USS Clearfield (APA-142) Areas With Asbestos Exposure

Named after the Clearfield County of Pennsylvania, the ship was built by the California Shipbuilding Corporation under a Maritime Commission contract in 1944. It was sponsored by Mrs. F. L. Chambers and acquired by the U.S. Navy one year later. The USS Clearfield served during World War II with Captain F. C. Stelter, Jr. in command, activity for which it earned one battle star. Since it was laid down during a time when asbestos use was very common, the ship had over 300 hazardous products aboard, which unknowingly posed a danger to the health of everyone who was present on it. Asbestos exposure occurs when one inhales or ingests asbestos fibers from the air and can lead to the development of terrible diseases, such as asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma. For this reason, veterans who served on the USS Clearfield need to undergo regular medical examination to timely receive a potential diagnosis as a consequence of asbestos exposure. In 1973, the ship was sold for scrap.