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USS ''West Haven'' (ID-2159) was a steel–hulled freighter that saw service with the U.S. Navy during World War I, and which later saw convoy service during the Battle of the Atlantic in World War II. Originally named ''War Flame'', ''West Haven'' completed two supply voyages for the Navy during World War I, and two relief missions in the immediate postwar period before being decommissioned. Between the wars, ''West Haven'' was placed in commercial service as SS ''West Haven'' and operated for several different companies. In 1929 her name was changed to SS ''Marian Otis Chandler'' and in 1938 to SS ''Onomea''. Following the outbreak of World War II, ''Onomea'' was acquired by the British Ministry of War Transport, renamed SS ''Empire Leopard'' and placed into convoy service on the North Atlantic, delivering vital supplies from the United States to Britain. In November 1942, while operating with Convoy SC-107, ''Empire Leopard'' was torpedoed and sunk by ''U-402'', commanded by U-boat ace Siegfried von Forstner. ==Construction and design== ''West Haven'' was built as ''War Flame'' in Seattle, Washington in 1917 at Plant No. 1 of the Skinner & Eddy Corporation. A product of the United States Shipping Boards emergency wartime shipbuilding program, ''War Flame'' was laid down on 13 August 1917 and launched on 1 November 1917 in what was then apparently a new world keel-to-launch record of just 67 working days (81 calendar days).〔("55-Day Launching Breaks World Record" ), ''New York Times'', 21 April 1918. Note that this article does not refer directly to ''West Haven'', but the record referred to as set "five months previous" appears to refer to ''West Haven'', as this was the only Skinner & Eddy ship to be launched in under 70 days on that approximate date (see ''Pacific Ports Annual'' pp. 64–65 for confirmation).〕 The ship was completed an additional 43 working (54 calendar) days later on 24 December 1917—a keel-to-delivery time of 110 working days (135 calendar days), establishing a new company record.〔''Pacific Ports Annual'', pp. 64–65.〕 When completed, ''War Flame'' had a deadweight tonnage of 8,480 tons (8,800 nominal) and a gross register tonnage of 5,520 tons (5,600 nominal). The ship had an overall length of 423 feet 9 inches, a beam of 54 feet and a draft of 24 feet 2 inches.〔〔Jordan, p. 404. Note that statistics for these ships may differ slightly depending on the reference.〕 ''War Flame'' was powered by a three-cylinder triple expansion steam engine supplied by the Puget Sound Machinery Depot of Seattle, with cylinders of 25, 42 and 72 inches respectively and a stroke of 48 inches,〔("Register of Ships Em-Ex" ), ''reach.ent''. According to the website, the info about the engine was "transcribed from the Lloyd's Register of British and Foreign Shipping".〕 which drove a single screw propeller and delivered a service speed of 11 knots.〔〔 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「USS West Haven (ID-2159)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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