The USS Barton (DD-722) was an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer laid down on May 24, 1943, as DD-722 and launched on October 10, the same year. It was commissioned on December 30, 1943, under Commander J. W. Callahan’s command and served in the US Navy for 25 years until it was decommissioned on September 30, 1968. During its activity, the ship carried a complement of 336 people on board and had its main missions in Bermuda, Cherbourg, Korea, Plymouth, Japan, Norfolk, and Nova Scotia. After the decommissioning, the ship was struck from the Naval Register and sunk as a target. For the services brought to the country during World War II, the USS Barton received 6 battle stars and 2 for Korea. Asbestos was used on almost all of the military ships in the U.S. built from the 1930as to the 1970s. Its excellent tensile strength and its unique heat-resistance qualities meant that asbestos found its way into nearly every part of a vessel, from bow to stern. It has been used in thermal and electrical insulation, cement pipe and sheets, flooring, gaskets, friction materials, coatings, plastics, and protective clothing. When these fibers are inhaled, they can easily enter the lungs and become trapped in the tissue, causing the lungs to become stiff.
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