The USS Keith (DE-241) was an Edsall-class destroyer escort laid down on December 8, 1942, and launched on December 21, the same year. It was commissioned on July 19, 1943, under Lt. Cmdr. D. Cochran’s command as DE-241 and served in the U.S. Navy for 3 years until it was decommissioned on September 20, 1946. During its activities, the ship carried a complement of 186 people on board and had its main missions in Texas, Norfolk, Bermuda, Charleston, Panama Canal, Pearl Harbor, and Guantanamo. After the decommissioning, the ship was struck from the Navy List on November 1, 1972, and sold for scrapping in 1973. For the services brought to the country during World War II, the USS Keith received one battle star. Between the 1940s and 1980s, the U.S. Navy stockpiled asbestos for shipbuilding and repair. The miraculous mineral was prized for its resistance to heat, fire, water, and corrosion. Those who served or worked on the USS Keith (DE-241) should monitor their health carefully. Those who were around the workers exposed to asbestos may also be at risk based on second-hand exposure.
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