Western Hope was laid down as the steel-hulled, single screw Design 1013 commercial cargo ship SS War Ruby by J. F. Duthie and Company in Seattle, Washington, for the Cunard Line. Taken over by the United States Shipping Board and renamed SS Western Hope, she was launched on 29 July 1918 and completed late in September 1918. Upon her completion, the Shipping Board transferred her immediately to the U.S. Navy for use during World War I. The Navy assigned her the naval registry identification number 3771 and commissioned her at Seattle on 25 September 1918 as USS Western Hope (ID-3771) under the command of Lieutenant Commander Andrew G. King, USNRF.