The USS Douglas L. Howard (DE-138) was an Edsall-class destroyer escort laid down on December 8, 1942, and launched on January 24, the following year. It was commissioned on July 29, 1943, under Lt. Cmdr. G. D. Kissam’s command as DE-138 and served in the U.S. Navy for 3 years until it was decommissioned on June 17, 1946. During its activities, the ship carried a complement of 209 people on board and had its main missions in Casablanca, Pearl Harbor, Boston, Mayport, New York, Eniwetok, Kwajalein, the Marshalls, the Carolines, Florida, and San Diego. After the decommissioning, the ship was struck from the Navy List on October 1, 1972, and sold for scrapping in 1974. As a result of the decades between the period of exposure and the surfacing of symptoms, Navy veterans need to see the importance of having regular medical exams and/or checkups. These exams will check for signs of any asbestos-related pulmonary disorders and allow for early detection. Anyone who served onboard Navy vessels and has been exposed to asbestos should also consider contacting a lawyer to discuss their legal rights.
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