USS Woodbury (DD-309)
USS Woodbury (DD-309) was one of 156 Clemson-class destroyers constructed for the U.S. Navy. She was named in honor of Levi Woodbury, who was an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court as well as a U.S. Senator and Governor of New Hampshire.
Construction
Woodbury was laid down by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation’s Union Iron Works in San Francisco, California on October 3, 1918. Launched on February 6, 1919, she was sponsored by Miss Catherine Muhlenberg Chapin, who was the daughter of newspaper publisher W.W. Chapin. Lieutenant Commander Frank L. Lowe took command of Woodbury on October 20, 1920 at the Mare Island Navy Yard in Vallejo, California.
Naval History
Following commissioning, Woodbury reported to the Reserve Docks in San Diego, California. She remained there until February 1, 1921, at which time she made a run off the southern California coast and participated in torpedo practice before moving to San Pedro, California. In her new location, the Woodbury crew assisted with maintenance work on William Jones (DD-308). She then returned to San Diego, which is where she stayed for the remainder of the year.
On January 14, 1922, Woodbury led Nicholas (DD-311), Young (DD-312) and S.P. Lee (DD-310) to sea. She then transported passengers from Goat Island to the Puget Sound Navy Yard in Bremerton, Washington before resuming her cruise up the Pacific coast. After unloading her passengers at Puget Sound, Woodbury underwent an overhaul before being placed back in rotating reserve in the San Diego harbor.
In February 1923, Woodbury participated in Fleet Problem 1 near the Panama Canal Zone. Woodbury served as one of the “attacking” forces during these exercises. She later resumed operations with Battle Fleet as she conducted gunnery drills, protective screening for battleships and gunnery drills.
The following July, Woodbury and her landing force sailed to Tacoma, Washington, where they participated in the city’s Independence Day parade. She then returned to Port Angeles, where she participated in tactical maneuvers, short range battle practices and other exercises.
That September, Woodbury was one of nine ships involved in the Honda Point Disaster. Due to dense fog, her squadron was led aground. While some of the ships managed to avoid disaster, Woodbury ran aground and came to rest next to a small island. When the ship ultimately lost power due to flooding, the crew was left with no choice but to attempt to climb out of the ship. Assisted by the crew from Fuller (DD-297), the entire crew managed to reach safety.
Woodbury was officially placed out of commission on October 26, 1923. She was struck from the Navy list on November 20 that same year. While she was originally sold to the Fryn Salvage Company in Santa Monica, California, the transaction was never completed. She was then sold to Robert J. Smith of Oakland, California on October 25, 1925.
Asbestos Risk on the USS Woodbury (DD-309)
As asbestos was used so commonly on board Woodbury and other Navy destroyers, the crews serving on them most likely suffered exposure to the toxic substance during their career. Repair and shipyard crew were also at risk of being heavily exposed heavily to asbestos-containing materials. Damage from enemy fire, collision, or the ship running aground created an additional threat of contamination because asbestos became airborne and could easily be inhaled.
Crew members whose specialties resulted in more frequent exposure to damaged asbestos insulation had a much greater risk of developing pleural mesothelioma over time. Boilermen, machinists, firemen, damage control workers, and engineers were at an especially high risk of exposure. If asbestos fiber is separated from the material it is used in, the asbestos fiber can become easily broken, or "friable." When asbestos insulation becomes friable that means it can be reduced to powder easily, and can be inhaled by workers in the area.
The more often a person comes into contact with asbestos dust, the greater the chances of developing malignant mesothelioma. Legal recourse exists for those who have developed mesothelioma as a result of exposure to asbestos. Please fill out the form on this page to learn more.
Sources
Woodbury. Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Department of the Navy – Naval Historical Center.
(http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/w10/woodbury-iii.htm) Retrieved 31 December 2010.
