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.
1956
Mooring / movement — Moored/underway, per the ship's deck log.
1957
Mooring / movement — Moored/underway, per the ship's deck log.
1957
Mooring / movement · Norfolk — Moored/underway near Norfolk, 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 Barton (DD-722) underway on 26 March 1944 (80-G-237954)Source: Wikimedia Commons — public domain (U.S. Navy photograph)
Service History
From the public Wikipedia / DANFS service-history record — source ›
USS Barton (DD-722) was an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer that served from 1943 through the Cold War era. She saw extensive combat in both the European and Pacific theaters during World War II, participated in the Korean War with significant damage sustained in 1952, and subsequently operated with the Atlantic Fleet and 6th Fleet in multiple Mediterranean deployments and NATO exercises through the early 1960s.
Construction & Service Dates
Builder
Bath Iron Works Corp., Bath, Maine
Launched
1943-10-10
Commissioned
1943-12-30
Notable Tours / Service Eras
WWII European Theater 1944
WWII Pacific Theater 1944-1945
Korean War 1952-1953
Cold War Atlantic Fleet 1949-1965
Cold War Mediterranean 1956-1963
Cold War Far East 1954
Combat Actions
Normandy invasion operations· 1944-06 screening, patrol, bombardment support
Bombardment of Cherbourg· 1944-06-25 gunfire support, slight damage sustained
Leyte and Ormoc landings· 1944-11 support operations
Iwo Jima invasion· 1945-02 support operations
Okinawa invasion· 1945-03 Task Force 54 support
Korean War east coast operations· 1952-08 shore bombardment, hunter-killer operations
Home Ports & Forward Bases
Norfolk VA — home port (multiple deployments)
Plymouth, England 1944
Pearl Harbor 1944
Yokosuka, Japan 1952
Sasebo, Japan 1952
Port Said, Egypt 1956-1957
Bahrain 1956
Philadelphia PA — home port 1965
Drydock & Overhaul Periods
High Asbestos-Exposure Window
Charleston Naval Shipyard· 1955 overhaul
Newport News· 1957 hull repairs
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
10 August 1952 — struck by 105mm shell on number-one stack; 1 killed, 2 wounded
16 September 1952 — struck by floating mine; 5 killed, 7 wounded
5 February 1958 — assisted damaged Panamanian merchant ship SS Elefterio, transported crew and passengers to Norfolk
Read the video transcript
Did you serve aboard the USS Barton? This destroyer carried asbestos in nearly every compartment. Here is where it was, and who is responsible. The USS Barton, hull number DD-722, was a destroyer, built by Bath Iron Works Corp. and commissioned in 1943. She served through WWII European Theater, WWII Pacific Theater, and Korean War. Public naval references list this equipment aboard the USS Barton, DD-722 — 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 Barton from makers such as Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Co., Warren, Warren Steam Pump Company, Inc., and Crane allegedly contained asbestos. If you served aboard the USS Barton 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 Barton (DD-722) is a documented U.S. Navy destroyer 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 Barton (DD-722). 7 machinery/equipment entries identified through ship-specific BUSHIPS documentation. Manufacturers in bold link to documented asbestos-product history on AsbestosIndex.com.
Supplied to Fletcher-class destroyers including Hull No. DD-722 (USS Barton); two units per vessel for boiler feed water supply in emergency situations
Auxiliary Exhaust Service, positive stop-union bonnet, flanged ends per Navy Standard B-135 Modified
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 Barton
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.
Barton DD-722 — Frequently Asked Questions
Are Barton DD-722 veterans covered by Navy asbestos litigation records?
Yes. Barton DD-722 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 Barton DD-722 contained asbestos?
Asbestos-containing materials documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels of Barton DD-722'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 Barton DD-722?
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 Barton DD-722?
Documented equipment manufacturers aboard Barton DD-722 include: Crane, John Crane, Warren, Warren Steam Pump Company, Inc., Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Co.. These manufacturers supplied boilers, turbines, pumps, valves, electrical equipment, and insulation systems through BUSHIPS contracts during the asbestos era.
Do Barton DD-722 veterans qualify for VA disability for mesothelioma?
Potentially. VA evaluates asbestos-related disability claims individually. Barton DD-722 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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