The USS Hydrus (AKA-28) was an Artemis-class attack cargo ship launched on October 28, 1944. It was commissioned on December 9, the same year under Comdr. R. J. Wissinger’s command and served in the US Navy for 2 years until it was decommissioned on March 26, 1946. It carried a complement of 303 men on board. During this period, the ship operated in Pearl Harbor, Ulithi, Okinawa, Guam, San Francisco, Hawaii, Honolulu, and Tsingtao and it participated only in World War II. After decommissioning, the USS Hydrus was transferred to the Maritime Commission. It received 1 battle star for the activity during World War II. Asbestos is dangerous because its small fibers can enter the body through breath. Often, Navy veterans and shipbuilders worked in close proximity to asbestos without proper ventilation. Inhaling these fibers leads to asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma. Sailors, culinary workers, medical staff, and other Navy personnel are at risk because of the large amount of asbestos used on U.S. ships.
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