USS Lardner DD-487

The USS Lardner (DD-487) was laid down on 15 September 1941 by the Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company of Kearny, New Jersey and launched on 20 March 1942. She was a Gleaves-class destroyer named for Rear Admiral James L. Lardner, an American Civil War naval veteran.

Service History

The first duty of the Lardner came during her shakedown cruise off the New England coast from 28 May to 1 July. During this time she was tasked with investigating reports of German submarines in the area and even searched for a suspected U-boat as far south as Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. On 21 August the destroyer sailed for service in the South Pacific, acting there as a screen and escort. On 15 September during her time screening for Task Force 18, aircraft carrier Wasp was hit by an enemy torpedo. The Lardner struck back immediately with a depth charge and went to rescue 322 survivors.

The Lardner took down enemy planes as she approached Guadalcanal's Lunga Point and then assisted in bombarding the Japanese at Kolumbona and Cape Esperance. Throughout November, the Lardner screened transports at Guadalcanal, fighting in the Battle of Tassafaronga on the 30th. After serving as an escort to Espiritu Santo for Honolulu and Pensacola, two damaged cruisers, she arrived in New Caledonia for overhaul. Once repairs were completed in January 1943, she traveled between Purvis Bay, Guadalcanal and Espiritu Santo on screening duty, fighting off Japanese air attacks on 17 February. On 8 May, she returned to Pearl Harbor for modernization.

After arriving at Pago Pago on 14 August, the Lardner became a part of Task Force 37. On 29 November during the Bougainville Campaign, she bombarded the area. While the Lardner was on her way to cover the landings on Green Island on 14 February 1944, six Aichi D3A dive-bombers attacked her, but she did not suffer major damage.

The Lardner went on to perform a number of other duties, including bombardment of Rabaul and Kavieng, shipping searches in the Bismarck Sea, and attacks of Karavia Bay. On 25 February, after sinking a Japanese cargo ship, she bombarded Kavieng. Heavy enemy fire gave her a number of shrapnel holes. The Lardner continued to support and escort during the Hollandia, New Guinea landing and during the Palaus raid. She was involved in the occupation of Tinian, Saipan and Guam, the first raid on the Bonin Islands and the Battle of the Philippine Sea.

The Lardner was later overhauled at Bremerton, Washington and on 29 September returned to the South Pacific, spending a good deal of October near Hawaii. She was involved in escort duty from November 1944 until March of 1945, during which time she rescued five U.S. planes on 27 December while near Peleliu and Angaur. While investigating an unidentified craft, she ran aground. After this 29 January 1945 incident, she traveled to receive repairs at Ulithi.

She patrolled and escorted between Angaur and Peleliu from February to April. In May and June, while the securitization of Okinawa was under way, she operated with support forces. In the two months that followed, she operated near the eastern coast of Japan's main islands and supplied support to the U.S. 3rd Fleet during its attack on Honshu.

After Japan's surrender, the Lardner served as escort and then traveled to Okinawa to join a group of ships sailing to Japan. She escorted the South Dakota and assisted in evacuating prisoners of war from the mainland. She returned to New York on 7 December 1945 after having traveled through Singapore, Ceylon, South Africa, Cape Town and Saldanha Bay.

The Decommissioning of the Lardner and Turkish Service

The Lardner remained at New York until being ordered to Charleston on 9 February 1946. She was decommissioned on 16 May 1946 and joined the Atlantic Reserve Fleet. The destroyer was transferred to the navy of Turkey on 10 June 1949 under the terms of the Military Assistance Program and served there as TCG Gemlik (D-347) until 1974. On 21 November 1982, the Lardner was used as a target vessel during exercises and was sunk in the Eastern Mediterranean by U.S. vessels and aircraft.

Asbestos Risks

Asbestos was widely used for insulating pipes and fireproofing aboard each Navy craft of the World War II era. Sailors or repair personnel were prone to come into contact with asbestos when near a ship's boilers and engineering compartments, but practically all sections of the Lardner presented a significant level of asbestos exposure. If the ship took damage, whether in battle, by catastrophic storms, or accidentally, it often exposed asbestos-containing fixtures to the air.

If asbestos-containing materials are exposed and eventually release asbestos fibers into the air, exposure to asbestos can occur by either inhaling or ingesting the fibers released. Asbestos exposure has been proven to cause several asbestos-related diseases later in life, including lung cancer, asbestosis and mesothelioma. Those who believe they were exposed to asbestos while serving on a naval vessel should seek routine medical checkups with their doctor for signs of asbestos exposure.

If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with a condition related to asbestos, you may have legal options for compensation. Many have received financial assistance to help cover medical bills and lost income. For more information about compensation and treatment options for asbestos-related diseases, please fill out the request form on this page to receive a free informational packet.

Sources:

Destroyers Index