The USS Richey (DE-385) was an Edsall-class destroyer escort laid down on April 19, 1943, and launched on June 30, the same year. It was commissioned on October 30, 1943, under Comdr. Peter D. Mills’ command with the hull number DE-385 and served in the U.S. Navy for 4 years until it was decommissioned in January 1947. During its activities, the ship carried a complement of 209 people on board and had its main missions in Bermuda, New York, Norfolk, Casablanca, Oran, Bizerte, Belfast, Londonderry, France, Cuba, the Panama Canal, Adak, Ominato, Okinawa and Honshu. After the decommissioning, the ship was struck from the Navy List on June 30, 1968, and used as a target ship during training exercises the following year. Many Navy veterans were unknowingly exposed to hidden dangers when working in specific capacities where asbestos was present. If you worked in a shipyard, you are at a higher risk of exposure to asbestos than others. In fact, workers in almost every aspect of the construction or maintenance of these ships may have been affected including pipefitters, boiler workers, carpenters, engine room mechanics, electricians, insulators, maintenance workers, sheet metal workers, welders, hull technicians, seabees, radiomen, and other naval service members.
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