The SS Peter Zenger was a Liberty ship built at J.A. Jones Construction, Panama City, Florida, during World War II. The cargo ship was named after John Peter Zenger, a German printer and journalist in New York City, and a symbol for freedom of the press. The SS Peter Zenger was laid down on 31 March 1943, under a Maritime Commission contract and launched on 4 July 1943.
Nowadays, it is a widely known fact that asbestos is an incredibly toxic mineral fiber which when released into the air and inhaled it may get trapped in the lungs causing scarring and inflammation. The naturally occurring mineral was heavily used in naval ships and shipyards as a key component in over 300 different materials. For navy personnel, asbestos exposure was unavoidable and the risk completely unknown. Veterans who served during World War II are most likely to develop asbestos-related conditions. On 19 July 1966, the SS Peter Zenger was sold to American Ship Dismantlers for scrapping and removed from the fleet on 5 August 1966.
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