By Dave Cross phone +678 36
911
Espiritu Santo Tourism Association in conjunction with the
Vanuatu Tourism Office hosted the recent visit of Mr Milton Staley, who
was a US army private traveling on US army
troop ship the SS President Coolidge when it hit
two mines off Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu and sunk on the morning of
26 October 1942.
Milton, now 88, traveled to Vanuatu with his nephew Richard
and was met at Pekoa airport by Dave Cross of ESTA and Brenda Andre of the
VTO.
At a reception held at Hotel Santo, Milton reminisced about
his experiences both on the Coolidge and life at the American base here in
Luganville. He was stationed at Surunda for 5 months before being posted
to Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. It was fascinating to listen to him
and Alan Power talking about the ship.
Milton and Richard were presented with a tam tam and model
out-rigger canoe and both remarked that they’d always remember the
friendliness and hospitality they’d received in Luganville.
A highlight of the visit for them was to stand on the shore
at the place where the Coolidge now rests, in 20 to 70 metres of water,
followed by a tour of some WW2 sites on the east coast. Milton found the
steps, all that remains, of his billet and talked feely about his mates
and the war in the South Pacific.
Below photo: Brenda Andre
of the VTO meeting Milton and Richard on their arrival.
