The USS Sanders (DE-40) was an Evarts-class destroyer escort laid down on September 7, 1942, and launched on June 18, the following year. It was commissioned on October 1, 1943, under Lt. Comdr. Arthur N. Daniels’ command with the hull number DE-40 and served in the U.S. Navy for two years until it was decommissioned on December 12, 1945. During its activities, the ship carried a complement of 198 people on board and had its main missions in the Gilberts, the Marshalls, Kusaie Island, the Marianas, Pearl Harbor, and San Francisco. After the decommissioning, the ship was struck from the Navy List on January 8, 1946, and sold for scrapping to the National Metal and Steel Corporation in Terminal Island in 1948. For the services brought to the country during World War II, the USS Sanders received 4 service stars. Asbestos was used ubiquitously in the construction of military ships for fire-proofing and heat insulation. The “magic mineral” - as it was called - was regarded as the perfect shipbuilding material for many years. Exposure to asbestos and the lack of adequate protection took place during refits both in the dock and afloat. If you are a Navy veteran and you've received a cancer diagnosis, your best bet is to contact a legal expert, as you may be eligible for compensation from asbestos trust funds and the VA.
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