USS Haleakala (AE-25)

The USS Haleakala (AE-25) was one of three vessels in the Navy’s Nitro-class of ammunition ships. The Nitro-class vessels were among the first ammunition ships constructed by the U.S. Navy. The USS Haleakala was built in 1959 by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation in Baltimore, Maryland and commissioned on November 3, 1959. The vessel conducted her shakedown and initial training cruises in the Atlantic before receiving orders to rebase to San Francisco.

The Haleakala made a total of four deployments in the Pacific between 1960 and 1964. She was later sent to Todd Shipyards in Seattle, Washington for a scheduled overhaul. The ship spent fifteen months in overhaul, which may have exposed shipyard workers to asbestos. As part of the overhaul, the Haleakala was upgraded to a Fully Automatic Shuttle Transfer system (FAST) vessel, which allowed her to safely transfer guided missiles while underway.

Following the overhaul, the Haleakala returned to the Pacific and was ordered to the waters off of Vietnam. The vessel made a number of deployments to the western Pacific, participating in 13separate Vietnam War campaigns and earning a total of 13 campaign stars. The USS Haleakala spent the rest of her career in the Pacific, making numerous deployments ranging from Japan to Alaska. The Haleakala also entered port for periodic overhauls that may have exposed additional shipyard workers to asbestos.

The USS Haleakala continued to serve with distinction for the remainder of her Navy career, which culminated on December 10, 1993 when she was decommissioned. The decommissioning brought an end to the Haleakala’s 34-year career, and less than a year afterwards the Haleakala was scrapped.

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