The USS Sheliak (AKA-62) was an Andromeda-class attack cargo ship laid down on June 19, 1944, and launched on October 17, 1944, with the hull number AKA-62. It was commissioned on December 1, 1944, under Comdr. Searcy J. Lowery’s command and served in the US Navy for 2 years until it was decommissioned on May 10, 1946. It carried a complement of 399 men on board. During this period, the ship operated in Bayonne, Pearl Harbor, Tulagi, Ulithi, Okinawa, San Francisco, Port Chicago, Manus, Samar, Subic Bay, and Guam. On May 21, 1946, the ship was struck from the Navy List. For the services brought to the country during World War II, the USS Sheliak received 1 battle star. The companies that actually manufactured asbestos-containing products had knowledge dating back to the 1930s that asbestos exposure can lead to serious health effects. However, it wasn't until decades later that they notified the public about these dangers. Consequently, thousands of shipyard workers and Navy veterans have unnecessarily developed mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer.
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