The SS John Mercer Brooke was a class of cargo ship built in the United States during World War II. The ship was named after John Mercer Brooke, an American sailor, engineer, scientist and educator. The SS John M. Brooke was laid down on 30 December 1943, under a Maritime Commission by J.A. Jones Construction, Panama City, Florida and launched on 24 February 1944. Like all the other Liberty ships, the SS John M. Brooke was designed to carry 10,000 long tons (10,200 t) of cargo, but during wartime, it generally carried loads far exceeded that weight. On 2 February 1947, the ship was sold to J.S. Coumantaros, Piraeus, Greece and renamed Stavros Coumantaros. The ship was scrapped in Taiwan, in 1968. The SS John M. Brooke fulfilled President Roosevelt's prophetic words, serving the nation well in war and peace. Like many ships of her day, the SS John Mercer Brooke was built with asbestos-containing materials. Specifically, asbestos was used for its fireproofing properties as well as its resistance to corrosion, heat, and water. Because of this, it could be found in virtually all areas of the ship including engine rooms, boiler rooms, weapon and ammunition storage rooms, mess halls, sleeping quarters and navigation rooms.
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