USS Frost
USS Frost was an Edsall-class destroyer escort named for Holloway Halstead Frost. She was the recipient of the Navy Cross for his service during WW I where she helped to develop the strategy of joint air-sea operations used against submarines.
The Frost was commissioned in 1943 and spent much of the next two years as part of USS Croatia’s hunter-killer antisubmarine group. This group was successful in sinking two U-boats in the spring of 1944. In June, the Frost was helping to guard the movement of supply convoys to Casablanca when she was the first ship in the group to make contact with U-490. A prolonged attack followed, which finally resulted in the Frost faking her departure from the area, which, in turn, lured the U-boat to the surface. The sub was sunk by gunfire and the Frost took 13 crew members prisoner. A few weeks later, U-154 tried to torpedo Frost, but was successfully sunk as well. In April 1945, Frost won the Presidential Unit Citation for her efforts in the sinking of two additional U-boats. Later that month she and the USS Stanton used depth charges to sink two more German subs. In all, the Frost participated in pursuing and sinking eight enemy submarines and was awarded seven battle stars.
When hostilities ended, the Frost was in Pearl Harbor. She was used to carry passengers back to San Diego and then proceeded on to Florida where she was decommissioned and placed in reserve in 1946. In 1966, she was sold and scrapped.
Crewmembers who worked aboard the Frost knew they were in danger from German torpedoes, but they were also working around a dangerous substance they were not aware of. The Frost was built during a time when the hazards of exposure to asbestos were not understood. Asbestos was used heavily as insulation around the pipes and electrical systems aboard the Frost and other vessels of her era. Men who were exposed to asbestos are vulnerable to respiratory diseases including mesothelioma, a type of cancer. If you have reason to believe you may be at risk because of workplace exposure, you are urged to contact a thoracic specialist. You can also request a free information packet for more information.
