SS Edward D. White Areas With Asbestos Exposure

The SS Edward D. White was a Liberty Ship built and operated during World War II by the United States. It was named after Edward Douglass White, a US Senator from Louisiana and the ninth Chief Justice of the United States. The ship was constructed at J.A. Jones Construction at their shipyards in Brunswick, Georgia, and launched in September 1943. After launch, the ship was allocated to A.H. Bull & Company to be operated throughout the war. In December 1945, it was laid up in the reserve fleet at Lee Hall, Virginia. From 1953 until 1959 it was used as a grain transporter and then sold for scrapping in June 1970 to Union Mineral & Alloys Corporation. Because it was laid down during the heyday of asbestos, the toxic mineral lurked on the SS Edward D. White in the form of wall insulation, as well as in components such as gaskets, boilers and valves. Exposure to asbestos can lead to terrible diseases such as asbestosis, and lung cancer, so we strongly encourage veterans who served on this Navy ship to pay close attention to their health and undergo regular medical examinations to ensure their lungs are in good condition.