Few car ferries have enjoyed so illus trious a career. Emerging virtually unscathed from action in both the Mediterrenean and the Pacific, she won two battle stars before succumbing to a typhoon in October 1945. Acquired by the Navy in June 1942, the SS Estrada Palma was converted to a minelayer (CM-12) and renamed the Weehawken. As part of Mine Division 50 she sailed for Morocco in November. In December she laid a defensive minefield off Casablanca before leaving on 6th January 1943 to deliver minelaying equipment to Gibraltar. She was part of a convoy to Sicily in July, and laid defensive minefields around the invasion beaches at Gela. In April 1944 MinDiv 50 was dissolved and she was assigned to the Pacific fleet, joining Service Squadron 6. She headed for the South Pacific and continued her support duties throughout the violent battle for control of Okinawa, surviving several Kamikaze attacks.