1Alternate History: The Final Voyage of the SS United States
Chapter 1: Departure from Southampton
The early evening of October 4, 1963, was unusually crisp as the SS United States lay docked in Southampton. She was the pride of American engineering, a symbol of post-war elegance and power, and yet, on this particular voyage, there was a sense of serenity and routine that belied her soon-to-be tumultuous fate.
Carrying 1,502 passengers, the SS United States was about to embark on a 16-night voyage around the Canary Islands. The hustle and bustle of boarding echoed through the ship, as passengers excitedly greeted crew members and explored their quarters. The ship's officers worked in well-practiced harmony, overseeing the loading of passengers and cargo destined for the islands.
At 6:41 PM, the final mooring lines were dropped into the water, and the gangways were pulled back to the dock. Slowly, with grace and power, the SS United States began to edge away from Southampton. Her four mighty propellers churned the water beneath her, propelling her forward at a steady pace of 4 knots through the Solent. Families lined the docks, waving and shouting well wishes to their loved ones. The ship's deep horn bellowed three long blasts, reverberating across the harbor as she slipped out into open waters.
The voyage southward was tranquil at first. The SS United States cruised along the coast of Cornwall and Devon, her lights gleaming like a beacon on the moonlit ocean. On board, the ship's dining rooms were filled with laughter and conversation. Passengers gathered in the lounges, indulging in activities on board and exchanging stories about past adventures. The captain, Edward L. Branson, an experienced and respected mariner, took pride in his command of this great vessel. As the night wore on, Branson retired to his cabin, confident in his crew's ability to maintain the ship's course through the night.
By 2:00 AM, most of the passengers had retired to their cabins. Outside, the cold night air nipped at the few who remained on deck, forcing them to retreat indoors. The ocean was calm, and the ship sliced through the waters at a comfortable 14 knots, heading steadily toward her first port of call, Funchal in Madeira, where she was expected to arrive in two days.
Chapter 2: The Calm Before the Storm
The next morning, as the sun began to rise over the horizon, it bathed the SS United States in golden light. The ship's decks hummed with activity as the crew prepared for another day at sea. In the dining rooms, passengers gathered for breakfast, enjoying fresh pastries, eggs, and coffee. The atmosphere was lively but relaxed. There was a sense of adventure in the air as passengers strolled about the ship, taking in the sights of the ocean and distant coastline.
One passenger, Alex Ferdinand, a 32-year-old architect from Boston, was particularly captivated by the serenity of the ocean. He stood on the promenade deck, gazing out at the endless blue, mesmerized by the sparkling reflection of the sunlight on the water. For Alex, this voyage was a chance to escape the stresses of his work and to find peace aboard one of the world's grandest ships.
As the ship sailed further south, passing the coast of France and nearing the waters of Portugal, everything seemed to be going according to plan. Passengers took part in various activities—swimming in the onboard pool, playing shuffleboard, and participating in card games. The bars were alive with laughter, and couples danced in the ballroom to the sound of a live orchestra.
But beneath the surface of this idyllic journey, danger was brewing. Unbeknownst to the passengers and most of the crew, a mechanical fault had begun to develop in the engine room—a fault that would soon set off a chain of events leading to disaster.
Chapter 3: The Fire
At precisely 2:13 PM, an alarm rang out, piercing the calm afternoon air. The ship's fire alarm system had detected a problem deep in the bowels of the ship. On the bridge, Captain Branson was alerted to the situation immediately. His experience had taught him never to take such alarms lightly. He quickly ordered an investigation and dispatched three crew members to the lower decks to assess the situation.
Down in the engine room, one of the ship's high-ranking officers, Tanner Bonski, was on his daily rounds, checking the ship's vital systems. He noticed a faint smell of smoke but assumed it was merely a minor issue with one of the boilers. As he approached the engine room, he opened a door leading to the main area. In an instant, he was met with a blast of scalding hot air and thick black smoke. The heat was so intense that it singed his skin, and within seconds, Bonski collapsed from the overwhelming fumes, suffering severe burns and carbon monoxide poisoning.
Chapter 4: Chaos on Board
As the fire spread, panic gripped the ship. The smell of smoke permeated the lower decks, and passengers began to realize something was wrong. The ship's fire suppression system was inadequate for the size of the blaze, and crew members frantically attempted to extinguish the fire with handheld extinguishers, but their efforts were futile.
On the aft deck, Alex Ferdinand noticed a thick column of smoke rising from the ship's rear funnel. Concerned but not yet fully aware of the gravity of the situation, he began to make his way indoors to investigate the ship. As he crossed the promenade, a wooden pole, dislodged by the heat, fell from above and struck him on the head. Alex was knocked unconscious, his body collapsing onto the deck amidst the spreading chaos.
As the fire raged on, passengers scrambled for lifeboats. The ship's officers struggled to maintain order, but the fire had spread so quickly that it threatened the ship's structural integrity. Captain Branson issued a distress signal to nearby ships and port authorities, calling for immediate assistance. Lifeboats were lowered into the water, and terrified passengers clambered aboard, desperate to escape the inferno.
Chapter 5: The Final Moments
Alex Ferdinand regained consciousness after what seemed like an eternity. Disoriented, he struggled to his feet, feeling the heat of the fire and the overwhelming stench of burning wood and metal. He stumbled toward the aft of the ship, where he saw a crew member, Lois Rampsen, attempting to free a trapped passenger from beneath a fallen crane.
With all his remaining strength, Alex rushed to help. Together, he and Lois managed to lift the heavy crane off the passenger's leg. But just as they freed the man, a large piece of debris fell from the burning aft funnel, striking Lois in the back. She collapsed instantly, her body engulfed in flames. Alex, horrified and helpless, could do nothing but run for cover.
The SS United States was now listing heavily to the starboard side, taking on water at an alarming rate. The heat from the fire had weakened the ship's hull, and a series of explosions rocked the vessel, further compounding the damage. The aft funnel, completely consumed by flames, collapsed onto the deck, sending a deafening crash echoing through the ship.
With water flooding the lower decks and the fire still raging, the ship began to sink rapidly. Passengers who had not made it onto lifeboats were forced to jump into the freezing Atlantic, their cries for help swallowed by the roar of the flames and the crashing waves.
In one final, catastrophic explosion, the ship's forward funnel was blown clear off the deck, crashing into the ocean hundreds of feet away. The SS United States, once the fastest and most luxurious liner ever built, succumbed to the sea. She sank beneath the waves off the coast of Vigo, Spain, resting 402 meters below the surface.
Epilogue: The Loss of a Legend
The world was left in shock as news of the SS United States' tragic demise spread. Of the 1,502 passengers who had set sail, 602 lost their lives, along with 12 crew members. The disaster was one of the worst maritime tragedies in modern history, and investigations revealed that the fire had been caused by a blown engine cylinder that was missed during pre-departure checks.
As the wreck of the SS United States lay silently on the ocean floor, her golden history was remembered by the survivors and the families of those lost.
Luckily, this never happened in real life, and The United States Had a successful career with transatlantic crossings weekly, unfortunately, the real ship is soon to be scuttled off the coast of Florida, but hopefully, it can be saved.