The Charles J. Kimmel (DE-584) was a Rudderow-class destroyer escort laid down on December 1, 1943, and launched on January 15, the following year. It was commissioned on April 20, 1944, as DE-584 and served in the U.S. Navy for 3 years until it was decommissioned on January 15, 1947. During its activities, the ship carried a complement of 204 people on board and had its main missions in Norfolk, Manus, Hingham, Boston, New Guinea, Hollandia, Leyte, Lingayen, Okinawa, and Samar. After decommissioning, the ship was struck from the Navy List on June 30, 1968, and used as a target ship during the training exercises the following year. Asbestos brought a number of functional properties that no other material could match, such as affordability, tensile strength, heat, and chemical damage resistance. During World War II and the wars in Korea and Vietnam, the U.S. Navy had to construct and deploy many new ships. Engine rooms, walls, flooring, piping, and doors were all contaminated. Many areas on Navy ships needed fireproofing, which required asbestos insulation. Normal work duties performed by sailors resulted in the release of asbestos dust and putting those inhaling it at great risk of developing incurable diseases decades after the exposure happened.
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