The USS Nashville (LPD-13) was an Austin-class amphibious transport dock laid down in 1966, launched in 1967, and commissioned in 1970. Throughout her career, the ship participated in Caribbean Amphibious Ready Groups, Mediterranean deployments, Persian Gulf groups, a Mine Countermeasure Task Group, NATO operations, and training missions with Fleet Marine Force Atlantic. In 1977, while assigned to Amphibious Squadron 2, the vessel served as flagship on several occasions and led combined amphibious forces during NATO exercises. In 2003, she deployed with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, which operated in the Mediterranean and supported Operation Iraqi Freedom. In 2006, the ship successfully hosted the first landing of the RQ-8A Fire Scout and later evacuated U.S. nationals from Beirut during a regional conflict. The USS Nashville (LPD-13) was decommissioned in 2009. Although asbestos was valued for its insulating properties, inhaling its fibers can cause serious health problems, including mesothelioma, an incurable cancer. Current and former military personnel who may have been exposed to asbestos on ships built before the 1980s are strongly encouraged to seek medical evaluation as soon as possible to identify and address any potential health effects related to asbestos exposure.
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