Laid down in late 1944, the USNS Twin Falls (T-AGM-11) had quite an eventful history, being called back into service a total of three times over the span of nearly 40 years. Starting her career as a Merchant Mariner vessel, the ship took part in Douglas MacArthur’s uncharacteristic shot at military brilliance – the Inchon landings – and the later evacuation of Hungnam. She was slated for disposal in 1970 but recalled by the Navy one year later for possible use as a survey ship. In 1982, she saw a short period of use as a training vessel with the New York Board of Education and scrapped in 1983. Like all ships built in her time, the USNS Twin Falls was laden with asbestos-containing materials. Some areas were more dangerous to her crew than others, like the boiler room or the engine rooms, but all areas contained a certain amount of the toxic mineral. Asbestos exposure can lead to serious respiratory diseases such as mesothelioma, lung cancer, or asbestosis, even after 50 years from the actual exposure. Many Navy veterans developed these life-threatening diseases after being exposed to asbestos during their service and they are now eligible for free healthcare, disability compensation, and other VA benefits.
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