SS President Coolidge Newport News, Virginia built the two ships, completing "President Hoover" in 1930. The keel for "President Coolidge" was laid 22 April 1930 and the ship was delivered 1 October 1931. They were the largest merchant ships built in the United States up to that time. Each ship had turbo-electric transmission, with a pair of steam turbo generators generating current that powered propulsion motors on the propeller shafts. Westinghouse built the turbo generators and propulsion motors for "President Coolidge" but General Electric built the turbo generators and propulsion motors for "President Hoover". In the "President Coolidge" twelve Babcock & Wilcox superheater
Richard B. Coolidge Richard B. Coolidge Richard Bradford Coolidge (September 14, 1879 – January 18, 1957) was a Massachusetts politician. Coolidge was born in the Deering Center area of Portland, Maine. He was brother of Massachuestts politician and Lieutenant Governor Arthur W. Coolidge. He was the fourth cousin of President Calvin Coolidge. Coolidge graduated from Tufts College in 1902 and served as a trustee of the school from 1924 to 1944 and from 1953 to 1957. He attended Harvard Law School. Coolidge practiced in the law firm "French and Curtiss." From 1920 to 1922, Coolidge represented Medford and Winchester in the Massachusetts House