The USS Towner (AKA-77) was a Tolland-class attack cargo ship laid down on April 8, 1944, and launched on June 13, the same year. It was commissioned on December 3, 1944, under Lt. Comdr. Robert P. Erdman’s command and served in the US Navy for 2 years until it was decommissioned on June 10, 1946. It carried a complement of 395 men on board. During World War II, the ship operated in Bayonne, New Caledonia, the Philippines, Manus, Hollandia, and Manila. After decommissioning, the USS Towner was struck from the Navy List on June 19, 1946. Later, the ship was sold by the US Navy and was renamed SS Philippine Bear, SS Kaimana, and SS Guam Bear. The U.S. companies that manufactured and sold asbestos-containing products knew of the dangers of asbestos but failed to warn consumers and regulators of the risks associated with exposure. Now, decades later, the Navy veterans are paying for those companies’ mistakes. If you believe you were exposed to asbestos while serving aboard the USS Towner (AKA-77), you can hold these asbestos companies accountable for the harm they have caused. Many Navy veterans have already recovered compensation for their asbestos-related illnesses.
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