The USS Nicholas (DD-449) was a Fletcher-class destroyer in service for 27 years, including World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. She was laid down in 1941 and launched and commissioned a year later. Built to serve in the Pacific armed conflicts, the ship was assigned to Destroyer Squadron 21, completing screening and escorting duties. The destroyer was periodically assigned to offensive duties, conducting antisubmarine hunter-killer missions and performing gunfire support for Marine and Army units in the Battle of Kula Gulf, Kolombangara, and the Lingayen Gulf assault. The ship was decommissioned in 1946 and remained in the Pacific Reserve Fleet until hostilities in Korea began. Reclassified DDE-449 in 1949, she was recommissioned in 1951, joined CortDesDiv 12, and continued serving in Far Eastern waters. The vessel underwent FRAM update in 1960 and steamed to the South China Sea for extensive operations. She was reclassified DD-449 in 1962. As the Navy's oldest active destroyer, the "Nick" was decommissioned in 1970, stricken from the Naval Register the same year, and broken to pieces in 1972. Asbestos was abundantly present on Navy ships due to its fire-resistant properties, endangering every Navy service member's health. Veterans were unknowingly exposed to toxic asbestos fibers while on their job.
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