USS Maryland BB-46

First commissioned in 1921, the USS Maryland BB-46 was a highly valued battleship due to her esteemed status as the first ship to be mounted with 16-inch guns. While much of her early years were spent escorting dignitaries and performing training exercises, during the attack on Pearl Harbor, the USS Maryland provided vital firepower, as she fought Japanese bombers.

In addition to the lives lost during these attacks, as well as the lives lost in subsequent combat operations, those who helped build and repair the USS Maryland throughout her years of service also may have had their lives endangered due to toxic asbestos exposure. Like other battleships constructed in the early 20th century, the USS Maryland contained many parts and substances comprised of carcinogenic asbestos fibers.

Because prolonged asbestos exposure can result in mesothelioma and other fatal diseases, it's vital that anyone who worked aboard the USS Maryland learn more about the methods and dangers of asbestos exposure aboard battleships.

The USS Maryland in WWII

The Pearl Harbor attacks marked one of the first combat operations of the USS Maryland. Although she was hit and damaged by a few bombs on that fateful day in December 1941, after undergoing necessary repairs and modernizations at Puget Sound, she was once again ready to rejoin the war effort in February 1942.

Newly repaired, the USS Maryland:

• fought in the Battle of Midway
• continued training military personnel
• patrolled routes that included Australia, Fiji and the New Hebrides
• joined the Southern Attack Force at Gilbert Islands and participated in raids at Tarawa
• provided ammunitions support for attacks on Roi Island

After her involvement in these missions, the USS Maryland was again ready for repairs, which she underwent at the Bremerton Shipyard in Washington. She then:

• fought in missions at Saipan
• joined the 7th Fleet to fight in the Battle of Leyte Gulf
• participated in the invasion of Okinawa

Due to damages sustained during these missions, the USS Maryland would not participate in the final operations of World War II, as she headed back to Puget Sound for repairs.

The USS Maryland After WWII

In the months after World War II, the USS Maryland was involved in "Operation Magic Carpet," a mission focused on bringing troops home. Through her service, she ultimately carried over 8,000 veterans back to the U.S.

This would prove to be her last mission, as she was decommissioned in April 1947 and sold for scrap in 1959. Although she would no longer serve the Navy, her contributions weren't forgotten: Along with earning seven battle stars for her service in WWII, the "Fighting Mary," as the USS Maryland was endearingly called, was also memorialized at the State House in Annapolis, Maryland.

Like other battleships built during the early to mid-twentieth century, the USS Maryland housed many asbestos-containing parts and materials. Shipyard workers, Navy personnel and others who worked on or served aboard the USS Maryland faced the risk of dangerous asbestos exposure.

Since victims of asbestos-related conditions may be entitled to a monetary settlement or award, it is important for those affected to seek legal guidance. Contact us to discuss your circumstances with an asbestos attorney.