One of the twelve ships scheduled to be acquired by the Navy and turned into a forward supply depot for the SW Asia region in 1966, the USNS Clarksburg (T-AG-183) will escape this fate and instead serve as a regular cargo transport during the Vietnam War. Oddly enough for a ship that started life with the War Transportation Department and subsequently was transferred to the Navy, her name never once changed, unless you count dropping the conventional “Victory” tag in 1966. The SS Clarksburg Victory entered service on October 15, 1945, too late to participate in war operations, but she was used for bringing back American soldiers from East Asia and delivering relief provisions to that war-torn region. Humanitarian action will also mark her service during the Korean War, most notably taking part in the Hungnam evacuation of civilians. After another four years in Vietnam, she will be laid down in 1970, to be scrapped in 1984. Throughout the 20th century, asbestos was a highly desired material because of its resistance to fire and intense heat. The most dangerous areas on navy ships with the highest risk of asbestos exposure were the engine and boiler rooms, where the poorly ventilated spaces facilitated the inhalation of airborne asbestos fibers.
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