History of the Coolidge!

The SS Coolidge was built by the Dollar Steamship Company in 1931 and was approx 198m long and one of two large merchant ships the US had at the time.

It's initial purpose was postal contracts between the US and the pacific. It also had rooms for 1000 passengers and no expense was spared on the decoration. She broke several speed records during her time, but later became involved in WWII evacuation efforts helping Americans in Hong Kong when Japanese-British relations became strained.

In June 1941, the Coolidge went into service with the American Army as a transport ship in the Pacific. After the bombing of Pearl Harbour, she was stripped of all her finery and then became a troop ship for 5000 soldiers and armed with various military bits of equipment.

In October 1942 she hit a friendly troop that was supposed to be guarding the harbour around the island of Santo and she didn't receive the message to enter from the other direction. She sank in 90mins, after attempts to beach the ship were unsuccessful due to the coral. All the passengers made it ashore.

Although some artefacts were recovered, this was banned in 1983 and the ship can only be used for recreational diving.