USS Sicily (CVE-118)
History of the USS Sicily Aircraft Carrier
The USS Sicily (CVE-118) was ordered for the U.S. Navy during World War II. Her keel was laid down at Todd-Pacific Shipyards in Tacoma, Washington on October 23, 1944. She was launched on April 14, 1945 and commissioned on February 27, 1946 under the command of Captain B.W. Wright.
After shakedown training, USS Sicily sailed to the Brooklyn Navy Yard via the Panama Canal. She then headed to Argentia, Newfoundland for cold weather training. The carrier sailed with the Atlantic Fleet from 1946 until 1950.
USS Sicily was reassigned to the Pacific Fleet on April 28, 1950, with San Diego, California as her new homeport. When the Korean War began, she was ordered to the Far East. The aircraft carrier arrived in Korean waters in July, where she became flagship for Carrier Division 15.
The USS Sicily launched her first air strikes against North Korean targets on August 3, 1950. During her first Korean tour of duty, she supported ground forces at Pohang, troop landings at Inchon, the advance to Seoul and the Marine withdrawal from Chosin Reservoir to Hungnam. She returned home to San Diego, California on February 5, 1951.
On her second and third deployments to the Korean War zone, the USS Sicily operated on both the east coast and the west coast of Korea. During her third tour, from May 8 to December 4, 1952, she served as part of the United Nations Escort and Blockading Force. The carrier also took part in early experiments with Marine helicopters and vertical envelopment techniques.
USS Sicily would complete one more Far East deployment between July 14, 1953 and February 25, 1954. She was decommissioned in October 1954 and reclassified as an aircraft transport, AKV-18, in May 1959. The carrier was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on July 1, 1960 and sold for scrap on October 31, 1960. She received five battle stars for her service in the Korean War.
The use of asbestos was common in shipbuilding components for much of the 20th Century because of its resistance to heat, fire, water and corrosion. Because of their asbestos exposure onboard ship and in the shipyards, seaman, shipyard workers and longshoreman are at risk for developing asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma .
Sources include:
John Hedley-Whyte and Debra R Milamed, "Asbestos and Ship-Building: Fatal Consequences," Ulster Med. J. 77(3):191-200 (Sep 2008) Naval Historical Center, Library of Images—USS Sicily
