USS Brownson (DD-868) was a Gearing-class destroyer commissioned 17 November 1945 and serving through 30 September 1976 — Mediterranean Sixth Fleet, Korean War, Cuban Missile Crisis quarantine, and Vietnam War operations.
The 30-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 | Manufacturer | Qty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boilers | Foster Wheeler | ||
| Main Turbines | Westinghouse | ||
| Reduction Gears | De Laval | ||
| Main Condensate Pump | De Laval | ||
| Main Feed Pump | De Laval | ||
| Emergency Feed Pump | Warren | ||
| Fire and Flushing Pump | Buffalo | ||
| Fire Pump – Large | Gardner-Denver | ||
| Fire Pump – Small | Gardner-Denver | ||
| Forced Draft Blower | Worthington | ||
| H.P. Air Compressor | Worthington | ||
| L.P. Air Compressor | Worthington | ||
| Main Condensers | Worthington | ||
| Evaporating and Distilling Plants | Griscom-Russell Co | ||
| Turbine Generators | General Electric Co. | ||
| Main Turbines | Westinghouse Electric Mfg. Company | 1955 report | |
| Reduction Gears | De Laval Co. | 1955 report | |
| Main Condensers | Worthington Corp. | 1955 report | |
| Aux. Condensers | Worthington Corp. | 1955 report | |
| Air Compressors | Worthington P. and M. Corp | 1955 report | |
| Boilers | Babcock and Wilcox | 4 | 1955 report |
| Forced Draft Blowers | Westinghouse Electric Co. | 1955 report | |
| Forced Draft Blowers | Foster Wheeler | 1955 report | |
| Service Generators | General Electric Co. | 1955 report | |
| Boilers | Foster-Wheeler | 1961 report | |
| Turbines | Westinghouse Electric Co. | 1961 report | |
| Generators | General Electric | 1961 report | |
| Stearing Gear Pump | Waterbury Pump Co. | 1961 report | |
| Drainage Pumps | Sawyer Electric Mfr. Co. | 1961 report | |
| Fresh Water Pumps | Warren Steam Pump Co. | 1961 report |
Asbestos-Containing Materials Aboard Brownson
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 Brownson Veterans
The Department of Veterans Affairs recognizes mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, and pleural disease as conditions presumed to be service-connected for Navy veterans with documented asbestos exposure. The Brownson 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.
Speak with an asbestos attorney with Navy veterans experience →
Equipment manifest derived from public-record BUSHIPS documentation specific to USS Brownson (DD-868). Manufacturer attribution links to documented asbestos-product histories on AsbestosIndex.com where available. Editorial review applied per site standards.