USS Idaho BB-42

The USS Idaho BB-42, constructed in 1919, was among the massive battleships built in the early 20th Century and used in the war effort. While her early years were primarily spent performing training exercises and escorting dignitaries, after a thorough overhaul in 1931, she joined the Pacific Fleet in patrolling the coastline, training military personnel and traveling to Iceland.

Like her fleet-mate the USS Colorado, the USS Idaho managed to luckily escape the attacks on Pearl Harbor, as she was on a trip to Iceland at the time of the Japanese bombings.

The USS Idaho in WWII

Although the USS Idaho had been around nearly two decades before the U.S. got involved in World War II, it wasn't until after the Pearl Harbor attack that she got heavily involved in combat operations. In fact, after the Pearl Harbor bombings, the USS Idaho went to the Aleutians, where she supported U.S. troops with offshore gunfire.

After the Japanese fled the Aleutians, the USS Idaho:

• went to the Gilbert Islands to offer ammunitions support
• joined an assault fleet on its way to the Makin Atoll, where she also offered ammunitions support
• aided in the invasion of the Marshall Islands
• traveled to the Marianas Islands to provide rounds of pre-invasion firing
• provided support to U.S. forces in the Battle of the Philippine Sea.

Subsequently, after undergoing various repairs, the USS Idaho played an important role in the invasion of the Philippines and the Battle of Iwo Jima. While she would continue participating in pivotal battles that led to the Japanese surrender, by the end of World War II, the USS Idaho had exhausted her capabilities.

Upon the end of the war, the USS Idaho was decommissioned and sold for scrap. However, her contribution was not forgotten – her consistently heroic and stellar service in the war effort earned her seven battle stars.

Asbestos Exposure on the USS Idaho

Like other battleships made in the early 1900s, the USS Idaho was largely built with parts and substances containing toxic asbestos fibers. From insulation to piping to engine parts, asbestos was used in nearly every part of the ship, including in:

• boiler rooms
• bunk areas
• engine rooms
• kitchens
• mess halls
• navigation rooms
• officers' quarters

Consequently, nearly everyone who worked on board the USS Idaho is at risk for developing asbestos cancers. For more information and resources on battleship-related asbestos exposure, contact us.