The USS Pollux (AKS-2) was a Castor-class general stores issue ship laid down on May 26, 1939, and launched on December 16, the same year. It was commissioned on May 6, 1941, under Comdr. Hugh W. Turney’s command and served in the U.S. Navy for 1 year until it sank on February 18, 1942. During its activity, the ship carried a complement of 199 men on board and had its main missions next to the Atlantic Fleet, on regular provisioning cruises. After the tragic event, the USS Pollux was struck from the Navy List on March 25, 1942. Shipbuilders used asbestos for hundreds of applications on Navy ships. Asbestos was found in engine rooms, boiler rooms, and all places that were in need of heat resistance. Asbestos-covered pipes, pumps, and compressors; all used to help the Navy vessels run. We now know that exposure to asbestos fibers can have deadly consequences.
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