The USS Helm (DD-388) was a Bagley-class destroyer laid down on September 25, 1935, and launched on May 27, 1937. It was commissioned on October 16, the following year under Lt. Comdr. P. H. Talbot’s command with the hull number DD-388 and served in the US Navy for 9 years until it was decommissioned on June 26, 1946. During its activity, the ship carried a complement of 158 people on board and had its main missions in Hawaii, New Hebrides, Australia, Efate, and New Zealand. The ship was repaired in Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard after the Japanese attack. After the decommissioning, the ship was struck from the Navy List on February 25, 1947 and sold for scrapping to Moore Dry Dock Company in Oakland.
Decades after service, many veterans of the U.S. Navy have been diagnosed with chronic lung diseases caused by inhaling asbestos fibers. As the mineral was inexpensive and had remarkable physical properties, it was nearly everywhere on military ships: flooring, wall panels, cables, packing materials, adhesives, deck materials, fireproof materials, and other equipment. If you or a loved one are a veteran and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos disease, there are special benefits available to you–including possible significant financial compensation.
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