The USS Caswell (AKA-72) was a Tolland-class attack cargo ship launched on October 24, 1944. It was commissioned on December 13, the same year under Lt. Comdr. P. M. Diffley’s command and served in the US Navy for 2 years until it was decommissioned on June 19, 1946. It carried a complement of 395 men on board. During World War II, the ship operated in Bayonne, Panama Canal, Pearl Harbor, Okinawa, Motobu Peninsula, and Guadalcanal. Two days after decommissioning, the USS Caswell returned to the Maritime Commission and on June 23, 1947, the ship was sold to South Atlantic Steamship Line where it was renamed as SS Southwind. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that conducts heat and electricity and is fire and chemical-resistant. Most Navy veterans affected by asbestos were exposed often unknowingly. Long-term exposure to asbestos fibers may create tumors in the lungs, asbestosis, and cancer of the larynx, esophagus, stomach, and intestines. If you believe you were exposed to asbestos while serving aboard the USS Caswell (AKA-72), you should speak with an attorney to discuss your rights.
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