The USS Guam (CB-2) was an Alaska-class large cruiser laid down on February 2, 1942, and launched on November 12, 1943. It was commissioned on September 17, 1944, under Capt. Leland Lovette’s command as CB-2 and served in the U.S. Navy for 3 years until it was decommissioned on February 17, 1947. During its activities, the ship carried a complement of 1,517 people and 1 aircraft onboard and had its main missions in New Jersey, Trinidad, Ulithi, Pearl Harbor, Shikoku, Kyushu, and Okinawa. After decommissioning, the ship was struck from the Navy List on June 1, 1960, and sold for scrapping to Boston Metals Company in Baltimore the following year. For the services brought to the country during World War II, the USS Guam received 2 battle stars. When inhaled or ingested, asbestos particles can lead to a variety of illnesses such as lung cancer, bronchial cancer, mesothelioma, and many other types of pulmonary issues. There are a number of different ways Navy veterans were exposed to asbestos, including handling materials containing asbestos in assembly operations and cutting, maintaining, repairing, and dismantling ships.
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