USS Cummings (DD-365)
The USS Cummings (DD-365) served in the US Navy for approximately one decade during the first half of the 20th century. She was named for Lieutenant Commander Cummings, a Civil War-era navy midshipman. Cummings was designed as a Mahan-class vessel.
Construction
Cummings was laid down in Staten Island, New York by Bethlehem Steel on June 26, 1934. She was launched on December 11, 1935 and commissioned on November 25, 1936, with Commander C.P. Cecil taking the helm. Cummings was sponsored by Mrs. W.W. Mills, the niece of the late Lieutenant Commander Cummings. She made a cruising speed of 36.5 knots and carried a crew of 158. Her armament included twelve 21-inch torpedo tubes.
Naval History
Cummings first departed New York in September 1937, sailing to San Diego. From there she joined the Battle Force, participated in a fleet problem in Hawaii in April of 1938, and was logged in a San Francisco Presidential Fleet Review in July of that same year. 1939 found Cummings engaged in naval exercises in the Caribbean and the Canal Zone, followed by a return to the San Diego area.
In April 1940 Cummings’ base moved to Pearl Harbor, where she drilled and conducted patrols. Cummings was thus in the line of fire during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Damage to the ship and casualties aboard were minor, and she resumed patrolling very quickly.
Between 1942 and 1943, Cummings was overhauled several times, both in San Francisco and in the South Pacific, where she participated in a variety of patrols. She returned to Pearl Harbor on December 21, 1943, where she was assigned to the 5th Fleet. In 1944, Cummings joined the Marshalls operations, traveling to Wotje and Eniwetok.
In July 1944, Cummings escorted President Franklin D. Roosevelt on a Pacific journey. The President came aboard with his staff and used the forecastle for a nationwide address. In late 1944 and early 1945, Cummings participated in the bombardments of Wake Island, Marcus Island, and Iwo Jima.
Cummings was decommissioned on December 14, 1945, after receiving seven battle stars for her service during World War II. In 1947, she was sold and broken up for scrap.
Asbestos Risk on the USS Cummings (DD-365)
Installing asbestos insulation in the construction of oceangoing ships was required by law in the US in the 1930s, after a deadly fire on the SS Morro Castle resulted in great loss of life. Vessels like Cummings deployed asbestos-containing materials extensively in boilers and engine rooms, and for fireproofing in all parts of the ship. If asbestos-containing material becomes worn it can become friable, which means that individual asbestos fibers can be broken off and escape into the surrounding air. They can then be breathed in by sailors or shipfitters which may potentially lead to the development of mesothelioma.
Asbestos has been known for centuries for its resistance to fire and heat, but it has also been shown to be the principal cause of such debilitating conditions including asbestosis and pleural mesothelioma.
Sadly, the prognosis for mesothelioma cases is rarely positive with mesothelioma disease victims only surviving for around a year once they've been diagnosed. If someone you know has received a mesothelioma diagnosis our mesothelioma information kit can be a helpful resource guide. It contains information about legal options, choices for medical treatment and a list of clinical trials nationwide. Simply fill out the form on this page and we'll mail you the packet, at no charge.
Sources
Haze Gray & Underway. Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. DD-365.
http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/destroy/dd365txt.htm Retrieved 5 January 2011.
NavSource Naval History, USS Cummings (DD-365).
http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/365.htm Retrieved 5 January 2011.
