 Many "West" ships, to avoid sailing empty to the East Coast, loaded grain products intended for the United Kingdom, France, and Italy and sailed to Europe without unloading or transferring their cargo, but it is not known whether "West Lianga" did so or not.Whatever her early activities, "West Lianga" was handed over to the United States Navy at Brooklyn in August 1918 and assigned the identification number 2758.USS "West Lianga" was commissioned into the NOTS on 19 August with Lieutenant Commander Louis Laverge, USNRF, in command.