USS Propus (AK-132) Areas With Asbestos Exposure

USS Propus (AK-132)

The USS Propus (AK-132) was a Crater-class cargo commissioned by the U.S. Navy for service in World War II. The cargo ship was laid down on 31 January 1944 as SS Frederick Tresca, under a Maritime Commission contract by St. Johns River Shipbuilding Company, Jacksonville, Florida, and launched on 29 March 1944. The Crater-class cargo ship is a category of freighter that was constructed for delivering troops, goods, and equipment to locations in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater during World War II. Her awards include the American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, and World War II Victory Medal. Asbestos exposure was not limited to one specific area on a Navy vessel. However, high asbestos risk areas include engine and boiler rooms, damage control area, pump room, crew berthing space, mess deck, and wardroom. Due to being brittle, asbestos poses a risk to health if airborne, as inhalation is the main way that asbestos enters the body. When these fibers are inhaled they can cause irreversible scarring of the tissues.

Everyone who served on the USS Propus (AK-132) inhaled the asbestos fibers and is at risk for developing lung disease

If you have a cancer diagnosis please contact us

Shipmates on USS Propus (AK-132)