The USS Giansar (AK-111) was a cargo ship belonging to the Crater-class laid down as a Liberty Ship under the name SS Thoman Ewing. Once it was taken over by the United States Navy in 1943 it was renamed after the star in the constellation Draconis. The ship was launched in January 1943 and commissioned in October the same year under Lieutenant Commander C. J. King’s command. Throughout the war, the vessel carried aircraft, tanks, supplies, and passengers from various ports on the west coast to locations such as Pago Pago, Ellice Islands, Majuro, Pearl Harbor, Eniwetok, Saipan, Guam, and the Philippines. It was decommissioned at Norfolk in November 1945 and returned to the Maritime Commission. Asbestos - a durable mineral with excellent fire resistance, insulating qualities, and fireproofing capabilities, was widely used in almost all branches of the military including the Air Force, Army, Marines, Navy, and Coast Guard from the 1930s to the 1980s. While asbestos was used in all branches of the military, it was especially prevalent in the Navy thanks to the material’s extensive use in shipbuilding and ship repairs.
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