The SS William Cox, a Liberty ship built during World War II by J.A.Jones Construction, Brunswick, Georgia was laid down on December 4, 1944, under a Maritime Commission contract. On December 31, 1944, the ship was launched and allocated to Blidberg & Rothchild CO., Inc., on January 10, 1945. The ship was laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet in Wilmington, North Carolina on May 3, 1948. The construction and repair of Liberty ships relied extensively on asbestos-containing products. Boiler and steam pipe insulation, fireproofing material for bulkheads, brake linings in winches, and gaskets of valves and pipe fixtures are the common asbestos products used on Liberty ships. Finally, on July 6, 1967, the ship was sold for scrapping to Union Minerals & Alloys Corp. and was later removed from the fleet on July 28, 1967. It's quite probable that you or a member of your family was exposed to asbestos while serving in the Navy. This is especially true for individuals who worked in shipyards before the late 1970s when the use of asbestos in new ships was gradually phased out due to health concerns. The high asbestos content of ships harmed not just those on board, but also those who constructed and maintained these ships in our nation's shipyards.
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