USS Okinawa (LPH-3)

The USS Okinawa (LPH-3) was one of the Navy’s Iwo Jima-class amphibious assault ships. These LPHs were the first Navy ships specifically designed to carry helicopters for sea-based aerial assaults on enemy shore positions.

The USS Okinawa was laid down in 1960 by the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and was commissioned on April 14, 1962. After a brief period at sea for shakedown and initial training, the USS Okinawa reported to Norfolk, Virginia, which was to be her home base during her time with the Atlantic Fleet. The vessel spent the latter half of 1962 engaged in amphibious assault exercises and supporting the Navy’s quarantine of Cuba.

In early 1963, after a return to Norfolk, the Okinawa entered port for her first major overhaul. This overhaul included a moderate reworking of the ship’s interior equipment and in the process of removing and upgrading machinery, shipyard workers may have been exposed to asbestos. The Okinawa returned to sea in the summer of 1963 with her crew still faced with the risk of asbestos inhalation.

Vietnam War

The USS Okinawa made her first deployment to Europe in 1965, which included stops in Spain, England and France. In 1967, after five years with the Atlantic Fleet, the Okinawa was ordered into duty with the Pacific Fleet. The ship and her crew made their first combat deployment to Vietnam in early 1967, followed by a return expedition in 1969. Over the course of the Vietnam War, the USS Okinawa participated in seven Navy campaigns, earning a total of seven battle stars for her service.

Following her service in Vietnam, the USS Okinawa continued to operate with the Seventh Fleet in the Pacific. In 1971, the vessel served as the recovery ship for the Apollo 15 astronauts. In late 1992, the Okinawa was ordered to the Mare Island Naval Shipyard in San Francisco Bay where she began a pre-inactivation overhaul. The overhaul removed all nonessential equipment and those performing the work may have been exposed to asbestos. The Mare Island shipyard workers eventually prepared the Okinawa for her final decommissioning, which occurred on December 17, 1992. On June 6, 2002, the USS Okinawa was sunk during a Navy submarine exercise.

Asbestos Risks

Asbestos was often used on ships such as the USS Okinawa 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