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
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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Service History
From the public Wikipedia / DANFS service-history record — source ›
USS New (DD-818) was a Gearing-class destroyer commissioned in April 1946 and named for Medal of Honor recipient PFC John D. New. She served extensively in the Atlantic Fleet and Mediterranean deployments throughout the 1950s and early 1960s, including Cuban Missile Crisis operations in 1962, before deploying to WestPac in 1967–1968 for fire support missions in Southeast Asia. Decommissioned in 1976, she was transferred to the Republic of Korea Navy as ROKS Taejon and served until 2001.
Construction & Service Dates
Builder
Consolidated Steel Corp., Orange, Texas
Laid down
1945-04-14
Launched
1945-08-18
Commissioned
1946-04-05
Decommissioned
1976-07-01
Notable Tours / Service Eras
Mediterranean deployments 1946–1958
Atlantic Fleet operations 1946–1962
Cuban Missile Crisis 1962
Mediterranean/Red Sea/Persian Gulf 1963–1966
Vietnam War/WestPac 1967–1968
Indian Ocean deployment 1968–1969
Combat Actions
Operation Dragon Fire· 1967-09 fire support for ROK and US Marines
Quang Ngai fire support· 1967-09 naval gunfire support south of DMZ
Home Ports & Forward Bases
Norfolk, Virginia — home port 1946–1977
Mediterranean — multiple deployments 1946–1968
Key West, Florida — training base
Da Nang, South Vietnam — 1967
Hampton Roads — homeport return
Drydock & Overhaul Periods
High Asbestos-Exposure Window
Norfolk Naval Shipyard· 1962–1963 FRAM Mark I conversion with ASROC installation
Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth· 1969-11 minor repairs
Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth· 1970-04 to 1970-08 four-month 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.
Notable Incidents
July 1969 — Apollo 11 moon landing support ship in launch abort recovery area
April 1970 — Apollo 13 recovery operations; earned Meritorious Unit Commendation
Final Disposition
transferred to Republic of Korea Navy as ROKS Taejon (February 1977); decommissioned February 2001
Read the video transcript
Did you serve aboard the USS New? This destroyer carried asbestos in nearly every compartment. Here is where it was, and who is responsible. The USS New, hull number DD-818, was a destroyer, built by Consolidated Steel Corp. and commissioned in 1946. She served through Mediterranean deployments, Atlantic Fleet operations, and Cuban Missile Crisis. Public naval references list this equipment aboard the USS New, DD-818 — 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 New from makers such as Babcock and Wilcox, General Electric, Falk, and Russell allegedly contained asbestos. If you served aboard the USS New 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 New (DD-818) was a Gearing-class destroyer commissioned 5 April 1946 and serving the U.S. Navy through 1977 — Korean War, Cold War Atlantic Fleet, and Mediterranean Sixth Fleet operations across 31 years of service.
The 15-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 New (DD-818). 15 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 New 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 New 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 New (DD-818). 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.
New DD-818 — Frequently Asked Questions
Are New DD-818 veterans covered by Navy asbestos litigation records?
Yes. New DD-818 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 New DD-818 contained asbestos?
Asbestos-containing materials documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels of New DD-818'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 New DD-818?
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 New DD-818?
Documented equipment manufacturers aboard New DD-818 include: Babcock & Wilcox, Carrier, Cordley Hayes, Deming, Falk, General Electric, McCray. These manufacturers supplied boilers, turbines, pumps, valves, electrical equipment, and insulation systems through BUSHIPS contracts during the asbestos era.
Do New DD-818 veterans qualify for VA disability for mesothelioma?
Potentially. VA evaluates asbestos-related disability claims individually. New DD-818 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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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.
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