USS West Lianga
SS West Lianga underway in May 1918
| |
History | |
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Owner | United States Shipping Board |
Port of registry | United States |
Builder |
|
Yard number | 21 (USSB number 1176)[3] |
Laid down | 14 February 1918[2] |
Launched | 20 April 1918[2] |
Sponsored by | Mrs A. E. Knoff[4] |
Completed | 4 May 1918[2] |
Identification | US official number: 216274[1] |
History | |
United States | |
Name | USS West Lianga |
Acquired | 19 August 1918 |
Commissioned | 19 August 1918 |
Decommissioned | 24 June 1919 |
Stricken | 24 June 1919 |
Fate | returned to USSB |
Name |
|
Owner |
|
Operator |
|
Port of registry | |
Identification | |
Fate | torpedoed and sunk, 1942[1] |
General characteristics | |
Type | Design 1013 ship |
Tonnage | |
Displacement | 12,191 t[5] |
Length | |
Beam | 54 ft 2 in (16.51 m)[1] |
Draft | 24 ft 1.5 in (7.353 m) (mean)[5] |
Depth of hold | 29 ft 9 in (9.07 m)[5] |
Propulsion | 1 × steam turbine[1] |
Speed | 11.5 knots (21.3 km/h)[1] |
Complement | 113 (as USS West Lianga)[5] |
Armament |
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USS West Lianga (ID-2758) was a cargo ship for the United States Navy during World War I. She was later known as SS Helen Whittier and SS Kalani in civilian service under American registry, as SS Empire Cheetah under British registry, and as SS Hobbema under Dutch registry.
West Lianga was
West Lianga was sold to the
After sailing to the UK as Kalani, the ship was renamed Empire Cheetah and sailed in transatlantic convoys, making three round trips between February 1941 and May 1942. At that time, Empire Cheetah was transferred to Dutch interests and renamed Hobbema. She successfully completed one transatlantic roundtrip under Dutch registry and was on the homeward leg of her second in Convoy SC 107, when that convoy was attacked by a wolf pack of German submarines. Shortly after midnight on 4 November 1942, Hobbema was struck in the engine room by a single torpedo fired by German submarine U-132. Of Hobbema's complement of 44 men and British gunners aboard, only 16 survived the attack. Hobbema was one of 19 Allied ships in the convoy sunk by German submarines. The sinking of Hobbema (or possibly Hatimura, also sunk by U-132 at the same time) resulted in one of the largest non-nuclear man-made explosions in history, with the German submarine also destroyed by the ensuing explosion.
Design and construction
The West ships were
When all remaining post-launch work on West Lianga was completed and she was delivered on 4 May, 67 working days after her keel laying, it was another world record for ocean-going vessels.[10] By 1920, West Lianga still counted as the third-fastest delivery, behind two ships that were over one-third smaller than West Lianga.[11][12] Shipbuilder Skinner & Eddy received a $71,600 bonus ($1.5 million today) for completing West Lianga early.[13]
West Lianga was 5,673
World War I
West Lianga's activities after her 4 May delivery to the USSB are not entirely clear. Many West ships, to avoid sailing empty to the East Coast, loaded grain products intended for the United Kingdom, France, and Italy and sailed to Europe without unloading or transferring their cargo,[9][Note 1] but it is not known whether West Lianga did so or not. Whatever her early activities, West Lianga was handed over to the United States Navy at Brooklyn in August 1918 and assigned the identification number 2758. USS West Lianga was commissioned into the NOTS on 19 August.[5]
At New York, West Lianga took on a load of 6,882 tons of
After shifting to
Interwar career
After her return to the USSB in June 1919, West Lianga returned to Seattle and was based out of there for several years of operation.[5] The United States Official Number 216274 was allocated.[14] On 7 September 1921, the ship was laid up in the reserve fleet at Norfolk. On 19 February 1929, the USSB sold West Lianga to the LASSCO for $100,000 on the basis of unrestricted operation.[15] LASSCO, which announced plans for a $50,000 overhaul and reconditioning of the ship for operation on its Arrow Line intercoastal cargo service,[15][16] paid ten percent in cash and signed a note for the balance to be paid over the next ten years.[17]
On 12 March, LASSCO changed West Lianga's port of registry from Seattle to
Helen Whittier's activities over the next two years were not recorded in contemporary newspaper accounts, but she was affected by the absorption of LASSCO into its former competitor,
Helen Whittier had returned to intercoastal service by early 1934 when The New York Times reported that she had sailed from San Francisco on 23 March and arrived at New York on 25 April.[22] In June that same year, Helen Whittier was one of the Matson ships added to carry food cargo to Hawaii. Shipments of food from the mainland—which accounted for up to 90% of Hawaii's needs—had been curtailed as a coastwise strike had affected all ports except Los Angeles. Helen Whittier sailed on her first food delivery on 23 June with 2,500 tons of food from Los Angeles to Honolulu.[23]
During 1935, her Code Letters were changed to LKAO.[24] In February 1935, Helen Whittier was returned to the Hawaiian sugar service full-time.[25] During her time on this service, Helen Whittier often called at New York.[26][27][28] One typical voyage, as tracked in The New York Times, began when she departed New York on 23 November for Honolulu,[29] passed through the Panama Canal on 4 December,[30] and arrived at Honolulu. Helen Whittier departed there on 11 January 1936 and arrived at New York again on 16 February.[31] Occasionally, Helen Whittier would make side trips to Baltimore for voyage repairs between her arrival at New York and her next departure for Hawaii.[32][33] The cargo ship continued her Honolulu – New York service through September 1936.[34]
In 1938, Matson renamed the ship Kalani, and continued using her in Hawaiian service through 1940.[35] On 15 July 1940, Matson received the permission of the United States Maritime Commission (USMC), a successor to the USSB, to sell Kalani to Sir R. Ropner & Co., Ltd., of West Hartlepool.[36] Six days after the approval, Kalani, now under British registry, departed from Los Angeles for New York.[37]
World War II
Kalani, acquired to fill the United Kingdom's urgent need for merchant vessels, was operated by Ropner under the authority of the
Empire Cheetah
Kalani was renamed Empire Cheetah on 12 November, two weeks into a three-and-a-half-month stay at Clyde.
After taking on a load of steel,
After a month at Clyde, Empire Cheetah set out a third time for North America in convoy ON 7 which, although dispersed mid-ocean, lost no ships to submarines. Empire Cheetah successfully reached her destination of Boston on 3 September. From there she made her way to Philadelphia on 3 October, and on to Sydney on 23 October. There she joined convoy SC 51 sailing for Holyhead and Manchester the same day with a cargo of grain, steel, and cotton.[45] She arrived at Holyhead on 8 November, but departed for Liverpool three days later. After returning to Holyhead later in the month, Empire Cheetah sailed in convoy BB 106 to Barry, where she arrived on 1 December.[7]
Empire Cheetah spent two and a half months at Barry before sailing to Swansea on 14 February 1942. Heading to Milford Haven on 23 February, she sailed the next day as a part of convoy ON 70 headed to Portland, Maine, where she safely arrived on 20 March after an intermediate stop at Halifax from 15 to 18 March. Four days later, Empire Cheetah sailed for Boston. She departed Boston on 12 April for Halifax and departed from there in convoy SC 80 five days later for Hull with a general cargo.[7][46] Empire Cheetah arrived at Loch Ewe on 2 May and sailed the next day for Methil. After arriving at Methil on 6 May, she headed to her destination of Hull on 7 May.
Hobbema
On 18 May at Hull, Empire Cheetah was transferred to the Dutch government and assigned to the Netherlands Shipping & Trading Committee.[47] The ship's name was changed to Hobbema and the port of registry changed to The Hague,[47] even though the Netherlands were under German occupation. Hobbema was placed under the management of the British & Continental Shipping Agency Ltd.[48]
Hobbema departed Hull on 23 May and called at Methil and Loch Ewe before sailing for New York as a part of convoy ON 100 on 2 June. After an intermediate stop at Halifax, Hobbema arrived at the Cape Cod Canal on 19 June and proceeded on to New York where she arrived the next day. After making two trips to Philadelphia and back, she departed for Cape Cod Bay to form up with convoy BX 28 for Halifax, where she arrived on 11 July. Hobbema sailed from Halifax to Sydney, Nova Scotia, in convoy HS 28, and from there sailed on 17 July for Liverpool with convoy SC 92. After her arrival on 31 July, she spent nearly a month at Liverpool before joining convoy ON 126 for New York, arriving at that destination on 19 September.[49]
Hobbema sailed the next day for Newport News and took on 7,000 long tons (7,100 t) of general cargo and ammunition and returned to New York on 15 October. She sailed nine days later as a part of convoy SC 107 headed for Liverpool.[47] On 30 October, German submarine German submarine U-522 sighted the eastbound convoy and relayed the convoy's position to the Wolfpack Veilchen of thirteen U-boats[Note 2] and to two other U-boats—U-522 and U-521—patrolling nearby. After getting into position and dodging convoy escorts over the next two days, the wolf pack attacked the convoy on the night of 1–2 November and sank seven ships. Another ship was sunk during the day on 2 November. On the night of 2–3 November the convoy sailed through thick fog that concealed its location and kept the U-boats at bay. At dawn the fog had lifted and another ship was sunk.[50]
After dark, the wolf pack struck again. At 00:10
At 00:40 the entire convoy and nearby U-boats were jolted by a very heavy explosion thought to have been one of the largest prior to atomic bomb testing. The explosion stopped the engine of the tug Uncas rescuing survivors six miles astern of the convoy. SS Titus was rescuing survivors from Empire Lynx when the explosion lifted her bow so violently the crew believed Titus had been torpedoed. The crew abandoned ship before the master realized Titus was undamaged and reboarded to sail to England with a skeleton crew including some Empire Lynx and Hatimura survivors. Titus was drydocked upon arrival in England, but the only damage found was a small dent in her port side.[51] U-132 is believed to have been destroyed by the explosion.[52] The cause of the explosion is unknown, but it is assumed to have resulted from detonation of the ammunition cargo aboard either Hobbema[51] or Hatimura.[52] In all, 19 Allied ships were sunk from convoy SC 107.[50]
See also
- Operation CHASE for a description of experimental detonation of obsolete munition cargoes in sinking ships to simulate nuclear testing.
Notes
- ^ This practice avoided extra handling of the cargo and the USSB, by prior arrangement, then received an equivalent amount of cargo space in foreign ships for other American cargos.[9]
- ^ Wolfpack Veilchen (English: violet) consisted of submarines U-71, U-84, U-89, U-132, U-381, U-402, U-437, U-438, U-442, U-454, U-571, U-658, and U-704.
- ^ John Waters, who was with convoy SC 107 aboard Gemini reports these times as being an hour earlier. The Axis and Allies may have been using different time zones when reporting the sequence of events.[51]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "West Lianga (2216274)". Miramar Ship Index. Retrieved 20 October 2008.[clarification needed]
- ^ OCLC 2449383.
- ^ a b c Colton, Tim. "Skinner & Eddy, Seattle WA". Shipbuilding History. The Colton Company. Archived from the original on 10 October 2011. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
- ^ a b "55-day launching breaks world record" (PDF). The New York Times. 21 April 1918. p. 16.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "West Lianga". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Navy Department, Naval History and Heritage Command.
- ^ a b c d e Arnold Hague Ports Database. "Port Arrivals/Departures: Kalani". Convoy Web. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
- ^ a b c d e Arnold Hague Ports Database. "Port Arrivals/Departures: Empire Cheetah". Convoy Web. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
- ^ Silverstone, p. 169.
- ^ a b c Crowell and Wilson, pp. 358–59.
- ^ "Steel ship built in 67 days" (PDF). The New York Times. 6 May 1918. p. 11.
- ^ Hurley 1927, p. title page.
- ^ Hurley 1920, pp. 92–93.
- ^ Shipping Board Operations, p. 624.
- ^ a b "Lloyd's Register, Steamers & Motorships" (PDF). Plimsoll Ship Data. Retrieved 25 March 2010.
- ^ a b "Southland ship sale approved". Los Angeles Times. 20 February 1929. p. 7.
- ^ "Shipping news and activities at Los Angeles Harbor". Los Angeles Times. 21 February 1929. p. A14.
- ^ "Board sells West Lianga". The New York Times. 20 February 1929. p. 48.
- ^ a b "Shipping news and activities at Los Angeles Harbor". Los Angeles Times. 12 March 1929. p. 12.
- ^ a b "Shipping news and activities at Los Angeles Harbor". Los Angeles Times. 26 March 1929. p. A22.
- ^ Cox, Martin (1999). "Los Angeles Steamship Company". Maritime Matters. Archived from the original on 11 December 2008. Retrieved 21 October 2008.
- ^ Cave, Wayne B. (26 August 1931). "Shipping news and activities at Los Angeles Harbor". Los Angeles Times. p. 17.
- ^ "Shipping and mails". The New York Times. 26 April 1934. p. 45.
- ^ Drake, Waldo (23 June 1934). "Shipping news and activities at Los Angeles Harbor". Los Angeles Times. p. 11.
- ^ "Lloyd's Register, Steamers & Motorships" (PDF). Plimsoll Ship Data. Retrieved 25 March 2010.
- ^ Drake, Waldo (10 February 1935). "Liner holds fine record". Los Angeles Times. p. 27.
- ^ "Shipping and mails". The New York Times. 17 April 1935. p. 47.
- ^ "Shipping and mails". The New York Times. 6 August 1935. p. 37.
- ^ "Shipping and mails". The New York Times. 7 October 1935. p. 33.
- ^ "Shipping and mails". The New York Times. 23 November 1935. p. 35.
- ^ "Shipping and mails". The New York Times. 5 December 1935. p. 51.
- ^ "Shipping and mails". The New York Times. 17 February 1936. p. 37.
- ^ "Shipping and mails". The New York Times. 23 February 1936. p. N12.
- ^ "Shipping and mails". The New York Times. 1 March 1936. p. 37.
- ^ "Shipping and mails". The New York Times. 16 September 1936. p. 51.
- ^ Drake, Waldo (6 April 1940). "Shipping news". Los Angeles Times. p. A10.
- ^ "Six ship deals approved". The New York Times. Associated Press. 16 July 1940. p. 37.
- ^ "Shipping and mails". The New York Times. 14 August 1940. p. 38.
- ^ a b "Convoy HX.78". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. ConvoyWeb. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
- ^ a b "Convoy SC.8". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. ConvoyWeb. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
- ^ "Lloyd's Register, Navires a Vapeur et a Moteurs" (PDF). Plimsoll Ship Data. Retrieved 25 March 2010.
- ^ a b Lawson, Siri. "Convoy OB 288". Warsailors.com. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
- ^ "Convoy HX.122". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. ConvoyWeb. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
- ^ "Convoy OB.339". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. ConvoyWeb. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
- ^ "Convoy OB.343". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. ConvoyWeb. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
- ^ Lawson, Siri. "Convoy SC 51". Warsailors.com. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
- ^ Lawson, Siri. "Convoy SC 80". Warsailors.com. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
- ^ a b c d Helgason, Guðmundur. "Allied Ships hit by U-boats: Hobbema". The U-Boat War 1939–1945. uboat.net. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
- ^ "Lloyd's Register, Steamers & Motorships" (PDF). Plimsoll Ship Data. Retrieved 25 March 2010.
- ^ Arnold Hague Ports Database. "Port Arrivals/Departures: Hobbema". Convoy Web. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
- ^ a b Helgason, Guðmundur. "Convoy Battles: SC-107". The U-Boat War 1939–1945. uboat.net. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
- ^ a b c d Waters, John M. Jr. (1967). Bloody Winter. Princeton NJ: D. Van Nostrand Company. pp. 70–72.
- ^ ISBN 1-55750-105-X.
Bibliography
External links
- Photo gallery of West Lianga at NavSource Naval History
55°18′N 40°0′W / 55.300°N 40.000°W