Sims class fleet destroyers — 12 ships (USS Sims DD-409 through USS Buck DD-420, commissioned 1939–1940) — were the immediate prewar class of US Navy fleet destroyers, built at Bath Iron Works, Federal Shipbuilding, and other yards in the late 1930s naval expansion. Sims class ships served in both Atlantic and Pacific theaters from the war’s beginning, with USS Sims (DD-409) sunk at the Battle of the Coral Sea in May 1942 and USS O’Brien (DD-415) sunk by Japanese submarine torpedo in 1942. These ships were powered by high-pressure Babcock & Wilcox or Yarrow boilers driving Westinghouse or General Electric geared turbines. As with all Navy destroyers of the era, asbestos insulation was used throughout the engineering spaces of these ships.

High-Pressure Steam Plant and Asbestos

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

  • Main boiler insulation — the Sims class high-pressure boilers used asbestos block insulation on boiler casings and asbestos-containing refractory in firebox construction from original commissioning. Firemen and Boiler Tenders maintaining these boilers worked in the confined fire rooms of these destroyers in proximity to asbestos-insulated boiler surfaces throughout Atlantic and Pacific operations
  • Main steam piping — the main steam piping distributing steam from boiler rooms to turbine rooms in Sims class destroyers used asbestos pipe covering throughout. Engineering ratings on watch in the engine rooms were in proximity to asbestos-insulated high-pressure steam piping during all underway periods
  • Turbine insulation — the Westinghouse or GE geared turbines and reduction gear sets used asbestos-containing thermal insulation lagging on turbine casing surfaces in the confined engine room spaces

Early WWII Operations

Sims class destroyers were fully operational at the war’s beginning:

  • Sims class ships participated in early WWII Atlantic convoy escort operations and Pacific fleet operations from December 1941, with engineering crew members serving continuous watches in the confined, asbestos-insulated engineering spaces of these destroyers throughout wartime operations in both theaters

VA Claims for Sims 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 Sims 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 Sims 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.