S.S. War Banner, a 2118 gross ton freighter, was built at Chicago, Illinois, in 1917. Originally ordered as part of the British World War I shipbuilding program, she was taken over by the U.S. Government before completion, and, following delivery, was renamed Lake Worth. The U.S. Navy acquired her in February 1918, placing her in commission at that time as USS Lake Worth (ID # 2997). As part of the Naval Overseas Transportation Service, she was initially employed carrying coal from Norfolk, Virginia, to Boston, Massachusetts, and to Bermuda. Between May and December 1918 Lake Worth made three round-trip voyages between the U.S. and Scotland. In addition to general cargo, she carried mines for use in the North Sea Mine barrage. In 1919 she carried coal and other cargo from the U.S. to the Azores and to ports in the Caribbean area. USS Lake Worth was decommissioned early in August 1919 and returned to the U.S. Shipping Board.
Lake Worth had long subsequent commercial service. Renamed Phoenicier in 1922 and later Amberstone and Ørland, she was sunk at Midsund, Norway, on 29 April 1940.
This page features all the views we have concerning USS Lake Worth (ID # 2997) and the civilian S.S. War Banner, which was later renamed Lake Worth, Phoenicier, Amberstone and Ørland.
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Page made 22 November 2005
New image added 19 March 2008