USS Anthony (DD-515)

The USS Anthony (DD-515) served in the U.S. Navy for approximately three years during the first half of the 20th century. She was named for William Anthony, who served in the American armed forces during the 19th century. Anthony was built as a Fletcher-class destroyer.

Construction

Anthony was laid down in Bath, Maine by the Bath Iron Works in August of 1942. She was launched in December of 1942 and commissioned in February of 1943, with Lieutenant B. Van Mater at the helm. Anthony carried a crew of 273 and had a cruising speed of 38 knots. She was armed with five five-inch anti-aircraft guns, four one and one-tenth-inch anti-aircraft guns, four 20-millimeter anti-aircraft guns, and ten 21-inch torpedo tubes.

Naval History

Follower her shakedown cruise, Anthony joined the Pacific fleet in May of 1943. There she spent several months training and providing escort services. In November, she participated in her first major engagement: as forces landed at Empress Augusta Bay in Bougainville, Anthony provided fire support. The following week, she again saw battle when she successfully shot down several planes during an enemy attack on a transport operation.

The following months saw Anthony traveling to the Solomon Islands for convoy and transport duty, as well as providing fire support for bombardments and landings at Rabaul, Green, the Emirau Islands, Saipan, Guam, and Tinian. In June of 1944, she participated in the Battle of the Philippine Sea, rescuing several carrier pilots who had run out of fuel as they returned from a strike.

After additional convoy duty and an overhaul in San Francisco Anthony was back in the Pacific in January 1945 to participate in the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. In July and August, Anthony participated in sweeps along the China coast. She entered Japanese waters at Nagasaki in September.

Anthony then returned to the U.S., where she was decommissioned. She was placed on reserve in Charleston, South Carolina in April of 1946. In January of 1958, after having received seven battle stars and a Navy Unit Commendation, Anthony was transferred to the Federal Republic of Germany, where she was renamed Z-1. She was eventually sunk as a torpedo target in the Mediterranean in May 1979.

Asbestos Risk on the USS Anthony (DD-515)

Ever since late in the 19th century, asbestos has been used extensively in many construction and industrial workplaces. Asbestos fireproofing and insulation has been used in the construction of both merchant and naval vessels like Anthony since the 1930s. The U.S. Navy installed asbestos widely up until 1979 as an insulator as well as to fireproof compartments on board all its ships. Inhalation or ingestion of individual asbestos fibers may eventually lead to the development of malignant mesothelioma.

Asbestos insulation which becomes disturbed or damaged can become friable. This means that the individual asbestos fibers in the insulation become torn from the surrounding material and can be absorbed into the lungs or swallowed. Some occupations on board navy ships risked a greater chance of asbestos contamination; sailors serving in the engine room, as machinists, as firefighters, or those handling battle damage were more likely to inhale or ingest asbestos-containing materials. Sailors working regularly with asbestos-containing material over an extensive time period have a much higher risk of developing malignant mesothelioma than those who experienced lower levels of inhalation over the same time period, or a large amount of exposure in a short time period.

Since exposure to asbestos is the primary known cause for mesothelioma and asbestosis, there are usually legal options available for mesothelioma victims who have developed asbestos-related diseases. Our team has created a complete mesothelioma information kit to help inform you about your options. Simply fill in the form on this page and we'll mail you your kit, at no cost or obligation.

Sources

Haze Gray & Underway. Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. DD-515.
http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/destroy/dd515txt.htm

NavSource Naval History, USS Anthony (DD-515).
http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/515.htm