USS Heywood L. Edwards (DD-663)
The USS Heywood L. Edwards (DD-663) was commissioned by the U.S. Navy during World War II and remained on the Navy list until March 1974. She was named for Lieutenant Commander Heywood Lane Edwards who commanded Reuben, the first naval destroyer sunk by a German submarine in the April 1940 Battle of the Atlantic. Heywood L. Edwards was a member of the Fletcher class of destroyers.
Construction
Heywood L. Edwards was laid down by the Boston Navy Yard in July 1943, launched in October, and commissioned in January 1944 with Commander J. W. Bouiware in command. With a length of 376 feet, five inches, Heywood L. Edwards had a crew capacity of 273 and was armed with four 20-millimeter anti-aircraft guns, ten 21-inch torpedo tubes, five 5-inch anti-aircraft guns, and four 1.1 inch anti-aircraft guns.
Naval History
Heywood L. Edwards operated off Bermuda and Maine before joining the Pacific Fleet in May 1944 at Pearl Harbor. Following training exercises, Heywood L. Edwards was deployed to the Mariana Islands while protecting the troop transports en-route. The destroyer patrolled the waters off Saipan during the invasion in June, where she provided fire support for Marines, and also aided in the bombardment of Tinian in July.
Heywood L. Edwards returned to Saipan and rescued 44 soldiers stranded on the beach, before departing the Marianas at the end of July. The destroyer took part in the Peleliu operation in August and then served anti-submarine patrol in the western Carolines. In October, Heywood L. Edwards conducted pre-invasion bombardment activities at Leyte, Philippines and supported ground troops with gunfire during the invasion. She also participated in the Battle of Surigao Strait, and then patrolled the strait entrance for a day afterward.
Heywood L. Edwards patrolled Leyte Gulf until late November 1944, and then battled enemy forces at Lingayen Gulf in January 1945. She also participated in the capture of Kerama Retto in March and in protecting troops at Okinawa, where she remained on fire support and picket duty until late-July. Heywood L. Edwards served during the occupation at Ominato, Japan in September, and returned to the United States in October. The destroyer was decommissioned in July 1946, loaned to Japan in March 1959, and was used for scrap in 1976.
Asbestos Risk on the USS Heywood L. Edwards (DD-663)
Asbestos was deployed on U.S. Navy ships because it was both flame-resistant and corrosion-proof. Asbestos was installed as an insulating material for steam boilers, electrical generators, and engines. It was also added to paints and cements used all throughout the ship.
Serving aboard Heywood L. Edwards meant near-certain exposure to asbestos. Those working in engineering and damage control had the highest levels of exposure, but no assignment was completely safe. Prolonged exposure to asbestos, especially airborne asbestos fibers, amplifies the risk of being diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma. As asbestos is the only known cause of the disease, there are usually legal options for its victims.
Sources
Haze Gray & Underway. Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. DD-663. (http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/destroy/dd663txt.htm) Retrieved 2 February 2011.
NavSource Naval History. USS Heywood L. Edwards (DD-663).
(http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/663.htm) Retrieved 2 February 2011.
