The SS Duncan L. Clinch was a Liberty-class ship in the service of the United States during World War II. The ship was laid down under a MARCOM contract by J.A. Jones Construction in Brunswick, Georgia, sponsored by Mrs. Harry B. Vickers and launched in October 1944. Immediately after the launch, the vessel was transferred to American Export Lines but the ship was declared a constructive total loss in December 1945 after it struck a mine near the coast of Le Havre, France. For those who were not aware, asbestos was once used for its practical properties, convenient cost, and accessibility in nearly all types of military transportation — especially Navy ships. Navy veterans unwittingly inhaling asbestos fibers may never know the danger they are in until years down the line when they develop a potentially fatal asbestos-related disease. In particular, those who worked in engine rooms, boiler rooms, pump rooms, damage control rooms, and propulsion rooms, had high exposure because all of the equipment, machinery, and piping that they maintained, and repaired were covered with asbestos insulation.
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