USS Mannert L. Abele DD-733

The USS Mannert L. Abele (DD-733) was an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer laid down by the Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine on 9 December 1943 and launched on 23 April 1944.

History of World War II Service

The Mannert L. Abele began her service with a shakedown cruise off the coast of Bermuda. She continued as a training ship for new destroyer crews in the Chesapeake Bay before leaving for duty in the Pacific Theater on 16 October 1944. She began intensive training maneuvers, which lasted for two weeks, at Pearl Harbor on 17 November. She joined a convoy on 3 December but returned to Pearl two weeks later for a major conversion to a fighter director ship.

In this capacity, the Abele received special radio and radar equipment and then underwent radar picket training before leaving again on 27 January 1945 in preparation for the invasion of Iwo Jima. During the actions on Iwo Jima, the Abele screened ships of the assault force and provided fire support and shore bombardment.

On 21 March 1945, the Abele joined Task Force 54 and provided covering fire for the invasion of Okinawa - the largest and most costly action of the Pacific War. During the week that preceded the invasion, she screened ships and bombarded enemy positions in support of the impending invasion. On 1 April, as American troops stormed the beaches, the Abele offered close fire support. She then began radar picket patrols northeast of Okinawa. She was attacked while on this duty, but succeeded in shooting down two of the three attacking planes.

In the days that followed, a major Japanese offensive was launched to prevent the United States from progressing any closer to the Japanese home islands. It was during these engagements that the Abele met with significant air power. On 8 April, the Abele again resumed radar picket duty, this time 70 miles to the northwest of Okinawa. Accompanied by two LSMRs, she stood guard at her station until 12 April. In the middle of the afternoon watch on that day, the Abele was attacked by numerous Japanese aircraft, including kamikaze pilots flying the new, jet-powered "flying bomb." She would not survive the battle.

The Sinking of the Mannert L. Abele

At roughly 2:00 p.m., three kamikaze planes broke out of formation and moved toward the Abele to attack. The gunners on the destroyer were successful in driving off one of the attacking planes and downing another, but the third impacted the ship's starboard side and penetrated into the engine room where it exploded.

The destroyer began to slow down and the impact of the kamikaze broke the ship's keel and had rendered her powerless. With guns and steering gone, and with the Abele defenseless and dead in the water, she took a second hit from an enemy plane. This strike proved fatal, breaking the destroyer in two and sinking her instantly.

Survivors continued to be attacked by Japanese planes, but those attacks were short-lived as the LSMR-189 and LSMR-190 drove off the attackers and rescued survivors of the wreck.

Asbestos Risks

Aboard every Navy craft up until the 1960s, the substance known as asbestos was widely employed for insulation and for fireproofing. Boilers and mechanical sections were usually the areas where a seaman or dockworker was prone to inhale particles of asbestos. Nevertheless, nearly all parts of a ship such as the USS Mannert L. Abele presented a measurable level of asbestos contamination.

If a vessel was hit, whether in battle, by catastrophic storms, or through misfortune, it almost inevitably uncovered asbestos-laden components to the open air, which meant more risk of undergoing asbestos exposure. With asbestos, the greatest hazard occurs when fibers become damaged and release into the air. Repeated asbestos contact is thoroughly associated with multiple forms of mesothelioma, lung cancer and many other health issues. Because asbestos-induced diseases are difficult to diagnose, those who worked around this mineral should definitely notify their primary care physician of this history.

If you or a loved one have experienced asbestos exposure as a result of serving or working on a naval vessel, you may have legal options for compensation. Many have already received financial assistance to help pay for medical expenses and lost income. For more information about this and treatment options, please fill out the request form on this page to receive a free informational packet.

Sources:

Destroyers Index