The USS Bullard (DD-660), a Fletcher-class destroyer of the United States Navy, was launched on 28 February 1943 by Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Kearny, N.J., sponsored by Mrs. H. G. Bullard, widow of Rear Admiral Bullard; and commissioned on 9 April 1943, Commander G. R. Hartwig in command. After conducting brief operations along the eastern seaboard and in the Caribbean, the ship proceeded to the Pacific, arriving at Pearl Harbor on 29 August 1943. The USS Bullard (DD-660) operated constantly in forwarding areas of the Pacific rendering fire support, plane guard, patrol, and radar picket services. Sadly, in performing specific duties, many Navy veterans were exposed to asbestos, which is a toxic, carcinogenic substance, widely used on military vessels between the 1930s and the 1980s. The properties in these fibers created a mineral that was exceptionally durable, excellent for insulating, and completely unaffected and resistant to fire. However, when asbestos fibers are inhaled, tiny fibers may become lodged in the throat, leading to the development of mesothelioma, lung cancer, or asbestosis many years later.
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