The USS Tucker was a U.S. destroyer that struck a sea mine on August 4, 1942 in the Segond Channel adjacent to Espiritu Santo. The wreck lies at a depth of around 60 feet (18.5 meters) and is spread across nearly 540 feet (165 meters) of gently sloping seabed.
Malo Island, VANUATU
GPS: 15°38.504’S, 167°05.301’E
The USS Tucker was originally a U.S. destroyer (Mahan-class) commissioned in 1936. During an active service that lasted over a decade, she participated in the Guadalcanal campaign, the Battle of the Eastern Solomons, the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, the Aleutian Islands campaign, the Battle of the Philippine Sea, and the Battle of Leyte Gulfthat. Like the SS President Coolidge, the Tucker fell victim to allied mines that were set to guard access to Espiritu Santo’s Segond Channel. On August 4, 1942, USS Tucker struck at least one mine in the channel, killing three crew members. The rest of the ship’s company was rescued before the ship sank. During the remainder of the war, the U.S. Navy used the wreckage site for diver training. Today, USS Tucker lies at a depth of around 60 feet (18.5 meters) and is spread across nearly 540 feet (165 meters) of gently sloping seabed. Although broken up, there are plenty of features to see and the wreck supports a wide variety of coral reef life.
