Farragut class fleet destroyers — 8 ships (USS Farragut DD-348 through USS Worden DD-352, USS Dale DD-353, USS Monaghan DD-354, USS Aylwin DD-355, commissioned 1934–1935) — were the first new US Navy destroyers built following the decade-long construction hiatus after WWI, representing the first destroyers designed under the Washington Naval Treaty limits. Built at Bethlehem Steel (Fore River), Bath Iron Works, and New York Shipbuilding, these ships introduced high-pressure steam propulsion to US destroyers — a major advancement over the earlier four-stack destroyers. The Farragut class suffered significant losses at Pearl Harbor: USS Monaghan (DD-354) participated in ramming a Japanese midget submarine, and USS Worden (DD-352) was lost to grounding in 1943. These ships were powered by high-pressure Babcock & Wilcox or Bureau Express boilers driving Westinghouse geared turbines. As the first of the new-construction destroyers, the Farragut class established the high-pressure steam propulsion pattern — and the associated asbestos insulation — that continued in US Navy destroyers through WWII.

High-Pressure Steam Plant and Asbestos

Farragut class destroyers introduced high-pressure steam with asbestos insulation:

  • Main boiler insulation — the high-pressure boilers in Farragut class destroyers used asbestos block insulation on boiler casings and asbestos-containing refractory in firebox construction. Firemen and Boiler Tender ratings maintaining these new-design high-pressure boilers worked in the confined fire rooms in direct proximity to asbestos-insulated boiler surfaces during the ships’ entire service life
  • Main steam piping — the high-pressure main steam piping from boiler rooms to turbine rooms — operating at higher pressures than the earlier fleet destroyers — used asbestos pipe covering throughout. Engineering ratings were in proximity to asbestos-insulated high-pressure steam piping during watch-standing in the engine rooms
  • Turbine and reduction gear insulation — the Westinghouse geared turbines used asbestos-containing thermal insulation on turbine casing surfaces in the destroyer engine rooms

Pearl Harbor and Pacific Service

Farragut class ships were at Pearl Harbor and served throughout WWII Pacific operations:

  • These destroyers participated in the Pearl Harbor attack response and subsequent Pacific campaign operations from December 1941, with engineering ratings serving extended watches in the confined asbestos-insulated engineering spaces throughout wartime Pacific service

VA Claims for Farragut 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 Farragut 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 Farragut 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 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.