USS Manchester
The USS Manchester was a Cleveland-class light cruiser vessel of the United States Navy. Her hull was constructed at the Bethlehem Steel Company’s Fore River Shipyard in Quincy, Massachusetts and was launched on March 5th, 1946, soon after the end of WWII. She was commissioned on October 29th, 1946, sponsored by Mrs. Ernest J. Gladu, with Capt. Peter G. Hale named as her maiden commander.
Shakedown and initial training operations were completed in the Caribbean before Manchester returned to Boston in late March of the 1947. She then sailed to the Mediterranean to provide conspicuous presence in support of the Truman Doctrine and returned to the Eastern seaboard of the United States in June. She was then assigned to the Pacific fleet. She remained in the Far East until the outset of the Korean War, when she was again fully commissioned for wartime operations.
After a brief overhaul in the Ports of San Francisco, Manchester set out for the Yellow Sea in support of United Nations efforts to repel the invading North Korean forces. While operating off Korea, Manchester participated in minesweeping and shore bombardment, which effectively slowed the Communist North Korean’s onslaught into the Southern part of the peninsula. However, these were just some of the important operations Manchester completed during the course of the Korean War. The vessel was also involved in the evacuation of Thai allies under siege of North Korean forces.
The crew of the Manchester served their country admirably, showing courage and determination typical of the brave members of the United States Navy. Unfortunately, many of these men were exposed to toxic substances aboard vessels such as the Manchester. Among the more common toxins on board was asbestos. Asbestos was used in number of different capacities, but most frequently as an insulation material around piping, electrical installations, and other fixture. Loose asbestos fibers, when inhaled, can be extremely harmful and lead to the rare cancer mesothelioma, an aggressive malignancy known only to be caused by exposure to asbestos. Those with known asbestos exposure history should be aware of possibly symptoms that may indicate an asbestos-related condition.
Last modified: December 28, 2010.
