The Ship That Became Bali’s Greatest Dive Site
The USAT Liberty didn’t start as a dive site. It started as a 120-metre cargo ship built for war, and its journey from a Philadelphia shipyard to the volcanic shores of Bali spans two world wars, a volcanic eruption, and six decades underwater transformation.
Construction and Early Service (1918–1941)
The ship was originally launched on 19 June 1918 by the Federal Shipbuilding Company in Kearny, New Jersey, as the USS Liberty (ID-3461). She was a Design 1037 cargo steamer — one of hundreds built rapidly for the United States Shipping Board during World War I. At 120 metres long with a beam of 16 metres, she displaced roughly 6,211 tonnes.
After WWI service carrying cargo across the Atlantic, the ship was decommissioned and transferred to the United States Army Transport Service, becoming the USAT Liberty. For the next two decades she carried military supplies across the Pacific.
World War II and the Torpedoing (January 1942)
By late 1941, the Liberty was operating in the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia), carrying rubber and other strategic materials. On 11 January 1942, while sailing from Australia to the Philippines via the Lombok Strait, she was spotted by the Japanese submarine I-166 under the command of Lieutenant Commander K Hasagawa.
The I-166 fired a single torpedo that struck the Liberty amidships on the port side. The explosion tore a massive hole in the hull, but the ship didn’t sink immediately. The crew managed to keep her afloat, and two US Navy destroyers — the USS Paul Jones and the USS John D. Ford — attempted to tow the stricken vessel to the nearest port.
Key date: 11 January 1942 — the torpedoing of the USAT Liberty by I-166 in the Lombok Strait.
Beached at Tulamben (1942–1963)
The tow proved too slow. Water was flooding the engine room and the Liberty was settling by the stern. The decision was made to beach the ship at Tulamben, a small fishing village on Bali’s north-east coast. The volcanic black sand beach provided a natural ramp, and the ship was run aground just 30 metres from shore.
For 21 years, the Liberty sat on the beach at Tulamben, gradually being stripped by locals for scrap metal and useful fittings. The hull remained largely intact, listing to port on the sand slope. The village of Tulamben grew around the beached ship — locals used it as a landmark, a source of materials, and even shelter during storms.
The Eruption of Mount Agung (1963)
Everything changed on 17 March 1963. Mount Agung, Bali’s tallest volcano (3,031m), erupted violently after roughly 120 years of dormancy. The eruption was one of the largest in Indonesia’s recorded history, killing over 1,500 people and devastating eastern Bali.
The earthquakes and lava flows from the eruption shifted the ground beneath the Liberty. The ship slid off the beach and down the volcanic sand slope into the water, coming to rest at depths between 5 and 30 metres. The very geological event that destroyed so much of the region inadvertently created what would become Bali’s most famous dive site.
Key date: 17 March 1963 — Mount Agung erupts, pushing the beached Liberty into the sea.
Becoming a Dive Site (1963–Present)
It took several years for the Liberty to become a recognised dive destination. In the 1970s and 1980s, as scuba diving grew in popularity, adventurous divers began exploring the wreck. Word spread through the diving community about this perfectly positioned shipwreck — shore-accessible, shallow enough for beginners, yet deep enough to hold interest for experienced divers.
By the 1990s, Tulamben had transformed from a quiet fishing village into one of Bali’s premier dive destinations, almost entirely because of the Liberty. Today, an estimated 100+ divers visit the wreck daily during peak season.
Timeline Summary
1918: Launched as USS Liberty (ID-3461) in New Jersey
1918–1941: Transferred to US Army Transport Service, becomes USAT Liberty
11 January 1942: Torpedoed by Japanese submarine I-166 in Lombok Strait
January 1942: Beached at Tulamben, Bali
17 March 1963: Mount Agung eruption pushes wreck into the sea
1970s–1980s: Discovered by recreational divers
1990s–Present: Becomes Bali’s most popular dive site
Dive the Wreck Today
The USS Liberty is just 15 minutes from Pebble & Fins in Kubu. We dive it daily — morning, afternoon, and at night. The wreck has evolved into a stunning artificial reef, home to schools of trevally, sea turtles, and vibrant coral. For practical dive information, see our complete USS Liberty dive guide.
Book a USS Liberty dive with Pebble & Fins →
