The USS Barbel SS-316 was the first Navy ship to be named for the barbell, also known as the minnow or carp. She was laid down as a Balao-class submarine by the General Dynamics/Electric Boat Company of Groton, Connecticut and launched in late 1943.
Four World War II Patrols
Between July 1944 and February 1945, the Barbel performed four patrols in World War II. She is credited with sinking six Japanese ships. However, the Barbel met a tragic end during her fourth patrol, on the 16th of February, 1945.
Sunk by the Japanese
The Barbel was patrolling the southern entrance to Palawan Passage and the approaches to Balabac Strait along with two other U.S. Navy subs when she reported that she had been hit by depth charges. The crew was never heard from again, and the sub was never found. Later, Japanese war records indicated that the Barbel had been hit by Japanese bombs and sunk.
The USS Barbel received three battle stars for her service.
The USS Barbel and Asbestos
In light of the era in which the Barbel was built, it is likely that asbestos was used in both its construction methods and in parts installed in the sub itself. The many uses of asbestos materials aboard seagoing vessels exposed thousands of individuals to dangerously high levels of this mineral, the fibers of which can easily be inhaled.
Asbestos fibers are invisible. Shipyard workers and submarine crew members can inhale a toxic level of asbestos fibers without even being aware that they’re doing so. Moreover, the asbestos exposure can occur on a daily or near-daily basis for months or even years.
Asbestos Causes Severe Diseases
Lung cancer, cancer of the mesothelium (a tissue lining in the chest), and asbestosis are possible outcomes of asbestos inhalation. These diseases are at the least very disruptive to an individual’s life, and in the worst-case scenarios, they’re fatal.
Talk to an Asbestos Victims’ Rights Firm
If your family member or you helped build or maintain the USS Barbel, learn more about the risks of asbestos exposure and the rights of shipyard workers who were exposed to asbestos. Contact an asbestos law firm today.
