The keel of the submarine was laid down by the Electric Boat Corporation in Connecticut in 1933 and operated until 1945, at the end of World War II. Sponsored by Miss Eleanore Katherine Roosevelt, the USS Tarpon had Lieutenant Leo L. Pace in command. The USS Tarpon was struck from the Naval Vessel Register in 1956, subsequently sold for breaking up, and eventually foundered off Cape Hatteras. Veterans who worked in the Navy are at the highest risk of developing asbestos-related diseases. Asbestos products were widely used on ships from 1930 to 1970, with the most common uses being insulation, engine, and boiler room materials. The closed-in spaces inside ships and poor ventilation made it more likely that Navy members would inhale or ingest dangerous levels of asbestos fibers anytime the material was disturbed. Veterans who worked below deck where asbestos was used and the ventilation was poor were most at risk of high asbestos exposure.
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