Built in 1941 by the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company in Wisconsin, this Gato-class submarine earned 4 battle stars for World War II service. It was sponsored by Miss Katherine Mary Wolleson and completed 9 war patrols. In 1953, the vessel was turned into the latest type of radar picket submarine. However, in 1960, it was sold for scrapping.
Before 1980, asbestos was used in products such as pipe insulation, thermal system insulation, spray-on fireproofing for beams and ceilings, coatings and glues, and boiler insulation. During that time, thousands of tonnes of asbestos were used in the shipbuilding industry. Many veterans would be heavily exposed to asbestos fibers, which would be present in such high quantities in the air. Whatever type of asbestos you have been exposed to, there is no recognized safe limit for exposure, and all exposures are potentially harmful and carry with them the risk of developing lung cancer, asbestosis, or mesothelioma.
760-621-6147
