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 vessel was built in 1945 by the Kaiser Company, Incorporated of Richmond, California and commissioned on May 20, 1945.

Brief Service during World War II

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 ship arrived in Europe in late July, but by the time she returned to the Pacific the war 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.

Service after World War II

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 in preparation for Army duty. The overhaul period involved a moderate level of metalwork, which may have 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 may have experienced various levels of asbestos exposure.

The General D. E. Aultman served for four years with the Army, making deployments throughout the Pacific region. On March 1, 1950, she was returned to the Navy, which almost immediately found a role for the vessel 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 ship spent time in port receiving regular repairs and maintenance. 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 vessel 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 4, 1958 and ultimately struck from the Naval Register on that same day.

Asbestos Risks

Asbestos was often used on ships such as the USS General D. E. Aultman in order to insulate and fireproof materials onboard. Unfortunately, using asbestos has caused thousands of past shipyard workers and crew members to develop asbestos-related diseases from being exposed to asbestos. Boiler rooms and engine rooms were two of the most common areas for asbestos exposure. In addition to these locations, pipes, walls and ceilings insulated with asbestos often exposed crew members as well.

Exposure to asbestos has been linked to several serious illnesses, including lung cancer, asbestosis and mesothelioma. The latter is especially harmful due to the latency period for symptoms to arrive. In most cases, symptoms of mesothelioma can take as long as 20 to 50 years to develop, leaving patients completely unaware of their condition. By the time the majority of patients are diagnosed, the cancer has often reached the advanced stages of development.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease such as mesothelioma, you may have legal options for compensation. Many have received financial assistance to help cover medical costs, lost income and any other expenses. For more information about compensation and treatment options, please click here to receive a complimentary informational packet.

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Auxiliary Vessels Index