The USS Ebert (DE-768) was a Cannon-class destroyer escort laid down on April 1, 1943, and launched on May 11, 1944. It was commissioned on July 12, 1944, with the hull number DE-768, and served in the U.S. Navy for 2 years until it was decommissioned on June 14, 1946. During its activity, the ship carried a complement of 216 men on board and had its main missions in Great Britain ports, France, New York, Pearl Harbor, Eniwetok, the Philippines, Japan, and Manila. After the decommissioning, in 1972, the ship was transferred to Greece where it was renamed Ierax. In 2002, the ship sank as a target during training exercises.
Between the 1930s up to mid-1970s, asbestos was the primary choice for insulation due to its high tensile strength and inexpensiveness and used in many areas of the ship. When asbestos fibers are inhaled, they become lodged in the lungs and remain there throughout life. Fibers can accumulate and cause scarring and inflammation, which decades later has caused so many veterans to suffer from asbestos-related illnesses.
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