USS Greer (DD-145)
The USS Greer (DD-145) served in the US Navy for over two-and-a-half decades in the early 20th century, and received on battle star for her service in World War II. She was named for Rear Admiral James A. Greer who served during the Civil War. Greer was built as a Wickes-class ship.
Construction
Greer was laid down in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by the William Cramp & Sons Ship & Engine Building Company in February 1918, launched in August, and commissioned in December with Commander C.E. Smith in command. Carrying a crew of 103, Greer was 314 feet, five inches long, had a displacement of 1,154 tons, and was armed with four 4-inch rapid-fire guns, two anti-aircraft guns, and twelve 21-inch torpedo tubes.
Naval History
Greer began her service as an escort for SS George Washington, which carried President Woodrow Wilson from the Versailles Peace Conference back to the United States. She was then assigned to Newfoundland for the trans-Atlantic flight of four Navy seaplanes, and was then deployed to the Pacific Fleet in November 1919. Greer joined the Asiatic Fleet in March 1920 to protect Americans during riots in Shanghai and returned to San Francisco, California in September 1921 and put on reserve in June 1922.
In March 1930, Greer was re-commissioned with Commander J.W. Bunkley in command and operated with the Battle Fleet in the Pacific and Atlantic. Greer served with Training Squadron 3 in June 1936 and was out of commission in Philadelphia from January 1937 to October 1939. She served as the flagship of Destroyer Division 61 and joined the Neutrality Patrol in February 1940. In September 1941, Greer became the first American ship to attack the Germans in World War II, when she returned fire at a U-boat that launched two torpedoes.
Greer conducted escort duty during 1941, rescued 39 victims of German U-boat attacks in 1942, and deployed with a convoy of 83 ships to Casablanca, Morocco, in May. In October, Greer collided with Moonstone in New York Harbor, which sank as Greer rescued her entire crew except for one. Greer operated as a plane guard for aircraft carriers in the summer of 1944, and operated out of various ports in New England. She was decommissioned at Philadelphia in July 1945, struck from the Navy list in August, and sold for scrap to the Boston Metal Salvage Company in November.
Asbestos Risk on the USS Greer (DD-145)
The installation of asbestos in the design of all ships was ordered by law in the US in the early 1930s, after a fire at sea on a luxury liner killed 137 passengers and crew. Ships like Greer installed asbestos frequently, particularly in ship's boilers and engine rooms, as well as for fireproofing in all sections of the vessel. When asbestos becomes worn it can become friable, which means that individual asbestos fibers can break off and escape into the surrounding air, and then can be breathed in by sailors or shipfitters, increasing the odds of developing mesothelioma.
Currently the mesothelioma survival rate is very low - but palliative treatments like mesothelioma chemotherapy provide hope and can extend survival time. Since mesothelioma is an uncommon disease, not many hospitals or clinicians know how to deliver the highest quality treatment of mesothelioma. If you have received a diagnosis of pleural or peritoneal mesothelioma, you should be aware that you may have legal remedies available to you. Choosing a professional mesothelioma attorney can help you decide on an appropriate course of action should you decide to pursue one. We have also produced a mesothelioma information packet with up-to-date information about legal options and choices for medical treatment, along with a list of mesothelioma trials all over the U.S. All you have to do is fill out the form on this page and we will send you your free kit.
Sources
Haze Gray & Underway. Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. DD-145. (http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/destroy/dd145txt.htm) Retrieved 23 December 2010.
NavSource Naval History, USS Greer (DD-145).
(http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/145.htm) Retrieved 23 December 2010.
