USSWest Gambo

History
United States
Name	USSWest Gambo
Builder	Skinner and Eddy Corporation,Seattle,Washington
Launched	4 July 1918
Completed	July 1918
Acquired	20 July 1918
Commissioned	20 July 1918
Decommissioned	17 January 1919
Fate	Transferred toUnited States Shipping Board17 January 1919
Notes	Operated as commercialcargo shipSSWest Gambo1919-1941 and SSEmpire Hartebeeste1941-1942 Torpedoedand sunk 20 September 1942
General characteristics
Type	Design 1013 ship(cargo ship)
Displacement	12,225tons
Length	423 ft 9 in (129.16 m)
Beam	54 ft 0 in (16.46 m)
Draft	24 ft 2 in (7.37 m) (mean)
Propulsion	Steam engine
Speed	10.5knots
Complement	103
Armament	none

USSWest Gambo(ID-3220)was asteel-hulled,single-screwcargo shipthat served in theUnited States Navyfrom 1918 to 1919. She later saw commercial service asSSWest GamboandSSEmpire Hartebeeste,and under the latter name was sunk duringWorld War II.

Construction acquisition, and commissioning

SSWest Gambowas built under aUnited States Shipping Boardcontract in 1918Seattle,Washington, by theSkinner and Eddy Corporation.She was launched on 4 July 1918 and acquired by the U.S. Navy on 20 July 1918 forWorld War Iservice, assigned the naval registry Identification Number (Id. No.) 3220, andcommissionedthe same day as USSWest Gambo.

United States Navy service

Assigned to theNaval Overseas Transportation Service,West Gambodeparted Seattle on 30 July 1918 bound forPort Costa, California,where she loaded a fullcargoofflourconsigned to theAmerican Red Cross.After transiting thePanama Canal,she arrived atNew York Cityon 31 August 1918.

West Gambodeparted New York inconvoyforRussiawith her cargo of flour on 18 September 1918 and reachedArchangelin North Russia on 12 October 1918. While she was there, Archangel was suffering through an outbreak ofinfluenza,and thehospital corpsmanaboard cargo shipUSSAniwa(ID-3146),also unloading at Archangel, fell ill along with other members ofAniwa's crew.West Gambo's ship'sdoctorjoined the ship's doctor ofcruiserUSSOlympia(Cruiser No. 6)in going aboardAniwaand tending to her sick crew members.

West Gambowas unloaded by 2 November 1918, and on that day she departed forGlasgow,Scotland. After calling there, she departed for theUnited States.She made port at New York City on 13 December 1918 and was soon placed in line fordemobilization.She wasdecommissionedon 17 January 1919 and transferred to the U.S. Shipping Board the same day.

Later career

As SSWest Gambo,the ship remained in the custody of the U.S. Shipping Board until sold to theLykes Brothers Steamship Companyin late 1936 or early 1937. In 1941, theBritishgovernment'sMinistry of War Transportacquired the ship forWorld War IIservice in response to theUnited Kingdom's need formerchant shipsto replace ships sunk in theBattle of the Atlantic.Renamed SSEmpire Hartebeeste,she was managed in British service byWatts, Watts and CompanyofLondon.

On 20 September 1942, while steaming as a part ofConvoy SC 100,Empire Hartebeestewastorpedoedand sunk by theGermansubmarineU-596in theNorth Atlantic Oceanat position56°20′N38°10′W.All 46 crew were rescued byNorhaukandRio Grande.

References

• This article incorporates text from thepublic domainDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.The entry can be foundhere.(for USSWest Gambo(ID-3220))
• This article incorporates text from thepublic domainDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.The entry can be foundhere.(forUSSAniwa(ID-3146))
• NavSource Online: Section Patrol Craft Photo Archive West Gambo (ID 3220)