The USS Artemis (AKA-21) was an Artemis-class attack cargo ship laid down on November 23, 1943, and launched on May 20, 1944. It was commissioned on August 28, 1944, under Comdr. Thomas J. Rattray’s command and served in the US Navy for 3 years until it was decommissioned on January 10, 1947. It carried a complement of 303 men on board. During this period, the ship operated in California, Pearl Harbor, Maui, Iwo Jima, the Philippines, Manila, Admiralty Islands, Yokosuka, and Bikini Atoll and it participated only in World War II. It was struck from the Navy List on February 25, 1947. For the services brought to the country during World War II, the USS Artemis received 2 battle stars. The use of asbestos in the shipbuilding industry was almost totally indefensible considering the fact that there was medical evidence as far back as the 1920s linking asbestos exposure to mesothelioma. Companies that continued to use asbestos either knew or should have known about the danger. Even those who did not work directly with asbestos-containing materials were at risk of being exposed, as asbestos fibers could become airborne and be easily inhaled by crew members or anyone nearby.
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