USNS Fred C. Ainsworth (T-AP-181)

The USNS Fred C. Ainsworth (T-AP-181) was a large troop transport built for the United States Navy during World War II. The USNS Fred C. Ainsworth served with both the Navy and the Army during her career, which lasted until 1961. The USNS Fred C. Ainsworth was initially laid down in 1943 by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Copmany in Pascagoula, Mississippi and launched in June of that year. Following a brief shakedown cruise, the Fred C. Ainsworth was transferred to the custody of the U.S. Army, sailing under the designation USAT Fred C. Ainsworth.

World War II Service

The Fred C. Ainsworth remained in Army service for the duration of World War II, operating largely in the Pacific Theater. By the time the war ended in 1945, the Fred C. Ainsworth had earned one Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal and one World War II Victory Medal. Following the conclusion of World War II, the Fred C. Ainsworth sailed with the U.S. Army for a period of five years before ultimately being transferred to the U.S. Navy in 1950.

When the Navy acquired the Fred C. Ainsworth in 1950, they immediately changed her official designation from USAT to USNS. The Navy also ordered the Fred C. Ainsworth into port for an overhaul prior to the beginning of her Navy service. The several week-long overhaul prepared the Fred C. Ainsworth for the rigors of Navy duty and the modifications and repairs may have released a significant amount of asbestos into the Fred C. Ainsworth’s interior. As a result, hundreds of shipyard workers likely received varying degrees of asbestos exposure.

Korean War Service

With the troop transport finally ready for duty, the Navy wasted no time in ordering the Fred C. Ainsworth into action in the Korean War. Beginning in July 1950, the USS Fred C. Ainsworth ferried hundreds of troops to the Korean Peninsula and participated in a total of three separate Korean campaigns. In recognition of her service during the Korean War, the U.S. Navy awarded the Fred C. Ainsworth and her crew three Korea battle stars. The Fred C. Ainsworth also earned one United Nations Service Medal and a Republic of Korea War Service Medal for her work during the war.

Once the Korean War ended, the Fred C. Ainsworth was pressed into duty ferrying troops from the western Pacific back to the United States. The USNS Fred C. Ainsworth continued to serve with the U.S. Navy for the next six years, when she was finally decommissioned and placed into the Pacific Reserve Fleet. After two years in the reserves, the USNS Fred C. Ainsworth was struck from the Naval Register, officially ending her 18-year career with the military.

Asbestos Risks

People who serve their nation in the military have always accepted that their enlistments come with expected dangers, regardless of whether or not they undergo battle. However, what many of our military personnel during the 1900s did not realize was that asbestos exposure could affect them as many as 50 years later.

Asbestos was commonly used throughout most of the 20th century for its ability to insulate and fireproof materials. Some of the more common locations where asbestos exposure occurred were boiler and engine rooms. In addition to this, walls, pipes and ceilings were often coated in asbestos for insulation purposes. Any disturbance to these materials could have caused microscopic asbestos fibers to become airborne where they could be inhaled.

The inhalation of asbestos fibers can result in several asbestos-related conditions, including lung cancer, asbestosis and mesothelioma. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with an illness related to asbestos, you may have legal options for compensation. Many have already received financial assistance to help cover medical costs and lost income. For more information about this and treatment options, please fill out the request form on this page to receive a complimentary informational packet.

Sources:

Auxiliary Vessels Index