USS Marshall DD-676 (1943-1970)
The USS Marshall was a Fletcher class destroyer built in Kearny. She was commissioned in 1943 and had her shakedown in the Atlantic. She was one of the ships that escorted the President of the United States Franklin D. Roosevelt on his final portion of the journey from the Teheran Conference. After she finished up on this important task the Marshall steamed to the Pacific and quickly became one of the screening ships for the important Task Force 58.
Action in World War II
The Marshall was active in attacks in the Central Pacific Ocean in most of 1944. She participated in the Marianas Campaign and the Battle of the Philippine Sea. While still a fleet screening ship she assisted with the raids on the Japanese bases in the Western Pacific and was active in the Leyte campaign.
The USS Marshall and the task force she was with remained in the Philippines for the rest of 1944. Â In February 1945, she was sent to strike at the Japanese home islands in support of the siege on Iwo Jima. She made strikes on the home islands of Japan in March of that year and supported operations in the battle of Okinawa. She then returned to the States for overhaul, but the work was not completed before the end of the war. She was decommissioned in December of 1945 and remained in this state for six years.
After the War
She was recommissioned in 1951 and sent to the Korean front for two separate tours. Both of those tours saw her serving as an escort for the carriers. She also helped in the blockade of this country and the bombarding of shore targets. The Marshall was often seen in the Seventh Fleet before becoming a reserve ship in September of 1964. She was then removed from the Naval Vessel Register in 1969. However, it took another year before she was sold for scrap.
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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