SS Minnesotan was a cargo ship built in 1912 for the American-Hawaiian Steamship Company. During World War I, she was known as USAT Minnesotan in service for the U.S. Army and USS Minnesotan (ID-4545) in service for the U.S. Navy. She was built as one of eight sister ships, and employed in inter-coastal service via the Isthmus of Tehuantepec and the Panama Canal. In World War I, Minnesotan carried cargo and animals to France from September 1917. After the Armistice, she returned over 8,000 American troops. In 1919, Minnesotan resumed inter-coastal cargo service. During World War II, the ship was requisitioned by the War Shipping Administration and initially sailed between New York and Caribbean ports. In the latter half of 1943, Minnesotan sailed between Indian Ocean ports, and the following year between ports in New York and the United Kingdom, before returning to the Caribbean. In 1949, Minnesotan was sold to Italian owners, who renamed her Maria Luisa R. She was scrapped in 1952 at Bari.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Minnesotan

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1783:

Laki, a volcanic fissure in Iceland, began an eight-month eruption, triggering a major famine and causing massive fluoride poisoning. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laki

1941:

World War II: The Allies commenced the Syria–Lebanon campaign against Vichy French possessions in the Levant. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syria%E2%80%93Lebanon_campaign

1953:

An F5 tornado struck Flint and Beecher, Michigan, causing 116 fatalities, 844 injuries and $19 million in damage during a larger tornado outbreak sequence. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flint%E2%80%93Worcester_tornado_outbreak_sequence

2008:

A Japanese man drove a truck into a crowd of pedestrians in Akihabara, Tokyo, and proceeded to stab at least 12 people before being apprehended (police activity pictured). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akihabara_massacre

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

polynya: (hydrology, oceanography) A naturally formed area of open water surrounded by sea ice, especially in the Arctic. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/polynya

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

The world is big … May it please the One who perchance Is to expand the human heart to life's full measure.   --Marguerite Yourcenar https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Marguerite_Yourcenar