As a second-group S-class submarine, the USS S-11 was built by Portsmouth Navy Yard in 1919. It was supplementing duties along the northeast coast and visited Guantanamo, Cuba in 1923, and Saint Thomas, Trinidad, and Coco Solo in 1924. The submarine departed New London, Connecticut during the same year and sailed through the Panama Canal and California, eventually reaching Hawaii. In 1925, the USS S-11 returned to New London. There were multiple other voyages this submarine undertook during the time it was operating. Present aboard mostly in the form of insulation, asbestos posed a great threat to the health of the military personnel serving on the USS S-11. Exposure to asbestos occurs by inhaling or ingesting the tiny fibers of this carcinogenic mineral. For this reason, people who served on the USS S-11 need to undergo periodical medical examination, as their risk of developing a serious disease is very high. The most aggressive disease exposure to asbestos can result in is mesothelioma, a type of cancer that develops on the outer lining of the lungs. In 1945, the submarine was sold to the Rosoff Brothers of New York City and subsequently acquired by Northern Metals Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Eventually, the USS S-11 was scrapped.
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