 After her April 1918 completion, "West Gate" was handed over to the United States Navy for use in the NOTS.She was commissioned at Norfolk, Virginia, as USS "West Gate" (ID-3216) the same day with Lieutenant Commander Alexander Watson, USNRF, in command.After making her way to New York, "West Gate" took on 6,700 tons of cargo that included locomotives, steel rails, and other materiel for the United States Army and departed in a convoy for France on 28 June.