The USS Breeman (DE-104) was a Cannon-class destroyer escort laid down on March 20, 1943, and launched on September 4, the same year. It was commissioned on December 12, 1943, under Lt. Comdr. Edward N. W. Hunter’s command with the hull number DE-104 and served in the U.S. Navy for 3 years until it was decommissioned on April 26, 1946. During its activity, the ship carried a complement of 216 men on board and had its main missions in Bermuda, Casablanca, Dakar, Azores, Maine, Bizerte, New London, Iceland, and Florida. After the decommissioning, the ship was struck from the Navy Register on December 22, 1948, and transferred to China where it was renamed Tai Chong (DE-24). When asbestos fibers enter the lungs, they lodge there and can cause long-term damage to the lungs. Long-term exposure to asbestos is very dangerous, which is why it’s vital to consult a doctor as soon as possible if you believe you might have been exposed to asbestos while serving aboard the USS Breeman (DE-104) and you experience symptoms of shortness of breath, persistent dry cough, and chest tightness or pain.