The SS Amerigo Vespucci was a Liberty Ship that served the Navy during World War II. This vessel was also built during the war period. Its name is obviously linked to that of the famous Italian explorer. The SS Amerigo Vespucci was laid in February 1944 and launched the same year in May. The vessel was built by the Permanente Metals Corp in Richmond, California. The Amerigo Vespucci was useful during the war, but after the conflict was over, its fate was sealed. This ship’s ending is very similar to that of others of its kind. After serving in the army, it was finally decommissioned and scrapped in 1962.
Asbestos is an extremely toxic yet very useful material. Its affordability, tensile strength, and resistance to heat and chemical damage made the U.S. Navy use it in almost every part of each ship constructed before 1980 when the dangers of asbestos exposure became more widely known. Although the Navy issued a policy against using asbestos in ships in 1975, unfortunately, it was too late for many veterans that had already been exposed to the cancer-causing material. Veterans that got sick because of this are eligible for free healthcare, disability compensation, and other VA benefits.
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