The USS Whippet (IX-129) was the second ship in service of the US Navy to bear this name. It was built during World War II at the Delta Shipbuilding Company in New Orleans, Louisiana under a MARCOM contract and launched in December 1943. Once it was commissioned by the Navy, the ship underwent its shakedown out of New Orleans and started its service in the South Pacific. During the war, the USS Whippet served as a station tanker in the Society Islands for several months and then sailed for the Central Pacific where it served as a station tanker as well, between various forward bases, including Eniwetok, the Marianas, Palau Islands, and the Philippines. The USS Whippet received two battle stars for its service brought to the country during World War II. Thousands of new cases of asbestos-related conditions are recorded annually in the United States, a third of those are among veterans, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. This is because of the prevalence of asbestos use in all types of military equipment, including barracks, tanks, helicopters, and planes. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) specifically notes the risk for Navy personnel, as they were often in close quarters and working on pipes made from the carcinogenic material.
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