Somers class fleet destroyers — 5 ships (USS Somers DD-381, USS Warrington DD-383, USS Sampson DD-394, and associated vessels, commissioned 1937–1938) — were improved destroyer leader designs built at Bethlehem Steel’s Fore River yard and Federal Shipbuilding. The Somers class was an improvement on the Porter class design with modified armament arrangements. These ships were powered by high-pressure boilers driving geared turbines producing approximately 52,000 shaft horsepower. USS Warrington (DD-383) was lost in a hurricane in September 1944, and USS Somers (DD-381) participated in the sinking of the French destroyer Surprise during Operation TORCH in November 1942. As with all Navy combatants of the 1930s, asbestos insulation was used throughout the engineering spaces of these destroyer leaders.

High-Pressure Steam Plant and Asbestos

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

  • Main boiler insulation — the high-pressure boilers in Somers class destroyers used asbestos block insulation on boiler casings and asbestos-containing refractory in firebox construction from original commissioning. Boiler Tender ratings maintaining these boilers worked in the confined fire rooms in direct proximity to asbestos-insulated boiler surfaces
  • Main steam piping — the main steam piping from boilers to turbines used asbestos pipe covering throughout the engineering spaces. Engineering ratings were in continuous proximity to asbestos-insulated steam piping during watch-standing
  • Turbine insulation — the geared turbine installations used asbestos-containing thermal insulation on turbine casing surfaces in the destroyer engine rooms

WWII Atlantic Operations

Somers class ships served primarily in Atlantic operations:

  • Somers class ships participated in Operation TORCH (North African invasion), Atlantic convoy escort operations, and other Atlantic Fleet assignments, with engineering ratings serving extended watches in the confined asbestos-insulated engineering spaces throughout their wartime service

VA Claims for Somers 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 Somers 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 Somers 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.