Named after the constellation Lyra, this ship belonged to the Crater- class and served the US Navy during World War II. The vessel was laid down as the Liberty Ship SS Cyrus Hamlin in April 1943 by Permanente Metals Corporation under a MARCOM contract. It was converted by General Engineering & Drydock in San Francisco and commissioned in July 1943 with Lieutenant Commander James H. Henderson in command. The ship was involved in various towing operations in areas such as Espiritu Santos, Solomon Islands, Guadalcanal, Admiralty Islands, and the Philippines. It was decommissioned in Norfolk in May 1943 and returned to the WSA. After the war, it was sold to A. G. Pappadakis and operated in Greece, under the name of Virginia. Asbestos had so many benefits that it was used in numerous products before companies acknowledged the danger of this mineral and stopped using it. If you worked with any of these products, you are at risk of having been exposed to the carcinogenic mineral: condensers, pipe blocks, boiler coating, pumps, valves, and gaskets. If you believe you were exposed to asbestos while serving aboard the USS Lyra (AK-101), you may be able to seek compensation for medical expenses and other damages you have suffered.
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