The USS Coates (DE-685) was a Rudderow-class destroyer escort laid down on November 8, 1943, and launched on December 12, the same year. It was commissioned on January 24, 1944, under Lt. W. S. Wills’ command as DE-685 and served in the U.S. Navy for 26 years until it was decommissioned on January 30, 1970. During its activities, the ship carried a complement of 186 people on board and had its main missions in Norfolk, Charleston, Liverpool, Arendal, New York, Guantanamo, Virginia Capes, and Florida. After decommissioning, the ship was struck from the Navy List on January 30, the same year, and sunk as a target in 1971 during training exercises. With the belief that asbestos was a safe and necessary material, the U.S. Navy kept purchasing and utilizing it in substantial quantities between World War II and the late 1970s. As a Navy veteran affected by asbestos exposure, you are eligible for compensation. Over 4 million veterans in the country are receiving financial compensation for asbestos-related diseases at the moment. If a Navy veteran dies from an asbestos-related illness, his or her family members are eligible for dependency and indemnity compensation.
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