The USS West Virginia BB-48 was built by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Co. in Virginia and launched in 1921. As a Colorado-class battleship, the West Virginia used the latest design in naval architecture at the time. The West Virginia eventually served in World War II, even though the seminal event of the U.S. involvement in the war, the December 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, caused severed damage to the ship.
Pearl Harbor
The West Virginia was stationed at Pearl Harbor Dec. 7, 1941. It suffered seven torpedo hits by Japanese forces, and there were many horrific injuries and casualties among its 1,400-member crew. The ship was on fire for hours and eventually sunk to the bottom of the harbor.
Complete Rebuilding
Nevertheless, the USS West Virginia was refloated and underwent a complete rebuilding in Bremerton, Washington at the Puget Sound Navy Yard. She later participated in the Battle of Iwo Jima and other WWII campaigns. Nicknamed the “WeeVee,” the USS West Virginia received five battle stars for her WWII service.
After so many years of service in the U.S. Navy, the West Virginia was sold to the Union Minerals and Alloys Corp. in New York for scrap in 1959.
Asbestos Concerns Regarding the USS West Virginia
Both the West Virginia’s original construction circa 1920 and its complete re-build in the WWII years were long before the enforcement of strict asbestos safety regulations in the shipbuilding industry. These regulations were greatly overdue when they were implemented in the 1970s to protect shipyard workers, passengers and crews aboard ships.
The widespread use of asbestos in the construction of both Navy and private ships resulted in the development of asbestos-related diseases such as mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis in hundreds, perhaps thousands, of men and women.
Your Service with the USS West Virginia
If you or your loved one help re-build or served aboard the West Virginia, you should be aware of your legal rights regarding asbestos exposure. Contact an asbestos law firm or attorney in your area to discuss your concerns.
