The Allen M. Sumner class (DD-692 and subsequent hull numbers) was built in the final years of World War II as an improvement on the Fletcher-class destroyer design. Fifty-eight ships were completed between 1943 and 1945 at Federal Shipbuilding, Bethlehem Steel, Bath Iron Works, and Todd Shipyards. Like their Gearing-class successors, Sumner-class destroyers used high-pressure steam turbine propulsion with Babcock & Wilcox or Foster Wheeler boilers, creating engineering spaces saturated with asbestos insulation throughout their operational lives.

Steam Plant Asbestos Exposure

Sumner-class destroyers operated with the same general steam plant configuration as the Gearing class: twin-screw geared turbines fed by high-pressure boilers, with all steam piping and equipment insulated with asbestos-containing materials under BUSHIPS specifications. The asbestos exposure conditions aboard Sumner-class destroyers were materially identical to those documented throughout the broader post-World War II destroyer fleet:

  • Boiler room asbestos on boiler casings, steam drums, and associated piping
  • Engine room asbestos on main steam lines, auxiliary systems, and turbine casing expansion joints
  • Crew spaces with asbestos-containing deck tile, bulkhead insulation, and overhead lagging
  • Boiler water chemistry and feed systems using asbestos-packed pump and valve connections

FRAM and Configuration Changes

A number of Sumner-class destroyers underwent FRAM modifications and conversion programs extending their service into the 1970s and early 1980s. Some ships were converted to destroyer minesweepers (DMS) or radar picket destroyers (DDR/DDE) configurations. Personnel aboard during these modifications were exposed to asbestos disturbance from renovation work cutting through existing insulation.

Documented Ships in Asbestos Litigation Records

Sumner-class ships extensively documented in asbestos litigation records include USS Allen M. Sumner (DD-692), USS Laffey (DD-724), USS Barton (DD-722), USS De Haven (DD-727), USS Frank E. Evans (DD-754), and USS Meredith (DD-726), among others. Deposition testimony in publicly filed cases documents service aboard Sumner-class destroyers in engineering and deck billets across multiple Cold War deployments.

VA Claims for Sumner-Class Veterans

Veterans who served aboard Allen M. Sumner-class destroyers in engineering, deck, or damage control billets before the early 1980s and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d). DD-214 records identifying a Sumner-class destroyer as a duty station document the qualifying ship assignment.

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 DD

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 Presumptive Benefits — No Filing Deadline

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs recognizes mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, and pleural disease as conditions presumed to be service-connected for Navy veterans with documented asbestos exposure under 38 CFR § 3.309(d). No statute of limitations applies to VA disability compensation claims.

Available benefits may include monthly disability compensation, Dependency & Indemnity Compensation (DIC) for surviving spouses, priority VA healthcare enrollment, and Special Monthly Compensation for severe cases. Parallel claims against the asbestos bankruptcy trust funds established by the manufacturers of these products do not reduce VA compensation.

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.