USS Kwajalein
The USS Kwajalein was an escort carrier of the Casablanca class in the US Navy. She was commissioned in 1944 in Vancouver Washington. Her first mission was to transport planes, fuel, and other cargo to forces in Guam. While there she picked up damaged Japanese equipment and returned it to be studied by the intelligence community in the US.
She continued with similar duties throughout the year and into 1945, furnishing the big carriers with replacement planes and supplies they needed to fight the battles on Formosa and the Chinese mainland. Between March and August the Kwajalein carried aircraft on three trips from Hawaii to the western Pacific in order to be sure the carrier groups engaged in battle were fully supplied for the attacks on the Japanese home islands. During her service in WW II she received two battle stars for excellence.
When the war ended on August 14, the Kwajalein was assigned the happy task of returning US military men home to the United States. While on this “Magic Carpet” mission she sailed to various Pacific Islands and back again four times. When she arrived in Washington on April 26 she was taken out of service and decommissioned in August.
After spending some time listed as part of the Pacific Reserve Fleet, she was sold to Japan for scrap in 1961.
The Kwajalein served her country honorably and the same can be said for the members of her crew. Regrettably, the sailors who worked aboard her were exposed to a danger they were not aware of at the time of their service. Because the Kwajalein was built at a time when people were unaware of the hazards posed by asbestos, it was used extensively in the construction of the vessel. This was particularly true of the insulation around pipes and fixtures below deck. Sailors may have been put at increased risk for a variety of respiratory problems including a form of cancer known as mesothelioma. Anyone who worked on the Kwajalein or other ship of her age should be aware that they might develop lung difficulties. We offer a free information packet to people who are concerned about possible asbestos exposure. They are encouraged to see a thoracic specialist for evaluation.
