The USS Corry III (DD-817) was a Navy ship built when asbestos was regularly used in the construction of Navy vessels and all kinds of ships. It was everywhere, from the floor and ceiling tiles to the equipment that powered the ships’ propulsion systems. Thousands of former crew members from ships like the USS Corry developed pleural mesothelioma, asbestosis, and other severe respiratory illnesses from asbestos exposure, and many more are still vulnerable to health issues in the future.
About the USS Corry III
The USS Corry III served the United States Navy from 1946 to 1981. During her 35-year career, the ship was deployed all around the world, from Mediterranean operations to Cold War deterrence missions, from humanitarian and military evacuations to combat deployments during the Vietnam War. Between these important foreign assignments, she conducted essential training maneuvers from her home base at Norfolk and various East Coast installations.[1]
As a member of the Gearing class of destroyers, the USS Corry displaced 2,425 tons and measured 390 feet 6 inches in overall length, with a 41-foot 1-inch beam and 18-foot 6-inch draft. The Gearing-class ships represented improvements in the design over the previous Fletcher and Allen M. Sumner class ships. They were made more efficient by a 14-foot hull extension that provided greater range and enabled sustained speeds of 35 knots.[2] These improvements came too late for much World War II service, but the vessels became indispensable elements of the Cold War fleet, and many that were transferred to the service of allied navies continued sailing for years.
Namesake of the USS Corry III
The USS Corry DD-817 was the third vessel named in honor of William Merrill Corry, who graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1910. After beginning his career aboard the battleship Kansas, he served during key naval missions in Europe, the Caribbean, and Mexico, including the U.S. intervention during the Mexican Revolution. In 1915, he trained as a naval aviator and became Naval Aviator No. 23. During World War I, he led patrol and bombing missions against German U-boat facilities, earning the Navy Cross and France’s Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur for his leadership and bravery.[1]
In October 1920, Corry’s plane crashed near Hartford, Connecticut. Though injured and thrown clear, he rushed back into the burning wreckage to rescue his fellow pilot. Both men suffered fatal burns. Corry was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism.
Gearing Class Destroyer Specifications and Modifications
The Corry’s original armaments included six 5-inch naval guns, twelve 40-millimeter anti-aircraft weapons, eleven 20-millimeter cannon systems, ten 21-inch torpedo launchers, six depth charge projectors, and two depth charge tracks. She carried a standard complement of 367 officers and enlisted sailors.[2]
Though ships like the USS Corry were designed for surface and air defense roles, most of these destroyers were scheduled for substantial modernization throughout the Cold War period. Beginning in the 1950s and continuing through the 1960s, many received comprehensive upgrades under the Navy’s Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization (FRAM) program, which responded to growing concerns over Soviet submarine operations by prioritizing anti-submarine warfare capabilities. Modifications to the ships included replacing legacy weapons systems with state-of-the-art ASW equipment like the innovative DASH helicopter system, as well as modernized sonar, radar, and crew facilities.[2]
Construction and Service History of the USS Corry III
Consolidated Steel Corporation of Texas built the USS Corry III at their Orange, Texas facility, laying her keel in April 1945 and launching her in July 1945. Miss Gertrude Corry, the late officer’s niece, served as the ship’s sponsor during launching ceremonies.
Following commissioning in February 1946 under Commander Martin S. Shellabarger, the USS Corry completed Caribbean shakedown training and was assigned to Norfolk Naval Base. Her first international deployment took her to Europe and the Mediterranean from July 1946 to March 1947 and included service screening for the carrier USS Franklin D. Roosevelt as she supported Greek government forces against communist insurgency.[1]
Throughout the late 1940s and early 1950s, the Corry alternated between Naval Reserve training operations, anti-submarine exercises, and Mediterranean deployments. She participated in significant NATO operations and conducted joint exercises with allied navies.
In 1953, the vessel underwent a conversion to a radar picket configuration (DDR-817) at Norfolk Naval Shipyard. This led to her recommissioning in January 1954 with enhanced surveillance capabilities. Between 1954 and 1960, when she wasn’t deployed to the Mediterranean, she was found conducting training operations along the East Coast and in Caribbean waters.
During the Suez Crisis of 1956, the USS Corry and other American naval forces were positioned in the eastern Atlantic to demonstrate American naval power. Following this international crisis, she returned to her regular deployment pattern.
In 1961, the USS Corry was in Central America, and alongside the USS Bristol, provided humanitarian assistance following Hurricane Hattie’s devastation of Belize City. The crew conducted search and rescue operations, delivered medical supplies, and provided emergency communications as part of disaster relief efforts.[1]
In October 1962, the Corry was part of the naval quarantine of Cuba, intercepting Soviet vessels carrying offensive weapons during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Her service during this episode earned the crew the Navy Expeditionary Medal. A few years later, the USS Corry underwent comprehensive FRAM I modernization, receiving the revolutionary DASH helicopter system, ASROC anti-submarine rockets, and modernized combat systems. This update significantly extended her operational capabilities and service life.
The Corry deployed to Vietnam in 1968, conducting naval gunfire support operations in the Mekong Delta, participating in Operation Market Time interdiction patrols, and screening major combatants during combat operations. Her support was particularly helpful during Operation Bold Mariner, when she supported Marine and Army units against enemy forces on the Batangan Peninsula. The ship fired over 6,600 rounds of 5-inch ammunition during her time in Vietnam.
After the Vietnam cease-fire in 1973, the USS Corry transitioned to Naval Reserve Force operations, operating from the Philadelphia Naval Yard until being decommissioned in February 1981. She was transferred to the Greek Navy.[1]
Asbestos on the USS Corry III
From the 1930s through the 1970s, every U.S. Navy requisition for new vessels specified extensive use of asbestos, and the USS Corry was no exception. Naval engineers chose asbestos for its remarkable insulating abilities, fire-resistance, chemical durability, and strength-to-weight ratio. From her initial construction through multiple repairs, standard maintenance, and modernizations, asbestos-containing parts and materials were included in almost every aspect of the vessel’s infrastructure and inner workings. While those military personnel were unaware of the debilitating and life-threatening health hazards posed by exposure to the toxic mineral, the same cannot be said of manufacturers, many of whom deliberately concealed scientific evidence about the dangers.
Few places on the Corry escaped asbestos contamination, but some areas were subject to especially high concentrations. These included:
- Engineering compartments that contained boilers, steam turbines, pumps, condensers, and other high-temperature equipment insulated by asbestos and containing parts made with asbestos.
- Areas where safety equipment, including firefighting gear, protective clothing, gloves, fire-resistant blankets, and emergency equipment were stored, as all these items incorporated asbestos fibers designed to protect against heat and flame.
- The ducts and compartments housing the Corry’s extensive steam piping network, exhaust systems, and utility conduits relied on asbestos insulation to control shipboard temperatures and to protect plumbers and pipefitters from being burned by the hot equipment.
- Many of the ship’s structural elements contained asbestos-containing gaskets, packing materials, electrical control panels, insulation boards, flooring tiles, and overhead materials.
Personnel At Risk of Asbestos Exposure on the USS Corry III
Though crew members on the USS Corry faced constant danger from external threats, an astonishing number of Navy veterans survived those dangers, only to suffer life-altering health consequences decades later from the same material the Navy included in the ship for their protection. Microscopic asbestos fibers were constantly circulating throughout the vessel via ventilation systems from high-concentration areas and from particles that became airborne during routine maintenance procedures, combat damage repairs, or normal deterioration of contaminated materials.
While all personnel aboard the USS Corry faced some exposure risk, specific occupational roles suffered the most concentrated exposures from working in poorly ventilated spaces that contained deteriorating asbestos. These crew members included:
- Engineering department personnel
- Boiler technicians
- Maintenance and repair specialists
- Damage control teams
- Plumbers and pipefitters
- Machinists’ mates
The Impact of Asbestos Exposure
When inhaled or ingested, microscopic asbestos fibers can become embedded in the cellular membranes lining the pleural and peritoneal cavities. The presence of these foreign materials triggers chronic inflammatory responses that result in genetic mutations and cell damage. These processes can eventually have devastating effects and lead to the development of a range of asbestos-related diseases, including:
Pleural Plaques
• Thickened areas in the pleura (lung lining) that typically cause no symptoms
• May slightly reduce lung function, but doesn’t worsen over time
• Often discovered incidentally during medical screening
• Indicate previous asbestos exposure, but aren’t direct mesothelioma risk factors
Diffuse Pleural Thickening
• More severe than pleural plaques, involving widespread scar tissue throughout the pleura
• Progressive and irreversible condition
• Symptoms include:
– Chest pain and breathing difficulties
– Breathlessness and restricted lung function
• Treatment focuses on slowing progression and symptom management
Pleural Effusion
• Fluid accumulation between the pleural layers
• Causes shortness of breath, cough, chest pain, hiccups, fever, and fatigue
• Linked to various conditions, including asbestos-related diseases
• Treatment involves fluid drainage through thoracentesis or pleurodesis
Other Effusions
• Peritoneal effusion (ascites): Fluid in the abdominal cavity, often arising from peritoneal mesothelioma
• Pericardial effusion: Fluid around the heart, potentially from pericardial mesothelioma
COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)
• Combination of emphysema and chronic bronchitis
• While primarily caused by smoking, asbestos exposure increases risk
• Symptoms: persistent cough with mucus, chest tightness, wheezing, frequent infections
• No cure, but treatment manages symptoms and slows progression
Asbestosis (Interstitial Lung Disease)
• Lung inflammation and scarring from asbestos exposure
• Affects approximately 50% of those with occupational asbestos exposure
• Symptoms: shortness of breath, fatigue, chest pain, cough, clubbed fingers
• Progressive condition that worsens even after exposure ends
• Treatment focuses on symptom management and slowing disease progression
Asbestos-Related Cancers
• Mesothelioma: Aggressive, fatal cancer of the pleural or peritoneal lining, specifically associated with asbestos exposure
• Lung cancer: The most common non-mesothelioma asbestos-related cancer
• Laryngeal cancer: Can come from inhaling asbestos fibers
• Other cancers: Limited evidence suggests links to throat, esophageal, gallbladder, and bile duct cancers
Mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases have long latency periods and typically remain dormant for decades, then suddenly appear 20 to years after exposure. This makes treatment extremely difficult, as by the time the disease is diagnosed, it is usually in an advanced stage.
Support for USS Corry III Veterans Diagnosed with Mesothelioma
Many former crew members of the USS Corry, as well as shipyard workers involved in her construction, conversion, and maintenance operations, experienced significant asbestos exposure and developed asbestos-related diseases decades after their service had been completed. Others are still at risk, as the Corry was in service until 1981, well under the 50 years it often takes for the symptoms of mesothelioma or other serious medical conditions to appear.
Veterans diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases may qualify for comprehensive compensation through Department of Veterans Affairs programs specifically designed to address service-connected disabilities. Successfully completing the VA claims process leads to extensive benefits, including specialized medical care at either VA medical facilities or approved civilian treatment centers with demonstrated expertise in asbestos-related disease management. VA disability assessments typically assign those diagnosed with mesothelioma and similar conditions a 100% disability rating. This provides the maximum compensation for affected veterans, as well as their eligible dependents.
In addition to government benefits, Navy veterans who suffered asbestos exposure aboard the USS Corry can file personal injury claims seeking compensation directly from the manufacturers and distributors of asbestos products you were exposed to during your military career and afterward. These claims often result in substantial financial settlements from companies seeking to avoid costly litigation, while juries that hear evidence about asbestos companies’ negligence and failure to warn frequently award monetary damages that can reach into the millions.
In addition to these options, there are asbestos trust funds collectively holding over $30 billion. These funds were set up by asbestos manufacturers who filed for bankruptcy in the face of overwhelming asbestos liabilities. The courts required companies seeking bankruptcy protection to establish trust funds for the benefit of their asbestos exposure victims.
To learn more about these options, mesothelioma victims who served aboard the USS Corry can consult with experienced asbestos attorneys. These legal professionals specialize in pursuing justice from asbestos manufacturers and distributors. They will answer your questions, review your service and occupational records, and quickly identify the manufacturers who may have been responsible for your exposure. They can also assist with VA benefits applications and asbestos trust fund applications to ensure you receive all the benefits to which you are entitled.
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