The USS Bassett (APD-73) was a Buckley-class destroyer escort laid down on November 28, 1943, and launched on January 15, 1944. It was commissioned as a high-speed transport on February 23, 1945, under Lt. Comdr. Harold J. Theriault’s command with the hull number APD-73 and served in the U.S. Navy for 8 years until it was decommissioned on November 26, 1957. During its activity, the ship carried a complement of 186 men on board and had its main missions in Norfolk, Hawaii, Eniwetok, Guam, Ulithi Atoll, Hollandia, the Philippines, Brunei, and British Honduras. After the decommissioning, the ship was struck from the Navy List on May 1, 1966. An overwhelming majority of the veterans who served in the U.S. Navy between World War II and the late 1970s entered into contact with asbestos while on active duty. Anyone who served onboard the USS Bassett (APD-73) should consult a doctor if they experience symptoms such as shortness of breath, dry cough or wheezing, chest pain, or tightness.
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