USS Blue (DD-744) — Equipment Manifest & Asbestos Exposure Record
Documented equipment manifest and asbestos exposure record for USS Blue (DD-744), a Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer in service 1944–1971. 48 documented...
By Rights Watch Media Group LLC•June 6, 2026•4 min read
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
Dry-docking · San Francisco — Dry-docked at San Francisco, per the ship's deck log.
1956
Mooring / movement — Moored/underway, per the ship's deck log.
1956
Yard period / shipyard · Pearl Harbor — In the shipyard at Pearl Harbor, per the ship's deck log.
1956
Yard period / shipyard · San Francisco — In the shipyard at San Francisco, per the ship's deck log.
Date not stated in the record
Dry-docking · Hunters Point, San Francisco, California — Was placed into dry dock at Hunters Point in San Francisco, California, in connection with conversion into an antisubmarine ship.
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 Blue (DD-744) underway at sea on 14 May 1944 (80-G-237962)Source: Wikimedia Commons — public domain (U.S. Navy photograph)
Service History
From the public Wikipedia / DANFS service-history record — source ›
USS Blue (DD-744), an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer commissioned in March 1944, served with the Pacific Fleet throughout World War II, participating in major operations from the Marshall Islands through the Japanese surrender. After post-war service in Asian waters and reserve status, she was recommissioned for the Korean War, conducting screening and fire support operations off Korea and Japan. Following FRAM II modernization in 1960–1961, Blue operated extensively in the Far East until being stricken in 1974 and sunk as a target ship in 1977.
Construction & Service Dates
Builder
Bethlehem Steel, Staten Island, New York
Launched
1943-11-28
Commissioned
1944-03-20
Decommissioned
1974-02-01
Notable Tours / Service Eras
World War II Pacific Theater 1944-1945
Post-War Pacific 1945-1947
Korean War 1950-1953
Cold War Far East 1960-1974
Combat Actions
Volcanos-Bonin-Yap raid· 1944-08/09 screening task force
Palaus capture· 1944-09/10 screening task force
Philippine Islands raids· 1944-09 screening task force
Luzon raids· 1944-11/12 screening task force
Formosa raids· 1945-01 screening task force
Iwo Jima assault· 1945-02/03 screening task force
Okinawa campaign· 1945-03/06 screening task force
Japanese home islands attacks· 1945-07/08 screening task force
Korean War operations· 1951-1952 fire support and screening
Home Ports & Forward Bases
Yokosuka, Japan — home port 1962-1974
San Diego, California — reserve base 1947-1949
San Francisco, California — overhaul base
Drydock & Overhaul Periods
High Asbestos-Exposure Window
Puget Sound Navy Yard· 1945-1946 complete overhaul
San Francisco Naval Shipyard· 1949 overhaul
San Francisco Naval Shipyard· 1951-1952 general overhaul
Unknown· 1952-1953 overhaul
Unknown· 1960-1961 FRAM II modernization
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
5 June 1945 — damaged by typhoon off Okinawa, retired to Leyte for repairs
1954 — participated in nuclear testing at Bikini Atolls with radiation exposure monitoring
Final Disposition
sunk as target ship 28 April 1977
Read the video transcript
Did you serve aboard the USS Blue? This destroyer carried asbestos in nearly every compartment. Here is where it was, and who is responsible. The USS Blue, hull number DD-744, was a destroyer, built by Bethlehem Steel and commissioned in 1944. She served through World War II Pacific Theater, Post-War Pacific, and Korean War. Public naval references list this equipment aboard the USS Blue, DD-744 — 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 Blue from makers such as Babcock and Wilcox, FB Sturtevant, General Electric, and Westinghouse Electric Co. allegedly contained asbestos. If you served aboard the USS Blue 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 Blue (DD-744) was an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer commissioned 20 March 1944 — Pacific Theater WWII combat operations (Saipan, Tinian, Guam, Palau, Iwo Jima, Okinawa), Korean War, Vietnam War, and Cold War service through 1971.
The 48-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 Blue (DD-744). 48 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
Boilers, Express superheated single uptake water tube with Economizers
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 Blue 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 Blue 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 Blue (DD-744). 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.
Blue DD-744 — Frequently Asked Questions
Are Blue DD-744 veterans covered by Navy asbestos litigation records?
Yes. Blue DD-744 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 Blue DD-744 contained asbestos?
Asbestos-containing materials documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels of Blue DD-744'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 Blue DD-744?
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 Blue DD-744?
Documented equipment manufacturers aboard Blue DD-744 include: Babcock & Wilcox, Buffalo, Buffalo Pump Co., Carrier Corp., De Laval, FB Sturtevant, Falk Corp.. These manufacturers supplied boilers, turbines, pumps, valves, electrical equipment, and insulation systems through BUSHIPS contracts during the asbestos era.
Do Blue DD-744 veterans qualify for VA disability for mesothelioma?
Potentially. VA evaluates asbestos-related disability claims individually. Blue DD-744 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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