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.
1957
Mooring / movement — Moored/underway, per the ship's deck log.
1957
Yard period / shipyard · Boston Naval Shipyard — In the shipyard at Boston Naval Shipyard, per the ship's deck log.
1957
Yard period / shipyard · as Naval Shipyard — In the shipyard at as Naval Shipyard, per the ship's deck log.
1957
Yard period / shipyard — In the shipyard, per the ship's deck log.
1958
Yard period / shipyard · Philadelphia Naval Shipyard — In the shipyard at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, per the ship's deck log.
1958
Mooring / movement — Moored/underway, per the ship's deck log.
1958
Yard period / shipyard · Boston Naval Shipyard — In the shipyard at Boston Naval Shipyard, 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.
Log every ship, shipyard, or base where you served — build a personal asbestos-exposure record for VA claims and civil litigation.
Your MusterLog is empty.
Use the gold button on any ship, shipyard, or base page to log a duty station.
USS Du Pont (DD-941) off LebanonSource: Wikimedia Commons — public domain (U.S. Navy photograph)
Service History
From the public Wikipedia / DANFS service-history record — source ›
USS Du Pont (DD-941) was a Forrest Sherman-class destroyer commissioned in July 1957 and homeported at Norfolk, Virginia. She served extensively with the Atlantic and Mediterranean fleets during the Cold War, participated in the Cuban Missile Crisis, and completed three combat deployments to Vietnam between 1967 and 1969, during which her guns fired 50,000 rounds in support of ground operations. Following modernization and continued service through the early 1980s, including operations in the Middle East and off Lebanon, Du Pont was decommissioned in March 1983 and subsequently scrapped.
Construction & Service Dates
Builder
Bath Iron Works Corporation, Bath, Maine
Launched
1957
Commissioned
1957-07-01
Decommissioned
1983-03-04
Notable Tours / Service Eras
Atlantic Fleet operations 1957-1959
Mediterranean Fleet (6th Fleet) 1959-1964
Caribbean and Atlantic operations 1959-1967
Vietnam War 1967-1969
Atlantic Fleet operations 1970-1983
Middle East deployment 1981
Lebanon operations 1982
Combat Actions
Vietnam War — DMZ gun line support· 1967-08 Naval gunfire support against shore positions
Vietnam War — Mekong Delta operations· 1968-10 Gun line support for SEAL and ARVN units
Vietnam War — Da Nang and Delta operations· 1969-01 Fire support for Marine Division and amphibious landings
Drydock & Overhaul Periods
High Asbestos-Exposure Window
Naval Shipyard, Norfolk· 1960 overhaul
Boston Naval Shipyard· 1969 antisubmarine warfare modernization
Bethlehem Steel Works Ship Yard, Hoboken, New Jersey· 1979 major refit
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
28 August 1967 — enemy 130 mm shell hit Mount 52 gun during Vietnam gun line operations, 1 killed, 8 wounded
Final Disposition
Sold for scrap 11 December 1992 to Fore River Shipyard and Iron Works
Read the video transcript
Did you serve aboard the USS Du Pont? This destroyer carried asbestos in nearly every compartment. Here is where it was, and who is responsible. The USS Du Pont, hull number DD-941, was a destroyer, built by Bath Iron Works Corporation and commissioned in 1957. She served through Atlantic Fleet operations, Mediterranean Fleet (6th Fleet), and Caribbean and Atlantic operations. Public naval references list this equipment aboard the USS Du Pont, DD-941 — 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 Du Pont from makers such as Babcock and Wilcox, and General Electric allegedly contained asbestos. If you served aboard the USS Du Pont 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 Du Pont (DD-941) is a documented U.S. Navy destroyer. The equipment reference below was extracted from the publicly-available Wikipedia article on this vessel, which cites the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS) — the U.S. Navy’s official ship-history publication maintained by the Naval History and Heritage Command.
Equipment Reference
Equipment Manifest — USS Du Pont (DD-941). 2 machinery/equipment entries identified through ship-specific BUSHIPS documentation. Manufacturers in bold link to documented asbestos-product history on AsbestosIndex.com.
Per Wikipedia DANFS infobox propulsion line; 70,000 shp, 2 shafts
Source: this equipment reference was extracted from public Wikipedia/DANFS records for USS Du Pont (DD-941). These are secondary-source records — not primary BUSHIPS design documents. For litigation purposes, this data is a starting point; a ship-specific BUSHIPS Material Inspection Report or commissioning book would provide gold-standard verification.
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 Du Pont
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.
Du Pont DD-941 — Frequently Asked Questions
Are Du Pont DD-941 veterans covered by Navy asbestos litigation records?
Yes. Du Pont DD-941 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 Du Pont DD-941 contained asbestos?
Asbestos-containing materials documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels of Du Pont DD-941'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 Du Pont DD-941?
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 Du Pont DD-941?
Documented equipment manufacturers aboard Du Pont DD-941 include: Babcock & Wilcox, General Electric. These manufacturers supplied boilers, turbines, pumps, valves, electrical equipment, and insulation systems through BUSHIPS contracts during the asbestos era.
Do Du Pont DD-941 veterans qualify for VA disability for mesothelioma?
Potentially. VA evaluates asbestos-related disability claims individually. Du Pont DD-941 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.
Sponsored Legal Resource — Attorney Advertising
Connect With a Navy Asbestos & Mesothelioma Attorney
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.
Living with a diagnosis?
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.
Lost a loved one to mesothelioma?
Surviving spouses and children may pursue a wrongful-death claim and asbestos-trust recovery on a loved one's behalf — a separate deadline that can run from the date of passing.
Free case evaluation — no obligation to hire
No attorney fee unless we make a financial recovery
Personal-injury and wrongful-death claims both evaluated
Civil claims against asbestos manufacturers & bankruptcy trust funds
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
Thank you. Your inquiry has been submitted. An attorney will be in touch shortly.
Attorney Advertising. This website is published by Rights Watch Media Group LLC, an independent media organization, and is not a law firm. Visiting this site or submitting this form does not create an attorney-client relationship. O'Brien Law Firm is a licensed MO law firm. Free consultations are offered at no obligation. Legal representation is provided on a contingency basis — there is no charge unless a financial recovery is made on your behalf. Individual results vary; past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Inquiries submitted to navyshipexposure.com are routed directly and exclusively to O'Brien Law Firm. Rights Watch Media Group LLC is an independent publisher and is not a lawyer referral service. We do not sell or share inquiries with other firms.
