The USS Burke (DE-215/APD-65) was a Buckley-class destroyer escort laid down on January 1, 1943, and launched on April 3, the same year. It was commissioned on August 20, 1943, under Lt. Comdr. Edwin K. Winn’s command with the hull number DE-215 and served in the U.S. Navy for 6 years until it was decommissioned on June 22, 1949. During its activity, the ship carried a complement of 213 men on board and had its main missions in Panama, New York, Balboa, Pearl Harbor, the Philippines, Legaspi, and Manila. After the decommissioning, the ship was struck from the Navy List on June 1, 1968. A month later, in August 1968, the ship was sold to Colombia. Between World War II and the late-1970, asbestos was the insulation of choice for boilers, engine rooms, steam pipes, and ships’ interiors. An increased risk of developing asbestos-related illnesses was later found among naval personnel and those who worked in shipyards. If you think you were exposed to asbestos while serving aboard the USS Burke (DE-215/APD-65), you may qualify to file an asbestos claim to help pay for medical expenses and other costs.
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