The USS Boyd (DD-544) was a Fletcher-class destroyer laid down and launched in 1942 and commissioned in 1943. The ship deployed to the Pacific Theater during WWII, earning 11 battle stars for her actions. She was known for assignments such as anti-aircraft screen duties, shore bombardments, and rescuing downed pilots in the Gilbert/Marshall Islands, Marianas, and Leyte Gulf. The vessel was placed in reserve in 1947 but recommissioned in 1950 for the Korean War, where she served two tours, acting with Task Force 77. Her services were rewarded with 5 battle stars. The destroyer underwent a major upgrade later that year and conducted multiple Far Eastern tours, including operations off Vietnam. The USS Boyd was decommissioned and stricken from the Register in 1969, and transferred to the Turkish Navy. Ships built for the U.S. Navy during the time of the USS Boyd regularly used asbestos in much of the construction process. Though the companies that provided asbestos were typically aware of the risks associated with asbestos exposure, they didn’t warn the Navy. It put naval personnel at a high risk of inhaling or ingesting toxic asbestos dust and developing severe illnesses decades after service. Veterans diagnosed with asbestos-caused diseases due to their in-service exposure have a right to seek compensation.
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