The USS Blue Jay (AMc-23) was a Bird-Class 1 coastal minesweeper laid down in 1936 and launched the same year. It was commissioned on June 22, 1941, under Lt. Hiram S. Walker Jr.’s command and served in the U.S. Navy for 5 years until it was decommissioned on April 15, 1946. During its activity, the ship carried a complement of 16 men on board and had its main missions within the detachment of the 4th Naval District. After the decommissioning, the USS Blue Jay was converted to a diving tender. On May 8, 1946, the ship was struck from the Navy List and transferred to the Maritime Commission. Asbestos was used for its heat-resistant properties and for insulation. Shipyard workers, boiler workers, pipefitters, insulators, plumbers, welders, electricians, machinists, and engineers were likely to inhale asbestos fibers on a day-to-day basis. They had no idea that they suffered a high risk that would put them at risk for future asbestos-related illnesses. Asbestos exposure is known to cause lung cancer, asbestosis, mesothelioma, gastrointestinal cancer, colorectal cancer, COPD, tuberculosis, chronic bronchitis, pleural thickening, pleural effusion, pneumonitis, and histoplasmosis.
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