USS Calvert
The USS Calvert was a WWII Naval Destroyer vessel built by Bethlehem Shipbuilding or Sparrows Point, Maryland. The destroyer was commissioned under contract from the United States Maritime commission and was delivered to the U.S. Navy in September of 1942. Officially commissioned the next day, Captain D.W. Lewis assumed command of the vessel. After just a few days of shakedown and training, the Calvert was immediately sent into a combat position. Today, she remains one of the few vessels that served in both the Pacific and European theatres of the Second World War
Immediately after training exercises in Norfolk, Virginia, the Calvert's maiden voyage was to assist in the October invasion of North Africa. She successfully landed troops in San, French Morocco and days later was already on her way back to the Chesapeake Bay for further training exercises involving other invasions. In June of 1943, she again sailed the Atlantic for her second major invasion. Later that month the Calvert successfully landed American troops at Sicily for her first true foray into the European conflict. By August of 1943, the Calvert was already a veteran of Atlantic invasions and was now headed towards the Pacific. She arrived at Pearl Harbor late in September and immediately began training exercises for the island-hopping invasions of the Pacific theatre. Through the remainder of the war, she remained in the Pacific, lending support to important seizures of the Mariana and Marshall Islands.
In the summer of 1950, the Calvert was again called to action to support the outbreak of war in Korea. She trained troops in Japan and began ferrying troops between Korea, Japan, and the West coast mainland United States. She would continue this service until 1960. In all the Calvert received 8 battlestars for her contributions to military efforts in both WWII and the Korean conflict.
The resolve of the men aboard the Calvert was truly amazing. They were ready to turn around from one hard fought invasion and immediately begin training for another one. The ship which they trusted with their lives however, may someday betray them. Vessels such as the Calvert were known to use heavy amounts of asbestos in their insulation of piping and other fixtures. Asbestos has been linked with cancer and other respiratory complications even decades after exposure. Most likely those who came in contact with a vessel's insulation fixtures either in a crew or ship repair capacity are most at risk. Closely monitor your respiratory health if you believe you fall into these risk pools.
