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.
1962
Mooring / movement — Moored/underway, per the ship's deck log.
1962
Yard period / shipyard · Charleston — In the shipyard at Charleston, per the ship's deck log.
1963
Mooring / movement — Moored/underway, 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 Hawkins (DD-873) underway on 30 May 1965 (NH 99067)Source: Wikimedia Commons — public domain (U.S. Navy photograph)
Service History
From the public Wikipedia / DANFS service-history record — source ›
USS Hawkins (DD-873) was a Gearing-class destroyer commissioned in February 1945 that served throughout the Pacific War's final months and participated in occupation operations. Following post-war service with the Atlantic and Mediterranean fleets, she saw significant action during the Korean War and Vietnam War, while also supporting space program recovery operations and NATO exercises. The vessel was transferred to the Republic of China Navy in the 1990s and subsequently scrapped, though her superstructure was preserved as a training display.
Construction & Service Dates
Builder
Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas
Launched
1944-10-07
Commissioned
1945-02-10
Notable Tours / Service Eras
WWII Pacific Theater 1945
Korean War 1951
Cold War Atlantic Fleet 1949-1977
Vietnam War 1965-1966
Mediterranean deployments 1950-1977
Combat Actions
Korean War operations· 1951 Aircraft carrier screening and gunfire support
Cuban Missile Crisis· 1962 Quarantine patrol
Vietnam War operations· 1965-1966 Aircraft carrier screening and gunfire support
Home Ports & Forward Bases
Norfolk, Virginia — 1945
San Diego, California — home port 1945-1949
Newport, Rhode Island — home port 1949-1960
Mayport, Florida — home port 1960-1969
Norfolk, Virginia — home port 1969-1977
Drydock & Overhaul Periods
High Asbestos-Exposure Window
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
19 July 1947 — rescue operations off Chilang Point, Hong Kong; assisted when steamer SS Hong Kheng sank with over 2,000 passengers
11 February 1969 — near-fatal submarine accident with USS Chopper off coast of Cuba
Final Disposition
Transferred to Republic of China Navy as Tze Yang; scrapped with superstructure becoming display at Zuoying Naval Academy
Read the video transcript
Did you serve aboard the USS Hawkins? This destroyer carried asbestos in nearly every compartment. Here is where it was, and who is responsible. The USS Hawkins, hull number DD-873, was a destroyer, built by Consolidated Steel Corporation and commissioned in 1945. She served through WWII Pacific Theater, Korean War, and Cold War Atlantic Fleet. Public naval references list this equipment aboard the USS Hawkins, DD-873 — 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 Hawkins from makers such as Warren, Warren Steam Pump Company, and Warren Steam Pump Company, Inc allegedly contained asbestos. If you served aboard the USS Hawkins 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 Hawkins (DD-873) is a documented U.S. Navy destroyer with asbestos-exposure evidence in the public litigation record. The equipment manifest below was assembled from depositions, expert reports, and manufacturer interrogatory responses filed in U.S. asbestos litigation that reference equipment installed aboard this vessel.
Equipment Manifest
Equipment Manifest — USS Hawkins (DD-873). 5 machinery/equipment entries identified through ship-specific BUSHIPS documentation. Manufacturers in bold link to documented asbestos-product history on AsbestosIndex.com.
USS Hawkins (DD-873) included in DD-873 through DD-890 hull group per head sheet dated Dec. 22, 1943
Steam Pump
Warren Steam Pump Company
Supplied to USS Hawkins DD-873, Consolidated Steel Corp. builder
Fire and Bilge Pump
Warren Steam Pump Company, Inc
USS Hawkins (DD-873) listed in Warren Order A-17922
Emergency Feed Pump
Warren Steam Pump Company, Inc
USS Hawkins (DD-873) listed in Warren Order A-19922
Note: this manifest is derived from public asbestos litigation records (depositions, expert reports, manufacturer interrogatories) rather than primary BUSHIPS construction documents. Entries reflect what has been documented or alleged in publicly filed legal records.
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.
Navy Ratings Most Exposed to Asbestos Aboard Hawkins
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.
Hawkins DD-873 — Frequently Asked Questions
Are Hawkins DD-873 veterans covered by Navy asbestos litigation records?
Yes. Hawkins DD-873 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 Hawkins DD-873 contained asbestos?
Asbestos-containing materials documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels of Hawkins DD-873'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 Hawkins DD-873?
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 Hawkins DD-873?
Documented equipment manufacturers aboard Hawkins DD-873 include: Warren, Warren Steam Pump Company, Warren Steam Pump Company, Inc. These manufacturers supplied boilers, turbines, pumps, valves, electrical equipment, and insulation systems through BUSHIPS contracts during the asbestos era.
Do Hawkins DD-873 veterans qualify for VA disability for mesothelioma?
Potentially. VA evaluates asbestos-related disability claims individually. Hawkins DD-873 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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