The USS Akutan (AE-13), a Lassen-class ammunition ship, was laid down on June 20, 1944, and launched on September 17, 1944. It was commissioned on February 15, 1945, under Comdr. R.C. Brown's command. The USS Akutan was a 459-foot longship, with a beam of 63 feet, which carried a complement of 280 officers on board. After the shakedown, the ship started its missions to the Caroline Islands, and Philippine Islands, fueled Task Group, and other ships located in the Philippines. After one year of service, the USS Akutan was decommissioned on October 19, 1946, and, 14 years later, on May 1, 1960, the vessel was struck from the Naval Register. When it comes to asbestos exposure, Navy veterans have been in the highest risk profile because of their long stints aboard enclosed vessels that contain high levels of asbestos. If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease and have a background of military service, you may be entitled to compensation that could help pay for medical and treatment costs.