USS Hewitt (DD-966), a Spruance class destroyer, was commissioned at Ingalls Shipbuilding in September 1976 and served in the Pacific Fleet. Hewitt deployed to the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean, participating in Persian Gulf escort operations and Joint Fleet exercises throughout her career. Hewitt’s propulsion plant — four General Electric LM2500 gas turbines in a COGAG arrangement driving two shafts — provided propulsion through her service. Commissioned in 1976, Hewitt incorporated asbestos-containing insulation and hull construction materials consistent with the mid-1970s Spruance class building specifications at Ingalls.

USS Hewitt Propulsion Plant and Construction Asbestos

Hewitt’s gas turbine propulsion plant and hull construction incorporated asbestos:

  • Gas turbine enclosure and exhaust insulation — Hewitt’s LM2500 gas turbine engine enclosures, exhaust trunking, and associated high-temperature insulation incorporated asbestos-containing materials consistent with mid-1970s naval construction specifications, which according to publicly filed litigation records included asbestos-containing thermal insulation
  • Auxiliary steam and machinery spaces — Hewitt’s auxiliary boilers, steam services plant, and machinery space insulation incorporated asbestos-containing materials consistent with mid-1970s Spruance class specifications
  • Hull construction materials — Hewitt’s crew berthing, combat information center, and working spaces were constructed using hull construction materials of the mid-1970s Spruance class building program incorporating asbestos-containing materials

VA Claims for USS Hewitt Veterans

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure from Navy destroyer service. Machinist’s Mates, Gas Turbine System Technicians, Boatswain’s Mates, and crew members who served aboard USS Hewitt 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 Hewitt

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.