USS Overton (DD-239)
The USS Overton (DD-239) served in the US Navy for over twenty years in the early 20th century. She was named for Marine Captain Macon C. Overton, who served in World War I. Overton was laid down as a Clemson-class ship.
Construction
Overton was laid down in Camden, New Jersey by the New York Shipbuilding Company in October 1918, launched in July 1919, and commissioned in June 1920 with Commander Archibald D. Turnbull in command. Carrying a crew of 114, Overton was 314 feet, five inches long and armed with four 4-inch rapid-fire guns, one three-inch anti-aircraft gun, and twelve 21-inch torpedo tubes.
Naval History
Overton operated on the east coast of the United States, and helped rescue submarine S-6, before reporting to the Mediterranean in September 1920 for diplomatic and humanitarian service following World War I. During this deployment, Overton operated in the Mediterranean, Black Sea, and Turkish waters. In May 1923, Overton returned to the United States via New York and operated in the Atlantic except for deployments to the Pacific for fleet exercises in 1925 and 1926. She was decommissioned and put in reserve in February 1931.
Overton was fully re-commissioned in September 1939 and was assigned to the Neutrality Patrol throughout the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean. She operated along the east coast and from Norfolk to Casablanca as part of escort carrier group TG 21.11. In August, Overton was converted to high-speed transport APD-23 at Norfolk, trained at Pearl Harbor beginning in November, and sailed with the Advance Southern Transport Group to Kwajalein, Marshall Islands. During this deployment, Overton delivered reconnaissance troops and helped capture Bigej.
Overton brought Marines to Saipan in May 1944 and escorted convoys from Eniwetok to Saipan. In October, Overton helped cover personnel onshore before the Leyte invasion as well as prior to the operation at Lingayen Gulf in January 1945. Overton served as an escort for carriers to underway replenishment areas until March, and then patrolled off Iwo Jima, but returned to escort duty to Okinawa and Saipan. She returned to the United States in May, was decommissioned at Philadelphia in July 1945, and sold for scrap to the Boston Metals Company in November.
Asbestos Risk on the USS Overton (DD-239)
Using asbestos insulation in the design of marine ships was ordered by the US Congress in the 1930s, after a deadly fire on a cruise ship caused the deaths of 137 passengers and crew. Ships like Overton installed asbestos insulation in large quantities, especially in engines and engineering rooms, as well as in fireproofing in all sections of the vessel. 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.
Tragically, the prognosis in mesothelioma cases is generally not positive - most mesothelioma victims survive for a year or less after being diagnosed. As malignant mesothelioma is an uncommon condition, not all clinics and doctors are able to deliver the best mesothelioma treatment.
If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you may have legal avenues that might be of help and a qualified mesothelioma attorney can explain what they are. We have also created a mesothelioma information packet with up-to-date data on legal resources and treatment options, along with a list of mesothelioma clinics in the United States. Simply submit the form on this page and we will send you a free package.
Sources
Haze Gray & Underway. Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. DD-239.
http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/destroy/dd239txt.htm Retrieved 30 December 2010.
NavSource Naval History, USS Overton (DD-239).
http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/239.htm Retrieved 30 December 2010.
