The Maritime Commissary
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United States Steel / USS supplementary information page. Please feel free to send questions or comments to: rrcomm@sonic.net Relevant information, and credits, will be posted.
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Big Steel Pattern
This pattern was officially adopted at the time of the December 1951 merger that brought all of United Stets Steel's disparate operating companies (i.e. Carnegie-Illinois Steel, American Steel & Wire, Tenneessee Coal Iron & RR, etc.) under the USS name – a major corporate overhaul, precipitating a corporate image overhaul. In practice though, this logo was not commonly seen until it spread across the company in 1952. It has since become synonymous with United States Steel, and "big steel" in general, hence the name. The reason for the red and blue variations are not apparent - they were made simultaneously.
Pittsburgh Pattern
Despite what you might read elsewhere, USS Pittsburgh pattern was simply the earlier version of USS marine china – that which predated the ubiquitous USS inside of a circle "Big Steel" logo. The use of Pittsbugh appears to have begun in the 1930's, maybe even earlier, and lasted until late 1951. Of course, the pattern remained in use for some years after it became obsoleted by the new logo. Also, all evidence points to the fact that it was used on Great Lakes ore boats as well as river towboats - indeed, it was almost assuredly the standard pattern for all marine use prior to the new logo.
