USS Towers (DDG-9) was a Charles F. Adams-class guided-missile destroyer commissioned 2 June 1961 and serving the U.S. Navy through 1 October 1990 — Cuban Missile Crisis quarantine, Vietnam War combat operations, and Cold War Pacific Fleet service.
The 34-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 | Manufacturer | Qty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boiler | Foster Wheeler | 4 | Express; superheated single uptake water tube design |
| Forced Draft Blower | Westinghouse Electric Co. | 4 | |
| Main Propulsion Turbine | Westinghouse | 6 | 2 high pressure, 2 low pressure (astern), 2 cruising |
| Reduction Gear | De Laval-Falk Corp. | ||
| Main Condenser | Foster Wheeler | 2 | |
| Auxiliary Condenser | Foster Wheeler | 2 | |
| Main Distilling Apparatus | Griscom-Russell | 1 | 12000 gpd capacity |
| Emergency Distilling Apparatus | Griscom-Russell | 1 | 4000 gpd capacity |
| Ships Service Turbine Generator | Westinghouse Electric Co. | ||
| Ships Service Turbine Generator | General Electric | ||
| Emergency Diesel Generator | General Motors | 2 | 3-368a Drive |
| Ships Service Air Compressor | Worthington | ||
| Ships Service Air Compressor | FB Sturtevant | turbine drive | |
| Main Refrigeration Unit | Carrier Corp. | 2 | |
| Auxiliary Refrigeration Unit | Frick Ice Maker Co. | 1 | |
| Fuel Oil Heater | Griscom-Russell | ||
| Main Feed Pump | De Laval | 1 | |
| Main Feed Booster Pump | De Laval | 1 | |
| Auxiliary Feed Booster Pump | De Laval-Ingersoll Rand | 1 | |
| Emergency Feed Pump | Warren | 1 | |
| Main Condensers Pump | De Laval | 1 | |
| Auxiliary Condensers Pump | De Laval | 1 | |
| Main Condensers Circulating Pump | Warren | 1 | |
| Auxiliary Condenser Circulating Pump | Buffalo-Warren | 1 | |
| Fuel Oil Booster Pump | De Laval | 1 | |
| Main Fuel Oil Pump | De Laval | 1 | |
| Main Lubricating Pump | De Laval | 1 | |
| Distiller Circulation Pump | Buffalo | 1 | |
| Distiller Condensating Pump | Buffalo | 1 | |
| Distiller Distribution Pump | Buffalo | 1 | |
| Evaporator Brine Pump | Buffalo Pump Co. | 1 | |
| Evaporator Drain Pump | Buffalo Pump Co. | 1 | |
| Vacuum Pump | Nash Pump Co. | 1 | Emergency Generator Unit |
| Oil Purifier Pump | De Laval | 1 |
Asbestos-Containing Materials Aboard Towers
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 Towers Veterans
The Department of Veterans Affairs recognizes mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, and pleural disease as conditions presumed to be service-connected for Navy veterans with documented asbestos exposure. The Towers 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.
Speak with an asbestos attorney with Navy veterans experience →
Equipment manifest derived from public-record BUSHIPS documentation specific to USS Towers (DDG-9). Manufacturer attribution links to documented asbestos-product histories on AsbestosIndex.com where available. Editorial review applied per site standards.