The USS Porterfield (DD-682), a Fletcher-class destroyer of the United States Navy, was laid down by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding, San Pedro, California 12 December 1942; launched 13 June 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Louis B. Porterfield and commissioned 30 October 1943, with Commander J. C. Woefel in command. The ship joined Task Force 53 (TF 53), getting underway on 12 January 1944 and arriving off the Marshalls on the 31st. Its first job was shore bombardment around the Kwajalein Islands, followed by shelling Roi and Namur. It was decommissioned on 7 November 1969, stricken from the Naval Vessel Register 1 March 1975, and designated as a target in 1976, and sunk on 18 July 1982. The USS Porterfield (DD-682) received ten battle stars for World War II service and four battle stars for Korean War service. Asbestos was an excellent material for a variety of applications in the shipbuilding sector, including pipe insulation, flooring, and wall coverings, electrical wiring, fireproofing materials, and protective gear among many others. Veterans who develop life-threatening diseases such as mesothelioma or lung cancer as a result of asbestos exposure may be eligible for compensation via asbestos trust funds or VA claims.
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