USS Champlin DD-601

Thirty Benson-class destroyers were built for the U.S. Navy between 1939 and 1943. They were essentially an upgrade of the previous Sims-class, adding a second funnel and alternating boiler and engine rooms to better enable the ship to survive torpedo hits.

The USS Champlin (DD-601) was built by the Bethlehem Steel Company at its Fore River Shipyard in Quincy, Massachusetts and launched in July 1942. Commissioned six weeks later, she was placed under command of Lieutenant Commander C. L. Melson.

Her first missions took her to the U.S. Naval Base in Argentina, Newfoundland and the Panama Canal Zone on escort duty. On 11 December, she departed for North Africa and returned two months later. On 4 March, she left with a convoy to Morocco and passed the Azores eight days later, having been followed by German U-boats for most of that time. Champlin detected U-130 on 12 March and sailed ahead of the convoy to engage. Discovered on the surface, U-130 made an emergency dive and Champlin's crew finished her off with depth charges. She returned to Boston on 15 April.

Two weeks later, Champlin again sailed for the Mediterranean. After several weeks of routine patrols, she joined in the invasion of Sicily on 6 July. Over the next eight months, she escorted five more escorts between New York and the war zones in North Africa and Great Britain.

In March and April 1944, Champlin's crew was undergoing refresher training in Casco Bay, Maine. On 7 April, she responded to reports of a German submarine prowling the nearby waters. She engaged U-856 at 4:30 that afternoon, forcing the enemy to the surface with depth charges. A gun battle ensued and the captain ordered Champlin to ram the U-boat. She struck U-856 in the stern, sending her to the bottom. Tragically Captain Schaeffer, then in command, did not survive. He died the next day from shrapnel wounds suffered during the engagement.

Repairs to the bow took two weeks to complete and were carried out at a facility in New York City. Beginning on 21 April, Champlin spent the next three months in the Mediterranean before returning to New York for training and aircraft support operations for the rest of the year.

In January and February 1945, Champlin had the distinction of escorting the convoy that transported President Franklin D. Roosevelt to and from Malta, where he boarded his plane to the historic Yalta Conference. She remained in the Mediterranean until April, when she received orders for the Pacific.

Champlin reported to Pearl Harbor on 10 July 1945, then proceeded to Wake Island, participating in operations before moving on to Okinawa. After hostilities ceased, Champlin stayed on with the occupation force until October, after which she departed for home with a boatload of war-weary troops. After dropping off her passengers at San Diego, she continued on to Charleston, South Carolina where she was made part of the reserve fleet. The USS Champlin was sold in May 1972 for scrap.

Asbestos Risks

Vessels utilized by the United States Navy throughout World War I and World War II were commonly constructed using the mineral asbestos in insulation and in fireproofing capacities. The engines and mechanical sections of a ship like the USS Champlin generally were the areas where a crewman or dockworker was most at risk of asbestos exposure on a daily basis. However, nearly all areas of the destroyers such as the USS Champlin presented at least some risk of asbestos exposure. An increased risk of exposure occurred when a ship was damaged during battle or daily operations. This may cause asbestos fibers to break off and become airborne where they could be inhaled or ingested by anyone aboard.

Exposure to asbestos may cause the development of a serious illness such as mesothelioma (a rare and aggressive cancer, lung cancer and asbestosis. Naval veterans who served aboard the USS Champlin or other ships and vessels may have been exposed to asbestos regularly. Veterans may wish to notify their doctor of their potential exposure so routine check-ups and proper examinations may be conducted. Alerting your doctor of past exposure may aid in early detection of an asbestos-related disease which can lead to more treatment options.

If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or served aboard the USS Champlin and wish to learn more about symptoms, treatment and legal options available to Navy veterans, please click here and Asbestos.com will send you a complimentary comprehensive packet in the mail.

Sources:

Destroyers Index