USS Doyle DD 494 (1943-1955)
The USS Doyle was laid down on May 26, 1941 by the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation located in Seattle, Washington. The Doyle was launched on March 17, 1942 and commissioned on January 27, 1943. It was assigned as a convoy escort between May 13, 1943 and November 29, 1943. The ship completed four trips. One of the trips was to Derry, Northern Ireland. Another one was to Greenock, Scotland. The other two trips were to Casablanca, French Morocco.
Action in World War II
Afterwards, the USS Doyle headed to the Atlantic Coast to spend the next several months participating in training exercises and antisubmarine operations. On April 18, 1944, the USS Doyle left Casco Bay, Maine and headed for Plymouth, England. The USS Doyle arrived at Plymouth on April 28, 1944 to begin preparations for the Invasion of Normandy. The Doyle returned from patrol arriving at Plymouth, England on July 15, 1944.
In August of 1944, the Doyle headed out again, this time for the South France Invasion. The ship’s mission was to accompany a convoy to the assault area. From there, the ship was to engage in sentry duty. The Doyle continued the duty of accompanying convoys from Naples, and engaging in sentry duty along Marseilles until September 21, 1944. The Doyle then headed for home arriving in New York on October 3, 1944.
Between January 3, 1945 and June 10, 1945, it accompanied three additional convoys to Northern Africa. On June 20, 1945, the ship arrived in Norfolk, Virginia to be converted to a high-speed minesweeper. The USS Doyle was reclassified a DMS-34. The ship was assigned occupational duty in the Far East and arrived in San Francisco on March 31, 1946. Then between August 18, 1947 and April 19, 1948, the ship served along the Pacific Coast.
After the War
Between October 5, 1951 and August 8, 1952, the Doyle returned to assist in the United Nation’s operations. In the early part of 1953, the ship returned to the Pacific, then left Long Beach and headed for Charleston, South Carolina arriving on September 7, 1953. The USS Doyle performed its duties along the eastern coast and the Mediterranean during the first half of 1954. The USS Doyle was decommissioned on May 19, 1955. On December 1, 1970, the USS Doyle was removed from the Naval Vessel Register. On October 6, 1972, it was sold and scrapped.
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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