The USS Brookings was a Haskell-class attack transport ship of the U.S. Navy. It was built by the California Shipbuilding Corporation in 1944 under a Maritime Commission contract and sponsored by Mrs. T. C. Johnson. It served during World War II by carrying troops and cargo across the Pacific Ocean, to ports such as Pearl Harbor, New Guinea, Hilo, the island of Guam and Manus. Since the USS Brookings was laid down during the heyday of asbestos, the carcinogenic mineral was present aboard it in large amounts, which inevitably led to exposure. As a result, everyone who served on the ship needs to undergo regular medical examination to avoid finding out about a potential disease, such as asbestosis, lung cancer or mesothelioma, when it is too late for treatment. Because the military made use of tremendous amounts of asbestos during the last century, over 300 different hazardous products were on the USS Brookings. In 1992, the ship was disposed of by partial dismantling and scuttling off Puerto Rico.
760-621-6147
