USS Corry DD-463 (1941-1944)
The USS Corry was built in the Charleston Navy Yard in South Carolina. It weighed in at 1,630 tons. The USS Corry was commissioned in December 1941 as a Gleaves-class destroyer. Its namesake was Naval aviator Lieutenant Commander William M Corry Jr. It was sponsored by Miss Jean Constance Corry. It was launched from the Charleston Naval Yard on 28 July 1941 with C.P. Mason as its captain.
Action in World War II
The USS Corry spent the majority of 1942 in the western Atlantic. Its duties there were to aid in patrol and escort missions. These missions took it from Newfoundland to the Caribbean and to Bermuda. In October and November 1942, the Corry was a key player in the invasion of Morocco. Its duties in Morocco were to serve as an escort for the Ranger. In 1943 and the early part of 1944 the Corry aided vessels in crossing the Atlantic to North Africa. These operations took place in the Caribbean and off the East coast. The Corry also did a tour with the British Home Fleet in northern waters, from Iceland to Norway.
The destroyer operated as an anti submarine hunter and killer task group member from February and March of 1944. March 18 saw its participation in the sinking of the German submarine U-801. It was also responsible for the rescue of U-801’s survivors.
The Corry was then dispatched to Great Britain to prepare for the invasion of France. D-Day proved to be a solemn day for the Corry and its crew. On June 6, 1944 the USS Corry was engaging enemy shore forces at the Normandy landings when it happened upon a mine, forcing its crew abandoned the ship. It sank soon after. All of the Corry’s survivors were rescued by other United States Naval ships.
Asbestos in Navy Ships
Although an essential component of the naval fleet, especially during World War II, naval destroyers also pose a lasting health risk to soldiers serving on them. Unfortunately, products containing asbestos were common, especially on older ships, because of the material’s high resistance to heat and fire. Despite its value as an insulator, asbestos fiber intake can lead to several serious health consequences, including mesothelioma, a devastating cancer without cure. Current and former military personnel who came into contact with these ships should seek immediate medical attention in order to detect possible health consequences associated with asbestos exposure.
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