The USS Engstrom (DE-50) was an Evarts-class destroyer escort laid down on April 1, 1942, and launched on July 24, the same year. It was commissioned on June 21, 1943, under Lt. D. A. Nienstedt’s command as DE-50 and served in the U.S. Navy for two years until it was decommissioned on December 19, 1945. During its activities, the ship carried a complement of 198 people on board and had its main missions in Norfolk, Panama Canal, San Diego, Attu, Paramushiro, Mare Island, Pearl Harbor, Eniwetok, Saipan, Ulithi, Guam, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and San Pedro. After the decommissioning, the ship was struck from the Navy List on January 8, 1946, and sold for scrapping the same year. For the services brought to the country during World War II, the USS Engstrom received 3 medals. During repair jobs performed regularly on Navy ships, the asbestos fibers may create dust composed of small particles that can be released into the air. After inhalation, these fibers become trapped in the lungs or digestive tract - making them nearly impossible for the body to break down. Nearly all service members with a history of asbestos exposure are at a potentially life-threatening risk for serious health complications.
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