The USS Delaware (BB-28) was a Delaware-class battleship laid down on November 11, 1907, and launched on February 6, 1909. It was commissioned on April 4, 1910, with the hull number BB-28 and served in the US Navy for 13 years until it was decommissioned on November 10, 1923. During its activity, the ship carried a complement of 933 men on board and had its main missions in Hampton Roads, Veracruz, Scapa Flow, Villefranche, Chile, and Norway. After the decommissioning, the ship was sold for scrapping on February 5, 1924. Asbestos was used in a wide array of products and systems on Navy ships, including pipe covering, asbestos block insulation, cement, pump, and valve packing, protective clothing, boilers, and turbines. Asbestos-containing products such as millboard, cardboards, and gaskets were used in particular for heat insulation and as fire protection in electrical appliances. Consequently, anyone who served on board the USS Delaware (BB-28) or participated in its repair was put at risk of developing asbestos-related illnesses like asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma.
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