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.
1946
Mooring / movement · San Diego — Moored/underway near San Diego, per the ship's deck log.
1946
Mooring / movement — Moored/underway, per the ship's deck log.
1956
Mooring / movement — Moored/underway, per the ship's deck log.
1956
Mooring / movement · San Diego — Moored/underway near San Diego, 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 Brown (DD-546) being refueled in 1958Source: Wikimedia Commons — public domain (U.S. Navy photograph)
Service History
From the public Wikipedia / DANFS service-history record — source ›
USS Brown (DD-546) was a Fletcher-class destroyer that served actively throughout World War II in the Pacific Theater, screening carriers during major operations from the Gilbert Islands through the Philippines and participating in the Battle of the Philippine Sea and Battle for Leyte Gulf, earning a Navy Unit Commendation and 13 battle stars. After postwar inactivation, she was recommissioned in 1950 and served during the Korean War and subsequent Cold War Far Eastern operations until decommissioning in February 1962. The ship was transferred to the Greek Navy in September 1962, where she served as Navarinon until being scrapped in 1981.
Kavieng, New Ireland raids· 1943-12 Screened carriers
Marshall Islands raids· 1944-01 Screened carriers
Truk raid· 1944-02 Screened carriers
Battle of the Philippine Sea· 1944-06 Rescued four American pilots
Battle for Leyte Gulf· 1944-10 Combat operations
Okinawa operation· 1945-04 Radar picket ship
Siege of Wonsan Harbor· 1951-03 Participated in siege
Home Ports & Forward Bases
Pearl Harbor — forward staging
Ulithi — forward base
Seattle, Washington — overhaul
Naval Station San Diego — home port
Drydock & Overhaul Periods
High Asbestos-Exposure Window
Seattle, Washington· 1945 overhaul
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
21 December 1944 — Recovered 18 survivors of USS Hull and 6 survivors of USS Monaghan during typhoon search operations
Final Disposition
Transferred to Greek Navy as Navarinon (D63) in 1962; scrapped in 1981
Read the video transcript
Did you serve aboard the USS Brown? This destroyer carried asbestos in nearly every compartment. Here is where it was, and who is responsible. The USS Brown, hull number DD-546, was a destroyer, built by Bethlehem Steel Co. San Pedro and commissioned in 1943. She served through WWII Pacific Theater, Korean War, and Cold War Far Eastern Operations. Public naval references list this equipment aboard the USS Brown, DD-546 — 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 Brown from makers such as Babcock and Wilcox, General Electric, Westinghouse Electric Co., and De Laval - Falk Corp. allegedly contained asbestos. If you served aboard the USS Brown 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 Brown (DD-546) was a Fletcher-class destroyer commissioned 10 July 1943 — Pacific Theater WWII combat operations (Gilberts, Marshalls, Marianas, Philippine Sea, Leyte Gulf, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, Tokyo Bay), Korean War, and Cold War service through 1962.
The 49-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 Brown (DD-546). 49 machinery/equipment entries identified through ship-specific BUSHIPS documentation. Manufacturers in bold link to documented asbestos-product history on AsbestosIndex.com.
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 Brown 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 Brown 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 Brown (DD-546). 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.
Brown DD-546 — Frequently Asked Questions
Are Brown DD-546 veterans covered by Navy asbestos litigation records?
Yes. Brown DD-546 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 Brown DD-546 contained asbestos?
Asbestos-containing materials documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels of Brown DD-546'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 Brown DD-546?
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 Brown DD-546?
Documented equipment manufacturers aboard Brown DD-546 include: Aldrich Pump, Babcock & Wilcox, Buffalo Pump Co., Carrier Corp., De Laval - Falk Corp., DeLaval, Foster Wheeler. These manufacturers supplied boilers, turbines, pumps, valves, electrical equipment, and insulation systems through BUSHIPS contracts during the asbestos era.
Do Brown DD-546 veterans qualify for VA disability for mesothelioma?
Potentially. VA evaluates asbestos-related disability claims individually. Brown DD-546 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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If you were diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, a filing deadline may already be running. You may have a legal claim now — and claims can often be pursued even if the company is out of business.
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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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