The USS Benson (DD-421) was a Benson-class destroyer laid down on May 16, 1938, and launched on November 15, 1939. It was commissioned on July 25, the following year under Lt. Comdr. Clifford A. Fines’ command with the hull number DD-421 and served in the US Navy for 6 years until it was decommissioned on March 18, 1946. During its activity, the ship carried a complement of 276 people on board and had its main missions in Newport, San Juan, Bahamas, Suriname, Norfolk, and Virginia. After the decommissioning, the ship was struck from the Navy List on November 1, 1974. For the services brought to the country during World War II, the USS Benson received 4 battle stars. Considered a miraculous, indestructible substance with powerful wartime applications - asbestos was used to increase durability in materials like gaskets, valves, turbines and to insulate the pipes in navy vessels. Asbestos is made up of microscopic fibers that can escape into the air, and when breathed in, these fibers enter the lungs and can gradually damage them over time. If you worked on Navy ships during or after World War you may have been exposed to asbestos. Seek medical advice if you have symptoms like coughing, shortness of breath or chest pain.
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