USS Lipan
The USS Lipan was a Fleet Tug of the United States Navy. The vessel was constructed in Alameda, California by United Engineering Co. in 1942. Fleet Tugs were commonly given names that reflected a Native American heritage and Lipan was named after a North American Tribe that was part of the Mescalero Apache. The vessel was commissioned in the April of 1943.
Lipan first was assigned to Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides Islands of the South Pacific, which is where she transported war supplies to Guadalcanal. Lipan was assigned outright to Guadalcanal and operated out of the Solomon Islands in 1944. She supported the invasion of Saipan and then assisted the efforts in Guam, Leyte, and Okinawa.
Throughout the 1950s Lipan participated in nuclear testing in the Pacific and then in the Korean War. In the 1960’s the tug assisted in the Vietnam efforts and continued nuclear testing. In the 1980s, Lipan’s navy career ended and she was transferred to the U.S. Coast Guard. In 1990, Lipan was sunk as a target ship in naval operations off the coast of Puerto Rico. Her crewmen believed it was a fitting ending for a ship that continued to service her country even during its final days.
The crew aboard the Lipan were hardworking and proved to be a critical aspect of assisting three different war efforts. Unfortunately, some of these men were exposed to asbestos while conducting modifications or repairs of naval vessels, which were laden with asbestos fixtures. Many are not suffering the consequences of asbestos exposure, including the rare cancer mesothelioma. Those who believe they may have been exposed should contact a physician immediately for warning signs of related health complications.
Last modified: December 28, 2010.
