Captain Elwood Euart, 103rd Field Artillery,
died while rescuing some of his troops.
For his bravery Captain Euart was posthumously
awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the
second highest medal for heroism authorized by
the United States Army.
The liner SS President Coolidge, transporting
troops into Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides,
struck two mines entering the harbor. The ship
was beached, and an orderly abandonment was
undertaken. 5,340 men from the ship got safely
ashore, including Captain Euart.
But when he heard that there were still men in
the infirmary who could not get out, he returned
through one of the sea doors, successfully
rescued the men but was then unable to escape
himself and went down with the ship.
The ship capsized and slid down a coral reef,
before settling. Exerting himself to the point of
exhaustion, he had no energy left to pull
himself up a rope from the infirmary.
Three other soldiers attempted to pull him up
against sea water spilling through the
corridors but they themselves were in danger
of drowning. With great reluctance, they saved
themselves and were given citations for their
heroic efforts to save lives.
The ship remains in place and there is a
memorial plaque for Elwood Euart on the path
leading to the wreck site. The SS President
Coolidge is one of the most popular sites for
divers in the South Seas to this day.
Elwood's parents were Elwood F. A. and
Winifred G. Euart.
Update by member Bruce (#46602183),
July 5, 2016: The Defense POW/MIA Accounting
Agency recovered Capt. Euart's remains and
identified them May 11, 2016.
He will now be returned home and receive a
burial with full military honors. Entered the service from Rhode Island.
died while rescuing some of his troops.
For his bravery Captain Euart was posthumously
awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the
second highest medal for heroism authorized by
the United States Army.
The liner SS President Coolidge, transporting
troops into Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides,
struck two mines entering the harbor. The ship
was beached, and an orderly abandonment was
undertaken. 5,340 men from the ship got safely
ashore, including Captain Euart.
But when he heard that there were still men in
the infirmary who could not get out, he returned
through one of the sea doors, successfully
rescued the men but was then unable to escape
himself and went down with the ship.
The ship capsized and slid down a coral reef,
before settling. Exerting himself to the point of
exhaustion, he had no energy left to pull
himself up a rope from the infirmary.
Three other soldiers attempted to pull him up
against sea water spilling through the
corridors but they themselves were in danger
of drowning. With great reluctance, they saved
themselves and were given citations for their
heroic efforts to save lives.
The ship remains in place and there is a
memorial plaque for Elwood Euart on the path
leading to the wreck site. The SS President
Coolidge is one of the most popular sites for
divers in the South Seas to this day.
Elwood's parents were Elwood F. A. and
Winifred G. Euart.
Update by member Bruce (#46602183),
July 5, 2016: The Defense POW/MIA Accounting
Agency recovered Capt. Euart's remains and
identified them May 11, 2016.
He will now be returned home and receive a
burial with full military honors. Entered the service from Rhode Island.
Captain Elwood Euart, 103rd Field Artillery,
died while rescuing some of his troops.
For his bravery Captain Euart was posthumously
awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the
second highest medal for heroism authorized by
the United States Army.
The liner SS President Coolidge, transporting
troops into Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides,
struck two mines entering the harbor. The ship
was beached, and an orderly abandonment was
undertaken. 5,340 men from the ship got safely
ashore, including Captain Euart.
But when he heard that there were still men in
the infirmary who could not get out, he returned
through one of the sea doors, successfully
rescued the men but was then unable to escape
himself and went down with the ship.
The ship capsized and slid down a coral reef,
before settling. Exerting himself to the point of
exhaustion, he had no energy left to pull
himself up a rope from the infirmary.
Three other soldiers attempted to pull him up
against sea water spilling through the
corridors but they themselves were in danger
of drowning. With great reluctance, they saved
themselves and were given citations for their
heroic efforts to save lives.
The ship remains in place and there is a
memorial plaque for Elwood Euart on the path
leading to the wreck site. The SS President
Coolidge is one of the most popular sites for
divers in the South Seas to this day.
Elwood's parents were Elwood F. A. and
Winifred G. Euart.
Update by member Bruce (#46602183),
July 5, 2016: The Defense POW/MIA Accounting
Agency recovered Capt. Euart's remains and
identified them May 11, 2016.
He will now be returned home and receive a
burial with full military honors. Entered the service from Rhode Island.
died while rescuing some of his troops.
For his bravery Captain Euart was posthumously
awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the
second highest medal for heroism authorized by
the United States Army.
The liner SS President Coolidge, transporting
troops into Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides,
struck two mines entering the harbor. The ship
was beached, and an orderly abandonment was
undertaken. 5,340 men from the ship got safely
ashore, including Captain Euart.
But when he heard that there were still men in
the infirmary who could not get out, he returned
through one of the sea doors, successfully
rescued the men but was then unable to escape
himself and went down with the ship.
The ship capsized and slid down a coral reef,
before settling. Exerting himself to the point of
exhaustion, he had no energy left to pull
himself up a rope from the infirmary.
Three other soldiers attempted to pull him up
against sea water spilling through the
corridors but they themselves were in danger
of drowning. With great reluctance, they saved
themselves and were given citations for their
heroic efforts to save lives.
The ship remains in place and there is a
memorial plaque for Elwood Euart on the path
leading to the wreck site. The SS President
Coolidge is one of the most popular sites for
divers in the South Seas to this day.
Elwood's parents were Elwood F. A. and
Winifred G. Euart.
Update by member Bruce (#46602183),
July 5, 2016: The Defense POW/MIA Accounting
Agency recovered Capt. Euart's remains and
identified them May 11, 2016.
He will now be returned home and receive a
burial with full military honors. Entered the service from Rhode Island.
Inscription
CAPT, 103 FLD ARTY BN, 43 INF DIV WORLD WAR II
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