Bagley class fleet destroyers — 8 ships (USS Bagley DD-386 through USS Mugford DD-389, USS Ralph Talbot DD-390, USS Helm DD-388, and associated vessels, commissioned 1937–1938) — were light destroyer designs built in the 1930s Navy expansion era, serving as two-stack fleet destroyers in Pacific operations from Pearl Harbor through WWII. Bagley class destroyers participated in numerous Pacific engagements including the Battle of Savo Island, Guadalcanal campaign, and other Solomon Islands operations. These ships were powered by four Babcock & Wilcox or Bureau Express boilers driving two sets of Westinghouse geared turbines producing 42,800 shaft horsepower. As with all Navy combatants of the era, Bagley class engineering spaces used asbestos insulation throughout.

High-Pressure Steam Plant and Asbestos

Bagley class destroyers used high-pressure steam propulsion with asbestos throughout:

  • Main boiler insulation — the Bagley class high-pressure boilers used asbestos block insulation on boiler casings and asbestos-containing refractory in firebox construction. Firemen and Boiler Tenders maintaining these boilers worked in the confined engineering spaces of these two-stack destroyers in direct proximity to asbestos-insulated boiler surfaces throughout WWII Pacific operations
  • Main steam piping insulation — the main steam piping from the boiler rooms to the turbine rooms in Bagley class destroyers used asbestos pipe covering throughout the engineering spaces. Engineering ratings in the engine rooms were in continuous proximity to asbestos-insulated steam piping during watches
  • Turbine and reduction gear insulation — the Westinghouse geared turbines and reduction gear sets used asbestos-containing insulation lagging on high-temperature turbine casing surfaces throughout the ship’s service life

WWII Pacific Operations

Bagley class destroyers served in intense Pacific combat operations:

  • These destroyers participated in some of the most intense naval combat of the WWII Pacific campaign, with engineering crew members serving continuous watches in the confined engineering spaces throughout the Guadalcanal campaign, Solomon Islands operations, and subsequent Pacific offensive operations

VA Claims for Bagley Class Veterans

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure aboard Navy destroyers. Engineering ratings and crew members who served aboard Bagley 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 Bagley Class

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.