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UNITED STATES NAVY
TEMPORARY AUXILIARY SHIPS
WORLD WAR I

Photo # NH 106032:  S.S. Minnesota in Boston Harbor, early in 1918, while painted in Mackay low visibility camouflage.  She was later USS Troy

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- U.S. NAVY SHIPS --

USS Troy (ID # 1614), 1919-1919.
Originally the civilian steamship Minnesota (1904)

The steamship Minnesota, a large (20,566 gross tons -- 36,905 tons displacement) passenger-cargo ship, was built in 1904 at New London, Connecticut, for the Great Northern Steamship Company. She made forty round trip voyages between the U.S. West Coast and the Far East between January 1905 and October 1915. Though she was commercially unprofitable during those years, the First World War appeared to promise better opportunities for her enormous cargo-carrying capacity. Accordingly, in November 1915 Minnesota attempted to steam to the U.S. East Coast via Cape Horn. Her boilers gave out early in the voyage and she was towed into San Francisco, California, to spend all of 1916 under repair and awaiting settlement of legal actions against her owner.

Sold to the Atlantic Transport Company in January 1917, in March Minnesota finally reached New York, steaming by way of the Panama Canal. She was then armed, in accordance with measures authorized by the U.S. Government, and given a U.S. Navy gun crew. The ship began her first trans-Atlantic passage late in March 1917 and was in English waters when the United States declared war on Germany in April. During the remainder of the conflict Minnesota completed seven more round-trip voyages between the U.S. and the United Kingdom.

In early 1919 Minnesota was chartered by the Navy. Renamed Troy (ID # 1614), she was placed in commission in late February. After conversion to a troop transport, she made three passages from France to the U.S., bringing home more than fourteen thousand veterans of the "Great War". USS Troy was decommissioned in mid-September 1919, returned to her owners and again became S.S. Minnesota. Though soon converted from coal to oil fuel for post-war commercial operation, the ship never resumed active service. She was sold for scrapping in Germany in November 1923.

This page features, and provides links to, all the views that are available concerning USS Troy (ID # 1614) and the merchant steamship Minnesota.

For more images related to this ship, see:

  • USS Troy (ID # 1614) -- Views taken On Board and From the Ship.


    Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

    Photo #: NH 105776

    S.S. Minnesota
    (American Passenger-Cargo Ship, 1904)

    In harbor, wearing World War I neutrality markings, circa early 1917.
    This ship served as USS Troy (ID # 1614) in 1919.
    The original image is printed on post card ("AZO") stock.

    Donation of Charles R. Haberlein Jr., 2008.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image size: 53KB; 740 x 475 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 104085

    S.S. Minnesota
    (American Passenger-Cargo Ship, 1904)

    Halftone reproduction of an artwork, published in 1919 by the National Specialties Company of New York City as one of ten images in a "Souvenir Folder" of views concerning USS Troy (ID # 1614). Minnesota served as USS Troy in 1919.

    Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2005.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 79KB; 740 x 495 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 106032

    S.S. Minnesota
    (American Passenger-Cargo Ship, 1904)

    In Boston Harbor, Massachusetts, in early 1918.
    Note the ice in the foreground.
    Minnesota is painted in Mackay low visibility camouflage. She served as USS Troy (ID # 1614) in 1919.

    The original print, originally belonging to the Publicity Department of the International Mercantile Marine Company, bears a pencilled inscription stating that it was later owned by the noted maritime historian and artist Frank O. Brainard (1916-2007).

    Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2008.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 95KB; 900 x 580 pixels

     
    Photo #: 19-N-7569

    S.S. Minnesota
    (American Passenger-Cargo Ship, 1904)

    In an icy harbor, during the winter of 1917-1918.
    She is painted in Mackay low visibility camouflage.
    This ship served as USS Troy (ID # 1614) in 1919.

    Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives.

    Online Image: 99KB; 740 x 510 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     
    Photo #: NH 104122

    USS Troy
    (ID # 1614)

    In a European area harbor, 1919.
    Photographed by Putnam.
    The original image was printed on postal card ("AZO") stock.

    Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2006.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 60KB; 740 x 425 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 63453

    USS Troy
    (ID # 1614)

    "Bringing home 5000 troops", 1919.
    At right is USS Laub (Destroyer # 263), which was commissioned in March 1919.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 47KB; 740 x 440 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 105025

    USS Troy
    (ID # 1614)

    At Brest, France, circa May-June 1919, probably while embarking troops for passage home to the United States.
    The paddle-wheel personnel lighter Tudno is alongside.
    Photographed from on board USS Patricia.

    Photograph from the album of Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Edward D. Porges. Donated by his daughter, Gail Porges Guggenheim, 2007.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 60KB; 740 x 470 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 105014

    USS Troy
    (ID # 1614)

    At Brest, France, circa May-June 1919, probably while embarking troops for passage home to the United States.
    Two personnel lighters are nearby: Tudno at left and either Rin Tin Tin or Nenette in the center of the view.
    Photographed from on board USS Patricia.

    Photograph from the album of Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Edward D. Porges. Donated by his daughter, Gail Porges Guggenheim, 2007.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 37KB; 740 x 465 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 104084-KN (color)

    USS Troy (ID # 1614)

    "Souvenir Folder", published in 1919 by the National Specialties Company of New York City, featuring nine halftone reproductions of photographs of and on board the ship and another of USS Leviathan (ID # 1326).
    The first photo in this folder is identical to NH 103198. The others are: NH 104085, NH 104086, NH 104087, NH 104088, NH 104089, NH 104090, NH 104091, NH 104092, and NH 104093. The artwork on the folder cover's upper half shows USS Troy. That in the lower half, which is essentially identical to Photo # NH 103207-A-KN, depicts USS Leviathan being welcomed to New York Harbor.

    Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2005.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 72KB; 420 x 765 pixels

     


    For more images related to this ship, see:

  • USS Troy (ID # 1614) -- Views taken On Board and From the Ship.


    NOTES:

  • To the best of our knowledge, the pictures referenced here are all in the Public Domain, and can therefore be freely downloaded and used for any purpose.

  • Some images linked from this page bear obsolete credit lines citing the organization name: "Naval Historical Center". Effective 1 December 2008 the name should be cited as: "Naval History and Heritage Command".


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    Page made 26 August 2004
    New image added 11 January 2009