Built as the SS Hibbing Victory by the Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation in 1944, the ship underwent a name change when it was acquired by the U.S. Navy. It was a Denebola-class stores ship, whose purpose was to carry refrigerated items, stores, and equipment to other ships, as well as to remote staging areas and stations during World War II. The USS Denebola served during World War II with Commander S. E. Ramey in command. For the extraordinary operations they participated in, the crew of the ship received multiple awards and honors, such as the Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal. In 1976, the ship was sold for scrap.
Because it was laid down in the middle of the last century, asbestos was present aboard the USS Denebola in large amounts, which inevitably led to exposure. Asbestos exposure is responsible for awful, life-threatening diseases such as lung cancer and mesothelioma. Thereby, veterans who served on the USS Denebola need to undergo regular medical examinations to timely find out about a potential disease affecting their bodies.
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