USS Western Ally (ID 3815)- Cargo ship taken over by the Navy on 1/15/1919

Question

Does anyone have any information, or know how to find additional information about this vessel? Cargo carried? Deck logs? My husband&rsquo;s grandfather was apparently a Navy Seaman First Class on this ship, but I can find very little about it other the general route sailed between Jan-July 1919. I am also unable to find any records to support his enlistment date June 1918- I can only find his WWII draft registration card, and the 1930 US Census indicates that he was a WW vet. 
 Rita

Textual Reference Branch, Archives II · Accepted Answer

Roadrita 
 Thank you for posting your question on History Hub! 
 
 You should resubmit your request to the National Archives in Washington, DC to archives1reference@nara.gov . Materials for the USS Western Ally as a US naval vessel should be in several record groups including Record Group 19: Records of the Bureau of Construction and Repair for information on the condition, repairs, and eventual disposition, Record Group 24: Records of the Bureau of Navigation for materials like deck logs and muster rolls, and if there are operational records they might in either Record Group 45: Records of the Office of Naval Archives and Library or in Record Group 313: Records of Naval Operating Forces if the vessel was involved in the US Navy in European Waters (WWI) or in Turkey (post-WWI). 
 
 We invite you to continue the conversation with community members on History Hub, but should you have follow up questions for the staff at Archives II, please email us at archives2reference@nara.gov so that we can assist you further. 
 
 We hope this assists you with your research! 
 
 Sincerely, 
 
 Textual Reference Archives II Branch (RR2RR) 
 [23-43804] - NSP