The USS Tennessee (BB-43) was a Tennessee-class battleship laid down on May 14, 1917, and launched two years later on April 30, 1919, with the hull number BB-43. The ship was commissioned on June 3, 1920, under Captain Richard H. Leigh’s command and carried a complement of 1,083 people on board. Due to its construction period, the vessel wasn’t able to participate in World War I, but it joined the Battleship Force until the moment when World War II started. It had the main missions in Pearl Harbor, San Pedro, the Marinas, Saipan, Guam, the Philippine Islands, and Okinawa. The ship was repaired in Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard after the Japanese attack. For the services brought to the USA during World War II, the ship received 10 battle stars and many awards. Navy ships built before and after World War II, relied on asbestos due to the mineral’s heat resistance, insulation, and fireproofing capabilities. Unfortunately, it is now known that asbestos exposure can cause serious illnesses that often do not appear until many years after the exposure. Navy veterans can file claims for both malignant and benign diseases, as well as request financial compensation for more than one if they are suffering from multiple afflictions caused by asbestos exposure during military service.
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