USS Bache
The USS Bache was a Fletcher class destroyer used during WWII, the second ever built within the Fletcher distinction. Built by Bethlehem Steel Shipyards of Staten Island, NY,(Now known as the Brooklyn Navy Yard) the Bache was launched in July of 1942 and commissioned by the United States Navy in November of that year. The vessel then reported to the Atlantic fleet and served as an escort ship between New York and Halifax, Nova Scotia. The ship then returned to New York for final shakedown and prepared to depart for the Pacific theatre. Bache served as an escort for the HMS Victorious, a British ship headed to Pearl Harbor.
After arriving in Hawaii in March of 1943, the Bache set off for the Aleutian Islands, where it participated in the bombardment of Kiska in May of that year. Following a return to Pearl Harbor, the Bache joined other bombing forces and between December of 1943 and October 1944, was responsible for bombardment of the New Britain Islands and other positions. In late October, the Bache returned to the mainland United States for repair and overhaul. Following these repairs she joined the air support forces in Iwo Jima in early 1945, providing critical maritime support to jet forces operating above the Japanese controlled position.
In April of 1945, Bache arrived off the coast of Okinawa to lend her support to that campaign. During this time, the Bache suffered several kamikaze attacks from the Japanese mainland positions, one of critically damaged the ship and killed 41 members of its crew. She was towed to the other side of American controlled Okinawa for only minor repairs, thus ending her participation in the Second World War. Even in the most dangerous circumstances the Bache proved to be reliable and important to the American Pacific war efforts.
While under the constant danger of kamikaze attack, it is likely that those aboard the Bache were worried about little other than their perceived enemies of warfare. However, there was a very dangerous hazard aboard the vessel that none of them knew about at the time. This was asbestos. Asbestos was used on nearly all naval vessels of the Bache's era and was littered throughout the construction of the ships. Typically, asbestos was combined in insulation and fire-proofing compounds that many men came into contact with frequently. Asbestos has been linked with life threatening cancer as well as a range of other respiratory complications. Those who may have been exposed should seek the consultation of a physician to ensure that they have not been adversely affected.
Last modified: February 28 2008.
