This massive piece of U.S. history was just sunk in the Gulf of Mexico. Here’s why

Okaloosa County officials began towing the SS United States from Mobile, Alabama, to a Gulf of Mexico site where the historic liner was deliberately sunk on Wednesday, creating the world’s largest artificial reef. Larger than the Titanic and famed for its speed, the ship’s final voyage marked a new chapter for marine life. The sinking, completed within hours, was witnessed by onlookers and celebrated as a tribute to American maritime heritage.