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
Dry-docking — Dry-docked, per the ship's deck log.
1956
Mooring / movement — Moored/underway, per the ship's deck log.
1957
Yard period / shipyard · Philadelphia Naval Shipyard — In the shipyard at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, per the ship's deck log.
1957
Mooring / movement — Moored/underway, per the ship's deck log.
1957
Yard period / shipyard — In the 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.
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USS Hickox (DD-673) underway off the San Francisco Naval Shipyard on 23 September 1951Source: Wikimedia Commons — public domain (U.S. Navy photograph)
Service History
From the public Wikipedia / DANFS service-history record — source ›
USS Hickox (DD-673) was a Fletcher-class destroyer that served with distinction in the Pacific Theater during World War II as part of Admiral Mitscher's Fast Carrier Task Force, earning nine battle stars for combat operations including the Philippine Sea, Leyte Gulf, and Okinawa campaigns. Following decommissioning in 1946, she recommissioned in 1951 and served with the Atlantic Fleet during the Korean War and Cold War era until final decommissioning in 1957. Transferred to the Republic of Korea Navy in 1968, she served as ROKS Busan until being scrapped in 1989.
Construction & Service Dates
Builder
Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Kearny, N.J.
Launched
1943-07-04
Commissioned
1943-09-10
Decommissioned
1957-12-20
Notable Tours / Service Eras
WWII Pacific Theater 1943-1945
Korean War 1951-1953
Cold War Atlantic Fleet 1951-1957
Combat Actions
Marshall Islands raids· 1944-01 destroyer screen for carriers
Battle of the Philippine Sea· 1944-06 carrier screen; shot down five aircraft
Battle for Leyte Gulf· 1944-10 fleet screen and air defense
Okinawa Campaign· 1945-04 screening and radar picket duty
Home Ports & Forward Bases
Pearl Harbor — arrival December 1943
Ulithi — forward base 1944-1945
San Diego — repairs July 1945
Newport, Rhode Island — home port 1951-1957
Notable Incidents
19 March 1945 — rescued 70+ sailors from USS Franklin after kamikaze damage; drove off two additional kamikaze attacks
17 December 1944 — lost steering control in 115-knot typhoon off Philippines; regained control and escorted tankers to safety
Final Disposition
Transferred to South Korea 1968 (ROKS Busan); scrapped 1989
Read the video transcript
Did you serve aboard the USS Hickox? This destroyer carried asbestos in nearly every compartment. Here is where it was, and who is responsible. The USS Hickox, hull number DD-673, was a destroyer, built by Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company and commissioned in 1943. She served through WWII Pacific Theater, Korean War, and Cold War Atlantic Fleet. Public naval references list this equipment aboard the USS Hickox, DD-673 — 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 Hickox from makers such as Westinghouse, Buffalo Pumps, and Warren Steam Pump Company, Inc. allegedly contained asbestos. If you served aboard the USS Hickox 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 Hickox (DD-673) 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 Hickox (DD-673). 13 machinery/equipment entries identified through ship-specific BUSHIPS documentation. Manufacturers in bold link to documented asbestos-product history on AsbestosIndex.com.
USS Hickox (DD-673) listed in Warren Steam Pump Company documentation
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 Hickox
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.
Hickox DD-673 — Frequently Asked Questions
Are Hickox DD-673 veterans covered by Navy asbestos litigation records?
Yes. Hickox DD-673 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 Hickox DD-673 contained asbestos?
Asbestos-containing materials documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels of Hickox DD-673'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 Hickox DD-673?
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 Hickox DD-673?
Documented equipment manufacturers aboard Hickox DD-673 include: Buffalo Pumps, Kingsbury, Warren Steam Pump Company, Inc., Westinghouse. These manufacturers supplied boilers, turbines, pumps, valves, electrical equipment, and insulation systems through BUSHIPS contracts during the asbestos era.
Do Hickox DD-673 veterans qualify for VA disability for mesothelioma?
Potentially. VA evaluates asbestos-related disability claims individually. Hickox DD-673 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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