SS West Pocasset

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Coordinates: 58°30′N 19°40′W / 58.500°N 19.667°W / 58.500; -19.667
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
SS Chepo in Newport News, October 1941.
History
United States
Name
  • West Pocasset (1919–1941)
  • Chepo (1941–1942)
Owner
  • USSB (1919–1936)
  • MARCOM (1936–1941)
  • United States Line
    (1941–1942)
Operator
Ordered14 August 1918
Builder
Northwest Steel Co., Portland
Cost$1,864,045.96
Yard number34
Laid down5 May 1919
Launched18 August 1919
Sponsored byMiss Rosemary Mahoney
Commissioned9 October 1919
Maiden voyage5 November 1919
Homeport
Identification
FateSunk, 14 January 1942
General characteristics
Class and typeDesign 1013 Cargo ship
Tonnage
Length409.8 ft (124.9 m)
Beam54.2 ft (16.5 m)
Depth27.7 ft (8.4 m)
Installed power605
shp
Propulsion2 x
screw
Speed11+1⁄2 knots (13.2 mph; 21.3 km/h)

West Pocasset was a steam cargo ship built in 1919 by

war matériel and supplies between Canada and United Kingdom and renamed Chepo. In early January 1942 while on one of her regular convoy trips, she was torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-43
with the loss of seventeen men.

Design and construction

After the United States entry into World War I, a large shipbuilding program was undertaken to restore and enhance shipping capabilities both of the United States and their Allies. As part of this program, EFC placed orders with nation's shipyards for a large number of vessels of standard designs. Design 1013 cargo ship was a standard cargo freighter of approximately 8,800 tons deadweight designed by Skinner & Eddy Corp. and adopted by USSB.

West Pocasset was part of the order for four vessels placed by USSB with Northwest Steel Co. on 14 August 1918.[1] The vessel was laid down at the shipbuilder's yard on 5 May 1919 and launched on 18 August 1919 (yard number 34), with fifteen year-old Miss Rosemary Mahoney being the sponsor.[2][3] Similar to many other vessels ordered by the Shipping Board during these years and built by the West Coast shipyards, she was given a name that began with the word West to reflect their West Coast origin.[4]

Similar to all vessels of this class the ship was shelter-deck type and had two main decks. She had her machinery situated amidships and had five main holds which allowed for the carriage of a variety of goods and merchandise.

winches, eleven booms and a large number of derricks. She was also equipped with wireless apparatus and submarine signal system and had electrical lights installed along the decks.[5]

As built, the ship was 409.8 feet (124.9 m) long (

screw that moved the ship at speeds up to 11+1⁄2 knots (13.2 mph; 21.3 km/h).[5][7][6] The steam for the engine was supplied by three Scotch marine boilers fitted for both coal and oil fuel.[5]

The six hour long sea trials were held in the Columbia River on 8 October 1919 with the ship performing satisfactorily and achieving an average speed of 11.25 knots over a measured mile.[8][9] Following their successful completion, West Pocasset was handed over to her owners next day.[10]

Operational history

Upon acceptance by USSB West Pocasset was allocated to the

Mediterranean she returned to Brooklyn in ballast on 1 February 1921.[22] The vessel remained in New York for several months before being shifted to anchorage in Jamaica Bay at the end of April.[23]
West Pocasset as well as many other vessels in the Shipping Board's possession remained berthed at the anchorage through the end of 1920s.

In early September 1929 USSB awarded contracts for general repairs and condenser repairs to two New York area companies as the vessel was being prepared for reentering the service.

St. Nazaire.[25] She sailed out from France on July 30[26] and after reaching United States was again laid up, this time at James River anchorage in Norfolk
where the freighter would remain for the next ten years.

With the start of

United States Line, one of the bigger operators between the US and the United Kingdom, was significantly hampered by the Act which effectively grounded their fleet. They immediately asked Maritime Commission to allow them to transfer nine of their vessels to Panamanian registry. The transfer was initially approved but under pressure and sharp criticism from a number of congressmen and Secretary of State Cordell Hull the shipping line withdrew its application.[27][28][29] Shortly thereafter, United States Line tried to lobby Maritime Commission to allow it to sell the same vessels to their subsidiary, North Atlantic Transport Company, a Norwegian-registered corporation.[30] These vessels were eventually sold to Belgian company, Société Maritime Anversoise, in February 1940. By early 1941, however, most of the transferred ships were lost to enemy action, and the United States Line sought to augment their fleet from the laid up vessels belonging to Maritime Commission. In December 1940 a large number of laid up vessels was offered for sale to British shipping companies.[31] The bidding opened in early January 1941, with United States Line jumping in and placing a bid on five of the vessels, including West Pocasset.[32] The deal was struck on 23 January 1941 and West Pocasset and four other ships of similar size were sold to United States Line for $1,328,384. These vessels then were sold to North Atlantic Transport Company, a subsidiary of United States Line, now a Panamanian registered company.[33] All ships were subsequently renamed after various towns of Panama
, with West Pocasset becoming Chepo.

After repairs and reconditioning, Chepo proceeded to Sydney where she loaded general cargo and left it on 1 June 1941 as part of convoy SHX-130 before joining in with the main part of convoy HX-130 bound for Liverpool.[34] After safe passage and unloading, the freighter returned to Halifax as part of convoy OB-345 on 26 July 1941.[35] The ship conducted two more journeys in 1941 between Halifax and United Kingdom as part of convoys HX-144 and HX-158.[36][37] She travelled back to North America in convoys ON-16 and ON-43 which were dispersed in the mid-Atlantic with the vessels continuing on independently.[38][39]

Sinking

Chepo departed Liverpool on her last voyage on 8 January 1942 as part of convoy ON-55 carrying 1,769 tons of general cargo bound for Boston and New York.[40] The ship was under command of captain Hezekiah Spurrell and had a crew of thirty eight. The trip was uneventful until the convoy ran into a strong storm south of Iceland on January 13 which significantly slowed it down. The convoy was detected on the same day by the German submarine U-43 under command of Wolfgang Lüth which began shadowing it. U-43 commenced attack on the convoy in the early morning of January 14 in the stormy conditions with poor visibility, first sinking British cargo ship SS Empire Surf. At 04:53 Chepo was suddenly hit on starboard side by a torpedo fired from U-43.[41] The resulting explosion open a wide hole in the vessel's hull and brought down the aft mast and antenna, preventing the vessel from sending a S.O.S. signal. Chepo started quickly settling by the stern forcing the survivors to hastily abandon the ship in starboard lifeboats and one raft.[41] Sixteen crewmembers were trapped in the poop quarters and could not escape. The master on hearing the cries for help coming from the abandoned vessel, went back to investigate and went down with the ship.[42] Chepo sunk approximately ten minutes after the attack. At about 05:50 British corvette HMS Sunflower showed up and started picking up the survivors.[41]

References

  1. ^ Roberts, Stephen S. "EFC Contracts Sorted by Shipbuilder and EFC Hull Number". Shipscribe.com. Archived from the original on 25 January 2021. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
  2. ^ "West Pocasset (2218963)". Miramar Ship Index. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
  3. ^ "The West Pocasset Is Launched". Heave Together. Vol. 2, no. 17. 1 September 1919. p. 539.
  4. ^ Crowell and Wilson, pp. 358–59.
  5. ^ a b c d Register of Ships Owned by United States Shipping Board. Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office. 1 August 1920. p. 109. Archived from the original on 17 April 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  6. ^ a b Lloyd's Register, Steamships and Motorships. London: Lloyd's Register. 1920–1921.
  7. ^ a b c Merchant Vessels of the United States. Washington, DC: United States Printing Office. 1920–1921. p. 180.
  8. Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  9. ^ "Thirty-Fourth Hull On River Trials". Heave Together. Vol. 2, no. 20. 15 October 1919. p. 636.
  10. ^
    Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  11. Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  12. Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  13. Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  14. The Oregon Daily Journal
    . 5 November 1919. p. 18.
  15. The Oregon Daily Journal
    . 2 December 1919. p. 18.
  16. ^ "The Operations Of The Allied High Commissioner To Armenia". American Relief Administration Bulletin. 2. No. 9. 1 February 1921. pp. 13–14.
  17. ^ "Correspondentie". Rotterdamsch Nieuwsblad. 18 March 1920. p. 2.
  18. ^ "Correspondentie". Rotterdamsch Nieuwsblad. 10 April 1920. p. 2.
  19. Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  20. ^ "Vessels Tied Up For Lack Of Cargo". Shipping. Vol. XII, no. 2. 25 September 1920. pp. 88, 90.
  21. ^ "Cleared". New York Herald. 18 November 1920. p. 8.
  22. New York Tribune
    . 2 February 1921. p. 19.
  23. New York Tribune
    . 26 April 1921. p. 19.
  24. ^ "Contracts Placed". Marine Engineering & Shipping Age. Vol. 34. 1929. p. 573.
  25. ^ "Buitenlandsche Havens". De Maasbode. 12 July 1930. p. 2.
  26. ^ "Buitenlandsche Havens". De Maasbode. 2 August 1930. p. 2.
  27. Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  28. Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  29. Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  30. Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  31. Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  32. Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  33. Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  34. ^ "Convoy HX.130". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. ConvoyWeb. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  35. ^ "Convoy OB.345". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. ConvoyWeb. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  36. ^ "Convoy HX.144". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. ConvoyWeb. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  37. ^ "Convoy HX.158". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. ConvoyWeb. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  38. ^ "Convoy ON.16". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. ConvoyWeb. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  39. ^ "Convoy ON.43". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. ConvoyWeb. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  40. ^ "Convoy ON.55". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. ConvoyWeb. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  41. ^ a b c Helgason, Guðmundur. "Chepo". German U-boats of WWII - Uboat.net. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  42. Newspapers.com.Free access icon

58°30′N 19°40′W / 58.500°N 19.667°W / 58.500; -19.667

Bibliography

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