The USS La Porte was a Haskell-class attack transport ship which was acquired by the U.S. Navy during World War II. It was built by the Oregon Shipbuilding Group in 1944 and commissioned the same year. The ship was sponsored by Mrs. Charles N. Niles and had Commander Marion C. Thompson in command during the battle. Following shakedown, the USS La Porte left San Francisco, California to join the Pacific amphibious forces. For the outstanding activity it performed throughout World War II, the ship earned two battle stars. However, the USS La Porte was built with asbestos, a very dangerous mineral with convenient properties. Exposure to asbestos is known to cause numerous awful diseases, such as lung cancer. It occurs when one inhales or ingests asbestos fibers released in the air by various human activities. For this reason, veterans who were aboard the USS La Porte need to undergo regular medical examination to receive a timely diagnosis in the unfortunate event they develop a disease due to military asbestos exposure. The fate of the USS La Porte remains unknown.