USS Jouett (DD-396)
USS Jouett (DD-396) was a Somers-class destroyer in the U.S. Navy. She was one of three naval vessels to be named in the honor of Rear Admiral James Edward Jouett, who was an officer in the U.S. Navy during the Mexican-American and Civil wars.
Construction
Jouett was laid down by Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine on March 26, 1936. Launched on September 24, 1938, she was sponsored by Mrs. J.R. Todd. Commander G.W. Clark took command of Jouett in Boston, Massachusetts on January 25, 1939.
Naval History
Following shakedown, Jouett began operating on Neutrality Patrol out of Norfolk, Virginia. On February 15, 1940, she served as one of the escorts for Tuscaloosa as she carried President Franklin D. Roosevelt on a cruise through the Gulf of Mexico.
On the day of the infamous Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Jouett was at Port of Spain. Following the attack, she began antisubmarine patrols between Africa and Brazil as she assisted with keeping the ocean supply lines open. Jouett briefly returned to Charleston, South Carolina in December 1942, but quickly headed back to Brazil the following month.
On January 27, 1943, Jouett provided quarters for President Getulio Vargas of Brazil and his party while he conducted conferences with President Roosevelt aboard Humboldt. The following month, she resumed escort duties before joining in the search and subsequent destruction of U-128 . Jouett went on to assist with the sinking of German blockade runner SS Rio Grande on January 1, 1944 and blockade runner Bergenlund four days later.
Following training in Casco Bay, Maine, Jouett joined a Reserve Fire Support Group as she assisted with the invasion of France. After arriving on Omaha beach on June 8, Jouett repelled an air attack before screening British heavy cruisers on the 21st as they engaged in shore bombardment. The following month, she assisted with the invasion of southern France before participating with the Delta assault in August. In October, Jouett provided gunfire support to American troops off Cap Ferrat before destroying mines off San Remo.
On December 31, 1944, Jouett sailed to Charleston, Virginia, where she engaged in refresher training before sailing to England and Cuba. She was decommissioned on November 1, 1945 at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard and was scrapped in 1946. Jouett received three battle stars for her service during World War II.
Asbestos Risk on the USS Jouett (DD-396)
The U.S. Navy installed asbestos insulation and fireproofing on ships and at shore installations until the late 1970s. The Jouett used these materials on and around her engines and boilers, in her mess, and as covering on steam pipes. Many pumps contained asbestos gaskets, and even rope was sometimes fortified with the mineral.
Essentially all of Jouett’s crew was regularly exposed to ACMs (asbestos-containing materials). Shipyard workers had a similar risk of exposure. Inhalation or swallowing of individual asbestos fibers is linked to the development of malignant mesothelioma. As exposure to asbestos is the only known cause of this deadly disease, there are often legal options for those suffering from it.
Sources
Jouett. Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Department of the Navy – Naval Historical Center.
http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/j4/jouett-ii.htm)Retrieved 8 January 2011
