Shipyard, deployment, and service events for this vessel documented in the public record — court filings, the ship’s deck logs, or the crew’s own cruise book (each entry cites its source). Dry-dockings, overhauls, and yard periods were when asbestos insulation was torn out and replaced, the peak-exposure work for the crew and yard workers aboard.
1944
Mooring / movement — Moored/underway, per the ship's deck log.
Derived from publicly filed asbestos-litigation records, ship’s deck logs, and the crew’s own cruise books. Historical service events; this does not constitute legal or medical advice.
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USS Bache (DD-470) underway at sea, in the 1960sSource: Wikimedia Commons — public domain (U.S. Navy photograph)
Service History
From the public Wikipedia / DANFS service-history record — source ›
USS Bache (DD-470) was a Fletcher-class destroyer commissioned in November 1942 that served with distinction in the Pacific Theater during World War II, participating in major campaigns from the Aleutians to the Philippines and earning eight battle stars. Following postwar inactivation, she was converted to an escort destroyer and recommissioned in 1951 for Cold War service, conducting deployments to the Caribbean and Mediterranean with the Atlantic Fleet until she was blown aground and wrecked off Rhodes, Greece in February 1968.
Construction & Service Dates
Builder
Bethlehem Steel Co., Staten Island, New York
Launched
1942-07-07
Commissioned
1942-11-14
Decommissioned
1968-03-01
Notable Tours / Service Eras
WWII Pacific Theater 1943-1945
Cold War Atlantic Fleet 1951-1968
Mediterranean deployments 1950s-1960s
Combat Actions
Bombardment of Kiska· 1943 Naval gunfire support
Bombardment of New Britain Islands· 1943-12 Naval gunfire support
Los Negros Island, Admiralty Islands landings· 1944-02 Naval gunfire support
Bombardment of Ndrillo and Karunia Islands· 1944-03 Naval gunfire support
New Guinea bombardment· 1944-04 Naval gunfire support
Bombardment of Leyte Island· 1944-10 Naval gunfire support
Battle of Surigao Strait· 1944-10 Task Group 77.3 destroyer unit
Iwo Jima air support· 1945-02 Air defense and screening
Okinawa screening and picket duty· 1945-04 Picket ship anti-aircraft defense
Home Ports & Forward Bases
Pearl Harbor — forward base 1943-1945
Norfolk VA — home port 1942-1943
Charleston SC — inactivation port 1945-1946
Boston Navy Yard — conversion and recommissioning 1950-1951
Drydock & Overhaul Periods
High Asbestos-Exposure Window
Pearl Harbor· 1943 brief overhaul
Unknown· 1944-10 yard overhaul
New York Navy Yard· 1945 permanent repairs
Boston Navy Yard· 1950-1951 conversion to escort destroyer
Asbestos rip-out, insulation replacement, and gasket-packing work occurred during these yard periods. Sailors aboard during overhauls had peak exposure to airborne asbestos fiber.
Notable Incidents
3 May 1945 — kamikaze aircraft overshot ship, crashed into sea near Okinawa
3 May 1945 — rescued crew of 74 from stricken LSM(R)-195
13 May 1945 — successful kamikaze attack; 41 killed, 16 MIA, 32 injured; towed to Kerama Retto for repairs
6 February 1968 — blown aground by gale outside Rhodes harbor, Greece; declared constructive total loss
Final Disposition
Scrapped at Rhodes, Greece 1968
Read the video transcript
Did you serve aboard the USS Bache? This destroyer carried asbestos in nearly every compartment. Here is where it was, and who is responsible. The USS Bache, hull number DD-470, was a destroyer, built by Bethlehem Steel Co. and commissioned in 1942. She served through WWII Pacific Theater, Cold War Atlantic Fleet, and Mediterranean deploymentss-s. Public naval references list this equipment aboard the USS Bache, DD-470 — insulated and sealed with asbestos. Each shipyard overhaul and major repair meant asbestos insulation was torn out and replaced — peak-exposure work for the yard workers and the crew aboard. Exposure was worst in the engineering spaces, where the snipes worked — but asbestos lined the whole ship, so all hands were exposed. The companies that made the asbestos equipment aboard — not the Navy — are who asbestos claims are brought against. According to asbestos litigation records, the equipment aboard the USS Bache from makers such as Babcock and Wilcox, General Electric, LA Tool Co, and Star Elec Co allegedly contained asbestos. If you served aboard the USS Bache and were later diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or another asbestos-related disease, you may have a legal claim against the companies that made the asbestos products used aboard your ship. This is educational information from an independent publisher — not a law firm — and is not legal advice.
USS Bache (DD-470) was a Fletcher-class destroyer commissioned 14 November 1942 and serving the U.S. Navy through 1968 — Pacific Theater WWII combat (Solomon Islands, Guadalcanal, Philippines), Korean War, and Cold War Atlantic Fleet operations. Driven aground and wrecked by a hurricane off Rhodes, Greece, in 1968.
The 8-entry equipment manifest below is sourced from ship-specific BUSHIPS (Bureau of Ships) documentation identifying machinery and equipment installed aboard. Each entry is documented equipment with verified manufacturer attribution — primary-source material for asbestos-exposure case development by Navy veterans and surviving families.
Equipment Manifest
Equipment Manifest — USS Bache (DD-470). 8 machinery/equipment entries identified through ship-specific BUSHIPS documentation. Manufacturers in bold link to documented asbestos-product history on AsbestosIndex.com.
Steam operated, 30 GPM at 809 PSI, single suction impeller type
Asbestos-Containing Materials Aboard Bache
The standard asbestos-containing materials installed throughout U.S. Navy destroyers of this era are documented to have included:
Pipe lagging and thermal insulation on main steam, feed-water, fuel-oil, condensate, and saltwater piping throughout machinery spaces
Boiler block insulation, refractory brick, and gun-blocks around the main boilers
Asbestos gaskets and braided packing in valves, flanges, pumps, condensers, heat exchangers, and turbine glands
Insulation jackets and removable lagging on main propulsion turbines, reduction gears, ship-service turbine generators, and forced-draft blowers
Sheet asbestos and Marinite panels as fire-stops, bulkhead insulation, and overhead insulation
Vinyl asbestos floor tile (VAT) in passageways, berthing, mess decks, and habitable compartments
Asbestos rope, wick, and tape in gland-seal applications throughout the engineering plant
Sailors in Boilerman, Machinist’s Mate, Engineman, Electrician’s Mate, Hull Maintenance Technician, Damage Controlman, and other engineering ratings worked routinely in spaces where these materials were installed, maintained, ripped out, and replaced.
VA Benefits for Bache Veterans
The Department of Veterans Affairs recognizes mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, and pleural disease as conditions that may be service-connected for Navy veterans with documented asbestos exposure. The Bache equipment manifest is direct documentary evidence of the asbestos-containing materials her crew worked around throughout her service life.
Parallel claims against the asbestos bankruptcy trust funds established by the manufacturers of these products are also available, and do not reduce VA compensation.
Equipment manifest derived from public-record BUSHIPS documentation specific to USS Bache (DD-470). Manufacturer attribution links to documented asbestos-product histories on AsbestosIndex.com where available. Editorial review applied per site standards.
AsbestosIndex™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.
Documented Asbestos-Exposure Environments — U.S. Navy Service
Public-domain U.S. Navy photographs illustrating the engineering spaces, ratings, and yard environments where asbestos materials were routinely encountered during normal duty.
All images are public domain (U.S. Government works). Specific photographs depict generic Navy engineering and yard environments — not the named vessel above. Asbestos materials shown or implied include pipe lagging, boiler insulation, steam-line covering, and gasket / packing materials standard on U.S. Navy vessels through the early 1980s.
Bache DD-470 — Frequently Asked Questions
Are Bache DD-470 veterans covered by Navy asbestos litigation records?
Yes. Bache DD-470 is documented in the public U.S. Navy asbestos litigation record. U.S. Navy vessels of her service era were built to BUSHIPS specifications that required asbestos insulation throughout engineering spaces, on steam lines, around boilers and turbines, and in gasket and packing materials.
Which shipboard components on Bache DD-470 contained asbestos?
Asbestos-containing materials documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels of Bache DD-470's era include: boiler insulation and lagging, steam-line pipe insulation, turbine and reduction-gear casings, valve packing, gaskets, brake and clutch friction materials, electrical wire insulation, overhead pipe coverings in berthing and mess spaces, and Navy-issue boiler cement and refractory in fireboxes.
What ratings were exposed to asbestos serving on Bache DD-470?
Navy ratings with the highest documented asbestos exposure include Machinist's Mate (MM), Boiler Technician (BT), Hull Maintenance Technician (HT), Engineman (EN), Electrician's Mate (EM), Interior Communications Electrician (IC), Damage Controlman (DC), and Pipefitter / Shipfitter. Officers in engineering departments also encountered asbestos in normal duty. Shipyard workers performing overhaul, repair, or refit work had concentrated exposure during yard periods.
What equipment manufacturers are documented on Bache DD-470?
Documented equipment manufacturers aboard Bache DD-470 include: Babcock & Wilcox, Bethlehem Shipbuilding Division, Bethlehem Steel Co, General Electric, Hyde Co, LA Tool Co, Star Elec Co. These manufacturers supplied boilers, turbines, pumps, valves, electrical equipment, and insulation systems through BUSHIPS contracts during the asbestos era.
Do Bache DD-470 veterans qualify for VA disability for mesothelioma?
Potentially. VA evaluates asbestos-related disability claims individually. Bache DD-470 veterans generally need medical records showing the current disease, service records supporting in-service asbestos exposure, and a doctor's statement connecting the two. Veterans may file at VA.gov, call 1-800-827-1000, or seek free help from an accredited Veterans Service Organization such as DAV, VFW, or the American Legion.
Disclaimer: The information in this article is for general educational purposes only and does not constitute medical or legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is created by reading this site. References to ships, shipyards, companies, products, and asbestos-containing materials are drawn from public VA records, NARA archives, EPA/OSHA databases, and public litigation records. All references reflect what has been documented or alleged in publicly filed records. Consult a licensed physician for medical guidance and a qualified attorney for legal advice regarding your specific situation.
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Navy veterans and civilian shipyard workers diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may have grounds for a civil claim against the asbestos product manufacturers whose materials were installed aboard. O'Brien Law Firm represents veterans and their families in the civil track at no upfront cost — separate from any VA disability benefits you may be eligible for.
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Maritime statute of limitations: 3 years from diagnosis (46 U.S.C. § 30106)
Runs in parallel with VA benefits — civil recovery does not reduce VA disability compensation
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