The USS Bluefish (SS-222), a Gato-class submarine, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for the bluefish. Over the course of 2 years, the submarine completed nine war patrols, having earned 10 battle stars for World War II service. The keel of the submarine was laid down at the Electric Boat Company in 1942, which means it was built with asbestos. In 1947, the submarine was decommissioned and later sold for scrap.
It wasn’t until the mid-twentieth century that the dangers of asbestos were discovered, but, by the time the effects of asbestos were discovered, thousands of Navy veterans and shipyard workers had already been exposed. Asbestos is a potent carcinogen that can cause many types of cancer, including lung cancer, bronchial cancer, mesothelioma, esophageal cancer, throat cancer, gastrointestinal cancer, and colorectal cancer.
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