The USS Lycoming was a Haskell-class attack transport ship acquired by the U.S. Navy to serve during World War II. It was built by the Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation in 1944 and sponsored by Mrs. Schuyler N. Pyne, wife of Captain Pyne. The main purpose of the ship was to carry troops to and from combat areas. During World War II, it had Commander D. B. Coleman in command and received two battle stars for the extraordinary activity it performed throughout the conflict, as well as the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal and the Navy Occupation Service Medal. Because asbestos was a very popular building material employed by the U.S. Navy when the USS Lycoming was laid down, there were numerous hazardous products aboard it, which inevitably led to exposure. Occurring when one breathes in or swallows asbestos fibers from the air, asbestos exposure can cause terrible diseases within 20 to 50 years, such as asbestosis, lung cancer, mesothelioma or pulmonary fibrosis. For this reason, we strongly advise veterans who served on the USS Lycoming to periodically undergo medical examination, as the majority of diseases which stem from asbestos exposure are asymptomatic in their early phases. The USS Lycoming was eventually scrapped.
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