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SS ''West Cheswald'' was a cargo ship for the launched shortly after the end of World War I. The ship was inspected by the United States Navy for possible use as USS ''West Cheswald'' (ID-4199) but was neither taken into the Navy nor ever commissioned under that name. ''West Cheswald'' was built in 1919 for the , as a 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, and was the 32nd ship built at Northwest Steel in Portland, Oregon. She operated for several years as a merchant ship, and was involved in a court case that eventually reached the Supreme Court of the United States in 1928. She was laid up in New Orleans, Louisiana, until late 1940 when she was reactivated and refitted to carry American defense-related cargos to Africa and chromium and manganese ore to the United States. Continuing in African service after the United States entered World War II, she was diverted in March 1942 for one round trip to the Soviet Union, enduring German attacks that earned her U.S. Navy Armed Guard a battle star. After her return, she sailed mainly between the United States and African and Caribbean ports. In March 1944, she sailed from the United States for the final time, and was scuttled in June as part of the "gooseberry" breakwater off Utah Beach during the Normandy invasion, earning a second battle star in the process. == 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 for emergency use during World War I. All were given names that began with the word ''West'', like ''West Cheswald'',〔Crowell and Wilson, pp. 358–59.〕 the one of some 40 ''West'' ships built by the Northwest Steel of Portland, Oregon.〔 ''West Cheswald'' (Northwest Steel yard number 32, hull number 1421)〔 was completed in September 1919.〔 ''West Cheswald'' was , and was long (between perpendiculars)〔 and abeam. She had a steel hull with a hold that was deep. She had a displacement of 12,200 t with a mean draft of .〔 The ship had a single steam turbine that drove a single screw propeller, and moved the ship at up to .〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「SS West Cheswald」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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