The USS Wren (DD-568) was a Fletcher-class destroyer built for the U.S. Navy during World War II. Virtually all Navy ships built between the pre-war years and the early 1980s made extensive use of asbestos, a mineral that has since been identified as highly carcinogenic. With numerous components and onboard materials contaminated with this hazardous substance, many sailors who served aboard the Wren, along with shipyard workers who constructed, repaired, or maintained her, were likely to have suffered exposure that could lead to mesothelioma and other serious asbestos-related illnesses.
About the USS Wren and Asbestos
The Ship’s Namesake
The USS Wren was named to honor Solomon Wren. Born in 1780 in Loudoun County, Virginia, Wren enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1799. He advanced through the ranks and achieved the rank of sergeant by the end of 1803, and in 1804, volunteered for a dangerous mission to destroy a frigate that had been captured by pirates. Wren and 68 other sailors and Marines successfully set fire to the former American vessel. Later that year, he suffered minor wounds while serving on Gunboat No. 4 during another assault. He was discharged from the Marine Corps in 1805.[1]
Construction of the USS Wren
The USS Wren (DD-568) was laid down in April 1943, at Seattle, Washington, by the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Company (also known as the Todd Dry Dock & Construction Company). She was launched in January 1944, sponsored by Mrs. Jeanne F. Dockweiler, and commissioned in May of that year, with Commander Edwin A. McDonald in command.[1]
The destroyer measured 376 feet in length and displaced 2,050 tons. She had a range of 6,500 nautical miles and accommodated a crew of 273 officers and enlisted personnel. As one of the 175 Fletcher-class destroyers commissioned by the U.S. Navy between 1942 and 1944, she was designed to serve in the Pacific Theater. The ship had three blade propellers instead of four, which made her much faster than most Fletcher-class destroyers. She was able to achieve a speed of 39.9 knots instead of the standard 35 knots of other Fletcher-class ships. Her extended range, enhanced speed, and devastating firepower proved highly effective against Japanese naval forces and in defending against kamikaze attacks.
Deployment and Active Service
World War II
Following commissioning, the Wren operated from San Diego. In August 1944, she reported for duty with the Northern Pacific Force in the Aleutian Islands, where her duties consisted largely of patrol and escort work between the islands of the Aleutian chain. She participated in four shore bombardment missions against the Japanese Kuril Islands with Task Force 92 between November 1944 and April 1945. Her first action occurred in November 1944, when she participated in the shelling of Matsuwa. Her second and third bombardment missions took her to Paramushiro in January and February 1945. Her final bombardment of the Kurils took place in March 1945.
In April 1945, she left Kulsk Bay headed for Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. She continued to the Western Carolines, stopping at Ulithi Atoll before joining the ongoing Okinawa campaign. The ship served in the Ryukyus from mid-May to mid-June, performing antisubmarine patrols and standing antiaircraft radar picket watch. She came under air attack from Japanese kamikazes on several occasions but sustained no major hits while destroying at least four enemy aircraft.
After departing Okinawa in June, she arrived at Leyte in the Philippines and remained there until July, when she joined units of Task Force 38 for the final series of carrier-based aerial attacks on Japan. The Wren spent the remaining weeks of the war at sea with Task Force 38, supporting the carriers while their planes struck the Japanese homeland.
On August 26, 1945, the Wren entered Tokyo Bay with other elements of the 3rd Fleet to begin the occupation of Japan. She was present for the formal surrender ceremony in September, then left Japan the same day. During the next month, the ship visited Iwo Jima and Eniwetok, then returned to Tokyo for a one-month visit before departing Japan and heading back to Oahu.
The Korean Conflict
After being decommissioned in 1947, the Wren was recommissioned in September 1951, at Charleston, with Commander George M. Hagerman in command. For the next two years, she operated along the eastern seaboard and in the West Indies. In August 1953, she was reassigned to Destroyer Division 61 for deployment to the Far East, joining Task Force 77 in the Sea of Japan and providing screen and plane-guard services to fast carriers.
The destroyer served along the Korean coast carrying out cease-fire surveillance missions with Task Force 95 until February 1954, when she returned to Sasebo to prepare for the voyage home. For the remainder of her active career, the Wren operated out of Norfolk, making periodic overseas deployments including midshipman summer cruises and service with the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean Sea.
The USS Wren had a distinguished service record spanning World War II and the Korean War. She earned four battle stars during World War II and two for Korean War service.
The ship was decommissioned in December 1963 and spent the next 11 years in the reserve fleet at Philadelphia. Her name was struck from the Navy list in December 1974, and in October 1975, she was sold for scrapping.
How Was Asbestos Used on the USS Wren?
Throughout World War II and in the years beyond, the U.S. government required that asbestos be used in hundreds of military applications, and particularly in naval vessel construction. Their reasoning was simple: The material had superior insulation properties, was fire-resistant, cost-effective, lightweight, and highly accessible. All of these characteristics made it highly valuable, especially for maritime environments.
Numerous shipboard systems and components aboard the USS Wren contained asbestos materials. The mineral was most heavily incorporated in the vessel’s engine room equipment, including turbines and boilers, where it provided crucial protection against the extreme temperatures and fire hazards this essential machinery generated.
Additional components and systems on the USS Wren that incorporated asbestos included:
- Fire suppression systems
- Protective gloves for gunners
- Sealing components and valve systems
- Floor covering materials
- Applied thermal insulation
- Cordage and rigging materials
Who Was at Greatest Risk of Exposure to Asbestos on the Wren?
The widespread presence of asbestos throughout naval vessels made it nearly impossible for sailors to avoid the risk of exposure, regardless of whether they worked with or around the toxic material or not. Beyond exposure experienced by those who came into direct contact with asbestos-insulated equipment, the confined quarters typical of Fletcher-class destroyers, combined with inadequate ventilation systems, allowed airborne asbestos particles to circulate throughout the ship, putting all crew members in danger of inhalation.
Still, the personnel facing the greatest exposure risk were those assigned to the Wren’s engine compartments and boiler rooms, as well as individuals responsible for maintenance and repair operations. These positions involved direct daily contact with asbestos-containing components, including thermal insulation materials. This significantly elevated their exposure levels and subsequent risk of developing asbestos-related medical conditions.
Those most impacted by asbestos included:
- Boiler Workers
- Pipefitters
- Engine Room Workers
- Machinists Mates
- Electricians
- Shipyard Workers
How Did Asbestos on the Wren Harm Veterans?
Navy personnel who served aboard the USS Wren and other military vessels faced the constant risk of exposure to asbestos, and many of them subsequently developed serious health complications, including diagnoses of malignant pleural mesothelioma, malignant peritoneal mesothelioma, asbestosis, asbestos-related cancers, and other respiratory and pleural disorders.
The interior spaces of destroyers like the Wren were extremely confined. They created working conditions onboard where asbestos particles were constantly circulated through the ship’s ventilation system and transported on the hair, skin, and clothing of those who worked in engine rooms, performed mechanical repairs, or handled insulated piping systems. Those invisible microscopic fibers became airborne during routine maintenance activities and equipment repairs, and the intense concentration of this dust was particularly dangerous.
Asbestos has a structure characterized by needle-like ends that, once inhaled, frequently get stuck in the lungs and body tissues. Those fibers can initiate a chemical reaction that potentially causes cellular damage and manifests as serious diseases decades later.
Medical evidence demonstrates that even brief exposure periods can result in life-threatening conditions. Asbestos-related diseases have such extended latency periods that symptoms often don’t appear until 20 to 50 years after exposure. This means that people who feel healthy today may still be diagnosed at some point in the future. It’s for this reason that anybody who spent time in the cramped quarters of the USS Wren or who was involved in upgrades or maintenance of the ship should familiarize themselves with the warning signs of asbestos-related diseases and alert their physicians of their exposure history.
Benefits and Compensation Available for USS Wren Veterans
Veterans who served aboard the USS Wren, along with civilian workers who participated in the vessel’s construction, maintenance, or repair operations in shipyards, are likely to have experienced asbestos exposure. Though not everybody who was exposed will end up being diagnosed, it’s also true that individuals currently experiencing no symptoms are still at risk, as asbestos-related conditions such as mesothelioma can remain dormant for decades before manifesting, with symptoms potentially appearing 20 to 60 years following initial exposure.
Service members impacted by military-related asbestos exposure are entitled to benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Submitting a claim can provide access to comprehensive medical care, specialized treatment at VA medical facilities or approved cancer treatment centers, and disability compensation payments. Conditions like mesothelioma receive a 100% disability rating under current VA regulations.
In addition to VA benefits, veterans may pursue compensation directly from manufacturers that supplied asbestos-containing products to the military. Most manufacturers and distributors of asbestos-containing products to the military had been aware of its dangers for decades, yet decided to continue selling them, foregoing issuing warnings so that they could continue earning profits. Decades later, courts have identified this behavior as negligent, and veterans who’ve filed personal injury lawsuits have been awarded millions of dollars in jury verdicts and out-of-court settlements. Additionally, many companies ended up filing for bankruptcy protection due to their extensive asbestos-related liabilities and were mandated to establish compensation trust funds for asbestos exposure victims as part of their reorganization.
Contact a Mesothelioma Attorney for Help
Veterans who experienced asbestos exposure during service aboard the USS Wren or other military assignments should reach out to an experienced mesothelioma attorney to learn about their options. These specialized legal professionals can offer guidance, identify responsible companies, assist with VA benefit applications, and help pursue additional legal remedies for compensation.
