USS Isle Royale
The USS Isle Royale’s keel was laid at Todd Pacific Shipyards Inc. of Seattle, Washington in December of 1944. She was a Hamul Class Destroyer Tender and was completerd in September of 1945. She was designated to the Reserve Fleet and sailed to San Diego to as an inactive vessel. Her first period of tenure was stationed at the Long Beach Naval Base of California. She was not commissioned however, until June of 1962, at which time officers and enlisted men were transferred to the vessel.
In 1963, Isle Royale was assigned to the Pineapple Fleet of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii to service roaming destroyers of the Pacific Fleet. She continued these tasks until August of 1965, at which time she was assigned to the Phillipines to service the 7th fleet. Common ports of call during this tour included the Phillipines, Taiwan, and Japan. She returned to Long Beach California in March of 1966. She departed for Pearl Harbor again in September of 1966.
After another Western Pacific cruise and subsequent Pacific fleet servicing in 1967, the Isle Royale spend the majority of her remaining tenure docked in Pearl Harbor and Long Beach. The vessel was decommissioned in 1970 and stripped of the navy register in 1977. What was once the Isle Royale was sold to Waterman Supply Co. for non transportation use in 1978 and resold to International Steel Co. for scrapping.
Few people realize that in addition to the hazards associated with serving aboard a naval vessel, many were exposed to asbestos unknowingly from vessel fixtures. Asbestos was used commonly in ship construction and many naval servicemen have developed respiratory complications as a result of exposure during their sea tenure. Those who believe they may have been exposed should talk to their doctor about possible warning signs of an adverse asbestos exposure.
Last modified: December 28, 2010.
