The USS Bright (DE-747) was a Cannon-class destroyer escort laid down on June 9, 1943, and launched on September 26, the same year. It was commissioned on June 30, 1944, under Lt. Cmdr. William A. McMahan’s command with the hull number DE-747 and served in the U.S. Navy for 2 years until it was decommissioned on April 19, 1946. During its activity, the ship carried a complement of 216 men on board and had its main missions in California, Hawaii, the Marshalls, Eniwetok, Saipan, Okinawa, Pearl Harbor, and Oregon. After the decommissioning, the ship was struck from the Navy List and transferred to France where it was renamed Touareg (F721). Many of the ships that contained asbestos during World War II were still in service throughout the 1970s. Removing asbestos from discontinued vessels put shipyard workers and Navy veterans at risk since parts of the ships were often sold or used in other military branches, which again led to additional asbestos exposure. If you or a family member were exposed to asbestos while serving in the U.S. Navy, you should make an appointment with your doctor at your earliest convenience.
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