USS West Lianga, a 5575.8 gross ton cargo ship, was built at Seattle, Washington, in 1918 as the civilian freighter of the same name. She was taken over by the Navy in August, after steaming to the East Coast, and was immediately placed in commission. West Lianga completed one round-trip voyage to France and had begun another when the 11 November 1918 Armistice ended the First World War's fighting. In 1919 she went to France twice more before being decommissioned in late June and returned to the U.S. Shipping Board.
West Lianga had a long commercial career following 1919, mainly in Pacific Waters. Her name was changed to Helen Whittier in 1938 and to Lalani in 1940. Late in 1941 she was transferred to Great Britain. Under the names Empire Cheetah and Hobbema, she served as part of the British merchant marine until sunk by the German submarine U-132 on 4 November 1942.
This page features the only views we have related to USS West Lianga (ID # 2758) and the civilian freighter West Lianga.
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If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Page made 21 February 2004