USS Owen DD-536

The USS Owen (DD-536) was laid down on 17 September 1942 by the Bethlehem Steel Corporation in San Francisco and launched on 21 March 1943. She was a Fletcher-class destroyer named for Elias K. Owen, a naval commander of the Civil War.

World War II Service

The Owen was commissioned on 20 September 1943 and undertook her shakedown cruise off the coast of California. She was assigned to Destroyer Squadron 52 and trained in Hawaii before joining the Fast Carrier Task Force for the invasion of Kwajalein and Eniwetok. After the actions in the Marshall Islands, the Owen joined on 22 March 1944 in the assault on Palau, Yap, Ulithi and Woleai. She assisted in the actions surrounding several more Japanese strongholds before preparing for the Marianas Campaign.

She screened carriers during strikes against Tinian, Guam, Rota and Saipan, and on May 19 at the Battle of the Philippine Sea, she screened in the area near the Bunker Hill. The Owen supported the assault on Saipan after leaving Majuro again on 6 June. She struck at Pagan Island and then underwent upkeep at Eniwetok.

She assisted in various capacities as her force struck targets like Chichi Jima, Iwo Jima, Yap, Ulithi and Palau, and again during the Marianas and Bonins operations. She also supported the Palau campaign and in October assisted operations in the South China Sea. Along with her Task Force, she supported operations on October 20 near Leyte and Samar.

The Owen experienced boiler trouble but was repaired in time for the Leyte landing operations. Along with Task Group 34.5, she attacked Japanese forces near the entrance to Leyte Gulf, succeeding in taking down an enemy destroyer. Throughout November, the Owen raided Japanese installations in the Philippines and the next month assisted at Mindoro, Formosa and Lingayen Gulf. She then began increased travel to the South and East China Seas, attacking the enemy from the Ryukyu Islands to Saigon to Japan's mainland. She served as support during the Iwo Jima operation from 19 to 21 February 1945 and returned to Tokyo to begin a heightened campaign against Japan.

The Owen escorted the Franklin back to Ulithi after it was hit on 19 March by an enemy dive-bomber. On 5 April, she returned for the Battle of Okinawa, providing screen and raid assistance to Task Group 58.2. On 28 May, she sailed for Leyte Gulf and returned home to San Francisco on 9 July. The Owen was in the U.S. when the end of the war was declared.

Post-war Duties

The Owen was decommissioned on 10 December 1946 and remained at San Diego until 17 August 1951, when she reported with the Atlantic Fleet for duty in November. She was overhauled at Charleston and began training in the Caribbean. She sailed to Japan, arriving on 12 February, and began operating off the Korean peninsula alongside the 7th Fleet. She acted as screen and plane guard and also patrolled and acted as flagship near Korea.

In addition to these duties, she defended friendly islands, performed coastal patrol, and destroyed mines. She left the area on 26 June for the U.S., returning through the Suez Canal. She was later deployed in the Mediterranean and spent the majority of 1954 in the western Atlantic.

The Decommissioning of the Owen

In January 1955, the Owen was transferred to the Pacific Fleet and sailed for California. She arrived at Long Beach on January 26 and her division was redesignated Destroyer Division 192. From 1955 to 1958, the Owen was on a rotation of eastern Pacific training, western Pacific tours and shipyard overhauls.

In December 1957, the Owen returned from her last deployment and sailed for Mare Island Naval Shipyard for decommissioning. On 27 May 1958, she was decommissioned and remained in California in the Pacific Reserve Fleet until being stricken from the naval register on 15 April 1973. She was sold for scrap on 27 November 1973.

Asbestos Risks

Throughout 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