Historic SS United States set to be sunk on Veterans Day

South Philadelphia Historic SS United States set to be sunk on Veterans Day The SS United States was a fixture in South Philadelphia for 30 years before it made its way down South in 2025 so it could be sunk and become the world's largest artificial reef. By NBC Philadelphia Staff • Published 25 minutes ago • Updated 22 minutes ago The historic SS United States, which was once a fixture of the Delaware River waterfront in South Philadelphia , will be sunk on Wednesday and become the world's largest artificial reef. The vessel will be deployed to its final resting place off the coast of Destin, Florida, at 1 p.m., which is one day earlier than initially expected. Officials had to move the sinking from Thursday to Wednesday due to bad weather in the area. Stream Philadelphia News for free, 24/7, wherever you are with NBC10. WATCH HERE After nearly 30 years, the historic SS United States left Philadelphia on Wednesday and embarked on its journey to the Florida coast where it will eventually become an artificial reef. SkyForce10 was over the scene. A sendoff ceremony that was originally scheduled for Wednesday was also canceled. “Safety is always a top priority in Okaloosa County,” said Okaloosa County Board Chairman Trey Goodwin. “There is simply no reason to take an unnecessary risk when adjusting the schedule will allow us to carry out this historic deployment safely and smoothly.” The SS United States was a fixture in South Philadelphia for 30 years before it made its way down South on Feb. 19, 2025. The 1,000-foot vessel shattered the trans-Atlantic speed record on its maiden voyage in 1952, and the record still stands today. NBC10 Philadelphia NBC10 Philadelphia This article tagged under: South Philadelphia