The USS Robert K. Huntington (DD-781) was an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer, laid down in 1944 by Todd Pacific Shipyards and launched in the same year. The ship was commissioned in 1945 and joined the Pacific Fleet 31; she was reassigned to the Atlantic Fleet four years later. From 1953 until 1955, she fulfilled duty in the Mediterranean and exercises with the 2nd Fleet. During most of 1960, the vessel underwent fleet rehabilitation, modernization overhaul, and conversion. In the first half of 1962, the destroyer operated in the Black Sea. She deployed to the Far East for six months in 1968 and returned the following year for minor repairs. The ship was active in the Atlantic and Caribbean with the Reserve program until 1973. After a survey, she was found unfit for further service and was decommissioned and stricken from the Navy List. The USS Robert K. Huntington earned two battle stars for Vietnam service. Ships built before the '80s were full of asbestos-containing materials. Almost every part of the ship contained asbestos, putting those onboard at risk of exposure. Many veterans have developed asbestos-related severe conditions due to their exposure during service. Navy veterans diagnosed with cancer are eligible for free health care, disability compensation, and other VA benefits.
760-621-6147
