USS Meredith DD-726

The USS Meredith (DD-726) was laid down by the Bath Iron Works Corporation in Bath, Maine on 26 July 1943. She was launched on 21 December 1943 under the command of George Knuepfer and commissioned on 14 March 1944. The ship was named for Jonathan Meredith, a sergeant of the U.S. Marine Corps who is famed for saving the life of Lieutenant John Trippe of the Vixen during the Barbary Wars.

The Meredith was an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer. These ships were built between May 1943 and April 1945. They are unique in that they were built with two rudders in order to provide more maneuverability for anti-submarine warfare.

History of the USS Meredith

The Meredith took her shakedown cruise off the coast of Bermuda before returning to Boston. She sailed again on 8 May 1944 as an escort for a transatlantic convoy en route to Plymouth, England. She arrived on 27 May 1944. Between 5 June and 6 June, the Meredith began escort duties for troop transports assembling for the invasion of Normandy. On the day of the invasion, 6 June 1944, the Meredith provided fire support for troops arriving at the Utah beachhead.

In the early morning of 7 June, the Meredith was engaged as a patrol and screening vessel off the Normandy coast. She struck a mine and was severely damaged. The explosion killed seven, and 50 more were wounded or missing. The Meredith was towed to the Baie of the Seine in order to be salvaged, but on the morning of 9 June 1944, while in dock, a German bombing raid further damaged her already weakened hull. Without warning, the vessel broke in two and sank. Fortunately, 163 sailors were rescued by the USS Bates.

The sunken ship was actually raised in September of 1960. The hulk was sold to St. Francaise de Recherches of France and was broken for scrap.

Asbestos Risks

Practically all compartments of a ship such as the USS Meredith posed a significant level of asbestos exposure, but a vessel's engine room and engineering compartments were usually the sections where a crewman or maintenance worker was likely to be in danger of inhaling airborne asbestos. Increased risk of undergoing harmful levels of asbestos exposure occurred whenever a craft was in conflict.

Inhaling airborne asbestos fibers has been known to cause the development of several asbestos-related diseases, including lung cancer, asbestosis and mesothelioma. Those who have been diagnosed with one of these conditions may have options for compensation as many have received financial assistance to help pay for medical expenses. For more information about compensation, asbestos exposure and treatment options, please fill out the request form on this page to receive a complimentary packet.

Sources:

Destroyers Index