The USS Blessman (DE-69/APD-48) was a Buckley-class destroyer escort laid down on March 22, 1943, and launched on June 19, the same year. It was commissioned on September 19, 1943, under Comdr. J. A. Gillis’ command with the hull number DE-69 and served in the U.S. Navy for 4 years until it was decommissioned on January 15, 1947. During its activity, the ship carried a complement of 213 men on board and had its main missions in Bermuda, Northern Ireland, Normandy, Luzon, Iwo Jima, and Ulithi. After decommissioning, the ship was struck from the Naval Register on June 1, 1967. Before the risks of asbestos use were widely known or publicized, it was a commonly used insulator in U.S. Navy ships. Illnesses caused by inhaling asbestos fibers usually take 20 to 40 years to develop, so it is highly possible that a Navy veteran will be unaware of his or her exposure until decades after it happened. If you think you were exposed to asbestos while serving aboard the USS Blessman (DE-69/APD-48), you may be eligible to file a claim.
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