A Man and His Ship: America's Greatest Naval Architect and His Quest to Build the S.S. United States

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A Man and His Ship: America's Greatest Naval Architect and His Quest to Build the S.S. United States

by Steven Ujifusa (Goodreads Author)

4.13 of 5 stars 4.13 · rating details · 67 ratings · 19 reviews

THE STORY OF A GREAT AMERICAN BUILDER At the peak of his power, in the 1940s and 1950s, William Francis Gibbs was considered America’s best naval architect.

His quest to build the finest, fastest, most beautiful ocean liner of his time, the S.S. United States, was a topic of national fascination. When completed in 1952, the ship was hailed as a technological masterpiece at...more

Hardcover, 448 pages

Published July 10th 2012 by Simon & Schuster

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Jul 22, 2012 Converse rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: biography, technology, travel, non-fiction, engineering

William Francis Gibbs got to design what is still the Atlantic liner with the fastest crossing times. Unfortunately, he only got the chance just a few years before the jet airliner came into existence. William Francis Gibbs (1886-1967) grew up in a wealthy Philadelphia family; his father William Warren Gibbs was an entrepeneur of doubtful honesty who had made much of his money from the gas utility in the city. William Francis became obsessed with ships from an early age. He attended Harvard, but...more William Francis Gibbs got to design what is still the Atlantic liner with the fastest crossing times. Unfortunately, he only got the chance just a few years before the jet airliner came into existence. William Francis Gibbs (1886-1967) grew up in a wealthy Philadelphia family; his father William Warren Gibbs was an entrepeneur of doubtful honesty who had made much of his money from the gas utility in the city. William Francis became obsessed with ships from an early age. He attended Harvard, but I think he didn't quite graduate because his family had run into financial problems. William Francis became a lawyer but still designed ships in his spare time. In 1916 he and his brother Fredric (who managed cost estimates, accounting, and finance throughout their careers) had some success in pitching the construction of a large liner to Philip Franklin, the leading executive in International Mercanitle Marine (IMM), a shipping trust organized by the banker J. P. Morgan. IMM had fallen onto hard times with the sinking of the Titanic, as IMM owned the White Star line that had built that ship. Unfortunately for Gibbs, the First World War intervened.

However, one aspect of the First World War benefited William Francis and established his reputation as a marine architect. The United States government had siezed several German ocean liners that were in American ports when war was declared against Germany in 1917. One of these ships, renamed Leviathan served as a troop transport and needed to be refurbished after the war in order to serve as an American-owned passenger line. William Francis was in charge of this refurbishment.

The next few decades were disappointing for William Francis, as he did not get to build the large liner he had long wanted to. His firm, Gibbs & Cox, did get to design some medium-sized liners and also moved increasingly into the design of naval ships, in particular destroyers. During the Second World War, William Francis was instrumental in adapting the original British design of the Liberty ships, in particular making these coal-fired freighters suitable for mass construction, with many of the components built far from the shipyards where they were welded together. Late during the war, having been cleared of charges of profiteering on military contracts, he returned to his interest in a large liner.

After the Second World War, Gibbs timing was finally right. The utility of a large liners as troop transports was demonstrated by British liners during the war, and hence a federal government subsidy was available. With the government subisidy, the United States Lines, a direct descendent of the IMM, was willing to build a large liner. The resulting ship, the S. S. United States was completed in 1952. The ship was powered by steam turbines and could have, as was revealed in 1977 when the classification of the design features was lifted, reached a speed of 38 knots (about 45 miles per hour), an astonishing speed for huge ship. The weight of the ship was kept down by the innovative use of aluminum rather than steel in the superstructure. The ship was unusually sturdy, partly because Gibbs insisted that the ship be able suffer extensive flooding without sinking (to an extent that still exceeds the stricter saftey standards of today), and partly because the naval standards as a potential troop transport the ship had to meet required a higher grade of steel than would be ordinarily used. The ship was also unusually fire-resistant, partly through its design features (no high-ceilings in the first class dining room, bulkheads going all the way from deck to deck, etc) and also thanks to an unfortunate love of use of materials containing asbestos. The avoidance of flammable materials however made the interior decoration a bit bland as compared to competing foreign liners.

The ship was commercially successful throughout the 1950s, with the passenger spaces filled. The advent of the popular Boeing jetliners in the late 1950s caused the passenger lists on the S. S. United States and competing liners to rapidly go into free fall. Labor troubles also incrased the red ink. The ship continued to sail during the 1960s, but sailings ended in 1970 when the operating subsidy was withdrawn. The hull still exists in 2012, and there is hope of restoring the ship.

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Feb 18, 2013 David Glad rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: biographies, exploring-society, fine-living, ideas, history, engineering, ships

This book is an excellent example of how a exceptional author can make any subject seem fascinating, rather than merely a book for boating enthusiasts, naval historians, or prospective Naval Architects and Marine Engineers. It gave a nice sense of a romantic age of sea travel (unless you were in third class in those earlier ships), when immigrants traveled by sea, and when setting speed records by large cruise ships meant a lot. (Especially did in Titanic's maiden voyage...)

The book opens up wit...more

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Jan 09, 2013 Steven Ferre rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: biography

This was an excellent book for those interested in learning more about the golden age of trans-Atlantic ocean liners.

While the book is ostensibly about the building of the SS United States, there is equally if not more information about the design of liners which preceded the "Big U". Her designer, William Gibbs, was not exactly an avuncular chap. Somewhat of a misanthrope, he dreamed of creating the world's largest and most technically advanced ocean liner to steal the coveted Blue Riband from...more

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Aug 11, 2012 Dan rated it 4 of 5 stars

To be a ship buff in the 21st century is to cultivate a certain fatalistic nostalgia, especially if you're not old enough to remember a time before aircraft supremacy. I'm talking, of course, about myself. I've always had a passion for boats, no doubt a seed planted early on by my father's enthusiasm for the same. Like my father I'm an armchair sailor, so it was with great glee that I snatched up a copy of Steven Ujifusa's excellent new history of the SS United States, the fastest ocean liner e...more To be a ship buff in the 21st century is to cultivate a certain fatalistic nostalgia, especially if you're not old enough to remember a time before aircraft supremacy. I'm talking, of course, about myself. I've always had a passion for boats, no doubt a seed planted early on by my father's enthusiasm for the same. Like my father I'm an armchair sailor, so it was with great glee that I snatched up a copy of Steven Ujifusa's excellent new history of the SS United States, the fastest ocean liner ever built and still the holder of the legendary Blue Riband award, and her driven designer William Francis Gibbs.

Ujifusa, a member of the United States conservancy, details Gibbs' early fascination with ships and his long gestation - reified by an illustrious career of naval innovation - before finally arriving at the creation of his "Big Ship." All in all, it's as much about a man and his boat as it is a fascinating history of the first half of the American 20th century. In many ways Gibbs and his ship embody a certain segment of that America. Gibbs was obsessed with design and modernity, though unlike portrayals of his contemporaries on shows such as Mad Men, Gibbs arrives at his obsession from a purely practical approach - there's nothing of the fad obsessed or dilettante here. If you're to build the fastest ship in the world you're going to need to think radically about design.

I mentioned nostalgia at the beginning of this review. It's an important factor throughout the book. While United States may have been the fastest, most luxurious (if not most opulent) ship of her day, she was also a swan song. Built in the 1950s she came on the stage just as air travel dawned. Her 17 year career saw a radical shift in how people moved about the globe. So there's definitely an elegiac tone to this book too. One that, at times, waxes too sentimental for my taste. Particularly at the end, the journalistic distance between author and subject collapses, resolving in muddle of fact and boosterism: The ship is currently in preservation limbo on the Philadelphia waterfront. Still, I give Ujifusa great latitude here. We seem to share a sympathetic world view.(less)

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Jan 25, 2013 Jim rated it 5 of 5 stars

A Man and His Ship is a colorful story of a self made naval architect, the turmoil of the early to mid 20th Century, and the colorful characters of great influence in the United States. It is compelling reading which is hard to put down.
The book is a biography of a man told around his greatest work, the construction of the world's envy, a super cruise liner.
The is a profile of a brilliant and forceful mind put to a singular purpose.
Steven Ujifusa has done a masterly job. With praise and some ap...more

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Oct 06, 2012 Charles rated it 5 of 5 stars

The SS United States and her capture of the Blue Ribbon, was a signature event for the USA in the 1950's. She was a symbol of our new position is the post WWII order. Every time the United Stetes steamed effortlessly past the Queen Mary or Queen Elizabeth on the North Atlantic she showed this new reality. Her current stoic dilapidation in any ways symbolizes the Post-American world we now live in. But more then a story of one ship, this book is story of a man: William Frances Gibbs. Gibb's singl...more

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Oct 28, 2012 Mary rated it 4 of 5 stars

I think this book has an unfortunate title that might cause readers to steer away from it.Ujifusa's book is about so much more. History buffs, readers with an interest in science and technology, and those who enjoy reading about the culture and social customs of first half of the 20th century would all find much to enjoy in this work.

William Francis Gibbs and his brother Frederick are two of the children of a wealthy father. Both boys are shy and share a deep interest in ships especially the lar...more I think this book has an unfortunate title that might cause readers to steer away from it.Ujifusa's book is about so much more. History buffs, readers with an interest in science and technology, and those who enjoy reading about the culture and social customs of first half of the 20th century would all find much to enjoy in this work.

William Francis Gibbs and his brother Frederick are two of the children of a wealthy father. Both boys are shy and share a deep interest in ships especially the large passenger liners. Even in grade school, William can be found reading nautical engineering journals.

Their fascination with ocean liners began when their father took them to the pier to witness the christening of such a ship. These ships were the only way to travel across the ocean until after WWII when travel by air began to replace these elegant ships. During this previous time period, ocean liners from various countries competed for a prize called the Blue Ribbon. The prize was awarded for the fastest Atlantic crossing. An american ship had never won the prize.

William and Frederick had a goal of designing the world's fastest, safest, and greatest ship. Unfortunately, thier father loses all his money due to poor investments and the depression and William must go to law school and work as an attorney to support the family. Frederick never attends college. William was not successful in his engineering classes at Harvard.

Against this background the story unfolds of how the brothers struggled to obtain their dream and how essential William's expertise in ship design to the United States military during WWII. All the great liners of the day were coverted to troop transport in WWII. Gibbs was responsible for the remarkable design of the United States destroyers and their quick assembly.

A fascinating read, I loved the details about ship design and safety measures, the stories about disasters at sea, the triumph of the achievement of a dream against great odds. Lots of excellent detail about life aboard one of these huge ships and what it took to keep them running and their wealthy, famous passengers happy. In addition, I learned about the merchant marine and a fair amount about the politics involved in getting the government to subsidize part of a great venture.

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Oct 20, 2012 Greg rated it 5 of 5 stars

In describing the life of William Francis Gibbs and his eventual building of the S.S. United States, you learn the history of the passenger liner -- really the century of passenger liners. Starting in 1894 with the steamship St. Louis to the retirement of the S.S. United States. It will turn you into a ship geek and ruin all romantic notions regarding the blip in ship history known as the Titanic. The human element is Gibbs himself. His drive and perseverance that culminated in the S.S. United S...more In describing the life of William Francis Gibbs and his eventual building of the S.S. United States, you learn the history of the passenger liner -- really the century of passenger liners. Starting in 1894 with the steamship St. Louis to the retirement of the S.S. United States. It will turn you into a ship geek and ruin all romantic notions regarding the blip in ship history known as the Titanic. The human element is Gibbs himself. His drive and perseverance that culminated in the S.S. United States is inspirational. The S.S. United States was "the largest ocean liner constructed entirely in the US, the fastest ocean liner to cross the Atlantic in either direction." [wikipedia] During World War II, Gibb's design firm, Gibbs & Cox had a hug influence. "Between 1940 through 1946, 63 per cent of all merchant ships of 2,000 tons up and 74 per cent of all American naval vessels (destroyers, landing craft, escort carriers, etc.) were built to the designs or working plans of Gibbs & Cox" [wikipedia] The pinnacle moment of his career was arriving at Southampton, England, on the S.S. United States after breaking the eastbound, transtlantic record by 10 hours being celebrated by the locals. From the book, "For the failed lawyer from Philadelphia, now heralded as America's greatest naval architect, the moment couldn't have been sweeter." The book finishes by describing the fate the S.S. United States with the demise of the North Atlantic passenger ship industry. The S.S. United States is moored at Pier 82, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Its interior has long since been stripped, but it's still structurally sound, so maybe there is a future as a museum and maybe a hotel as happened to the HMS Queen Mary (this ship held the transatlantic crossing record from 1938 to 1952 until the S.S. United States made its first crossing). I was shocked to find out that I had passed by the ship multiple times when traveling on business through Philadelphia. The ship can be seen from the Walt Whitman Bridge, which I have driven over many times. The S.S. United State was the pinnacle of steamship, passenger liner technology. What else is just off the main flow of life that we don't notice?(less)

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Oct 12, 2012 Beverly rated it 3 of 5 stars

An interesting read and a great review of how the cruise ship industry started. Reading the book about the travails of early "cruise ship" crossings makes us appreciate the luxuries of today's ships. However, the book is drawn out and can be too detail laden. But overall, a good book about a mans dreams of creating and building he best cruise ship at that time. Perseverance paid off in a grand old ship currently in the process of restoration.

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Sep 23, 2012 Linda Nichols rated it 4 of 5 stars

If you are interested in naval architecture, or in the grand era of transoceanic travel, you will enjoy this book. It is a good introduction to the basics of shipbuilding, though not an in-depth story of the life of William Francis Gibbs. It is indeed the story of a man and his ship, from his earliest dreams in his teens to the final fruition of that dream, and the current status of some of his ships, including the "SS United States." I enjoyed it very much, and recommend it to those who are int...more

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Sep 30, 2012 Elderberrywine rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: library

If you've ever wanted some background on the history, creation and design of the great trans-Atlantic ocean liners, this is your book. It tracks the story of William Francis Gibbs, the designer of the one and only American ocean liner, the United States. More than that, though, it is a tantalizing portrait of a by-gone era. Flying over the Atlantic in a crammed tin can just can't compare. *wistful sigh*

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Dec 17, 2012 Jim Wilson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Always fun to read about obsessives. A good examinationm of the life of somone who was singlemindedly brilliant and set out to build the ultimate ocean liner. it was bbuilt and unfortunately its life coincided with the development of intercontinental air travel which effectively ended its life. Had hoped for more about the ship when I started the book but was entertained and enlightened.

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Feb 26, 2013 Dave rated it 4 of 5 stars

Very readable, very informative, loved it. I'm very interested in Gibbs' career because I worked at his firm for 3 summers and met him once, in the elevator at Gibbs & Cox. My neighbor when I grew up was the retired chief designer of the galley in the USS United States and other cruise ships designed at Gibbs & Cox, he got me my job there. Thanks Mr. S!

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Aug 29, 2012 George rated it 5 of 5 stars

I think I hold the Blue Reading Riband record for tearing through this wonderful book in a day. Hopefully I won't be decommissioned later for it. If you'd like to compete with me, here's what you do:

Step 1: buy or borrow A Man And His Ship

Step 2: read the first 2 or 3 pages

Step 3: there is no Step 3, because now you won't be able to stop

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Dec 04, 2012 Doug Haskin rated it 4 of 5 stars

An excellent history of one of the last great Trans-Atlantic steamships, the S.S. United States. Every time I'm in Philadelphia, I see this once proud, beautiful ship rusting away at her pier. It's a sad sight.

The book is well researched, and well documented. A minor quibble is that all the photos are at the end of the book...I would have enjoyed seeing the photos as their subjects came up in the narrative.

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Oct 29, 2012 Jeff Sigmon rated it 4 of 5 stars

Only for boat lovers.

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Aug 21, 2012 Mike Morano rated it 4 of 5 stars

Great book about a great ship

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Sep 18, 2012 Mclaughlin725 rated it 3 of 5 stars

Really an enjoyable well written book. My only complaint was that it could have been about 75 pages shorter. Too much detail at some points took away from a great story.

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Aug 29, 2012 Abby rated it 4 of 5 stars

Great, readable work for anyone who loves anything maritime. Fascinating history of a beautiful ship and the man devoted to her.

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About Steven Ujifusa

Steven Ujifusa is an historian and a resident of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He has written numerous articles on architecture and urban history for PlanPhilly.com and PhillyHistory.org. When he is not writing, he enjoys singing, photography, rowing on the Schuylkill River, and travel. A native of New York City and raised in Chappaqua, New York, Steven received his undergraduate degree in history f...more

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