USS Mahnomen County (LST-912)

The USS Mahnomen County (LST-912) was a U.S. Navy tank landing ship that served during World War II and the Vietnam War. Mahnomen County and her sister LSTs played a vital role in both conflicts, landing troops and equipment directly onto enemy beaches.

The USS Mahnomen County was built in 1944 by the Bethlehem Hingham Shipyard in Hingham, Massachusetts, and commissioned on May 21st, 1944. Shortly after her commissioning, the Mahnomen County entered the Atlantic for a brief training and shakedown cruise. Following this introductory cruise, the Mahnomen County was assigned to the Pacific Theater, where she joined the Navy’s island-hopping campaign.

The Mahnomen County and her crew wasted little time in preparing for their inevitable role in the Pacific Theater invasions, and in late 1944 the Mahnomen County took part in the successful amphibious assault on Morotai Island. Mahnomen County followed this invasion up by taking part in the battle for Leyte, which was also a success. In both battles, the Mahnomen County faced heavy enemy resistance, and Japanese soldiers scored numerous small-arms strikes on the LST. These small-arms rounds inflicted minor damage on the Mahnomen County, although they did create shrapnel fields that were assuredly hazardous to the Mahnomen County’s crew. The shots pinging off the Mahnomen County’s hull also created clouds of asbestos and other toxic materials, and the sailors aboard the Mahnomen County were virtually guaranteed to have inhaled some amount of asbestos fibers. The Mahnomen County took heavier damage in January of 1945, when she was struck by a Japanese aircraft; the ensuing explosion threw metal and asbestos-laden debris high into the air and killed four sailors aboard the Mahnomen County. Despite this setback, the LST continued her march towards Japan.

The Mahnomen County continued her string of successful operations in 1945, when she participated in the invasions of Lingayen Gulf and the southern Philippines. By the time of the Japanese surrender in August of 1945, the Mahnomen County had earned a total of four battle stars for her service in the Pacific.

While most LSTs were decommissioned after the Second World War, the Mahnomen County found an active-duty role with the Atlantic Fleet. For the next 10 years, the LST deployed to the Caribbean and Mediterranean with the Navy’s 6th Fleet. On August 25th, 1955, the Mahnomen County was finally decommissioned and placed into the Atlantic Reserve Fleet.

In 1963, with tensions in Vietnam growing by the day, the Mahnomen County was reactivated and sent to the Pacific. However, the LST remained on the east coast until 1965, when she was eventually deployed to Southeast Asia. Mahnomen County arrived in Vietnam in early 1966, and she served in the region for nearly two years, earning two more battle stars for her service. The LST’s time was cut short, however, as a storm drove her onto the coastal rocks near Chu Lai. The impact was reported by several servicemen on the shore, and the crew aboard the Mahnomen County was showered with a mix of sea spray, metal debris, and asbestos fibers. The Navy decided to dispose of the LST where she lay, and after salvaging everything possible off of the Mahnomen County, she was destroyed by the Navy.

Since people first began fighting organized battles, those who serve in the military have understood that they face numerous dangers. But as well as the apparent risks associated with time in the military, a lesser-known one faced soldiers and sailors in the 20th century: contact with asbestos.

As fire on navy ships can be tremendously deadly, fireproofing is a critical consideration in the design and construction of ships. With asbestos' superb imperviousness to flames, it seemed entirely appropriate for use in the construction of ships, and when craft like USS Mahnomen County were built, asbestos insulation materials were typical. Unfortunately, what wasn't always clearly understood or was at times glossed over was that exposure to asbestos is a leading cause of debilitating diseases such as pleural plaques and mesothelioma. Asbestos damages our bodies when it is friable (in other words, easily smashed into microscopic pieces) because it can then enter the body by being inhaled or swallowed.

During the heat of battle or while working to survive severe weather, the possibility of someday coming down with pericardial mesothelioma was probably far from most people's thoughts. However, if a navy ship was subject to damage from battle action, during severe weather or in a collision with another ship, it often exposed asbestos-containing material and allowed it to be exposed to the elements, creating hazards beyond the more immediate ones. In addition, because practically all spaces in vessels like USS Mahnomen County had asbestos-containing materials, sailors typically faced some amount of exposure to asbestos even as they performed their normal duties. In addition, a navy file who spent time in poorly ventilated spaces containing asbestos, such as a ship's mechanical sections or engines, was particularly in danger. Even land-based personnel like electricians were subject to coming down with asbestos-related illnesses when they serviced US Navy ships like USS Mahnomen County without using safety equipment and procedures.

Because asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma often don't manifest until many years after the patient was first subjected to asbestos exposure, they are very tricky to diagnose. However, knowing about a patient's job-related asbestos exposure can aid a physician in being able to make an accurate diagnosis. All those who overhauled or had a tour of duty aboard USS Mahnomen County, therefore, are advised to discuss their service history with their physicians.

Sources:

Auxiliary Vessels Index