Charles F. Adams Class Guided Missile Destroyer (DDG-2) — Asbestos in the Cold War Tartar Destroyer

The Charles F. Adams class guided missile destroyers — 23 ships commissioned between 1960 and 1964, designated DDG-2 through DDG-24 — were the United States Navy’s primary Cold War Tartar short-range surface-to-air missile destroyers, providing fleet air defense capability for carrier battle groups throughout the Cold War. Derived from the Forrest Sherman class destroyer hull and retaining the same four-boiler 1,200 psi steam propulsion plant, Adams class DDGs added the Mk 11 Tartar guided missile launching system, Mk 68 fire control system, and ASROC launcher to the Forrest Sherman class’s hull and machinery. Built at Bath Iron Works, Defoe Shipbuilding, and other yards, the Charles F. Adams class served as a major component of the carrier battle group escort force throughout the Cold War, with the class also exported to West Germany and Australia. Charles F. Adams class destroyers incorporated the same asbestos-containing boiler insulation, steam plant pipe insulation, and equipment gasket materials as the Forrest Sherman class from which they were derived, with the mid-1950s to early 1960s construction specifications creating a consistent asbestos exposure profile throughout the Adams class engineering plants.

Adams Class Four-Boiler 1,200 psi Steam Plant Asbestos

Charles F. Adams class DDGs incorporated the full Forrest Sherman steam plant asbestos profile:

• Babcock & Wilcox 1,200 psi boiler casing insulation — the four Babcock & Wilcox boilers aboard Adams class DDGs operating at 1,200 psi incorporated asbestos-containing insulation on boiler casings and steam drum surfaces consistent with early 1960s high-pressure boiler construction specifications. Boilermen performing boiler maintenance in Adams class firerooms worked in direct proximity to the asbestos-containing boiler casing insulation throughout their fireroom watch assignments
• High-pressure steam main pipe insulation — the high-pressure steam mains running from the Adams class boilers to the main propulsion turbines incorporated asbestos-containing pipe insulation consistent with the 1,200 psi steam system construction. Engineering ratings working in Adams class engine rooms accumulated background asbestos exposure from the steam main pipe insulation during engineering watch standing
• Main propulsion turbine casing insulation — the main propulsion turbine sets aboard Adams class DDGs incorporated asbestos-containing turbine casing insulation consistent with the early 1960s turbine construction. Machinist’s Mates performing turbine maintenance in Adams class engine rooms worked in proximity to the turbine casing insulation during turbine maintenance operations
• Boiler feedwater system pipe insulation — the boiler feedwater system piping serving the Adams class four-boiler arrangement incorporated asbestos-containing pipe insulation on the high-temperature feedwater transfer piping consistent with the steam plant construction specifications

Adams Class Missile System Space Construction Asbestos

Adams class DDG missile handling spaces incorporated Cold War construction:

• Tartar missile magazine construction — the below-deck Tartar missile magazine spaces and Mk 11 launcher handling room aboard Adams class DDGs were constructed within the hull using construction materials consistent with the early 1960s construction specifications. Gunner’s Mate Missiles working in Adams class missile handling spaces accumulated background asbestos exposure from the hull construction materials in the missile magazine areas

VA Claims for Charles F. Adams Class Veterans

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure from Navy guided missile destroyer service. Machinist’s Mates, Boilermen, and crew members who served aboard Charles F. Adams class guided missile destroyers and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.

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.