USS Samuel B. Roberts (DD-823)

Destroyer USS Samuel B. Roberts (DD-823) was built by the union steelworkers the Consolidated Steel Corporation of Orange, Texas, where her keel was laid down on 27 June 1945. Roberts was launched on 30 November 1945 and commissioned on 22 December 1946 under the command of Cmdr. C. T. Doss.

Early Service

Roberts finished her shakedown training off Guantanamo Bay in February 1947.

She participated in Atlantic Fleet maneuvers before she was deployed to the Mediterranean in January 1948. Returning to the United States in June, she began another year of operations along the east coast of the United States, followed by a second tour of foreign duty to northern Europe from May to September 1949. After routine operations in the western Atlantic, Roberts was again deployed to the Mediterranean in March 1950. This cycle was typical of her service for the next three years.

Around the World in 180 Days Plus...

Samuel B. Roberts operated in the Atlantic and Caribbean from early 1953 until 3 August 1954, when she got underway for her circumnavigation of the globe. She spent five months in the waters around Japan and the Philippines, then sailed across the Indian Ocean and through the Suez Canal, arriving home on 14 March 1955. The remainder of 1955 was spent carrying out routine operations.

Back to the Med

Roberts again joined the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean on 27 September 1956. On 25 October, Roberts sailed for the Persian Gulf and duty with the Middle East Force. She transited the Suez Canal on the night of 27 and 28 October, being the last warship to transit the canal southbound before it was closed during the invasion crisis that year. The vessel continued her duties with the Middle East Force until sailing for home, arriving in Newport on 14 March 1957.

With the exception of a midshipman's cruise to Rio de Janeiro, Samuel B. Roberts remained near Newport until mid-September. She then participated in NATO exercises off northern Europe and returned to the United States on 22 October 1957.

Crises Averted

Roberts spent the first three months of 1958 undergoing maintenance and repairs. Following this, she moved into the Caribbean, where her crew began undergoing refresher training. In May, their exercises were interrupted as Roberts was dispatched to Venezuela to evacuate U.S. nationals following riots precipitated by Vice President Nixon's visit to South America. By the 15th, the situation was under control, and Roberts returned to Newport.

Two months later, Roberts was ordered to Morehead City, North Carolina, to rendezvous with amphibious units carrying Marine reinforcements to the Mediterranean during the Lebanon crisis. However, by 25 July the reinforcements were no longer needed. Roberts and her squadron escorted the amphibious units to Puerto Rico, then the destroyers continued on to the Mediterranean.

Roberts patrolled the coast of Lebanon from 17 to 25 August and again from 2 to 20 September. After a brief trip to the Persian Gulf, she returned to the United States on 13 November 1958.

Operation "Inland Seas"

On 15 June 1959, Roberts sailed from Newport for the St. Lawrence River to participate in operation "Inland Seas," transiting the St. Lawrence Seaway with the first destroyer division to traverse all five Great Lakes. On 27 July, Roberts returned to the Atlantic, returning to Newport on 12 September.

After further U.S. east coast activities, Roberts joined the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean on 31 March 1960, remaining until 29 May. She then passed through the Suez Canal to join the Middle East Force. She was relieved of Middle East duties on 30 June and rejoined the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean. On 15 October, Roberts returned to Newport.

Upgrades

Roberts spent most of 1961 undergoing a FRAM (Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization) overhaul at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. She returned to Newport on 26 February 1962, remaining in the western Atlantic for the rest of 1962 and throughout 1963. Roberts rotated assignments in the western Atlantic, Mediterranean and the Far East during the next several years.

Fate

In August 1970, the USS Samuel B. Roberts underwent an inspection that determined she was unfit for further naval service. She was decommissioned on 2 November, joining the Inactive Fleet at Philadelphia. She was sunk during a target exercise a year later.

Asbestos Risks

Through the ages, men and women in the armed forces have accepted that their service means facing serious perils. What many did not understand during the majority of the 20th century, however, was a danger that had nothing to do with missiles or attacks by the enemy: the possibility of diseases brought on by exposure to asbestos.

As fire onboard ocean-going vessels can be tremendously difficult to deal with, fireproofing is a vital factor in ship construction. Given asbestos' superb imperviousness to flames, it was considered eminently suitable for use in ship construction, and at the time destroyers like USS Samuel B. Roberts were built, asbestos-containing materials were typical. Asbestos has been known for centuries for its insulation properties; however, it was also shown to be the leading cause of such debilitating diseases including pleural plaques and pericardial mesothelioma. The damage caused by asbestos happens when very small particles are breathed in or swallowed so that they can infiltrate the lungs and occasionally other organs, leading to scar tissue in the case of pleural plaques and damage at the cellular level in the case of lung cancer and mesothelioma.

The results of exposure to asbestos weren't likely a high priority to most people while they were focused on engaging in battle or dealing with severe weather. But exposure to asbestos was a severe secondary hazard of many shipboard crises, since extensive damage to a ship frequently uncovered asbestos-containing parts so that the fibers could be inhaled by those in close proximity. In addition, because almost every area of naval vessels like USS Samuel B. Roberts contained asbestos, sailors generally were faced with some level of exposure to asbestos even in the conduct of their normal jobs. With asbestos being common near Roberts's pipes and boiler rooms, service personnel who worked in such areas were especially at risk. But it wasn't only shipboard sailors who suffered from asbestos poisoning; people who serviced the vessel when it was in port to be overhauled were also exposed to airborne asbestos.

Since asbestos-related diseases such as mesothelioma sometimes do not show up until decades after a person came in contact with asbestos, they can be quite tricky to spot. However, understanding a patient's experience with asbestos contact can help a physician in being able to accurately diagnose conditions like mesothelioma. If you lived or worked aboard USS Samuel B. Roberts for any period of time, you should learn more about the signs of asbestos-related diseases and talk about your asbestos exposure history with your physician. 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

Destroyers Index