USS Hopewell (DD-681) — Equipment Manifest & Asbestos Exposure Record
Documented equipment manifest and asbestos exposure record for USS Hopewell (DD-681), a Fletcher-class destroyer in service 1943–1970. 26 documented...
By Rights Watch Media Group LLC•June 6, 2026•3 min read
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 · San Diego — Moored/underway near San Diego, per the ship's deck log.
1956
Mooring / movement — Moored/underway, per the ship's deck log.
1957
Mooring / movement — Moored/underway, per the ship's deck log.
1957
Mooring / movement · San Diego — Moored/underway near San Diego, 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 Hopewell (DD-681) underway at sea, in the 1960s (NH 89658-KN)Source: Wikimedia Commons — public domain (U.S. Navy photograph)
Service History
From the public Wikipedia / DANFS service-history record — source ›
USS Hopewell (DD-681) was a Fletcher-class destroyer that served in the Pacific Theater during World War II, participating in major amphibious operations from the Marshall Islands through the Philippines campaign. After decommissioning in 1947, she was recommissioned in 1951 and served through the Korean War and subsequent Cold War deployments, including multiple tours to Vietnam from 1964 to 1969. The ship was finally decommissioned on 2 January 1970 and sunk as a target in 1972.
Construction & Service Dates
Builder
Bethlehem Shipbuilding, San Pedro, California
Launched
1943-05-02
Commissioned
1943-09-30
Decommissioned
1970-01-02
Notable Tours / Service Eras
WWII Pacific Theater 1944-1945
Korean War 1951-1953
Cold War Pacific Fleet 1953-1964
Vietnam War 1964-1969
Combat Actions
Invasion of the Marshalls — Kwajalein· 1944-01 gunfire support and screening
Invasion of Morotai· 1944-09 screening and shot down Japanese aircraft
Leyte landings and Battle of Leyte Gulf area· 1944-10 convoy escort and aircraft defense
Mindoro invasion· 1944-12 fire support and air defense
Lingayen Gulf and Corregidor assault· 1945-01 screen and amphibious assault support
Korean War — Wonsan bombardment and Task Force 77· 1951-1953 carrier screening and shore bombardment
Vietnam War — gunline operations· 1964-1969 fire support missions and plane guard
Home Ports & Forward Bases
San Diego — home port (multiple periods 1943–1970)
Pearl Harbor — frequent transit and operations base
Puget Sound Navy Yard — frequent repairs and maintenance
Manus — repairs 1945
Mare Island Yard — maintenance 1952
Hunters Point — overhaul late 1966–early 1967
Subic Bay — repairs 1967
Townsville and Newcastle, Australia — port calls 1969
Drydock & Overhaul Periods
High Asbestos-Exposure Window
Puget Sound Navy Yard· 1945-11 post-war repairs and refitting
Mare Island Yard· 1952-02 maintenance and overhaul
San Diego· 1955-11 extensive repairs (aircraft crash damage)
San Diego· 1959-11 extensive refitting and training
Hunters Point· 1966-1967 overhaul and refit
Subic Bay· 1967-10 collision damage repairs
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
11 November 1955 — attack bomber crash amidships during training operation; 5 killed, fires, Mount 53 5″/38 gun destroyed and not replaced
3 October 1967 — collision with USS Oriskany (CVA-34) after loss of steering power; damage required repairs at Subic Bay
Final Disposition
sunk as target 1972
Read the video transcript
Did you serve aboard the USS Hopewell? This destroyer carried asbestos in nearly every compartment. Here is where it was, and who is responsible. The USS Hopewell, hull number DD-681, was a destroyer, built by Bethlehem Shipbuilding and commissioned in 1943. She served through WWII Pacific Theater, Korean War, and Cold War Pacific Fleet. Public naval references list this equipment aboard the USS Hopewell, DD-681 — 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 Hopewell from makers such as Babcock and Wilcox, Babcock and Wilcox Co., Foster Wheeler Corp., and General Electric allegedly contained asbestos. If you served aboard the USS Hopewell 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 Hopewell (DD-681) was a Fletcher-class destroyer commissioned 30 September 1943 — Pacific Theater WWII combat operations (Marshalls, Marianas, Iwo Jima, Okinawa), Korean War, and Cold War service through 1970.
The 26-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 Hopewell (DD-681). 26 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 Hopewell 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 Hopewell 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 Hopewell (DD-681). 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.
Hopewell DD-681 — Frequently Asked Questions
Are Hopewell DD-681 veterans covered by Navy asbestos litigation records?
Yes. Hopewell DD-681 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 Hopewell DD-681 contained asbestos?
Asbestos-containing materials documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels of Hopewell DD-681'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 Hopewell DD-681?
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 Hopewell DD-681?
Documented equipment manufacturers aboard Hopewell DD-681 include: Allis Chalmers Co., Babcock & Wilcox, Babcock & Wilcox Co., Falk Mfg. Co., Ford Instrument, Foster Wheeler Corp., General Electric. These manufacturers supplied boilers, turbines, pumps, valves, electrical equipment, and insulation systems through BUSHIPS contracts during the asbestos era.
Do Hopewell DD-681 veterans qualify for VA disability for mesothelioma?
Potentially. VA evaluates asbestos-related disability claims individually. Hopewell DD-681 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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Maritime statute of limitations: 3 years from diagnosis (46 U.S.C. § 30106)
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