The USS Brinkley Bass (DD-887) was a Gearing-class destroyer laid down in 1944, launched, and commissioned in 1945. After outfitting and shakedown, the ship conducted maneuvers with TF58 and 77. During the Korean War, she acted as a plane guard and escort, tasked with bombardments, convoy escorts, and patrols, sustaining casualties from shore fire. Through 1952–53, the vessel alternated between TF 77, TF 95, and Taiwan Strait patrols before returning home for overhaul. After the 1953 armistice, she deployed on routine Far East cruises until 1963, followed by U.S. coastal duty amid Vietnam tensions. In 1965, the ship sailed to Vietnam to screen carriers and perform search-and-rescue missions. Damaged in a 1966 collision, the destroyer returned for repairs but resumed operations. Between 1967 and 1971, she alternated between gunfire support, carrier escort, and patrol duties in Vietnam and Asia. After her final deployment in 1971, the ship fulfilled training missions and entered the Naval Reserve. The USS Brinkley Bass was decommissioned and struck from the Register in 1973. Until the early 1980s, asbestos was a staple material in most equipment used on Navy ships, permanently affecting the health of naval personnel. This is why many veterans developed severe asbestos-related illnesses decades after service.
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