The USS Neosho (AO-23) was a Cimarron-class fleet oiler serving with the United States Navy. The USS Neosho (AO-23) was laid down under Maritime Commission contract by Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Kearny, New Jersey, 22 June 1938; launched on 29 April 1939; sponsored by Mrs. Emory S. Land, wife of Rear Admiral Emory S. Land (Ret.), Chairman of the Maritime Commission; and commissioned on 7 August 1939, with Commander AV. E. A. Mullan in command. After surviving the attack on Pearl Harbor, the ship operated in the South Pacific. During the Battle of the Coral Sea, the USS Neosho (AO-23) was attacked and set alight but managed to keep afloat until rendezvousing with an American destroyer on 11 May 1942, who sank it with gunfire after taking off the crew. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral, the fibers of which are known for being able to resist heat, fire, and electrical damage. These properties resulted in asbestos being a component of choice in a wide array of products. However, in the latter part of the 20th century, it was discovered that asbestos exposure is responsible for numerous diseases, most of which affecting the lungs.
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