The USS Alderamin (AK-116) was a cargo ship that was commissioned by the U.S. Navy for service during World War II. It belonged to the Crater-class and it was named for Alderamin, the alpha star in constellation Cepheus. The vessel was constructed in Houston, Texas, under a Maritime Commission contract, by the Houston Shipbuilding Company and launched in November 1943. The USS Alderamin served with the US Pacific Fleet as a cargo carrier, operating between various islands in the Pacific. The ship was anchored at Okinawa when the hostilities ended. After a short trip to Shanghai China to embark military personnel, the ship reached San Francisco. It was decommissioned in April 1945. It was returned to the War Shipping Administration and scrapped in 1965. Materials containing asbestos were used in practically every facet of military construction, and in every branch of the armed forces because of its valuable insulating and fire-resistant properties. Over time, the inhaled asbestos particles impede one’s ability to breathe and could eventually cause asbestosis, lung cancer, or the deadly type of cancer known as mesothelioma.
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