USS Mitscher (DD-927)

The USS Mitscher (DD-927) was the lead ship of her class of destroyer. Her keel was laid down by union steelworkers of the Bath Iron Works Corporation in Bath, Maine on 3 October 1949. She was reclassified as a destroyer leader and designated DL-2 on 2 February 1951 while still under construction. She was launched on 26 January 1952 and commissioned on 15 May 1953 under the command of Commander Terrell H. W. Connor.

About the Mitscher-Class

Only four Mitscher-class destroyers were built. Similar in profile and in terms of size and displacement, each of the vessels was unique in its propulsion and on-board systems. The purpose of the Mitscher project was to assist designers of future destroyers in determining best design practices in the production of subsequent classes.

Mitscher Service Record

After her shakedown trials out of Guantanamo Bay, the Mitscher entered the Boston Naval Shipyard for further modifications. This was followed by another shakedown cruise to the Caribbean. On 31 August 1954, she was declared ready for active duty. Initially stationed out of Newport, Rhode Island, she operated primarily off the east coast until 3 January 1956, carrying out readiness exercises.

Following a diplomatic cruise to western Europe, the Mitscher commenced five years of local operations and annual deployments to European waters for NATO exercises. Her home port was shifted to Charleston, South Carolina in 1960. On 9 February 1961, the Mitscher was deployed to the Mediterranean for a tour with the 6th Fleet. These deployments were carried out annually until 1965. The Mitscher spent at least six months of the year patrolling the Mediterranean and participating in NATO exercises in the region.

In 1962, the Mitscher returned to Newport. On 2 March 1966, she entered the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard where she was converted to a guided missile destroyer. She finally emerged from the yard on 29 June 1968 and given a new designation of DDG-35. Following her shakedown trials, the Mitscher was reassigned to a new home port at Norfolk, Virginia in 1969. The Mitscher made several more Mediterranean deployments during the early 1970s, undergoing one major overhaul at the Norfolk Navy Yard in 1972.

Fate

The Mitscher returned from her last Mediterranean deployment in February 1977. However, she had two more missions to complete. The first was a Surface Warfare Orientation for Midshipmen off the Virginia Capes that summer. She ended her career with a visit to the Gulf Coast during Mardi Gras in 1978. The USS Mitscher was finally decommissioned and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 1 June 1978 after a quarter-century in the water. She was sold for scrap two years later.

Asbestos Risks

Practically all compartments of a ship such as the USS Mitscher 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