The USCGC Yamacraw (WARC-333) was a Chimo-class minelayer launched on March 15, 1945. It was commissioned the same day with the hull number WARC-333 and served in the U.S. Navy for one year until it was decommissioned on June 20, 1946. During its activities, the ship carried a complement of 69 people on board. After the decommissioning, the ship was transferred back to the U.S. Navy in 1959 and it served the country for another 6 years. In 1969, the ship was scrapped.
Asbestos is a term used to refer to six naturally occurring silicate minerals whose fibers are used in the manufacture of many products. Asbestos fibers are resistant to electricity, fire, and heat which is why it has been used in materials such as valves and sanitation and plumbing systems around the ship, or components of the main engines or diesel engines and generators. Tragically, working in an American shipyard during World War II would prove to be almost as deadly as fighting in the war. That asbestos might be harmful to one’s health is hardly a modern discovery.
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