The USS Leahy (DLG/CG-16) was a Leahy-class guided-missile cruiser laid down on December 3, 1959, and launched on July 1, 1961. It was commissioned on August 4, 1962, under Capt. Robert L. Baughan’s command as DLG-16 and served in the U.S. Navy for 30 years until it was decommissioned on October 1, 1993. During its activities, the ship carried a complement of 445 people on board and had its main missions in Naples, Norfolk, Boston, Florida, Charleston, and Saudi Arabia. After decommissioning, the ship was struck from the Navy List on October 1, 1993, and sold for scrapping to International Shipbreaking in 1995.
Like all branches of the U.S. military, the Navy valued asbestos for its ability to resist heat and protect personnel from fire. If you served in the U.S. Navy between World War II and the end of the Vietnam War, you are at an increased risk of developing asbestos-related diseases such as lung cancer, bronchial cancer, mesothelioma, colon cancer, esophageal cancer, stomach cancer, plus many other types of pulmonary issues.