USS Nanticoke (AOG-66) Areas With Asbestos Exposure

The USS Nanticoke (AOG-66) was a Klickitat-class gasoline tanker laid down on January 16, 1945, and launched on April 7, the same year. It was commissioned on September 1, 1945, with the hull number AOG-66 and it served in the U.S. Navy for one year until it was decommissioned on January 4, 1946. During its activities, the ship carried a complement of 80 people on board. After the first decommissioning, the ship was struck from the Navy List and sold to Argentina where it was renamed ARA Punta Delgada.

Despite its known dangers, asbestos continues to pose a threat, especially in the shipbuilding industry. Navy veterans were exposed to a lot of asbestos during their active duty in the military, as the mineral was widely used for both internal and external parts of ship machinery as an insulator and fireproofing material.