USS Hewitt (DD-966)

The USS Hewitt (DD-966) was a Spruance-class destroyer built by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Division of Litton Industries at Pascagoula, Mississippi. Her keel was laid in July 1973. She was launched on 14 September 1974 and commissioned on 25 September 1976.

Service History

Initially stationed out of San Diego, Hewitt was deployed to the Far East in September 1978 and was assigned to the U.S. 7th Fleet. Hewitt returned to San Diego in April 1979. In preparation for her next deployment, Hewitt participated in a multinational Rim-of-the-Pacific (RIMPAC) battle group exercise in February and March 1980.

Hewitt departed for her second overseas deployment on 15 May 1980. She operated in the Indian Ocean as part of Battle Group Charlie, protecting all-important access to Middle East petroleum resources. During this deployment, her crew earned the Humanitarian Service Medal for rescuing a group of Vietnamese boat refugees adrift in the South China Sea.

Hewitt entered the Long Beach Naval Shipyard in 19 May 1981 for her first regular overhaul. She departed on 21 March 1983 for her third deployment. For the remainder of the 1980s, Hewitt made regular voyages to Asian waters for a variety of routine patrols, weapons testing and battle readiness exercises.

Hewitt's fifth western Pacific deployment ended on 16 March 1990. Five months later, she was underway to her new home port of Yokosuka, Japan.

Persian Gulf

Operating out of Yokosuka, Hewitt engaged in maneuvers with naval forces from all over the world. She served as flagship for the commander of the Maritime Interception Force (MIF) during boarding operations in support of Operation Desert Storm in 1991. Hewitt concluded an intensive six-month deployment to the Persian Gulf in April 1993. Her seventh deployment was highlighted by a Tomahawk strike against Iraq and combined operations with the Russian destroyer Admiral Tributs.

Following a brief maintenance period in early 1994. Hewitt participated in RIMPAC 94. Directly following this exercise, Hewitt conducted live missile firings off the coast of Kauai, Hawaii. Hewitt again deployed to the Persian Gulf on 5 September 1994 as a primary component of the multinational Middle East peacekeeping unit, enforcing United Nations sanctions against Iraq. Hewitt returned to Yokosuka, Japan, 10 January 1995.

On 17 March 1995, Hewitt entered the yards for an extended maintenance period that ended 5 September 1995.

On 3 June 1996, Hewitt got underway for her ninth deployment to the Persian Gulf. While supporting U.S. 5th Fleet operations, Hewitt participated in Operation Desert Strike and launched two Tomahawk missiles on 4 September 1996 against Iraq. Hewitt received a Meritorious Unit Commendation for her actions during the deployment and returned home to Yokosuka, Japan, on 30 October 1996.

Hewitt Makes History

In May 1997, Hewitt made history when she underwent modifications to house the first female sailors to be permanently assigned to a U.S. Naval ship. The first seawomen reported for duty in July. On 24 August 1997, Hewitt was reassigned to San Diego.

On 27 January 1999, Hewitt was deployed to the Persian Gulf once more in support of U.N. Sanctions against Iraq. During this tour of duty, she conducted visit, board search and seizure actions with merchantmen in the area. Hewitt returned to San Diego on 26 July 1999 followed by a two-month yard availability, which ended 7 November 1999.

Fate

The USS Hewitt was decommissioned on 19 July 2001. She was sold for scrap on 9 August 2001 to International Shipbreaking, Inc., of Brownsville, Texas.

Asbestos Risks

People who protected their nation in the armed forces have always understood that their enlistments come with expected dangers, whether or not they experience time in battle. However, what most U.S. servicemen and servicewomen in the first part of the 1900s, especially sailors in the navy, did not know was that exposure to asbestos could eventually turn out to be nearly as deadly as enemy actions.

Being able to halt the spread of fire onboard a navy vessel is paramount; numerous shipboard incidents attest to the hazards of fire at sea. During the time that USS Hewitt and similar ships were built, the substance known as asbestos was frequently utilized on ships because of its property of being able to insulate against flames. The problem with is that along with its fireproofing properties, asbestos is also associated with debilitating conditions as lung cancer and peritoneal mesothelioma. Scientists now know damage to human health happens when asbestos is broken up into small particles that are inhaled.

During the heat of battle or while struggling to survive a hurricane, the possibility of eventually coming down with lung cancer or mesothelioma was undoubtedly far from most sailors' thoughts. But when a navy ship was damaged by enemy fire, by the weather or in a collision with another ship, it frequently exposed asbestos-containing material and allowed it to become airborne, creating hazards besides the more immediate ones. In addition, as nearly all spaces in ships like USS Hewitt contained asbestos, those aboard generally were faced with some amount of asbestos exposure even as they performed their normal duties. Since asbestos was prevalent near ship's conduits and mechanical areas, service personnel who worked in such areas were particularly at risk. Those who worked on Hewitt or other destroyers like her when she spent time in dry dock for overhaul were subject to the possibility of asbestos ingestion as well.

Since asbestos-related diseases such as pericardial mesothelioma frequently don't appear until as many as 20 or 30 years after a person came in contact with asbestos, they can be extremely tricky to spot. However, understanding a patient's history of asbestos contact can help a doctor in being able to make an accurate diagnosis. If you are a veteran who served aboard USS Hewitt for any period of time, you should become knowledgeable about the signs of asbestos-related diseases and talk about any concerns you have with your doctor. To learn more about the diagnostic process, available treatment options and financial assistance to help pay for medical costs, please fill out this form to receive a comprehensive packet in the mail.

Sources

1. Gardiner, Robert et. al. (eds.) Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947-1982. (US Naval Institute Press, 1996).
2. NavSource. "USS HEWITT (DD-966)." http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/966.htm
3. Navy Site. "USS Hewitt (DD 966)." http://navysite.de/dd/dd966.htm

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