09/02/2026
It wasn’t just the passengers of the SS United States who carried memories of their time aboard America’s great superliner. Former crew members have shared stories from perspectives that no passenger could ever have experienced—and those firsthand accounts provide an extraordinary window into life aboard the ship.
The crew saw the United States from a completely different vantage point. They were on the bridge, in the engine spaces, on the decks, in the radio room, and behind the scenes, witnessing moments that passengers often never knew were happening.
The late Joe Rota, a dear friend of Page Admin Mike Strasbaugh and many others in the SS United States community, shared one such remarkable memory several years ago about an exciting—and rather mysterious—moment at sea:
“I was up in the radio room next to the bridge and there must have been a dozen officers milling around, which was very unusual, and they all had their binoculars and were pointing out the starboard window. I stepped out and saw this submarine surfacing just about a couple of hundred yards off the starboard side. The thing that really surprised me was that she was keeping up with us, and we were doing over 30 knots. This sub came up and surfaced, flashed her light, and then went back down again. She might have been up for a minute. I said ‘Wow! What was that all about? The radio operator called me in and said, ‘You didn’t see anything.’ Later on in the afternoon, the relief man was there, and I said, ‘You’ve got to tell me what’s going on!’ He said, ‘That was the atomic submarine Nautilus.’ And I said, ‘What did she say? What message did she flash?’ And he said, ‘Happy Birthday.’ It turns out an admiral’s wife was on board.”
What an incredible scene to imagine—the SS United States charging along at more than 30 knots, while the world’s first nuclear-powered submarine, USS Nautilus, surfaces just a few hundred yards away, flashes a message, and disappears beneath the waves again.
Stories like Joe’s are precisely why the memories of the people who actually lived and worked aboard the United States are so important. They capture the unexpected moments, the behind-the-scenes experiences, and the little pieces of history that could never be found in a passenger brochure or official ship’s log.
His stories—and those of countless other former crew members—help ensure that the SS United States is remembered not simply as a ship, but as a place filled with people, experiences, friendships, adventures, and memories that continue to transcend generations.
The passengers have their stories. The crew have theirs. Together, they tell the human story of the SS United States.
Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners
Coleen Marine Inc.
SS United States Conservancy
(Pictured is Joe Rota, starboard side aft of enclosed promenade. Joe served aboard the SS United States in several capacities, holding the positions of First Class Elevator Operator, Bellboy, Waiter, and Photographer, in that order, from 1955–1959 and 1964–1965).
