The USS Bering Strait (AVP-34) was a Barnegat-class small seaplane tender laid down in 1943, launched, and commissioned in 1944. The ship earned three battle stars for her World War II service in the PacificFleet. During the Battle of Okinawa, the tender joined Task Group 51.20 and helped establish a seaplane base to rescue downed aviators, saving U.S. and Allied personnel. In addition to rescue duties, the ship conducted anti-submarine patrols and aided damaged vessels. Afterward, she continued operations around Okinawa until the war’s end in 1945. Transferred to the Coast Guard, the ship served as USCGC Bering Strait (WHEC-382) from 1948 to 1971, including service during the Vietnam War. The tender was decommissioned in 1971, the day after her second Vietnam War tour ended. At the peak of asbestos use, the health risks posed by the mineral were unknown to military personnel and the general public. Although many manufacturers understood its toxicity, they often hid or downplayed the information to protect profits. Trusting the material’s protective qualities, the military required asbestos in hundreds of applications to safeguard personnel and equipment, unknowingly creating a contaminated environment. Especially on Navy ships, veterans were potentially exposed to asbestos dust - the source of their severe health issues, even decades after leaving the armed forces.
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