The Wreck Of USAT Liberty

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USAT Liberty

USAT Liberty was a United States Army cargo ship.  USAT Liberty was launched on 19 June 1918 by the Federal Shipbuilding Company in Kearny, New Jersey, and acquired by the United States Navy on 7 October 1918.

On 11 January 1942, USAT Liberty was torpedoed by Japanese submarine I-166 about 10 nautical miles (19 km) southwest of the Lombok Strait.

US destroyer Paul Jones and Dutch destroyer Van Ghent towed the damaged ship towards Bali, hoping to make it to the northern region of Singaraja, but the ship began to break apart and instead was beached onto the shore of Tulamben.

In 1963, the earthquakes caused by the volcanic eruption of Mount Agung pushed the ship into the sea where it sank onto its side.  The Liberty wreck is one of the most easily dived wrecks in the world.  Located 25 metres from shore, and resting between 5 – 30 metres deep.

Source: Wikipedia