As the fifteenth Victory ship built for the U.S. during World War II, within the Emergency Shipbuilding Program, the SS Sapulpa Victory was laid down in 1944 by the California Shipbuilding Company in Los Angeles. Weighing 10,500 tons, these vessels were designed to replace the former Liberty ships, being faster, longer, wider, and taller than the previous ones. Throughout World War II, the SS Sapulpa Victory served in the Pacific War, operated by the Alcoa SS Company. The SS Sapulpa Victory was eventually sold in 1963.
Since it was built before 1980, numerous asbestos products were aboard, exposing military personnel to tremendous asbestos-associated health risks. By inhaling or ingesting asbestos fibers, people who served on the ship may come to develop awful diseases today, such as lung cancer, asbestosis, or mesothelioma. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs recognizes these asbestos-related diseases as potentially service-connected. Veterans that were exposed to the cancer-causing material during their service are eligible for free healthcare, disability compensation, and other VA benefits.
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