The USS Cecil (APA-96) was a Bayfield-class attack transport laid down on June 24, 1943, and launched on September 27, the same year. It was commissioned on September 15, 1944, under Capt. P. G. Hale’s command with the hull number APA-96 and served in the U.S. Navy for 2 years until it was decommissioned on May 24, 1946. During its activities, the ship carried a complement of 575 people on board and had its main missions in San Pedro, Okinawa, Iwo Jima, Eniwetok, Saipan, Tulagi, Espiritu Santo, and Norfolk. After decommissioning, the ship was struck from the Navy List and later sold to Isthmian Steamship Company where it was renamed Steel Admiral. Asbestos is one of the most hazardous materials found onboard Navy ships built and used between World War II and the late-1970s. On a Navy vessel, asbestos exposure was not limited to one specific area; engine and boiler rooms, damage control areas, propulsion rooms, plotting rooms, powder, and shot magazines, were areas with a high risk of asbestos exposure. Veterans who develop asbestos-related conditions are entitled to compensation. In addition to filing for VA benefits, Navy veterans may also seek compensation by filing asbestos-related claims against asbestos trusts.
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