The standard asbestos-containing materials documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels of this era, the Navy ratings most exposed during normal duty, and the VA presumptive-benefits framework are listed below.

Fletcher-Class destroyer — Class Background

Ship-specific service history is not available for this vessel in public records. The class-level information below applies to all ships in her class. Source: Wikipedia — Fletcher-Class destroyer

The Fletcher class was a class of 175 destroyers built by the United States during World War II, designed in 1939 to address dissatisfaction with earlier destroyer types and commissioned between 1942 and 1944. These ships featured five 5-inch guns and ten 21-inch torpedo tubes, performed every assigned destroyer mission from antisubmarine to surface warfare, and served almost exclusively in the Pacific Theater during World War II, where they sank 29 Japanese submarines. After the war, some Fletcher-class destroyers continued service into the Korean War and Vietnam War, while others were sold to former adversary nations including Italy, Germany, and Japan.

Class Overview

Total Ships in Class
175
Construction Era
1942-1944
Service Era
World War II through Vietnam War

Class Mission & Role

General-purpose destroyers designed to perform antisubmarine warfare, antiaircraft defense, surface combat, and fleet support across long-range Pacific operations.

Primary Builders

  • Multiple U.S. shipyards across the country

Class Combat Operations

  • World War II Pacific Theater
  • Korean War
  • Vietnam War

Asbestos Materials in this Class

The article does not document specific asbestos use in Fletcher-class destroyers. However, standard pre-1980 U.S. Navy construction included asbestos in pipe lagging, boiler insulation, gaskets, and habitability spaces.

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 Brownson

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.