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.
1957
Mooring / movement — Moored/underway, per the ship's deck log.
1957
Yard period / shipyard · Long Beach — In the shipyard at Long Beach, per the ship's deck log.
1957
Yard period / shipyard — In the shipyard, 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 Wiltsie (DD-716) underway at sea, circa in the 1960sSource: Wikimedia Commons — public domain (U.S. Navy photograph)
Service History
From the public Wikipedia / DANFS service-history record — source ›
USS Wiltsie (DD-716) was a Gearing-class destroyer commissioned in January 1946 and deployed extensively throughout the Far East during the Cold War era. She served prominently during the Korean War (1950–1953), providing fire support and screening for carrier task forces at Inchon and conducting sustained bombardment operations off Wonsan, and remained active in Western Pacific operations through 1964. Decommissioned in 1977, Wiltsie was sold to Pakistan and served as PNS Tariq and later PNS Nazim before being retired to non-operational status.
Construction & Service Dates
Builder
Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Port Newark, New Jersey
Laid down
1945-03-13
Launched
1945-08-31
Commissioned
1946-01-12
Decommissioned
1977
Notable Tours / Service Eras
Far East occupation and training 1947-1950
Korean War 1950-1953
Western Pacific deployments 1953-1961
Far East operations 1963-1964
Combat Actions
Inchon Landing· 1950-09 Screened aircraft carriers during assault
Wonsan blockade and bombardment· 1953-06 Call-fire support and enemy shore battery engagement
Home Ports & Forward Bases
San Diego, California — home port 1949-1951, 1961-1977
Yokosuka, Japan — regular Far East operations base
Sasebo, Japan — occupation duty and deployments
Hong Kong — regular port of call
Qingdao, China — operations 1947-1949
Drydock & Overhaul Periods
High Asbestos-Exposure Window
Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, California· 1949-1950 overhaul
Long Beach Naval Shipyard, California· 1951-1953 regular overhaul and repair
Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii· 1961-1962 FRAM (Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization)
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 June 1953 — Hit by enemy shore battery (45 105mm shells) off Wonsan; no casualties
Final Disposition
Transferred to Pakistan Navy 1977; decommissioned and transferred to Pakistan Maritime Security Agency 1990
Read the video transcript
Did you serve aboard the USS Wiltsie? This destroyer carried asbestos in nearly every compartment. Here is where it was, and who is responsible. The USS Wiltsie, hull number DD-716, was a destroyer, built by Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company and commissioned in 1946. She served through Far East occupation and training, Korean War, and Western Pacific deployments. Public naval references list this equipment aboard the USS Wiltsie, DD-716 — 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 Wiltsie from makers such as General Electric, and Leslie allegedly contained asbestos. If you served aboard the USS Wiltsie 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 Wiltsie (DD-716) 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 Wiltsie (DD-716). 13 machinery/equipment entries identified through ship-specific BUSHIPS documentation. Manufacturers in bold link to documented asbestos-product history on AsbestosIndex.com.
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 Wiltsie
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.
Wiltsie DD-716 — Frequently Asked Questions
Are Wiltsie DD-716 veterans covered by Navy asbestos litigation records?
Yes. Wiltsie DD-716 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 Wiltsie DD-716 contained asbestos?
Asbestos-containing materials documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels of Wiltsie DD-716'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 Wiltsie DD-716?
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 Wiltsie DD-716?
Documented equipment manufacturers aboard Wiltsie DD-716 include: General Electric, Leslie. These manufacturers supplied boilers, turbines, pumps, valves, electrical equipment, and insulation systems through BUSHIPS contracts during the asbestos era.
Do Wiltsie DD-716 veterans qualify for VA disability for mesothelioma?
Potentially. VA evaluates asbestos-related disability claims individually. Wiltsie DD-716 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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