The SS Donald W. Bain was a Liberty-class ship named after a state Treasurer of North Carolina in the service of the Maritime Commission during World War II, but it was operated by the Norton Lilly Management Corp. After the war, the ship was sold to a private owner but it was wrecked in December 1951. It was rebuilt and sold again to an Italian shipping company where it suffered a conversion and stayed in service until 1969 when it was scrapped. Despite its value as an insulator, asbestos can lead to several serious health consequences, including asbestosis, pulmonary fibrosis, COPD, mesothelioma, lung cancer, and bronchial cancer. Furthermore, the enclosed environment of Navy ships puts servicemen at an even higher risk of exposure. Current and former military personnel who came into contact with or served on Navy ships built and used between World War II and the late 1970s should seek immediate medical attention in order to detect possible health consequences associated with asbestos exposure.
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