USS Izard DD-589

The USS Izard (DD-589), a Fletcher-class destroyer, was built at the Charleston Navy Yard and launched on 8 August 1942. She was commissioned on 15 May 1943 under command of Cmdr. Earl K. Van Swearingen.

War Record

The Izard reported to Pearl Harbor 4 October, spending the next 6 weeks in crew training while standing plane guard duty. As the Pacific Fleet advanced across Micronesia, the Izard departed on 10 November 1943 from Pearl Harbor for the Gilbert Islands operations, providing air, surface and anti-submarine protection for Makin Island for the next four weeks.

After taking on several active and hazardous duties during the invasion and occupation of the Marshall Islands, Izard returned to Pearl Harbor in mid-March of 1944. She returned to action a week later for operations in New Guinea and the Marianas. The Izard was part of the screen for the Fast Carrier Task Force during the Battle of the Philippine Sea in mid-June 1944, which all but assured the ultimate defeat of Imperial Japan.

The Izard continued supporting the Fast Carrier group, first carrying out preliminary strikes on the airfield at Iwo Jima, then following with bombardments of Okinawa and Formosa. During the following months she supported the Leyte operation and participated in the Battle of Lingayen Gulf and the troop landings on Iwo Jima.

The Izard steamed for the Puget Sound Naval Yard in Bremerton, Washington for refitting, arriving on 20 April 1945. When repairs were completed, she reported to Pearl Harbor on 30 June and she was ordered to join the Northern Pacific Force at Adak, Alaska. At the end of August, the Izard sailed for the northern island of Honshu, Japan, participating in mopping-up and occupation duties until sailing for home on 15 November.

The USS Izard was decommissioned at San Diego on 31 May 1946 and joined the Reserve Fleet. She was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 1 May 1968 and was sold for scrap two years later.

Asbestos Risks

Through World War II, each American navy destroyer widely utilized the mineral asbestos for insulation and fireproofing techniques. Although nearly every part of a ship posed a real danger of asbestos exposure, workers were most prone to inhale asbestos fibers when working near the ship's engines and mechanical sections.

Inhaling asbestos fibers can lead to the development of asbestos-related diseases, including lung cancer, asbestosis and mesothelioma. Those who believe they have experienced asbestos exposure should seek routine medical checkups for asbestos complications because these illnesses can take anywhere between 10 and 50 years to develop.

If you have been diagnosed with an illness related to asbestos, you may have legal options for compensation. Treatment options can be very expensive and many have received financial assistance to help cover the costs. For more information, please fill out the request form on this page to receive a complimentary packet.

Sources:

Destroyers Index