A product of Harland & Wolff, Belfast, Atlantic Transport's first
Minnetonka was launched in December 1901. The youngest of three
sisters --
Minneapolis
and
Minnehaha
were the others -- Minnetonka made
her maiden voyage, Belfast-New York-London on 17 July 1902. She then
entered ATL's regular London-New York service.
She made her final ATL sailing on 31 December 1914, and was then taken
over as an armed auxiliary transport. On 30 January 1918 Minnetonka was
torpedoed by U 64 and sank off Malta, a war casualty like her sisters.
At the time, the ship was carrying mail from Port Said to Marseilles,
and there were no troops aboard; all four of the fatalities were crew
members.
