The S.S. United States was built by Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company and delivered to United States Lines on 20 June 1952. It held the Blue Ribbon for the fastest North Atlantic crossing in both eastbound and westbound service in July 1952, with an eastbound average of 35.59 knots and a westbound average of 34.51 knots. Its starboard inboard propeller was a five-bladed Nialite propeller manufactured by Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton on 7 November 1957, weighing 61,900 pounds, with a diameter of 18.00 feet, a pitch of 13.75 feet, and 100 cruising RPM. Its permanent masters were all graduates of New York Martime: Harry Manning, Class of 1914; John W. Anderson, Class of 1915; and Leroy J. Alexanderson, Class of 1930.