The USS DuPage (APB-51) was laid down in December 1942 as SS John W. Weeks and delivered to the War Shipping Administration to serve the US Army Transportation Service. The ship was transferred to the US Navy in 1951 and placed out of service sometime before 1959 (date unknown). It was scrapped in 1959. The USS DuPage received a National Defense Service Medal. Mesothelioma is a rare but deadly form of cancer that disproportionately affects military service members. It is caused by exposure to asbestos, a durable mineral with incredible fireproofing and insulating qualities that was widely used in many branches of the military, especially the Navy, from the 1930s to the 1980s. If you think you were exposed to asbestos while serving aboard the USS DuPage (APB-51), you may be entitled to VA benefits. Spouses of Navy veterans who died of service-related cancer are also entitled to survivor benefits.