View source for SS West Hika

{{Short description|Cargo Ship}}
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|Ship country= [[United States]]
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|United States}}
|Ship name=''West Hika''
|Ship namesake=
|Ship owner=*[[United States Shipping Board|USSB]] (1920-September 1931)
*[[Waterman Steamship Corporation]] (September 1931- February 1937)
|Ship operator=*Los Angeles Pacific Navigation Company (1920-May 1921)
*North Atlantic and Western Steamship Company (June 1921-August 1922)
*[[Waterman Steamship Corporation]] (1925-1936)
|Ship ordered=
|Ship awarded=
|Ship builder=[[Los Angeles Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company|Los Angeles Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co]]
|Ship yard number=19<ref name=Colton>{{cite web | last = Colton | first = Tim | title = Los Angeles Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company, Los Angeles, CA | url = http://shipbuildinghistory.com/shipyards/large/toddsanpedro.htm | work = Shipbuildinghistory.com | publisher = The Colton Company | accessdate = 2017-07-11 }}</ref>
|Ship laid down=4 November 1918
|Ship launched=12 May 1919
|Ship sponsor=Miss Susanne Valentine
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|Ship completed=
|Ship acquired=
|Ship commissioned=20 February 1920
|Ship recommissioned=
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|Ship identification = *US [[official number]] 219523
*[[code letters]] LVKS (1920–33)
*[[Maritime call sign|Call sign]] KOZK (1933–36)
*{{ICS|Kilo}}{{ICS|Oscar}}{{ICS|Zulu}}{{ICS|Kilo}}
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|Ship homeport=*[[Los Angeles]] (1920-1931)
*[[Mobile, Alabama|Mobile]] (1932-1936)
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|Ship fate=Wrecked, 14 January 1936
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|Ship type=[[Design 1013 ship]]
|Ship tonnage=*{{GRT|5372}}<ref name=lloyds>{{cite web |url=https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/30/30b1293.pdf |year=1930 |title=Lloyd's Register, Steamships and Motorships |location=London |publisher=[[Lloyd's Register]]}}</ref> (1920-1931)
*{{GRT|5275}}<ref name=lloyds2/> (1932-1936)
*{{NRT|3351}}<ref name=lloyds/> (1920-1931)
*{{NRT|3286}}<ref name=lloyds2/> (1920-1931)
*{{DWT|8,374}}<ref name=USBB/>
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|Ship length={{convert|410|ft|0|in|m|abbr=on}} 
|Ship beam={{convert|54|ft|4|in|m|abbr=on}} 
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|Ship depth={{convert|27|ft|2|in|m|abbr=on}}
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|Ship power= 3500 [[Ihp]],<ref name=USBB/> 422 [[Nhp]]<ref name=lloyds/> 
|Ship propulsion=[[Los Angeles Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company|Los Angeles Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co]] 3-cylinder [[triple expansion engine|triple expansion]]
|Ship speed=10.5 [[knot (unit)|knots]]
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|Ship crew=40
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'''''West Hika''''' was a [[Design 1013 ship|Design 1013]] cargo ship built in 1919 by the [[Los Angeles Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company|Los Angeles Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co]] of [[Los Angeles]]. She was one of many ships built by the company for the [[United States Shipping Board]].

==Design and construction==
The ''West'' ships were cargo ships of similar size and design built by several shipyards on the West Coast of the United States for the [[United States Shipping Board]] (USSB) for emergency use during World War I. Most were given names that began with the word West. The ship was laid down at [[Los Angeles Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company|Los Angeles Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co]] shipyard (yard number 19, USSB hull number 1402),<ref name=Colton/> and launched at 20:40 on 12 May 1919. Miss Susanne Valentine, daughter of W. L. Valentine was sponsor for the ship.<ref name=j8>Los Angeles Herald, 13 May 1919, p.17</ref> As built, the ship was {{convert|410|ft|0|in|m}} long ([[length between perpendiculars|between perpendiculars]]) and {{convert|54|ft|0|in|m}} [[beam (nautical)|abeam]], a [[mean]] [[draft (hull)|draft]] of {{convert|23|ft|11+1/4|in|m}}.<ref name=USBB>{{cite web | title = Register of Ships Owned by United States Shipping Board, August 1, 1920 | url =https://www.shipscribe.com/mercrefs/USSB_1920/pages2/West%20Henshaw%20-%20West%20Kasson.html | accessdate = 2017-07-14 }}</ref> ''West Hika'' was assessed at 5,940 [[Gross register tonnage|GRT]], {{NRT|3,429}} and 8,374 [[deadweight tonnage|DWT]].<ref name=USBB/> The vessel had a steel hull, and a single 422 [[nominal horsepower|nhp]]  [[triple-expansion steam engine]] that drove a single screw propeller, and moved the ship at up to {{convert|10.5|kn|mph km/h}}.<ref name=USBB/>

==Operational history==
''West Hika'' was launched on May 12, 1919, and delivered to the [[United States Shipping Board]] in January, 1920.<ref name=mf>Marine Review, v.50, p.112</ref> Upon delivery, the vessel was allocated to Los Angeles Pacific Navigation Company, who along with four other ships put it on her routes to the Orient. The voyages were profitable initially, for example a February 1920 trip by ''West Hika'' netted $110,500,<ref name=j1>Marine Review, v. 50, p.420</ref> while in June 1920 the ship brought from Sumatra 7,576 cases of rubber for the [[Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company|Goodyear]] plant in [[Los Angeles]] worth about $750,000.<ref name=j2>The Golden West, v.2, p.25</ref>

However, by early 1921 it became clear that with the tariffs imposed by the Shipping Board, it was impossible for American merchants to compete with the foreign companies. ''West Hika'' was the last ship of Los Angeles Pacific Navigation Company to sail to the Orient on February 21, 1921, with the cargo of cotton for Japan, livestock for Hawaii, and general merchandise for China.<ref name=j3>Sacramento Union, 20 February 1921, p.9</ref> Following the discontinuation of Los Angeles-Orient routes, the ships of Los Angeles Pacific Navigation Company were turned over to the North Atlantic and Western Steamship Company of New York to operate on East coast-West coast routes. ''West Hika'' was the last one transferred due to her arrival from the Orient on June 6.<ref name=j4>Los Angeles Herald, 15 June 1921, p.A-16</ref><ref name=j5>Marine Journal, v. 43, p. 26</ref>

At the hearing on August 17, 1922, before the [[United States Shipping Board|USSB]] the president of the North Atlantic and Western Steamship Company disclosed operational revenue for the company. From the numbers it appears, ''West Hika'' was used only on one trip eastbound, bringing in very modest revenue of $22,540.42.<ref name=j6>Weekly Commercial News, v.65, N 13, p.13</ref> On August 15, 1922 ''West Hika'' was towed from Boston Harbor and sent to Norfolk.<ref name=j7>Boston Daily Globe, August 15, 1922, p.5</ref> She arrived in [[Hampton Roads]] on August 18 to be laid up.

She was reactivated in 1925 and allocated to [[Waterman Steamship Corporation]] of [[Mobile, Alabama|Mobile]], operating on Gulf to Europe routes. In 1925 she was operating between Gulf ports of [[Mobile, Alabama|Mobile]], [[Biloxi]], [[Tampa]], [[Pensacola]] and [[London]].<ref name=b1>Biloxi Daily Herald, June 20, 1925, p.2</ref><ref name=b2>Biloxi Daily Herald, August 29, 1925, p.5</ref> In 1926 the service was expanded to include ports in the [[Netherlands]] and [[Germany]].<ref name=b3>Biloxi Daily Herald, April 24, 1926, p.9</ref><ref name=b4>NOAA Monthly Weather Review, July 1926</ref>

''West Hika'' was involved in several accidents and dangerous encounters. On February 25, 1929, she collided with German steamer {{ship|SS|Ida Blumenthal||2}} in the [[Scheldt]].<ref name=Times>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Casualty reports |date=26 February 1929 |page=26 |issue=45137 |column=G }}</ref> The German ship had to be beached at [[Walsoorden]] and was refloated the next day.<ref name=Times2>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Casualty reports |date=27 February 1929 |page=27 |issue=45138 |column=E }}</ref>  On April 16, 1929, she was stuck with a broken rudder off the coast of [[Nantucket]] during a heavy gale storm, but managed to get through.<ref name=k1>Marshall Evening Messenger, April 17, 1929</ref><ref name=k2>Marine Review, v.60, p.68</ref> She lost her rudder again on March 10, 1934, while on her way from [[Le Havre]] to [[Mobile, Alabama|Mobile]], she sailed into a strong storm about 125 miles east-northeast of [[Ponta Delgada]] in Azores. She was saved by a steamer SS ''City of Omaha'' who towed her for almost 4,000 miles to [[New Orleans]]<ref name=k3>Dunkirk Evening Observer, March 13, 1934, p.11</ref><ref name=k8>The Franklin Evening Star, May 1, 1934, p.7</ref>

On September 14, 1931 [[Waterman Steamship Corporation]] acquired several vessels that it was already operating including ''West Hika''. She was bought for $75,366.00.<ref name=USBB1>{{cite book |title=Sixteenth Annual Report Of The United States Shipping Board |publisher=Government Printing Office |year=1932 |location=Washington, DC |page=93 |url=https://fmc2.fmc.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/ANNUAL_REPORT_1932.pdf |accessdate=17 August 2019}}</ref> On December 22, 1931, Waterman got approved for reconditioning loans from [[United States Shipping Board|USSB]] for remodeling, improving and equipping four steamships that it acquired.<ref name=k5>{{cite news |newspaper=Pacific Marine Review|volume=XXIX |number=2 |date=February 1932 |page=80 |title=Reconditioning Loans Authorized.}}</ref> All ships were assigned to [[Mobile Oceanic Line]].

After completing the updates, the ship had been assessed {{GRT|5275}} and {{NRT|3286}}.<ref name=lloyds2>{{cite book |url=https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/32/32b0976.pdf |year=1932 |title=Lloyd's Register, Steamships and Motorships |location=London |publisher=[[Lloyd's Register]]}}</ref>

===Sinking===
On December 16, 1935 ''West Hika'' departed from [[Panama City, Florida|Panama City]] and after a stopover in [[Mobile, Alabama|Mobile]], she continued on to [[London]] and [[Newcastle upon Tyne|Newcastle]] with a load of general cargo and a deck load of timber.<ref name=u1>Panama City Herald, Dec 16, 1935, p.4</ref> After reaching [[London]] and unloading some of her cargo, she continued to [[Newcastle upon Tyne|Newcastle]] on the evening of January 14, 1936. During her trip, she ran into fog and around 19:00 ran aground about 3 miles south of [[Seaham]]. Several attempts were made to refloat her, but they all failed. Some cargo was removed from the ship including the deck load and was taken to [[Newcastle-upon-Tyne|Newcastle]] in an attempt to lighten the ship. The bad weather arrived and several more attempts were made to refloat, but they all failed as well. At the end of February ''West Hika'' was sold to the South Stockton Shipbreaking Company. The cargo unloading and salvage work continued through the spring and summer of 1936, and finally on September 4, 1936, she was refloated and towed to [[River Tees|Tees]]. In December 1936 ''West Hika'' was sold to Moller Line of Shanghai for about £11,000. In March 1937 she was sold again to Hughes, Bolckow, Blyth for breaking up for about £14,500. Finally, on 25 May 1937 ''West Hika'' was towed to [[Blyth, Northumberland|Blyth]] where she was broken up on the same day.<ref name=tees>{{cite book |last= Layton |first=James |title=Ships of the Tees, No, 121, February 1995}}</ref>

== Notes ==
{{reflist}}

==References==
*{{cite book |url=https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/32/32b0976.pdf |year=1932 |title=Lloyd's Register, Steamships and Motorships |location=London |publisher=[[Lloyd's Register]]}}
*{{cite book |url=https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/30/30b1293.pdf |year=1930 |title=Lloyd's Register, Steamships and Motorships |location=London |publisher=[[Lloyd's Register]]}}
*{{cite book | url = http://www.fmc.gov/assets/1/Page/ANNUAL_REPORT_1932.pdf |year=1932| title = 16th Annual report of the United States Shipping Board }}

{{Design 1013 ships}}
{{1936 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:West Hika}}
[[Category:Design 1013 ships]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1936]]
[[Category:Ships built in Los Angeles]]
[[Category:1919 ships]]
[[Category:Merchant ships of the United States]]
[[Category:Steamships of the United States]]