USS Arenac
The USS Arenac was a Haskell class attack transport vessel for the United States Navy built during the late days of WWII. The vessel's keel, named after Arenac Co., Michigan, was laid down in July of 1944 by the California Shipbuilding and Drydock Co.(Now known as Bethlehem Steel Terminal Island) The hull was then towed to Moore Drydock Co. in September for final modifications and was commissioned by the Navy in January of 1945. After training exercises and final shakedown later that month in San Diego, the Arenac set out for Hawaii with a load of military cargo.
The Arenac arrived in Pearl Harbor in March of 1945 and began ferrying cargo between Hawaii and Guam. In May of 1945 the vessel began preparing with many other cargo vessels for the invasion of Okinawa. During her initial foray into the waters off Okinawa, she carried predominantly ammunition. Upon return, she was loaded with medical evacuees from the ground battle on the Island. She would one more voyage of this kind, typically under fire from Japanese ground defenses and air attacks. After the Arenac's second voyage to Okinawa, the vessel required repair and was ordered to return to the mainland U.S. for repairs. After just a few days in a Richmond, CA shipyard, she was en route to Pearl Harbor again but welcomed the news of Japan's capitulation before reaching Hawaii.
The Arenac was always ready and willing to return to the open seas and support the allies' Pacific effort in any way she could. The vessel had a brave and hard working crew, whose only concern was helping in any way they could. These men faced the danger of gun fire and kamikaze attacks day and night while unloading weapons and reloading the vessel with injured men, whose lives were likely saved because of their evacuation onboard the Arenac.
Unfortunately, there was a much quieter danger that many of these men had no idea was lurking in the construction of the Arenac. Asbestos was used in nearly all facets of ship construction because it was an excellent insulator and a good fire retardant material that could be included in many compounds. Those who worked around these materials were often exposed to harmful levels of asbestos over a period of time. Those crew members or ship repairmen who worked with insulation materials or fireproofing likely encountered asbestos material at some point. It is important that these people be mindful that asbestos has been conclusively linked with cancer and other respiratory complications.
