USS Guam (LPH-9)

The USS Guam (LPH-9) was one of the United Sates Navy’s Iwo Jima-class amphibious assault ships. These vessels were among the first Navy ships designed for carrying helicopters and enabling the Navy to launch airborne-based assaults on enemy beaches.

The USS Guam was built between 1962 and 1964 by the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and commissioned on January 16, 1965. After a brief shakedown and introductory cruise, the USS Guam was deployed with the Navy’s Atlantic Fleet and based out of Norfolk, Virginia. The Guam’s tours of duty typically carried her into the Caribbean, where she was tasked with monitoring naval activity in the Gulf of Mexico and throughout Central America.

Peacetime Operations and Overhaul

In 1971, the USS Guam was selected as the Navy’s test bed for the Sea Control Ship concept, which was pioneered by the Chief of Naval Operations, Elmo Zumwalt. After successfully proving the concept, the Guam returned to service with the Atlantic Fleet in the summer of 1974.  The vessel continued to operate in a peacetime role with the Navy, but even peacetime operations could be dangerous. On July 19, 1981, one of the Guam’s large Sea Stallion helicopters collided with two other rotorcraft. The accident sparked a large fire on the Guam, which may have damaged asbestos-containing materials onboard and released asbestos fibers into the air.

In 1985, after a busy 20 years of active duty service, the USS Guam was ordered back to the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard where she underwent an extensive overhaul. Shipyard crews replaced the Guam’s internal equipment and added several new defensive stations to the LPH. This overhaul may have exposed nearby workers to asbestos. The crew took the Guam out of port in 1985 and returned to duty with the Navy’s Sixth Fleet.

Persian Gulf Service

In 1990, the Guam was deployed to her first major combat zone when she sailed out of Norfolk for the Persian Gulf. The ship participated in both Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm, providing support for Coalition troops on the ground in Iraq. The Guam returned to the Persian Gulf in 1998 when she participated in Operation Desert Thunder, which was to be the last combat deployment of her career. On August 25, 1998, the USS Guam was decommissioned and struck from the Naval Register, ending her 33-year career of service with the Navy.

Asbestos Risks

Navy veterans are at a particularly high risk for developing an asbestos-related disease because the majority of ships that were constructed for World War II and after contained asbestos-laden materials. Shipyard workers faced their greatest risk of asbestos exposure while performing routine overhauls and upgrades for military ships. During these overhauls, materials made with asbestos were often torn apart and removed from the vessel, enabling asbestos fibers to become airborne.

The inhalation of asbestos fibers is one of the primary causes of mesothelioma, a rare cancer that affects about 3,000 Americans each year. Once asbestos fibers are inhaled, they typically become lodged in the lining of the lungs and remain there for several decades. Later in life, these fibers can cause irritations that have the potential to develop into cancerous mesothelioma tumors. Unfortunately, the severe latency period associated with this cancer often causes patients to become diagnosed during the advanced stages of development and at a time when treatment options are limited.

If you or a loved one have contracted or passed away from mesothelioma cancer after being exposed to asbestos, you may have legal options for compensation to help pay for treatments and other expenses. For more information about this and treatment options available for mesothelioma patients, please click here to receive a complimentary informational packet in the mail.

Sources:

Auxiliary Vessels Index