Coast woman recounts trip on SS United States’ maiden voyage

The SS United States is on its final voyage, arriving in Mobile.

In the meantime, one Long Beach woman is recounting her trip on the ship’s maiden voyage in 1952.

91-year-old Norma Weed is the owner of The Family Attic and invited WXXV News 25 to learn more about her experience.

Weed says she was on the maiden voyage to France to join her husband.

Both met while roller skating and married a few months later as he was getting ready for a military deployment.

Weed worked different jobs to pay for a ticket on the ship.

She shares at the time, she couldn’t image the United States would become as famous as it did.

“To have it be the first ship in competition with the Queen Elizabeth was absolutely amazing. When we landed in La Havre, it was a hard time for somebody being young and alone,” said Weed. “I don’t know, a nice time to remember but the S.S. United States was a ship… I can’t even tell you. I can remember she red on the bottom, black on top and then white. She was beautiful, absolutely beautiful.”

Weed went on to say she got seasick on the ship, becoming happy when the military said she had to fly home.