The SS William Grayson, an EC2-S-C1 class Liberty ship was built by the United States Maritime Commission within 60 days during World War II. After the launch on August 31, 1942, the ship was sold to several private owners after the war and was finally scrapped in 1968. During World War II, the SS William Grayson had participated in 32 convoys that supplied the war efforts. The construction and repair of Liberty ships relied extensively on asbestos-containing products. Boiler and steam pipe insulation, fireproofing material for bulkheads, brake linings in winches, and gaskets of valves and pipe fixtures are the common asbestos products that were used on Liberty ships. Between the early 1930s until the middle of the 1970s, avoiding asbestos aboard a US Navy ship or other big marine vessel was virtually impossible. Asbestos was utilized in almost every section of a ship, from the boiler room to the sleeping quarters, due to its resistance to heat and fire. The high levels of asbestos onboard ships harmed not just those who went to sea, but also those who constructed and maintained ships in our country's shipyards.
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