USS Davison DD-618

The Gleaves-class destroyer was the last of six classes that were built in the years leading up to World War II as part of the U.S. Navy's modernization program in response to the Empire of Japan's construction of larger and deadlier war ships. It differed little from its predecessor, the Benson-class. Designed by the naval architectural firm of Gibbs and Cox, Inc., it was the most successful of the pre-war designs and 92 Gleaves and Benson-class vessels were constructed between 1938 and 1942.

The USS Davison was one such vessel, built by the Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company (a private corporation, not connected to the Federal government) of Kearney, New Jersey, in 1942. She was commissioned in September of that year under the command of Commander W. C. Winn.

Her primary duty during the war was to escort and screen convoys between the United States and ports in North Africa, the Mediterranean, and Britain. As transport ships (usually converted passenger liners or the famous Liberty ships) had little or no armaments and were not maneuverable or fast, it was the duty of destroyers such as the Davison to act as a protective "screen" around such convoys, guarding them from enemy subs and aircraft. She continued in this capacity until June 1945, when she was ordered to the Charleston NB in South Carolina for conversion to a high-speed minesweeper. Reclassified as DMS-37, her crew spent the remainder of the war training for this task.

Postwar Duty

For four years after the way, the USS Davison operated in the western Pacific during the occupation and mopping-up operations before being ordered to San Diego in June 1949 to stand down. She was put in reserve upon her return.

Six years later, she was reclassified as DD-618, but never returned to active duty. She was scrapped in 1973 as one of the last surviving Gleaves-class destroyers.

Asbestos Risks

Through both World War I and World War II, every American Navy craft routinely installed the mineral asbestos for insulating compartments and as a fire control material since the mineral possesses a natural resistance to heat and fire. Though practically every part of destroyers such as the USS Davison presented a risk of asbestos exposure, a ship's engine room and engineering sections were generally the spaces where crewmen or dockworkers were in the greatest danger of inhaling asbestos fibers. Even greater risk of undergoing high levels of asbestos exposure resulted when a ship was damaged, often through battle or routine operations, since wear and tear to a vessel could cause asbestos-containing materials to release the toxic fibers into the air where anyone nearby could inhale or ingest them into the body.

Asbestos exposure can cause the development of serious asbestos-related diseases such as mesothelioma, a rare cancer that typically affects the lining of the lungs. Mesothelioma develops when asbestos fibers enter the body and become lodged in organs and body cavities, causing inflammation or infection. Patients with mesothelioma may not present symptoms of the cancer until 20 to 50 years after initial asbestos exposure occurred. Veterans comprise approximately 30 percent of mesothelioma patients and those who served during the middle of the 20th century continue to be diagnosed with the cancer today. If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or served aboard the USS Davison and wish to learn more, please click here and Asbestos.com will send you a complimentary comprehensive packet.

In addition to those who served aboard ships and vessels, workers who repaired ships or worked on the construction of destroyers may also have been exposed to asbestos. If you served aboard a destroyer like the USS Davison or worked in a shipyard, you may wish to alert your doctor of your potential exposure to asbestos. Informing your doctor may lead to an earlier diagnosis should an asbestos-related disease be present, which may aid in greater treatment options to combat the illness.

Sources:

Destroyers Index