The USS Bristol (DD 453), a Gleaves-class destroyer of the United States Navy, was launched on 25 July 1941 by Federal Shipbuilding, Kearny, New Jersey, and sponsored by Mrs. Powell Clayton. It was commissioned on 22 October 1941, with Lieutenant Commander C. C. Wood in command. During her first year of service, the ship operated as a patrol and convoy escort in the North Atlantic, making several trans-Atlantic voyages to Ireland. On 22 September 1942, Cmdr John Albert Glick took over command of the ship. One month later, the USS Bristol (DD 453) made its first voyage to North Africa, as part of the Operation Torch landings at Fedala, French Morocco. Returning to the United States in late November, it operated out of Norfolk, Virginia until 14 January 1943, when it again steamed to the Mediterranean where served exclusively until 13 October 1943. Asbestos was recognized for being lightweight and able to resist high temperatures, corrosion, and electricity. It was also cheap, making it the perfect solution for a host of industrial-age challenges. Those who served on the USS Bristol (DD-453) or participated in its repair were exposed to dangerous levels of asbestos, putting them at risk of developing life-threatening illnesses like lung cancer, asbestosis, mesothelioma, throat cancer, stomach cancer, colon cancer, or rectal cancer.
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