USS Porter DD-356

The USS Porter (DD-356) was the lead ship in her class of destroyers, which were among the first "modern" destroyers built during the years leading up to the Second World War. The ships were constructed as part of the U.S. Navy's modernization program in the face of increasing tensions between the U.S. and the Empire of Japan. Her keel was laid down by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation in Camden, New Jersey on 18 December 1933 and she was launched on 12 December 1935. The Porter was commissioned at Philadelphia on 27 August 1936 under command of Commander Forrest B. Royal.

Early Service

After her initial shakedown cruise off the coast of northern Europe, the Porter spent the next year engaged in various diplomatic and ceremonial functions. She was then reassigned to the Pacific Fleet and stationed in San Francisco, California in August 1937. After this, she was assigned to San Diego. She operated continuously with the Pacific Fleet until the outbreak of World War II.

Wartime Service

The Porter was stationed in Pearl Harbor in the summer of 1941. On 7 December, the Porter was out on routine patrol and thus missed the action of that morning. She remained in Hawaiian waters for the next three months, conducting routine patrols before returning to the west coast in March 1942. The Porter remained near, but off the U.S. coast until August when she returned to Pearl Harbor for crew training in preparation for the invasion of Guadalcanal.

On 16 October, the Porter set sail for the Solomon Islands. On 26 October 1942, her task force engaged Japanese forces northeast of Guadalcanal in the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands. During the battle, the Porter was hit by a torpedo. After the crew abandoned ship, she was scuttled by the USS Shaw. Although ultimately a victim of Japanese fire, this may have been indirectly delivered: the proximate cause of Porter's demise appears to have been a torpedo from a U.S. Navy plane that was shot down.

Asbestos Risks

Throughout World War II and into the 1970s, 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.

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Destroyers Index