SINKING OF PRESIDENT COOLIDGE

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLXI, Issue 15236, 29 December 1942, Page 3

SINKING OF PRESIDENT COOLIDGE

( XIRRESPONDENT’S ACCOUNT. United Press Assn.—By Electric 1 elegrauh—Copyright. NEW YORK, Dec. 17. file President Coolidge (21,936 tonsj was run aground oil a corax I'eef in. a Solomons harbour after she had struck two mines. She later sank by the stern. She was carrying -Aouo troops, but only four men were lost. A description of th e sinking been given by Ira Wolfert, North American Newspaper Alliance correspondent, who was flying over the vessel when sh e struck the mines. Describing the final wreck scenes, he says the officers wer 0 the last to leave the ship. An army captain who hud gone into the hold was too exhausted to haul himself up a rope lowered tc him. Another captain, a navai w ficer, and a civilian worker stood on the edge of the hold trying to haul him up. The last rescue boat wav bobbing alongside, and those in it were urging the three men to hurry. The three men could not bring themselves to abandon the trapped officer, and those on the rescue boat, learlui oi being sucked down, gave a last despairing warning The throe rescuers did not even, turn round, and the boat pulled away. Hundreds of men watched the scene silently, with eyes and hearts filled, says th© correspondent. When the ship sank the heroic three men went down with her, bu an air bubble formed, throwing tffe.u to the surfaiCe, where they swam to safety. Tile army captain died in the hold. When the President Coolidge struck the first mine, Mr Wolfert says, she lurched heavily. A big, gaseous bubble w'elled up amidships, then burst. The ship swung hal’d to port and suddenly again as another oil-streaked bubble welled up forward. Captain Nelson headed instantly for a nearby reef and rammed the bow hat’d 011 it, but the vessel's huil was torn open and the water pouied in. Survivors said there was no panic among the soldiers, who sang lacy ditties while awaiting rescue boats. A. surprising number oi soldiers were unable to swim. These obediently clambered down cargo nets, but when the time came to drop into the water they were unable let go. although they wore lifebelts. Officers were forced to climb down the nets and walk on the men’s fingers to bleak their bold. After his plane landed Mr Wolfert boarded a rescue boat, it approached a young soldier hanging on a rope ldlt above the water. The soldier called: ‘‘l can’t swim,” and the crew shouted: “Well catch you. After a profane interlude the soldier counted nine, left, go and saiiK like a stone. The crew waited with, a boat hook, but it seemed the soldier would never come up. He finally broke the water and was bauJei aboard where it was found be bad jumped with a fully loaded cartridge belt around his waist, which carried him almost to the bottom. When he revived he spluttered: “1 tola y° u I couldn’t swim.”