USS Dortch (DD-670) was a Fletcher-class destroyer commissioned 7 August 1943 — Pacific Theater WWII combat operations across the Solomons, Philippines, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa campaigns. Post-war service through 1958. Transferred to Argentina as ARA Espora.
The 5-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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| L.P. Turbine to Condenser Inlet Flange Fitted Bolts | General Electric Company | 1 inch fitted bolts, responsibility clarified via S. O'Connor of Bethlehem Steel Company | |
| Main Condenser | Foster Wheeler Corporation | Drawing No. N-24387, Rev. L, 14,400 Sq. Ft. | |
| Condenser Tube Material | Foster Wheeler Corporation | 70-30 Cu-Ni specification, inconsistency noted as 90-10 Cu-Ni on Reference (b) | |
| Vacuum Alarm | Bethlehem Steel | 1 | Low vacuum alarm via T in main gauge connection per Paragraph 1(c) |
| Pumps | Warren Pumps, Inc. | Warren, Mass. |
Asbestos-Containing Materials Aboard Dortch
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 Dortch 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 Dortch 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 Dortch (DD-670). Manufacturer attribution links to documented asbestos-product histories on AsbestosIndex.com where available. Editorial review applied per site standards.