The USS Long Island (CVE-1) was a Long Island-class escort carrier laid down on July 7, 1939, and launched on January 11, 1940. It was commissioned on June 2, 1941, under Commander Donald B. Duncan’s command and served in the US Navy for 5 years until it was decommissioned on March 26, 1946. During its activity, the ship carried a complement of 970 people on board and had its main missions in Norfolk, Newfoundland, San Diego, Efate Island, New Hebrides, and San Francisco. After the decommissioning, the ship was struck from the Navy List on April 12, 1946, and sold for scrapping in Belgium. Navy ships are among the many constructions to potentially contain asbestos. These ships were constructed using a wide variety of asbestos-containing products authorized by the Navy. Everyone who worked in shipyards or served aboard these vessels was exposed to the potentially deadly effects of these products and now, years later, are being diagnosed with asbestos-related illnesses. Navy veterans who were exposed to asbestos in the course of their military service are entitled to disability compensation and special health care benefits through the VA if they provide medical evidence proving their disease was caused by being exposed to asbestos while in active military service.
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