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Looking for Info on USS Western Wave

Looking for Info on USS Western Wave

Posted: 19 Mar 2007 6:18AM GMT
Classification: Query
Surnames: Love
My father, Claude Love, died when I was just 6 months old. According to a short biography written by my mother, when mild color blindness kept him out of the Navy, he served in the MM during WWI aboard the USS Western Wave and, because that was a time before they were married, she couldn't provide much more information. I have searched the on line resources I could find concerning ship lists and Googled the ship name various ways but can't find any listing for this ship. Anyone out there know of the Western Wave or other resources that are available for me to research it? Any help would be appreciated.

Re: Looking for Info on USS Western Wave

Posted: 18 Sep 2011 4:52PM GMT
Classification: Query
Surnames: Blanchard, Love
My father, Clifford Blanchard, served on the Western Wave from August 1917 through April 1918. He was 16 when he signed up. I have a picture of the ship.

Perhaps they served together.

Sarah Blanchard

Re: Looking for Info on USS Western Wave

Posted: 3 Jan 2012 7:38PM GMT
Classification: Query
I found some information on this ship, indicating it had changed names a few times before being scrapped in 1939.

Built in 1886 named Cherokee; 1922 sold to Gulf & Southern SS Co., NY renamed Tampa, 1929 sold North American Fruit & SS Corp, NY renamed Western Wave, 1932 sold to J. A. Wilson, NY renamed Texan, 1939 scrapped. (Source: http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/clydeline.htm - scroll to vessel name "Cherokee (1)")

SS Western Wave was listed as Arrived, from Liverpool, in this article from the New York Times: http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=F60812F63A...

This is a link to a lawsuit in 1935, vs. the Port of New Orleans: http://174.123.24.242/leagle/xmlResult.aspx?xmldoc=193577277...

Most ships (when researching the Merchant Marine) were not commissioned by the US Navy, so Western Wave was probably called S.S. Western Wave, not USS. The S.S. (or s/s or stmr) usually refers to Steam Ship.

Best of luck in your research!

Nancy

Re: Looking for Info on USS Western Wave

Posted: 5 Jan 2012 5:33AM GMT
Classification: Query
Thank you for responding to my post. I would be very interested in seeing the picture you have. I have some pictures of my father being initiated with some crew members when they crossed the equator the first time and of some harbors they visited, including Valparaiso. Apparently, the ship had a collision with a German freighter and needed repairs there.

Dennis

Re: Looking for Info on USS Western Wave

Posted: 30 Jun 2015 12:05PM GMT
Classification: Query
Dennis, I have a photo of 3 men apparently taken on ship. Backside of photo has comments
"Fred & Friends 1st W War Fred was 2nd Mate 18" Below that "Fred Couch on right. 1917?"
Fred sailed first on a wooden hull, then on the Western Wave. He said they had to layup in
Chile? for repairs. Brought home a parrot from there. Regards, jonesbailey.

Re: Looking for Info on USS Western Wave

Posted: 6 Jul 2015 8:12PM GMT
Classification: Query
Edited: 6 Jul 2015 8:13PM GMT
Thanks for the info. Since my earlier post I have developed a fair amount of information about the Western Wave and its history that I would be willing to share if it is of interest to you. I am attaching 2 photos. One is of the crew that my father sailed with and the other is of the title page of a scrap-book my father made of his time on the Western Wave. You will see that it has a head shot of the 2nd Mate. This same person is in the crew picture in dark clothing seated to the right of center on the first row. Please let me know if you would like more information or pictures.
Attachments:

Re: Looking for Info on USS Western Wave

Posted: 7 Jul 2015 11:49AM GMT
Classification: Query
Dennis, thanks for the photos. I would like photos and info. My paternal gf is Frederick Cornelius
Jones c1900 changed surname to Couch), 1884 OH-1962 MI. You can see my entry on RootsWeb. Fred's story was that, during the Great War, he sailed first (started sailing 1900 on
the Ann Arbor Car Ferries, Lake Michigan)-at any rate, sailed first on a wooden hull, then the
steel hull Western Wave. Travelled up the East Coast and picked up a load of coal which was
delivered to UK at Newcastle ("Carrying coals to Newcastle" an old saying). Then eventually
got to Chile, where the Western Wave required repair. Said he brought home a parrot (to
St Johns OR, now a part of Portland OR. I've got a photo of Fred and two others, which I'll put
online for you. What is your email address? Mine is beaucouc@gmail.com. Best Regards, Dick
Couch
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