USS Bell DD-587

The U.S. Navy received 175 Fletcher-class destroyers between 1942 and 1945. Many of these durable vessels continued to serve into the Vietnam era, and a few were operational into the late 1990s. The last Fletcher-class destroyer was retired in 2001.

The USS Bell (DD-587), a Fletcher-class destroyer, was named for an admiral of the Union Navy during the American Civil War. The vessel was constructed at the Charleston Navy Yard between December 1941 and June 1942. She was commissioned the following March and placed under command of Commander L. C. Peatross.

After her shakedown cruise, the Bell spent her first seven months of active duty patrolling the North Atlantic and serving as a convoy escort. She was ordered to Pearl Harbor in November 1943, where she joined Task Force 58 and served in several actions of the South Pacific campaign over the course of the next several months. Amazingly, she was not damaged, despite being in the thick of the action off several islands, including the Marianas, Truk, Guam and Okinawa. She received a total of 12 battle stars for her wartime service.

The actions took their toll on the boat's machinery, however and in February 1945, she was ordered to the Puget Sound Navy Yard in Bremerton, Washington for repairs that took two months to complete.

The USS Bell returned to the Pacific and spent the remainder of the war conducting routine patrols and escorting convoys in the Philippines. Following the Japanese surrender, she served in a support capacity during the U.S. occupation until mid-December 1945.

Steaming home to San Francisco, she joined the Pacific reserve fleet in San Diego in June of 1946 and remained there until she was retired and used for target practice during torpedo training exercises in May 1975.

Asbestos Risks

On every Navy ship through the 1960s, asbestos was widely utilized to insulate pipes. Since the mineral possesses a natural resistance to heat and fire, it was commonly used aboard ships and vessels for its fireproofing abilities. Nearly all areas of a ship like the USS Bell presented a danger os exposure to asbestos, though the ship's boiler room and engine sections were areas where exposure was especially common. Experiencing major exposure was even more likely when a destroyer incurred damage in battle or through daily operation, causing asbestos fibers to break off into the air where they could be inhaled or ingested by anyone nearby.

Exposure to asbestos can cause the development of a serious disease such as malignant mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer. If you served aboard the USS Bell or have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, a rare asbestos-related cancer, and wish to learn more about symptoms, treatment and legal options, please click here to receive a complimentary informational packet from Asbestos.com.

Sources:

Destroyers Index