in september 1941, "minnesotan" played a peripheral part in a larger protest by union sailors over war bonuses for sailing in the west indies. the sup struck on "minnesotan" and fellow american-hawaiian ship "oklahoman" on 18 september in sympathy with the seafarers international organization, which had called a strike on eleven ships a week before. both of the american-hawaiian ships were idled while docked in new york. president franklin d. roosevelt called on the unions to end the strike three separate times during his press conference on 24 september. roosevelt's admonition was heeded and both unions ended their strike after the national mediation board agreed to address the wartime bonus dispute.