USS Rupertus (DD-851)

USS Rupertus (DD-851) was laid down on 2 May 1945 at the Bethlehem Steel Company Shipyard in Quincy, Massachusetts. She was launched 21 September 1945 and commissioned 8 March 1946 under the command of William C. F. Robards.

Early Service

Following her initial shakedown trials out of Guantanamo Bay, Rupertus got underway for her new home port of San Francisco. On her first deployment in 1947, Rupertus operated throughout the Far East, focusing on the waters around Tsingtao, China. Remaining in the Far East throughout 1948, she returned to Tsingtao in 1949 and was among the last U.S. ships to leave that port before it fell to the Communists.

Returning to San Diego in December 1949 for maintenance, she stayed in nearby waters until 13 November 1950, when she got underway for Korea.

The Korean Conflict

Rupertus screened the carrier USS Sicily from Sasebo, Japan, to Hungnam, Korea. From 14 May 1951, she operated with Task Force 95 off the west coast of Korea in the Yellow Sea. Rupertus saw continuous combat service until 4 July 1951, when she returned to Inchon during the armistice talks.

Returning to San Diego on 8 August 1951, Rupertus spent six months in port before sailing to rejoin the 7th Fleet on 23 February 1952. She eventually returned to the United States and put in to the Long Beach Naval Shipyard for overhaul on 6 October.

Departing San Diego for her third Korea deployment on 16 May 1953, Rupertus screened the carrier USS Bremerton and participated in shore bombardment missions. The vessel also conducted hunter-killer exercises, trained Chinese Nationalist naval students in Formosan waters and participated in the centennial celebration of Commodore Matthew C. Perry's first visit to Japan before returning to San Diego.

The 1950s and 1960s

After hostilities ceased in Korea, Rupertus continued annual deployments to the Far East until 1960, when she was assigned to a new home port in Yokosuka.

Rupertus returned to San Francisco on 13 December 1962 for her Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization overhaul, during which her outmoded armament was replaced with a modern, integrated anti-submarine warfare (ASW) weapons system. On 26 May 1964 she got underway for the return voyage to Yokosuka. Patrolling throughout the Far East, she was present during the Gulf of Tonkin Incident that fall.

In June 1965 she participated in operations supporting the Gemini IV space flight before returning to Vietnamese waters for "Market Time" operations. During her deployment, her crew boarded and inspected many boats and ships off South Vietnam in search of contraband in addition to providing naval gunfire support to U.S. forces.

Operations on Taiwan Patrol and in the South China Sea continued throughout 1966, interrupted by participation in Gemini IX-A recovery operations in May and June.

Rupertus was then transferred to Long Beach, arriving on 3 August 1966. A year later, she was deployed to Yankee Station in the Gulf of Tonkin. When a series of explosions temporarily disabled carrier USS Forrestal on 29 July, Rupertus maneuvered to within 20 feet, staying alongside for a period of three hours as her crew assisted in fighting fires, cooling magazines and rescuing personnel who had jumped overboard.

Rupertus then participated in Operation Sea Dragon, the blockade of North Vietnamese ports, drawing enemy fire off Dong Hoi. She returned to Long Beach on 4 December.

Rupertus returned to Yokosuka on 22 July 1968, then assumed naval gunfire support responsibilities off South Vietnam on 14 August. She continued to operate throughout the Far East into 1969, including additional combat missions in Vietnam as well as patrols off Korea and in the Sea of Japan. Rupertus returned to San Diego 15 August 1970.

Rupertus was again deployed to the Far East in 1971 and 1972; each deployment lasted about six months in duration and was alternated with operations in the San Diego area.

Fate

Soon after her return from her last Far East deployment in the spring of 1973, the USS Rupertus underwent an inspection during which she was found to be unfit for further service.

Rupertus was transferred to the Hellenic Navy in July 1973 and recommissioned as HNS Kountouriotis (D-213). She remained in the Greek Navy until being retired in 1994. Since 1998, she has been laid up in Souda Bay, Crete.

Asbestos Risks

Men and women who fought for our country in the armed forces have always accepted that their duties come with expected risks, whether or not they see time in battle. What many were not aware of during the majority of the 1900s, however, was a danger unrelated to missiles or attacks by the enemy: the chance of contracting a disease related to exposure to asbestos.

As fire onboard navy ships can be extraordinarily deadly, fireproofing is a critical factor in the design and construction of ships. During the period when USS Rupertus and similar ships were constructed, the fibrous mineral asbestos was commonly utilized in shipyards for its property of being able to withstand flames. Unfortunately, what wasn't clearly understood or was sometimes overlooked was that contact with asbestos is the primary cause of debilitating diseases such as asbestosis and mesothelioma. The harm done by asbestos happens when very small particles are inhaled so that they invade the lungs and sometimes other organs, leading to scarring in the case of pleural plaques and cellular damage in the case of lung cancer and mesothelioma.

The consequences of inhaling asbestos were probably not uppermost in the minds of many people while they were busy engaging in battle or dealing with storms. However, when a navy ship was subject to damage from enemy fire, from storms or by accident, it often exposed asbestos-containing material and permitted it to become airborne, creating hazards beyond the obvious ones.

In addition, since nearly every area of ships like USS Rupertus had asbestos-containing materials, sailors generally were faced with some level of asbestos exposure even in their everyday duties. Furthermore, a navy file toiling in poorly ventilated areas containing asbestos, such as a ship's mechanical sections or engine room, was particularly at risk. People who maintained Rupertus or other destroyers like her when she was in a shipyard for overhaul were faced with the chance of asbestos inhalation too.

Many asbestos-related illnesses take decades to show up. To be able to make an accurate diagnosis, a doctor needs to have information about a patient's experience with contact with asbestos. If you served aboard USS Rupertus during your career, you should educate yourself about the symptoms of asbestos-related diseases and discuss any concerns you have with your doctor. To learn more about the diagnostic process, available treatment options and financial assistance to help pay for medical costs, please fill out this form to receive a comprehensive packet in the mail.

Sources

1. NavSource. "USS RUPERTUS (DD-851)." http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/851.htm
2. USN. Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (Web site). http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/r9/Rupertus.htm

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