West Cressey

West Cressey

(Freighter: dp. 12,225; 1. 423'9"; b. 54'0", dph. 29'9";
dr. 23'2" (mean); s. 11 k.; cpl. 81; a. none)

West Cressey—a single-screw, steel-hulled cargo freighter completed in 1918 under a United States Ship" ping Board contract (Government hull 36) at Seattle, Wash., by the Skinner and Eddy Corp.—was taken over by the Navy on 17 December 1918 and commissioned on the same day at the Puget Sound Navy Yard, Lt. Comdr. Charles Lyons, USNRF, in command.

West Cressey soon loaded a cargo of flour for shipment to the Near East and got underway for the east coast on 12 January 1919. Proceeding via the Panama Canal, she arrived at Norfolk, VA., on 2 February. Following alterations and repairs, the ship sailed 10 days later for the Mediterranean.

Calling at Gibraltar en route, West Cressey reached Constantinople, Turkey, on 10 March and discharged her cargo. After taking on board a large quantity of opium to be used for medicinal purposes and filling out her cargo with tobacco, the cargo vessel headed home on 27 March and was moored at New York City on 28 April.

West Cressey was decommissioned on 13 May 1919 i and returned to the Shipping Board. She remained in the custody of this agency until abandoned in 1933.