Built by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation in 1941, the USS Princeton served during World War II in the Pacific Ocean as an Independence-class light aircraft carrier. It was launched in 1942, having been sponsored by Margaret Dodds, wife of Princeton University president Harold Dodds, and had Captain George R. Henderson in command. In honor of the outstanding achievement of the USS Princeton crew during World War II, the ship received 9 battle stars. Nevertheless, the presence of asbestos in large amounts aboard the ship greatly endangered the health of military personnel, since exposure to this naturally occurring carcinogenic mineral may result in a series of terrible diseases such as lung cancer. Therefore, veterans who served on the USS Princeton should undergo regular medical examinations, as their risk of developing a serious disease is high. In 1944, the ship was lost at the Battle of Leyte Gulf, having been severely damaged by a Japanese air attack.
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