USS West Coast (ID-3315)

USS "West Coast" (ID-3315) was a cargo ship for the United States Navy during World War I. The ship was laid down as SS "War Dagger" but launched in July 1918 as SS "West Coast" and reverted to that name at the end of her Navy service.

SS "West Coast" was a steam-powered for the USSB|first=long as part of the "West" boats, a series of steel-hulled cargo ships built on the West Coast of the United States for the World War I war effort. She was the 7th ship built by the Columbia River Shipbuilding Company in Portland, Oregon. She was commissioned into the NOTS|first=long of the United States Navy in August 1918. After two transatlantic roundtrips, she was decommissioned in May 1919 and returned to the USSB.

Little is known of "West Coast"'s subsequent civilian career. She was scrapped at Baltimore, Maryland in the fourth quarter of 1930.

Design and construction

The "West" ships were cargo ships of similar size and design built by several shipyards on the West Coast of the United States for the USSB|first=long for emergency use during the First World War. All were given names that began with the word "West", like "West Coast",Crowell and Wilson, pp. 358–59.] the 7th of some 30 "West" ships built by the Columbia River Shipbuilding Company of Portland, Oregon. "West Coast" (Columbia River Shipbuilding yard number 7) was launched on 6 July 1918, and was completed on 9 August 1918.

"West Coast" was GRT|5,689|first=yes, and was convert|409|ft|9|in|m long (between perpendiculars) and convert|54|ft|m|1 abeam. She had a steel hull that displaced 12,200 t with a mean draught of convert|24|ft|6|in|m. Her hold was convert|29|ft|9|in|m deep. "West Coast"'s power plant consisted of a single steam turbine driving a single screw propeller which moved the ship at up to convert|11|knots|km/h.

U.S. Navy career

Upon completion of "West Coast" on 9 August 1918, she was handed over to the United States Navy for use in the NOTS|first=long. She was commissioned as USS "West Coast" (ID-3315) the same day with Lieutenant Commander Robert Crabb, USNRF, in command.

"West Coast" departed the Pacific Northwest on 15 August, bound for Chile to take on a load of guano. The ship burned out a thrust-bearing in her turbine, however, and was forced to put into San Francisco on 17 August for extensive repairs which lasted until 7 December. Meanwhile, the Armistice ended World War I and curtailed the Allies' need for nitrates. Hence "West Coast"'s voyage to Chile was cancelled, and the cargo vessel was ordered to proceed via the Panama Canal to Norfolk, Virginia. She entered Hampton Roads, Virginia, on the last day of 1918 and sailed for France on 6 January 1919. Arriving at Bordeaux on 21 January, "West Coast" discharged her cargo, loaded 1,994 tons of Army return cargo, and got underway for the United States on 16 February. The cargo vessel reached Newport News, Virginia, and unloaded. She departed Hampton Roads on 18 March and arrived at New Orleans eight days later. After loading a cargo of cotton, she sailed on 3 April and returned briefly to Norfolk, before getting underway for England on 10 April. She unloaded her cotton cargo in Falmouth and Liverpool and departed the British Isles on 30 May. Calling at Norfolk from 12 to 15 June, "West Coast" proceeded for the Gulf of Mexico and made port at Galveston, Texas, on 22 June. Four days later, the cargo vessel was decommissioned and her name struck from the Navy list.

Civilian career

Little is known of "West Coast"'s post-Navy career. After her decommissioning, "West Coast" was returned to the USSB. Remaining in the custody of the USSB, she was scrapped at Baltimore in the fourth quarter of 1930.

References

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