USS Corregidor CVE 58

Completed in 1943 and named for an island in the Philippines, the USS Corregidor CVE 58 was a "Casablanca" class aircraft carrier that was originally intended to be a gift to the British Royal Navy. When another vessel was given instead, the USS Corregidor began her nearly 20-year career with the U.S. Navy, with whom she served in WWII, the Korean War and the Lebanese Crisis.

Throughout her years of service, the USS Corregidor performed a number of different missions, including fighting in combat and undergoing a series of overhauls – both of which would endanger lives. In fact, just as combat was responsible for many deaths, so too did building and repairing the USS Corregidor cut lives short, as harmful asbestos exposure has caused (and will continue to cause) many to develop incurable, life-threatening diseases.

Because asbestos exposure can be devastating and fatal, it is important that anyone who spent time working on or aboard the USS Corregidor take time to learn more about asbestos and its harmful effects.

The USS Corregidor in WWII

In her first set of missions, the USS Corregidor joined Carrier Division 24 and:

• Aided in the invasion of the Gilbert Atolls (1943)
• Underwent repairs in San Diego
• Supported the Marshall Island invasion (1944).

Subsequently, she joined the 7th Fleet and:
• Participated in missions in Hollandia
• Protected the waters surrounding Manus
• Joined the Saipan invasion
• Performed pre-invasion operations in Guam
• Patrolled the Pacific as a member of a protective "submarine hunter" fleet.

Upon the end of WWII, the USS Corregidor was, like many of her fleet-mates, involved in "Operation Magic Carpet," which was dedicated to bringing troops home. As the following peacetime didn't call for her duty, the aircraft carrier was decommissioned and placed on the Navy's reserve list in July 1946.

The USS Corregidor's Final Missions

By 1951, the USS Corregidor would again be called to serve her country, as the U.S. needed her to aid in the war effort proceeding in Korea. To this end, she made five tours between Korea and the U.S., transporting troops and vital supplies.

In 1955, she was reclassified as "CVU 58", after which she supported aircraft landings during the Lebanese Crisis in 1958. These would prove to be her final missions. She was decommissioned for the final time in September 1958.

USS Corregidor and Asbestos

Workers who worked on and aboard the USS Corregidor and other U.S. aircraft carriers before the late 1970s are at risk of developing an asbestos-related disease such as asbestosis or mesothelioma. This is because the aircraft carriers were full of asbestos-laden products.

In fact, asbestos-related deaths are likely to continue occurring throughout the coming years, as fatal diseases caused by asbestos exposure can take decades to manifest and present themselves.

If you or someone you love worked on or aboard a U.S. aircraft carrier and you believe you may have been exposed to harmful amounts of asbestos, contact us today to speak with an asbestos attorney who will fight to ensure your legal rights are protected.