This excellent profile of Robert Sturm, former SS United States engineer and author of the book SS United States: The View From Down Below, explores his decades-long fascination with the Big U.

“The ship is the epitome of American genius when it comes to naval architecture and marine engineering, both in design and construction and in operation,” Sturm told Newsday.

“It was truly a magnificent piece of work.”

Sturm spoke with reporter Bill Bleyer about his book -- available for purchase here -- in which he "details his knowledge about the ship gleaned during his 44 transatlantic voyages, from 1957 to 1959."

He also discussed his work as a volunteer archivist at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, organizing and cataloging boxes of documents and photographs the museum acquired when United States Lines was dissolved in 1992. Unsurprisingly, the files he lingers the longest over are those related to the Big U.

To read the profile in its entirety, click here.