A lake in California; two lakes in Louisiana.
Lake Clear, a cargo transport, was launched 28 February 1918 by the Chicago Shipbuilding Co., south Chicago, Ill.; operated as an Army cargo transport; acquired by the Navy at Cardiff, Wales, 15 November 1918; and commissioned the same day, Lt. Comdr. Oscar G. Ericsson in command.
Operating with NOTS, Lake Clear was assigned to Army coal trade based at Cardiff, Wales. She sailed between British and French ports supplying American naval and ground forces in Europe from November 1918 until February 1919.
In early February Lake Clear began carrying food for the U.S. Food Administration, which was founded to aid the stricken and war-torn countries of Europe. After transporting food from Rotterdam to Danzig for 5 months, she departed Cardiff 8 August for the United States and arrived Hampton Roads 24 August. She decommissioned at Norfolk 28 August and was returned to USSB the same day. She was sold in 1924 to Construction Materials Co. of Chicago and renamed Sandcraft.
