The naval ship USS Haven (AH-12) was built by the Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Corp. in Chester, Pennsylvania, laid down as the SS Marine Hawk. Launched in 1944, the Haven served as a hospital ship in World War II and the Korean War, earning awards including:
- Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
- World War II Victory Medal
- National Defense Service Medal
- Korean Service Medal
- Republic of Korea War Service Medal
A Chemical Carrier
After the end of the Korean War, the USS Haven was used as a floating hospital based in Long Beach, California. Converted later to a chemical carrier (the Clendenin), then renamed the Alaskan for service with Union Carbide, the ship was eventually scrapped in 1987.
USS Haven and Asbestos Exposure
As a WWII-era naval ship, the USS Haven no doubt had components that contained asbestos. The people who built the Haven in Pennsylvania, her Navy crew and civilian crews after the wars, and the workers who scrapped her, were all at risk of inhaling asbestos fibers. Asbestos was used in various products on the ships, including: insulation materials, steam pipes and hot water pipes.
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, or another asbestos-caused disease as a result of your work onboard the USS Haven or another navy ship, contact us today. You may be eligible to file an asbestos lawsuit an obtain compensation for your losses.
