The Allen M. Sumner class consisted of 58 destroyers commissioned between 1944 and 1945 at various yards as an evolution of the Fletcher-class design incorporating twin-gun mounts and improved anti-aircraft armament. Sumner-class destroyers served in WWII Pacific operations, Korean War patrols, and Cold War deployments before the last ships decommissioned in the early 1970s. Many Sumner-class ships were transferred to Allied navies under security assistance programs, with the class serving in dozens of navies. The Sumner-class ships’ WWII-era construction used asbestos throughout their steam engineering plants consistent with wartime naval construction standards.

Steam Plant Asbestos

Sumner-class destroyers used steam turbine propulsion with WWII-era asbestos insulation:

  • Boiler plant — the two Babcock & Wilcox boilers aboard each Sumner-class destroyer used asbestos boiler lagging, asbestos refractory brick in furnaces, and asbestos rope and packing at boiler access points. BT ratings maintaining the Sumner-class boiler plant performed lagging maintenance and boiler inspection in the confined firerooms of these 376-foot destroyers
  • Main steam piping — the main steam distribution piping in the Sumner-class firerooms and enginerooms used asbestos magnesia pipe covering on the steam lines. The concentrated engineering spaces of these WWII destroyers placed engineering ratings in constant proximity to the asbestos-covered steam piping overhead and on the bulkheads throughout the engineering watch
  • Engineering auxiliaries — steam-driven boiler feed pumps and ship’s service generators used asbestos-containing gasket materials in routine MM maintenance

WWII Pacific and Korean War Operations

Sumner-class ships served in some of the most intensive combat operations of WWII and Korea:

  • The heavy operational tempo of late-WWII Pacific operations and Korean War patrols concentrated Sumner-class engineering ratings in their asbestos-containing firerooms and enginerooms under sustained high-temperature operating conditions for extended periods at sea

VA Claims for Sumner-Class Veterans

VA evaluates asbestos-related disability claims on a case-by-case basis. Veterans generally need evidence of in-service asbestos exposure, a current asbestos-related diagnosis, and a medical link between them. Engineering ratings who served aboard Allen M. Sumner-class destroyers and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.

Product & Manufacturer Reference

The asbestos-containing products documented on U.S. Navy vessels and at shipyards are catalogued by manufacturer on AsbestosIndex. These records cross-reference which companies supplied which materials and to which facilities.

Pipe Covering & Block Insulation Thermal insulation applied to steam lines, valves, and equipment in engine rooms and fire rooms Marine Products Insulation, gaskets, and packing products specified for naval and commercial marine applications Boilers & Steam Equipment Boiler manufacturers and insulation products — central to the fire room exposure pathway Gaskets & Packing Sheet and ring gaskets used throughout piping flanges, valve bonnets, and pump housings Electrical Products Wire insulation, switchgear arc chutes, and panel liners used throughout electrical spaces Full Product Index Search all 200+ manufacturers and 1,500+ documented asbestos products on AsbestosIndex™

Navy Ratings Most Exposed to Asbestos Aboard Allen M. Sumner-Class Destroyers

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the public asbestos litigation record document that the following Navy ratings worked routinely in spaces where ACM was installed, maintained, ripped out, and replaced:

VA Disability Claims for Asbestos-Related Disease

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs evaluates asbestos claims individually. A veteran generally needs medical evidence of a current asbestos-related disease, service evidence supporting in-service asbestos exposure, and a medical opinion connecting the two. Ship assignments, Navy ratings, and equipment records can help document the exposure history but do not create automatic service connection.

Approved claims may provide monthly disability compensation and related benefits. Survivors may separately qualify for Dependency & Indemnity Compensation when the applicable requirements are met. Civil lawsuits and asbestos-trust claims use different standards; claimants should obtain individualized advice about how the processes interact.

How to file a VA disability claim: VA claims are filed directly with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs — not with a law firm. Start at VA.gov › Hazardous Materials Exposure, call 1‑800‑827‑1000, or get free help filing from a Veterans Service Organization: DAV, VFW, or American Legion.

VA Claims Guide on This Site › Compare: VA vs. Civil Lawsuit

Source notes: equipment-manifest entries (where shown) are sourced from public-record BUSHIPS (Bureau of Ships) documentation, NARA archives, and the public asbestos litigation record. Manufacturer attributions link to documented asbestos-product histories on AsbestosIndex.com where available. Nothing on this page constitutes medical or legal advice.