The USS Bristol (DD-857) was an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer built during World War II, laid down and launched in 1944, and commissioned in 1945. Entering service near the end of the conflict, she joined Task Group 30.8 and operated with the Atlantic Fleet. After Japan’s surrender, the ship took part in occupation duties, earning one battle star for her World War II service. During the Korean War, the ship played an active combat role, delivering naval gunfire support, screening aircraft carriers, and conducting patrol missions along contested coastlines. Her contributions in this conflict were significant, earning her five battle stars. In the decades that followed, the destroyer remained an important asset during the Cold War. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, she frequently deployed to the Mediterranean Sea and participated in NATO exercises, demonstrating American naval presence and readiness. After more than two decades of service, USS Bristol was decommissioned and stricken from the Register in 1969. Navy ships built prior to the 1980’s, and in some cases beyond, had asbestos in much of their equipment, exposing service members to an elevated risk of exposure to asbestos dust. Veterans diagnosed with related illnesses have a right to seek compensation from the asbestos trust funds and the VA.
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