USS Orleck (DD-886) — Equipment Manifest & Asbestos Exposure Record
Documented equipment manifest and asbestos exposure record for USS Orleck (DD-886), a Gearing-class destroyer in service 1945–1982. 52 documented...
By Rights Watch Media Group LLC•June 6, 2026•4 min read
Hull
DD-886
Class
Gearing-class destroyer
Commissioned
1945
Decommissioned
1982
Documented Service History
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 · San Diego — Moored/underway near San Diego, 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 Orleck (DD-886) underway off Point Loma, in 1964Source: Wikimedia Commons — public domain (U.S. Navy photograph)
Service History
From the public Wikipedia / DANFS service-history record — source ›
USS Orleck (DD-886) was a Gearing-class destroyer commissioned in September 1945 and served with the United States Navy through 1982, including operations with the Seventh Fleet during the Korean War and Vietnam War service as plane guard and in gunfire support missions in the Gulf of Tonkin. Transferred to Turkey in 1982 as TCG Yücetepe, she was returned to the United States in 2000 and established as a museum ship, eventually berthed permanently at Jacksonville, Florida in 2022 following restoration.
Construction & Service Dates
Builder
Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas
Laid down
1944-11-28
Launched
1945-05-12
Commissioned
1945-09-15
Decommissioned
1982-10-01
Notable Tours / Service Eras
Korean War 1950-1953
Vietnam War 1965-1972
Home Ports & Forward Bases
Seventh Fleet operations — Korean War era
Gulf of Tonkin — Vietnam War operations
Drydock & Overhaul Periods
High Asbestos-Exposure Window
Not specified· 1962 fleet rehabilitation and modernization overhaul
Port Arthur, Texas· 2021-2022 drydock and restoration
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
14 November 1947 — collision with USS Bugara (SS-331) during submerged practice attack off Southern California
September 2005 — severe damage from Hurricane Rita
2020 — broke loose from mooring in Calcasieu River during Hurricane Laura, drifted aground
Final Disposition
Museum ship — USS Orleck Naval Museum, Jacksonville, Florida
Read the video transcript
Did you serve aboard the USS Orleck? This destroyer carried asbestos in nearly every compartment. Here is where it was, and who is responsible. The USS Orleck, hull number DD-886, was a destroyer, built by Consolidated Steel Corporation and commissioned in 1945. She served through Korean War, and Vietnam War. Public naval references list this equipment aboard the USS Orleck, DD-886 — 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 Orleck from makers such as Babcock and Wilcox, General Electric, Westinghouse, and Falk allegedly contained asbestos. If you served aboard the USS Orleck 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 Orleck (DD-886) was a Gearing-class destroyer commissioned 15 September 1945 — Korean War combat operations, Cold War Pacific Fleet, and Vietnam War gunfire support service. Transferred to Turkey in 1982. Today preserved as a museum ship in Jacksonville, Florida.
The 52-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 Orleck (DD-886). 52 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 Orleck 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 Orleck 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 Orleck (DD-886). 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.
Orleck DD-886 — Frequently Asked Questions
Are Orleck DD-886 veterans covered by Navy asbestos litigation records?
Yes. Orleck DD-886 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 Orleck DD-886 contained asbestos?
Asbestos-containing materials documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels of Orleck DD-886'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 Orleck DD-886?
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 Orleck DD-886?
Documented equipment manufacturers aboard Orleck DD-886 include: Babcock & Wilcox, Carrier, Combustion Engineering, Completo, Delaval, Elwood, Falk. These manufacturers supplied boilers, turbines, pumps, valves, electrical equipment, and insulation systems through BUSHIPS contracts during the asbestos era.
Do Orleck DD-886 veterans qualify for VA disability for mesothelioma?
Potentially. VA evaluates asbestos-related disability claims individually. Orleck DD-886 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)
Runs in parallel with VA benefits — civil recovery does not reduce VA disability compensation
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If you served aboard USS Orleck DD-886 and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, or another asbestos disease after exposure to asbestos aboard ship, you may have a legal claim. Speak with O'Brien Law Firm — (314) 936-2956.
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