The USS Polana (AKA-35) was an Artemis-class attack cargo ship laid down on December 11, 1944, and launched on January 17, 1945. It was commissioned on February 21, 1945, under Comdr. K. D. Gallinger’s command and served in the US Navy for 1 year until it was decommissioned on March 21, 1946. It carried a complement of 303 men on board. During this period, the ship operated in Pearl Harbor, Eniwetok, Guam, Saipan, Espiritu Santo, Tinian, Okinawa, Tsingtao and it participated in World War II. After decommissioning, the USS Polana was struck from the Naval Register on May 1, 1946, and transferred to the Maritime Commission on June 26, the same year. Asbestos use has decreased drastically since the 1970s as more about the deadly consequences related to its exposure has become known. Due to its durable and versatile nature, asbestos was used for many years as a cheap insulator and fire retardant throughout many different industries, including the shipyard industry. Even minimal exposure to asbestos fibers can develop into serious – and even fatal – conditions.
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