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.
1956
Mooring / movement — Moored/underway, per the ship's deck log.
1956
Mooring / movement · Norfolk — Moored/underway near Norfolk, per the ship's deck log.
1957
Mooring / movement — Moored/underway, per the ship's deck log.
1957
Mooring / movement · Norfolk — Moored/underway near Norfolk, 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 Henley (DD-762) off San Francisco, California (USA), on 16 October 1946 (19-N-96550)Source: Wikimedia Commons — public domain (U.S. Navy photograph)
Service History
From the public Wikipedia / DANFS service-history record — source ›
USS Henley (DD-762) was an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer commissioned in October 1946 and served throughout the Cold War with alternating Mediterranean cruises and Atlantic training operations. She participated in Korean War-era Mediterranean deployments (1951–1952) and the Cuban Missile Crisis blockade (1962), later converting to Naval Reserve training duties from 1965 until her decommissioning in July 1973. The last all-gun Sumner-class destroyer in the fleet, she was scrapped in 1974.
Construction & Service Dates
Builder
Bethlehem Steel Co., San Francisco
Launched
1945-04-08
Commissioned
1946-10-08
Decommissioned
1973-07-02
Notable Tours / Service Eras
Cold War Pacific Theater 1945-1946
Cold War Atlantic/Mediterranean 1947-1950
Korean War 1950-1952
Cold War Mediterranean/Atlantic 1952-1964
Naval Reserve Training 1965-1973
Home Ports & Forward Bases
Norfolk, Virginia — home port 1947-1953, 1952-1964, 1965-1973
Key West, Florida — Sonar School 1947
Boston, Massachusetts — 1947
Charleston, South Carolina — decommissioning site 1950
Drydock & Overhaul Periods
High Asbestos-Exposure Window
Newport News, Virginia· 1964-1965 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.
Final Disposition
scrapped June 24, 1974
Read the video transcript
Did you serve aboard the USS Henley? This destroyer carried asbestos in nearly every compartment. Here is where it was, and who is responsible. The USS Henley, hull number DD-762, was a destroyer, built by Bethlehem Steel Co. and commissioned in 1946. She served through Cold War Pacific Theater, Cold War Atlantic and Mediterranean, and Korean War. Public naval references list this equipment aboard the USS Henley, DD-762 — 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 Henley from makers such as Foster Wheeler, General Electric, Westinghouse Electric Co., and De Laval allegedly contained asbestos. If you served aboard the USS Henley 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 Henley (DD-762) was an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer commissioned 8 October 1946 — Mediterranean Sixth Fleet, Korean War operations, and Cold War Atlantic Fleet service through 1973.
The 47-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 Henley (DD-762). 47 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 Henley 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 Henley 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 Henley (DD-762). 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.
Henley DD-762 — Frequently Asked Questions
Are Henley DD-762 veterans covered by Navy asbestos litigation records?
Yes. Henley DD-762 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 Henley DD-762 contained asbestos?
Asbestos-containing materials documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels of Henley DD-762'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 Henley DD-762?
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 Henley DD-762?
Documented equipment manufacturers aboard Henley DD-762 include: Buffalo, Buffalo Pump Co., Carrier Corp., De Laval, FB Sturtevant, Falk Corp., Foster Wheeler. These manufacturers supplied boilers, turbines, pumps, valves, electrical equipment, and insulation systems through BUSHIPS contracts during the asbestos era.
Do Henley DD-762 veterans qualify for VA disability for mesothelioma?
Potentially. VA evaluates asbestos-related disability claims individually. Henley DD-762 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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