USS Hector
The USS Hector was built by the Los Angeles Shipbuilding and Drydock Co. out of San Pedro, California. The vessel was christened by Ramona Heim, wife of Captain Schuyler Heim of the United States Navy. The ship was launched of November 11th 1942 and commissioned into the United States Navy on February 7TH 1944.
The ship conducted its shakedown on the West Coast and sailed for the Pacific, arriving at naval station Pearl Harbor on April 9th of 1944. As a patrol and repair ship, Hector sailed for Eniwetok and Ulithi after spending the summer in Pearl Harbor. The largest repair job performed by the Hector was the USS Houston, an American vessel that was twice torpedoed by the Japanese. The Hector towed the Houston alongside it and was able to repair the vessel by the end of 1944. While the Hector contributed the most to the Houston, it was also active in many other minor repairs of other Pacific theatre American vessels.
Hector remained in the Pacific and Asian seas during the occupation eras directly following WWII, earning the esteemed China Service Medal. Hector returned to Long Beach, California in early February of 1946. She performed a year of prepares on the American West coast and then got underway on her maiden peace-time voyage of the Western Pacific.
The Hector and her crew performed critical repairs to hundreds of American vessels to sustain the war efforts in the Pacific. Unfortunately, the history of many naval ships like the Hector is marred by asbestos onboard these vessels. Several navy personnel were exposed to asbestos that was used in hundreds of different onboard fixtures. Many of these men are now paying the consequences of asbestos exposure, like the rare and aggressive cancer mesothelioma. Those who believe they may have been exposed onboard the Hector or other vessel should consult with their physician and be on the alert for adverse respiratory symptoms.
Last modified: December 28, 2010.
