Long Beach resident revisits SS United States after 70 years

MOBILE, Ala. (WXXV) – ”She was red on the bottom, black on the top and then white…she was beautiful, absolutely beautiful,” says Weed.

For the final time in its illustrious history, the SS United States docked in Mobile on March 2nd to begin the salvage process. She left Philadelphia on February 19th in a much-documented final voyage.

70 years ago though, one Long Beach resident stepped aboard the ocean liner as a passenger on its maiden voyage.

91-year-old Norma Weed was a young woman when she made the five-day voyage to France in 1952. She was traveling to see her husband who was stationed there for military service.

She says she never thought she’d have the chance to see the ship one more time.

“Never in a million years. If it wasn’t for Janette and Sarah, I would never be here. You know, she was our ship.”

Weed tells us she worked different jobs to buy her ticket, adding she became seasick and felt under the weather for most of the trip.

“I was very sick, I got seasick. When they told me I was flying home, I was happier than a clam at high tide.”

Following Weed’s return home, she says at the time she didn’t care what happened to the SS United States.

Weed didn’t know the ship was docked in Philadelphia, only learning the ship’s fate as it neared the Gulf Coast.

“After I got off the ship and I was so sick, I really didn’t care what happened to the ship.”

Weed says the years following her voyage though, she was happy to have an American ship compete against the Cunard and White Star Lines of Europe.

“Finally, something that was ‘Queen Elizabeth? Forget it. We have the SS United States!’”

She didn’t just get the chance to see the SS United States up close. An official from Okaloosa County, Florida helped her take home a piece of the ship – a bolt from the ship’s interior.

“I’ll treasure it, I’m going to mark it. My son, the Navy Seal, will have it after me. But for right now, I’m putting it in my store next to a picture.”

Throughout the whole experience of seeing the ship one final time, Weed had a smile on her face and says its a day she won’t ever forget.

“I’m thankful to everyone that has made this possible for me. There’s no other way of explaining what’s inside of you, what’s inside your heart. It’s just amazing. That’s all I can say.”