queries
USS BRYCE CANYON AD 36

Queries


 The purpose of this news letter is to keep former crewmembers informed of events pertaining to the USS BRYCE CANYON crew.


From: Rick Wash
To: [email protected]
Sent: Tuesday, February 17, 2004 3:12 AM

Hi,
We discovered on Jan. 23rd the my husband, Rick, who serve on the Bryce Canyon Nov/66-2/68, has metastatic mesothelioma. As you may be aware, there have been several others (that we have discovered..no telling how many more we know nothing about..who have been diagnosed with asbestosis which leads to mesothelioma. Both which come from direct exposure to asbestos. We have learned that asbestos was used to insulate at least the pipes on the ship. Rick was a damage controlmen assigned to the ships repair division. He remembers having to cut through the asbestos each time he had to repair a pipe.
In order to be able to document what company provided the Navy/government with the asbestos we have learned so far that Babcock & Wilcox contracted to do the work, but have no idea who supplied them with the raw materials. We don't have a clue where to start since it was so long ago. One of our children found your website while researching where we should start. We would like to be put on your mailing list, please.
Rick is 56 and has been in exceptional good health up until Nov. of 2003, when the vague signs and symptoms started. Since he didn't even remember the exposure until asked when they were trying to get a diagnosis, we attributed his symptoms (pain under shoulder blades & shortness of breath) to surgery he had earlier on his shoulders, and putting on 10-15 lbs while he was recovering. He finally became so short of breath the end of Dec. he agreed to go to the doctor. When he was asked if he had ever been exposed to asbestos, he remembered cutting through it to repair pipes when he was on the Bryce Canyon. So we are starting there. If you have gotten any information, or know how we go about locating it, maybe we could work together with others who have the problem & share results. We would like to get the info out to as many as possible so they won't ignore symptoms and delay treatment. If caught early enough a lung can be removed. That is the only cure at present and rarely is it caught early.
I have been in contact with one of his old shipmates and told him that we were trying to get the word out so that others could be warned and maybe get treatment before it spread.
Rick has been put in a clinical trial of chemotherapy with Pemetrexed(Alimta) & Platinol. He just had his first treatment Friday, Feb 6th and will have it every 3 weeks for 6-8 treatments.
If you could put something out on the website we would greatly appreciate it. Since the asbestos fibers can lay dormant 15-50 years in the lungs before it develops into anything, many folks, like Rick, may not even realize they were exposed. Rick has many fond memories of his time on the Bryce Canyon and his shipmates. He doesn't want them to go through what we are going through now, 37 years after the fact! Regular chest xrays are imperative. Rick's was normal in Oct. 2002. If signs & symptoms develop please go immediately to the doctor for a chest xray. The doctor may then order a CT of the chest and if anything abnormal found could then have a CT guided needle biopsy. All of which insurance pays for if abnormalities are suspected.
Thank you,

Mary Wash (wife of 35 1/2 yrs) [email protected]

PERKINS, DENVAL "DENNY"
From: "Steven C. Perkins"
To: [email protected]
Date: Fri, 16 May 2003 23:23:57 -0400
I am the son of Denval "Denny" Perkins, a crew member of the USS Bryce Canyon sometime between 1947 and 1951. He passed on 6 Aug 1974. I am wondering if you or your crew mates might have stories of photos of him to share. He was a Machinist's Mate. A photo of him is on this web page: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~scperkins/
Sincerely, Steven C. Perkins

Interested in hearing from anyone who contacted asbestosis from aboard the Bryce Canyon. I can not get service connected, without the help of someone else who came down with lung cancer. The Veterans Affair Officer was no help. Thanks to anyone who may be able to help me. God Bless Clifford Crosby [email protected]

Mike Ford @ [email protected]
Tuesday, December 2, 2003 4:56 AM

Hello ….my name is mike and my dad served on the Uss Bryce Canyon during the Vietnam war…..if you have any information on a man named Steve ford……..like pictures of him on the ship or pictures of him with his crew or just whatever you can find on him…that would make me happy……my dad passed away on march 25 1995 …..i have gone on with my life and my mom survives him and he is greatly missed……the reason I am interested in finding info on him is because I am planning on going back to school and I had to get some information on him because I am planning on using his g.i. bill to go to school. I found out that he was on a ship…(the bryce canyon) which I never knew. The only thing that I knew was that he told us kids that he was in the navy and I don’t think that he ever mentioned the ship that he was on. Well I found some information on my dad in the records department at the courthouse and now I am trying to find out as much as I can on the ship and whatever my dad’s job was on the ship……can you help me Sincerely .....mike ford

Shirley Reddell
Tuesday, December 16, 2003 2:49 AM
Looking for former EN1 James Pack USS Bryce Canyon AD 36 1971-1975+

I was stationed at Great Lakes, IL from 1970 - 1973 and met PO Pack while he was in school. I am curious as to what has become of him. I have been to military.com and classmates.com and have only found him in high school. If anyone knows how I can get in touch with him please forward my e-mail address to them. I was stationed at the Naval Examining Center, Great Lakes, IL where the Naval Advancement Exams were written, graded, and the pass/fail and advancement notices were sent from for the fleet. Thank you for any help in locating Mr. James Pack.
Shirley (YN3 SLOSSER) Reddell @ [email protected]

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