Laid down by Union Iron Works, the USS S-33 (SS-138), ) an S-class submarine of the United States Navy, was launched in 1918 sponsored by Mrs. Thomas M. Searles, and commissioned on 18 April 1922 with Lieutenant George P. Lamont in command. However, in 1922, it was temporarily decommissioned for alteration, during which asbestos insulation might have also been installed on the walls of the vessel. The USS S-33 won one battle star during World War II. It was permanently decommissioned in 1945 and later sold for scrap. Navy veterans that held certain trade jobs were exposed to asbestos. Many military jobs involved working in confined spaces below deck with bad ventilation, operating machinery, and equipment that had asbestos-containing products. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs provides compensation, benefits, and assistance programs to those who were diagnosed with asbestos-related lung cancer, bronchial cancer, asbestosis, and mesothelioma as a result of their service.
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