Evarts class destroyer escorts — 97 ships (DE-5 through DE-262 series, commissioned 1943–1944) — were the first US Navy destroyer escort class to enter WWII service, designed specifically for convoy ASW escort operations in the Battle of the Atlantic and Pacific theater. Evarts class ships were built at Houston Shipbuilding, Western Pipe and Steel, and Bethlehem Steel’s East Boston yard. These ships were powered by General Motors diesel-electric propulsion (four GM 16-278A diesels driving twin electric motors), giving the short-hull design good range for convoy escort duty. As with all Navy vessels of the WWII era, the Evarts class used asbestos-containing materials throughout the ship’s construction, including pipe system insulation, gaskets in diesel and auxiliary machinery systems, and asbestos-containing interior construction materials.

Diesel-Electric Machinery and Asbestos

Evarts class diesel-electric propulsion systems used asbestos-containing materials:

  • Diesel engine exhaust and cooling system insulation — the General Motors diesel generator installations used asbestos-containing pipe insulation on hot exhaust and cooling water piping in the machinery spaces. Enginemen maintaining these diesel systems in the confined machinery spaces of these short-hull escorts worked in proximity to asbestos-insulated piping throughout their shipboard duty
  • Auxiliary machinery gaskets — the auxiliary machinery systems aboard Evarts class ships used asbestos-containing gasket materials in the pipe flange connections throughout the machinery spaces and auxiliary systems
  • Electric propulsion motor spaces — the propulsion motor room and associated electrical distribution spaces used military construction with asbestos-containing materials in the motor room and electrical space construction

WWII Atlantic Convoy Escort Operations

Evarts class ships served in critical Atlantic convoy escort duty:

  • Evarts class ships participated extensively in Atlantic convoy escort operations in the Battle of the Atlantic, with engineering crew members serving watches in the confined, asbestos-insulated machinery spaces of these short-hull escorts throughout the critical mid-war convoy campaign

VA Claims for Evarts Class Veterans

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure aboard Navy escort vessels. Engineering ratings and crew members who served aboard Evarts class destroyer escorts 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 Evarts 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.