Laid down by Newport News Shipbuilding in 1961, the USS America was one of the 3 Kitty Hawk-class supercarriers. The majority of the career of the ship was spent in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, but it also participated in the Vietnam War. Furthermore, the USS America took part in Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm of the Persian Gulf War. Because asbestos was a very common building material at the time the USS America was laid down, the ship inevitably contained the carcinogenic mineral, which led to heavy exposure among military personnel. Since asbestos exposure typically results in disease within 20 to 50 years, people who served aboard the USS America should keep a close eye on their health, as they are at high risk of developing lung cancer, asbestosis, mesothelioma, as well as numerous other terrible illnesses. The ship was scuttled in 2005 after live-fire testing.
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