propeller configuration: two five-bladed inboard propellers and two four-bladed outboard propellers.

The construction itself was a feat of material science. To prevent the ship from becoming top-heavy, Gibbs used lightweight aluminum for the superstructure and the ship's massive, 55-foot-tall tear-drop funnels. This made the vessel the world's largest aluminum construction project at the time. Despite its success, the rise of jet-propelled trans-Atlantic flights in the mid-1960s led to declining passenger numbers, and the ship was withdrawn from service in 1969.

After decades of changing owners and maintenance struggles, the ship's fate has been decided. Following an eviction from her pier in 2024, Okaloosa County, Florida, purchased the vessel. By 2026, the plan is to sink the SS United States near Destin to serve as the world's largest artificial reef.

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