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SS ''West Lashaway'' was a steel–hulled cargo ship that saw service with the U.S. Navy during World War I as the auxiliary ship USS ''West Lashaway'' (ID-3700). She was later engaged in mercantile service, until being sunk by a U-boat in 1942. ''West Lashaway'' was commissioned into the Navy immediately upon completion in September 1918, but only had time to complete one voyage before the end of the war. In the months that followed, the ship made several more voyages with the Navy, including a children's relief mission to Eastern Europe, before decommissioning in 1919. ''West Lashaway'' was subsequently placed in commercial service, operating between the United States and various ports in Europe. Later, the ship was employed in trade between the U.S. and Africa. In August 1942, ''West Lashaway'' was torpedoed and sunk by ''U-66'' in the Caribbean. The handful of survivors, including four children, endured a three-week ordeal in an open boat with minimal supplies before being rescued. One of them would later write a book about the experience. ==Construction and design== ''West Lashaway'' was built in Seattle, Washington in 1918 at the No. 1 Plant of the Skinner & Eddy Corporation—the 16th in a series of 24 steel-hulled Design 1013 cargo ships built by Skinner & Eddy for the United States Shipping Board's emergency wartime shipbuilding program.〔("General Cargo Ships Built in Pacific Coast Shipyards" ), ''shipbuildinghistory.com''.〕 The ship was laid down on 8 July, launched just 55 working (65 calendar) days later on 12 September, and completed on 30 September—a total time under construction of 69 working (84 calendar) days,〔''Pacific Ports Annual'', pp. 64-65.〕 making ''West Lashaway'' one of the fastest-built ships of the war.〔Hurley, p. 93. Note that Hurley does not specifically mention ''West Lashaway'' in his list of fastest-built ships, but at 84 calendar days the vessel would, according to Hurley's list, have been the equal-sixth fastest-built ship of the war.〕 ''West Lashaway'' had a design deadweight tonnage of 8,800 tons and gross register tonnage of 5,600. The ship had an overall length of 423 feet 9 inches, a beam of 54 feet and a draft of about 24 feet.〔(West Lashaway ), ''Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships'', Naval History and Heritage Command website.〕 She was powered by a Curtis geared turbine〔Silverstone, p. 169.〕 driving a single screw propeller, delivering a service speed of 11 to 11.5 knots.〔("West Lashaway" ), ''ellisisland.org''.〕 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 Lashaway」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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