USS Hull (DD-7)
An early destroyer of the Bainbridge class, the USS Hull (DD-7) was the first ship to be named for Commodore Isaac Hull (1773 – 1843), a noteworthy naval commander during and after the War of 1812. There have been a total of four destroyers named for Commodore Hull, DD-7, DD-330, DD-350, and the DD-945.
Construction
Hull was laid down on February 22, 1899 by Harlan & Hollingsworth. Hull was launched on June 21, 1902 and was then commissioned on May 20, 1903, under the command of Lieutenant Samuel Robinson.
Naval History
For the next four and a half years, Hull operated in the Caribbean and along the East Coast of the United States. During those years, she was out of commission for a little over a year between late September of 1905 and mid-November of 1906, after returning from a tour of duty in the Caribbean.
When Hull recommissioned in November, she made her way to Cuban waters and participated in winter exercises. She returned to Norfolk after operations off Newport in October of 1907 in order to prepare for the voyage of Teddy Roosevelt’s “Great White Fleet”.
After arriving in California in April 1908, Hull began her service with the Pacific Fleet, spending nine years on that assignment. She operated primarily off the west coast but did engage in one long-distance voyage through Samoan and Hawaiian waters in mid-1908 before her return to San Diego in November.
Prior to World War I, Hull took part in patrols and training exercises just off the west coast. At the end of October 1912, she was decommissioned once again, at which time she was assigned to the Reserve Torpedo Division and took part in sporadic training cruises to different California ports.
When the US entered World War I in April of 1917, Hull was at Mare Island being refitted. She sailed through the Panama Canal Zone with several other destroyers on April 25 and for the following three months, she took part in defensive patrols in and around the Canal. On July 26, she then sailed to Norfolk for patrol and escort duty down the east coast. For the next few months, she escorted a number of ships to Bermuda and engaged in numerous training exercises with other ships of the fleet.
Hull broke up an attack on a merchant ship by a German submarine, U-151, in June of 1918 and frequently rescued sailors from sinking ships. She patrolled the American coastline until the conclusion of the war.
On January 29, 1919, Hull arrived at Philadelphia and was decommissioned several months later on July 7. Hull was purchased for scrap by Joseph G. Hitner on January 5, 1921.
Asbestos Risk on the USS Hull (DD-7)
The USS Hull made use of asbestos insulation and fireproofing in her boilers, engines, pumps, mess, and to cover steam pipes throughout the vessel. Sailors that served aboard the Hull faced an increased risk of exposure to asbestos fibers due to the ship's heavy use of these materials. When inhaled, these tiny fibers can lodge themselves in the thin lining of cells that protects internal organs. Years later, a number of serious illnesses can result. The most serious asbestos related diagnosis is mesothelioma.
If you or a loved one is a veteran of the USS Hull that later suffered asbestos cancer, you may have a legal right to compensation. Find out more about mesothelioma, how it's treated, and your legal options by completing the form on this page. We'll send you a free and comprehensive information packet right away.
Sources
“Hull I”, Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/h9/hull-i.htmRetrieved 14 December 2010.
