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USS General D. E. Aultman (AP-156)

The USS General D. E. Aultman (AP-156) was one of dozens of General G. O. Squier-class large transports built for the Navy during World War II. The General D. E. Aultman and her sister ships provided logistical support for the Navy until the 1960s.

The USS General D. E. Aultman was built in 1945 by the Kaiser Company, Incorporated, of Richmond, California, and commissioned on May 20th, 1945. Following a short shakedown cruise in the Pacific, the General D. E. Aultman was assigned to transport medical personnel from Europe to the Pacific theater. The General D. E. Aultman arrived in Europe in late July, but by the time she returned to the Pacific the war there had ended. Following the cessation of hostilities in the Pacific, the USS General D. E. Aultman was tasked with transporting combat veterans from the western Pacific back home to the United States. She made two trans-Pacific voyages, transporting over 7,000 troops, before finally being assigned to San Francisco for decommissioning.

Shortly after her decommissioning ceremony, the USS General D. E. Aultman was transferred to the U.S. Army, which sent her to port for a conversion and overhaul to prepare her for Army duty. The overhaul period, which lasted just several weeks, involved a moderate level of metalwork, which undoubtedly released significant quantities of asbestos from within the transport’s hull. Both the shipyard workers who performed the overhaul and the Army crew that eventually took control of the General D. E. Aultman likely suffered from asbestos exposure. The lingering asbestos fibers, which could remain suspended inside the ship for weeks, also probably led to asbestos inhalation for many of the embarked troops aboard the transport.

The General D. E. Aultman served for four years with the Army, making deployments throughout the Pacific region. On March 1st, 1950, she was returned to the Navy, which almost immediately found a role for the General D. E. Aultman supporting American operations in the Korean War. During the Korean War, the USS General D. E. Aultman made several trans-Pacific voyages to bring troops to the embattled peninsula. Between deployments, the USS General D. E. Aultman spent time in port receiving regular repairs and maintenance. Although vital to the transport’s continued service at full capacity, the overhauls almost certainly released asbestos fibers from within the vessel, contaminating most of her decks and interior spaces. In recognition of her service during the war, the U.S. Navy awarded the General D. E. Aultman with the Korean Service Medal, as well as one United Nations Service Medal.

The USS General D. E. Aultman continued to serve with the Pacific Fleet until the end of the 1950s, when she was placed into the Pacific Reserve Fleet. The transport was decommissioned on June 4th, 1958, and ultimately struck from the Naval Register on that same day.

Those who fought for our country in the military have always accepted that their duties come with inherent dangers, regardless of whether or not they experience time in battle. However, what most of our servicemen and servicewomen in most of the 20th century, especially those in the navy, did not realize was that contact with asbestos could eventually turn out to be nearly as deadly as enemy attacks.

The ability to control the spread of fire onboard a ship is paramount; historical maritime disasters illustrate the danger of fire at sea. Given asbestos' superb imperviousness to flames, it was hailed as being entirely suitable for use in the construction of ships, and at the time navy ships like USS General D. E. Aultman were built, insulation materials made from asbestos were typical. Asbestos has long been known for its insulation properties; however, it has also been proven to be the leading cause of such debilitating conditions including lung cancer and peritoneal mesothelioma. Asbestos harms the body when it is friable (that is, easily broken up into microscopic fibers) because it is then able to enter the body by being breathed in.

During the heat of battle or while struggling to survive severe weather, the chance of one day contracting peritoneal mesothelioma was undoubtedly the last thing on most people's minds. But exposure to asbestos was a significant secondary hazard of combat, since extensive damage to a vessel often uncovered asbestos-containing parts so that the fibers could be inhaled by people in close proximity. And even during peaceful times, sailors who worked on naval vessels like USS General D. E. Aultman still were faced with at least a certain amount of exposure since practically every compartment of the ship contained asbestos. In addition, anyone toiling in poorly ventilated spaces where asbestos was present, such as USS General D. E. Aultman’s boilers or engines, was especially in danger. But it wasn't only shipboard personnel who suffered from asbestos poisoning; those who maintained the vessel when she was in port for repairs were also exposed to airborne asbestos.

Since asbestos-related illnesses like pleural mesothelioma sometimes don't show up until many years after a person came in contact with asbestos, they are quite hard to spot. In order to make an accurate diagnosis, a physician needs to have information about a patient's history of exposure to asbestos. Navy files who worked on or served aboard USS General D. E. Aultman should therefore talk about their history with their physicians.

Sources:

  1. Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/g2/general_d_e_aultman.htm
  2. Haze Gray: http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/auxil/ap156.htm
  3. NavSource: http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/22/22156.htm

Auxiliary Vessels Index

USNS Asterion T-AF-63
USNS Cheyenne T-AG-174
USNS Cumberland T-AO-153
USNS David C Shanks T-AP-180
USNS Fred C Aunsworth T-AP-181
USNS Geiger T-AP-197
USNS Harris County T-LST-822
USNS Lt. George W. G.
Boyce T-AK-251

USNS Lt. Robert Craig T-AK-252
USNS Marine Adder AP-193
USNS Mission San Antonio T-AO-119
USNS Provo T-AG-173
USNS Rincon T-AOG-77
USNS Sgt. Andrew Miller T-AK-242
USNS Sgt. Curtis F. Shoup T-AG-175
USNS Sgt. Jack J. Pendleton T-AKV-5
USNS Sgt. Morris E. Crain T-AK-244
USNS Shearwater T-AG-177
USS Admiral Hugh Rodman AP-126
USS Admiral W.S. Sims AP-127
USS Alamo LSD-33
USS Alshain AKA-55
USS Alstede AF-48
USS Andromeda AKA-15
USS Ashtabula AO-51
USS Bellatrix AKA-3
USS Bryce Canyon AD 36
USS Bryce Canyon AD 36
USS Cacapon AO-52
USS Caroline County LST-525
USS Carter Hall LSD-3
USS Cassia County LST-527
USS Catalpa AN-10
USS Cayuga County LST-529
USS Charleston LKA-113
USS Chimon AG-150
USS Chittenden County LST-561
USS Cimarron AO-22
USS Clarke County LST-601
USS Cleveland LPD-7
USS Collenton APB-36
USS Colonial LSD-18
USS Consolation AH-15
USS Crook County LST-611
USS DeKalb County LST-715
USS Denebola AF-56
USS Diphda AKA-59
USS Dixie AD-14
USS Dukes County LST-735
USS Dunn County LST-742
USS Duval County LST-758
USS El Paso LKA-117
USS Electron AG-146
USS Epping Forest LSD-4
USS Etlah AN-79
USS Firedrake AE-14
USS Floyd County LST-762
USS Fort Fisher LSD-40
USS Frederick LST-1184
USS Gardiners Bay AVP-39
USS General A.W. Brewster AP-155
USS General C.G. Morton AP-138
USS General D.E.Aultman AP-156
USS General George M. Randall AP-115
USS General H.F. Hodges AP-144
USS General J.C. Breckenridge AP-176
USS General LeRoy Eltinge AP-154
USS General M.C. Meigs AP-116
USS General M.M. Patrick AP-50
USS General R.L. Howze AP-134
USS General S.D. Sturgis AP-137
USS General W.A. Mann AP-112
USS General W.F. Hase AP-146
USS General W.M. Black AP-135
USS General William Mitchell AP-114
USS Genesee AOG-8
USS Grainger AK-184
USS Greer County LST-799
USS Guadalupe AO-32
USS Guam LPH-9
USS Haleakala AE-25
USS Hamilton County LST-802
USS Hampshire County LST-819
USS Haven AH-12
USS Hennepin AK-187
USS Herkimer AK-188
USS Hickman County LST-825
USS Holmes County LST-836
USS Hunterdon County LST-838
USS Inchon LPH-12
USS Iron County LST-840
USS James O'Hara APA-90
USS Jefferson County LST-845
USS Jerome County LST-848
USS Kansas City AOR-3
USS Kaskaskia AO-27
USS Kemper County LST-854
USS Keosanqua ATA-198
USS King County LST-857
USS Kishwaukee AOG-9
USS La Moure County LST-883
USS Laertes AR-20
USS Lawrence County LST-887
USS Lindenwald LSD-6
USS Luzerne County LST-902
USS Magoffin APA-199
USS Mahnomen County LST-912
USS Manatee AO-58
USS Markab AD-21
USS Mathews AKA-96
USS Mauna Kea AE-22
USS Mazama AE-9
USS Merapi AF-98
USS Merrick AKA-97
USS Mispillion AO-105
USS Monmouth County LST-1032
USS Monticello LSD-35
USS Mount Baker AE-4
USS Mount McKinley ACG-7
USS Mulberry AN-27
USS Muliphen AKA-61
USS Navasota AO-106
USS New Orleans LPH-11
USS Niagra Falls AFS-3
USS Ogden LPD-5
USS Okinawa LPH-3
USS Onslow APV-48
USS Orange County LST-1068
USS Outagamie County LST-1073
USS Paricutin AE-18
USS Park County LST-1077
USS Pasig AW-3
USS Patapsco AOG-1
USS Pender County LST-1080
USS Pictor AF-54
USS Platte AO-24
USS Plumas County LST-1083
USS Polaris AF-11
USS Portland LSD-37
USS Princeton CV-37
USS Procyon AF-61
USS Rainer AE-5
USS Regulus AF-57
USS Romulus-ARL-22
USS Sanborn APA-193
USS Sanctuary AH-17
USS Sarnac AO-74
USS Satyr ARL-23
USS Sedgwick County LST-1123
USS Sharps AG-139
USS Skagit AKA-105
USS Sphinx ARL 24
USS St. Clair County LST 1096
USS St. Joseph's River LSM 527
USS Steuben County LST 1138
USS Suisun AVP 53
USS Summit County LST 1146
USS Susquehanna AOG-5
USS Tallulah AO 50
USS Tensaw YT 418
USS Terrell County LST 1157
USS Thomaston LSD 28
USS Tioga County LST 1158
USS Tom Green County LST 1159
USS Tombigbee AOG 11
USS Tripoli LPH 10
USS Union AKA 106
USS Vancouver LPD 2
USS Vesuvius AE 15
USS Virgo AKA 20
USS Waccamaw AO 109
USS Wallacut YTB 420
USS Warrick AKA-89
USS Washoe County LST 1165
USS Westchester County LST 1165
USS Whetstone LSD 27
USS Whidbey AG 141
USS Whiteside AKA 90
USS Windham County LST 1170
USS Wrangell AE 12
USS Yancey AKA 93
USS Yazoo AN 92
USS Zelima AF 49
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