The HMS Foley (K474) was an Evarts-class destroyer escort laid down on April 7, 1943, and launched on May 19, the same year. It was transferred to the United Kingdom and served there for 2 years as HMS Foley K474 until it was transferred back to the U.S. Navy on August 22, 1945. It served for a short time under Lt. S. M. Strauss’s command until it was decommissioned on October 19, 1945. During its activities, the ship carried a complement of 156 people on board. After the decommissioning, the ship was struck from the Navy List on November 1, 1945, and sold for scrapping the following year. Workers who built ships repaired ships, did electrical and plumbing work, worked with boilers and engines, operated machinery, and transported asbestos-containing materials were at risk for the highest exposure during their service. Asbestos was used in the construction of many different parts of the ship, including boilers, steam pipes, and turbines. Consequently, there were very high concentrations of asbestos in this environment. Now, decades after these shipbuilders and Navy veterans served their country, many are being stricken with life-threatening diseases.
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