The USS Manila Bay (CVE-61) was a Casablanca-class escort carrier laid down on January 15, 1943, and launched on July 10, the same year. It was commissioned on October 5, 1943, with the hull number CVE-61 under Capt. Boynton L. Braun’s command and served in the US Navy for 3 years until it was decommissioned on July 31, 1946. Asbestos was used in almost every part of the USS Manila Bay (CVE-61) - engine and boiler rooms, but also for fire-safety reasons below decks, in mess halls, and sleeping quarters. However, initially, there was little knowledge regarding the true nature of the carcinogenic mineral used in shipbuilding. Consequently, huge quantities of asbestos were employed in the construction of the USS Manila Bay (CVE-61).
During its activity, the ship carried a complement of 916 men on board and had its main missions in Saipan, Eniwetok, Pearl Harbor, Tanahmerah Bay, Manus, New Guinea, and Leyte. After the decommissioning, the ship was struck from the Navy List on May 27, 1958, and sold for scrapping on September 2, the following year. For the services brought to the country during World War II, the USS Manila Bay received 8 battle stars.
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