USS Western Front ( ID - 1787 ) USS " Western Front " ( ID - 1787 ) was a steel - hulled cargo ship which saw service as an auxiliary with the United States Navy in World War I . Initially named Martha Washington , she was laid down for mercantile service as Nikkosan Maru , but following America ' s entry into the war , was requisitioned by the United States Shipping Board and commissioned into the U . S . Navy as the supply ship USS " Indiana . This name was also quickly dropped however , in favour of USS " Western Front . " Western Front " completed several supply missions to France during the war . After decommissioning , she was placed into merchant service as SS " Western Front " . Less than two years later , the ship was lost in a maritime accident off Bishop Rock , United Kingdom . Construction and design . " Western Front " was initially given the name " Martha Washington " by the builder , the Skinner & Eddy Corporation of Seattle , Washington , but was eventually laid down , on 25 May 1917 at the company ' s Plant No . 1 , as " Nikkosan Maru " for the Japan ese company Mitsui . On 3 August 1917 , in an emergency wartime measure , the United States Shipping Board requisitioned all vessels of over 2 , 500 deadweight tons currently under construction in the United States , and " Nikkosan Maru " thus passed into the ownership of the U . S . government . The ship was launched on 15 September and completed 20 October , having spent a total of 150 days ( 122 working days ) under construction . After completion , the vessel was renamed " Indiana " . " Indiana " had a design deadweight tonnage of 8 , 800 , and a gross register tonnage of 5 , 742 tons . The ship had an overall length of 423 feet 9 inches , a beam of 54 feet and a draft of 24 feet 2 inches . She was powered by a Curtis geared turbine driving a single screw propeller , delivering a service speed of about 11 . 5 knots . These specifications are identical to those of the later USSB Design 1013 standard , a design originating from the Skinner & Eddy Corporation itself , and it is likely that " Indiana " was similar if not identical to the 1013s later produced by the company . However , " Indiana " was never formally designated a Design 1013 . For wartime service , the ship was fitted with one 4 " / 50 caliber and one 6 - pounder gun . Service history . U . S . Navy service , 1918 - 1919 . Following her completion , " Indiana " steamed to the East Coast where she was inspected by the Navy on 16 September and acquired shortly thereafter . On 11 May 1918 , the vessel was placed into commission for operation with the Naval Overseas Transportation Service ( NOTS ) as USS " Indiana " ( ID 1787 ) , but within a few days , her name was changed again , to USS " Western Front " . The ship would retain the name " Western Front " for the remainder of her brief career . Her first commander was Lt . Comdr . John Burns , USNRF . Taking on board a cargo of steel rails , ordnance equipment , and ten locomotives , " Western Front " began her first passage to France on 17 May , but on the 23rd suffered a collision in convoy which sank the British cargo ship " Clan Matheson " . " Western Front " survived the collision , but was too badly damaged to continue the voyage and was forced to return to New York for temporary repairs . On 6 June she resumed the passage to France , arriving at St . Nazaire on the 22nd and discharging her cargo there . She then returned to New York , where she was drydocked at Robbins Drydock , Brooklyn , for more permanent repairs . " Western Front " subsequently made four more voyages carrying cargoes for NOTS to the French ports of Bordeaux , La Pallice , Quiberon , and Brest . On one run in the spring of 1919 , she delivered 26 Army tanks to New York . Returning from the last of these voyages on 2 August 1919 , Western Front was decommissioned on 15 August at Newport News , Virginia and returned to the Shipping Board on the same day . Loss in merchant service . " Western Front " was subsequently placed into mercantile service as SS " Western Front " . Her career was not to last much longer however . On 23 June 1921 , " Western Front " departed Jacksonville , Florida bound for London and Hamburg with a cargo of naval stores , rosin and turpentine . On 11 July , about 10 miles south of Bishop Rock , Isles of Scilly , a fire broke out which could not be contained and an explosion occurred . Most of the crew were rescued by the steamer " British Earl " .