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.
1975
Mooring / movement — Moored/underway, per the ship's deck log.
1976
Dry-docking — Dry-docked, per the ship's deck log.
1976
Yard period / shipyard — In the shipyard, 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 Badger (FF-1071) underway in the Pacific Ocean on 1 December 1985 (6418976)Source: Wikimedia Commons — public domain (U.S. Navy photograph)
Service History
From the public Wikipedia / DANFS service-history record — source ›
USS Badger (FF-1071) was a Knox-class frigate commissioned in December 1970 and homeported at Long Beach before relocating to Pearl Harbor in 1973. She conducted multiple western Pacific deployments including gunfire support missions in Vietnam in 1972 and participated in exercises including RIMPAC and CENTO MIDLINK in the Persian Gulf. The ship served in the U.S. Navy until 1991 and was subsequently sunk as a target vessel in 1998.
Construction & Service Dates
Builder
Todd Shipyards, Los Angeles Division, San Pedro, California
Laid down
1968-02-17
Launched
1968-12-07
Commissioned
1970-12-01
Decommissioned
1991
Notable Tours / Service Eras
Vietnam War 1972
Western Pacific deployment 1973-1974
Persian Gulf operations 1973
Combat Actions
Vietnam War gunline support operations· 1972-04 gunfire support missions
Home Ports & Forward Bases
Long Beach, California — commissioning and home port
Pearl Harbor, Hawaii — home port from 1973
Subic Bay, Philippines — forward operating base
Danang, South Vietnam — combat zone arrival
Hong Kong — liberty port
Sasebo, Japan — upkeep and liberty
Yokosuka, Japan — overnight stop
Singapore — transit stop
Drydock & Overhaul Periods
High Asbestos-Exposure Window
Long Beach Naval Shipyard· 1971 post-shakedown availability
Todd Shipyard, Los Angeles· 1973-01-1973-05 restricted availability — propulsion system conversion and LAMPS installation
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
15 April 1972 — superficial damage from communist shore battery during gunline operations
15 September 1973 — material casualty to evaporators during RIMPAC exercise, forced return to port
11 July 1974 — casualty to low pressure turbine during full power run, taken in tow
Final Disposition
sunk as target 1998
Read the video transcript
Did you serve aboard the USS Badger? This frigate carried asbestos in nearly every compartment. Here is where it was, and who is responsible. The USS Badger, hull number FF-1071, was a frigate, built by Todd Shipyards and commissioned in 1970. She served through Vietnam War, Western Pacific deployment, and Persian Gulf operations. Public naval references list this equipment aboard the USS Badger, FF-1071 — 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 Badger from makers such as Leslie allegedly contained asbestos. If you served aboard the USS Badger 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 Badger (FF-1071) is a documented U.S. Navy frigate with asbestos-exposure evidence in the public litigation record. The equipment manifest below was assembled from depositions, expert reports, and manufacturer interrogatory responses filed in U.S. asbestos litigation that reference equipment installed aboard this vessel.
Equipment Manifest
Equipment Manifest — USS Badger (FF-1071). 13 machinery/equipment entries identified through ship-specific BUSHIPS documentation. Manufacturers in bold link to documented asbestos-product history on AsbestosIndex.com.
Equipment
Manufacturer
Qty
Notes
Steam Reducing Valves
Leslie
USS Badger (FF-1071) listed in Leslie Controls technical manual
Pressure Reducing Valve
Leslie
USS Badger (FF-1071) listed in Leslie Controls technical manual
Steam Whistle
Leslie
USS Badger (FF-1071) listed in Leslie Controls technical manual
Diaphragm Control Valve
Leslie
USS Badger (FF-1071) listed in Leslie Controls technical manual
Temperature Regulating Valve
Leslie
USS Badger (FF-1071) listed in Leslie Controls technical manual
Valve Strainers
Leslie
USS Badger (FF-1071) listed in Leslie Controls technical manual
Thermostatic Valves
Leslie
USS Badger (FF-1071) listed in Leslie Controls technical manual
Fuel Oil Heater Thermo Controlled Valves
Leslie
USS Badger (FF-1071) listed in Leslie Controls technical manual
HP Steam Pressure Reducing Valves
Leslie
USS Badger (FF-1071) listed in Leslie Controls technical manual
Condensate Regulator Valve
Leslie
USS Badger (FF-1071) listed in Leslie Controls technical manual
Main Feed Pump Governors
Leslie
USS Badger (FF-1071) listed in Leslie Controls technical manual
Main Lubricating Oil Pump Governors
Leslie
USS Badger (FF-1071) listed in Leslie Controls technical manual
Steam Whistle
Leslie-Tyfon
Model 200 DV, drawing T-844
Note: this manifest is derived from public asbestos litigation records (depositions, expert reports, manufacturer interrogatories) rather than primary BUSHIPS construction documents. Entries reflect what has been documented or alleged in publicly filed legal records.
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.
Navy Ratings Most Exposed to Asbestos Aboard Badger
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:
Fireman (FN) — engineering-plant tending across boiler and engine rooms
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.
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.
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.
Badger FF-1071 — Frequently Asked Questions
Are Badger FF-1071 veterans covered by Navy asbestos litigation records?
Yes. Badger FF-1071 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 Badger FF-1071 contained asbestos?
Asbestos-containing materials documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels of Badger FF-1071'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 Badger FF-1071?
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 Badger FF-1071?
Documented equipment manufacturers aboard Badger FF-1071 include: Leslie, Leslie-Tyfon. These manufacturers supplied boilers, turbines, pumps, valves, electrical equipment, and insulation systems through BUSHIPS contracts during the asbestos era.
Do Badger FF-1071 veterans qualify for VA disability for mesothelioma?
Potentially. VA evaluates asbestos-related disability claims individually. Badger FF-1071 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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