The USS Zaniah (AK-120) was a cargo ship belonging to the Basilan-class, commissioned by the US Navy to be used during World War II. Laid down in October 1943 by the Todd-Houston Shipbuilding Co., as the Liberty Ship named SS Anthony Lucas, the ship was acquired by the United States Navy the next month and redesignated to a special stores-barracks-distilling ship in March 1944. During the war, the ship provided repair services to damaged ships and fresh water in the South Pacific Ocean. After the war, the ship was decommissioned in April 1946 at Pearl Harbor and returned to the Maritime Commission. It was laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet until 1972 when it was scrapped. If asbestos-containing material is disturbed it forms dust that contains microscopic asbestos fibers. Asbestos becomes a health risk when asbestos fibers are released into the air and are breathed in. Studies have demonstrated that asbestos fibers can spread in a 75-foot radius after a single disturbance, exposing those in close proximity and putting them at risk for developing serious health conditions.
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