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UNITED STATES NAVY
TEMPORARY AUXILIARY SHIPS
WORLD WAR I
TEMPORARY AUXILIARY SHIPS
WORLD WAR I
Online Library of Selected Images:
-- CIVILIAN SHIPS --
Western Sea (American Freighter, 1918).
Served as USS Western Sea (ID # 3153) in 1918-1919
Western Sea, a 5700 gross ton freighter, was built in 1918 at Seattle, Washington, for the U.S. Shipping Board. Acquired by the Navy upon completion in late June 1918, she was placed in commission at that time as USS Western Sea (ID # 3153). In July and August the new ship made her first operational voyage, taking a load of flour to the East Coast by way of the Panama Canal. She then steamed across the Atlantic to France, hauling cargo to support Allied operations against the Germans. Returning to the U.S. in November, a few weeks after the First World War's fighting had ended, Western Sea subsequently took more supplies to England and Holland during January and February 1919. She was decommissioned in May of that year and returned to the Shipping Board, which retained her until the early 1930s.
This page features all available viewss of the freighter Western Sea, which served as USS Western Sea (ID # 3153) in 1918-1919.
Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.
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Photo #: NH 65037-A S.S. Western Sea (American Freighter, 1918) Afloat at the time of her launching, 25 May 1918. She was built by the J.F. Duthie & Company shipyard, Seattle, Washington. This ship was acquired by the Navy and commissioned on 29 June 1918 as USS Western Sea (ID # 3153). She was returned to the U.S. Shipping Board on 9 May 1919. The original print is in National Archives' Record Group 19-LCM. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 104KB; 740 x 605 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 65037 S.S. Western Sea (American Freighter, 1918) Afloat at the time of her launching, 25 May 1918. She was built by the J.F. Duthie & Company shipyard, Seattle, Washington. She appears to be partially painted in pattern camouflage. This ship was acquired by the Navy and commissioned on 29 June 1918 as USS Western Sea (ID # 3153). She was returned to the U.S. Shipping Board on 9 May 1919. The original print is in National Archives' Record Group 19-LCM. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 71KB; 740 x 505 pixels |
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Photo #: Unknown USS Western Sea (ID # 3153) In port at Rotterdam, The Netherlands, on 26 January 1919. Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, circa 2013. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph. |
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