The USS Lesuth (AK-125), a Crater-class cargo ship was laid down on March 24, 1943, as SS William M. Gwin, under a Maritime Commission contract and was launched on April 17, 1943. The ship was acquired by the U.S. Navy on October 9, 1943, and was converted for Naval service at United Engineering, Alameda, CA. It was commissioned on November 1, 1943, under LCDR. Bertrand H. Bassett’s command and served in the U.S. Navy for three years until it was decommissioned on August 16, 1946, at Pearl Harbor. During its activity, the ship carried a complement of 222 men on board and it had the main missions in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and the Far East. On July 31, 1964, the ship was sold for scrapping by Union Minerals and Alloys Corp. When asbestos products deteriorate or are damaged, they release asbestos fibers, which may be breathed accidentally by Navy personnel. There are a variety of signs and symptoms associated with asbestos-induced lung illness. With asbestosis, for instance, shortness of breath during physical exertion is a sign. Dry coughs and feeling tired are also signs. Your doctor may also notice a crackling sound as you breathe in. Unfortunately, you won't notice any signs until 10 to 40 years after being exposed to asbestos, depending on your level of exposure.
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