Irish Pine was a 5,621 GRT cargo ship which was built in 1919 for the United States Maritime Commission (USMC) and named West Hematite.

The ship was built to Design 1013 by J. F. Duthie & Company, Seattle, Washington, was launched on 26 April 1919 and completed in June of that year.

[4] She was initially chartered to Cosmo Shipping Co and was used on the Bordeaux – Rotterdam – Le Havre – New York route.

[7] On 4 August 1942, the Union-Castle Line's Richmond Castle was torpedoed and sunk by U-176 off Cape Farewell.

[4] Her position was 42°45′N 58°00′W / 42.750°N 58.000°W / 42.750; -58.000, in the North Atlantic south of Cape Breton Island, Canada.