Okaloosa County has announced that the assisted sinking of the SS United States would take place on Thursday, November 12, 2026.
Once deployed about 22 nautical miles southwest of Destin-Fort Walton Beach, the 1952-built ocean liner will become the world’s largest artificial reef, Okaloosa County said in a press release.
“This will be a historic day for Destin-Fort Walton Beach and for a ship with such a historic story,” said Okaloosa County Board Chairman Trey Goodwin. “Her story will continue to be told by thousands of people who visit her in tandem with the SS United States Conservancy’s land-based museum.”
Following the towing of the vessel from its location in Mobile, Alabama, where it was towed in 2025 after spending nearly three decades in Philadelphia, the deployment operations are scheduled to begin at the site on November 12 at 10 a.m.
Before that, a sendoff ceremony will be hosted by the County on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. at the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Convention Center.
A live viewing party will be held at AJ’s Seafood and Oyster Bar in Destin beginning at 9 a.m. where a live feed from the deployment site will be viewable on the large outdoor screen.
A live viewing link will be available here pre-deployment.
The ship, which was previously owned by the SS United States Conservancy, was acquired by Okaloosa County in 2024, after which an environmental remediation process was carried out ahead of its assisted sinking.
