The USS Alabama (BB-60) was a South Dakota-class battleship laid down on February 1, 1940, and launched on February 16, 1942. It was commissioned on August 16, the same year under Capt. George B. Wilson’s command with the hull number BB-60 and served in the US Navy for 5 years until it was decommissioned on January 9, 1947. During its activity, the ship carried a complement of 1,793 people on board and had its main missions in Sicily, Scapa Flow, southern Norway, Norfolk, Panama, and the Marianas. After the decommissioning, the ship was struck from the Navy List on June 1, 1962, and used as a museum ship since 1946. For the services brought to the country during World War II, the USS Alabama received 9 battle stars.
The USS Alabama (BB-60), like many other battleships, contained a huge amount of asbestos. Asbestos-containing materials were extensively used in boilers, turbines, pumps, gaskets, valves, cement, adhesives, and pipe coverings. Navy personnel were exposed to the mineral while working in tight quarters with poor ventilation allowing asbestos fibers to accumulate in the air and then easily inhaled.
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