The USS W.S. Sims (FF-1059) was a Knox-class frigate, laid down in 1967, launched in 1969, and commissioned in 1970. The ship was initially commissioned as a Destroyer Escort, decommissioned later, modified, and then recommissioned as a Fast Frigate. After an extended fitting-out period and shakedown training, the vessel was the first of her class to have a manned helicopter land on her deck. As part of the 6th Fleet ocean escort, she sailed for the Caribbean in 1972 for combined naval exercises with British, French, and Italian warships. Between 1975 and 1980, the ship took part in interim ship evaluation operations and underwent various dry-dock inspections and repairs. Afterward, the frigate participated in intensive training, exercises, and operations across Guantanamo Bay, Puerto Rico, the North Atlantic, the Mediterranean, and the Baltic Sea. The USS W.S. Sims was decommissioned in 1991 and stricken from the Naval Register in 1995. Asbestos dust may linger in the air for hours when the mineral is disturbed during maintenance, repair work, or insulation removal. If this toxic dust is inhaled or swallowed, the tiny asbestos fibers will embed primarily in the lungs, causing irritation that may lead to the development of cancer.
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