⚓ U.S. Navy — Destroyers
Fletcher DD-445
The Fletcher DD-445 consisted of 121 vessels. Like all U.S. Navy destroyers built during the asbestos era, these ships used asbestos-containing insulation throughout their engineering plants. Veterans who served in engineering spaces aboard Fletcher DD-445 ships may have been exposed to asbestos fibers.
Asbestos Exposure Aboard Fletcher DD-445 Ships
Asbestos was the standard thermal insulation material in U.S. Navy destroyers built before approximately 1980. Common sources of asbestos exposure aboard Fletcher DD-445 vessels included:
- Pipe lagging and block insulation in boiler rooms and engine rooms
- Gaskets at pipe flanges throughout the engineering plant
- Valve stem packing and pump seals
- Turbine casing insulation and expansion joint material
- Asbestos rope, cloth, and tape used for sealing and repair work
For detailed information on spaces and products specific to destroyers, see the Destroyers asbestos overview ›
At-Risk Ratings Aboard Fletcher DD-445 Ships
The following ratings had regular contact with asbestos-containing materials aboard destroyers of this era. If you served in one of these ratings, document it when filing a VA disability or asbestos trust fund claim.
Ships in the Fletcher DD-445 (121 vessels)
| Ship Name | Hull No. | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| USS Fletcher | DD-445 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Radford | DD-446 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Jenkins | DD-447 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS La Vallette | DD-448 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Nicholas | DD-449 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS O'bannon | DD-450 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Chevalier | DD-451 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Saufley | DD-465 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Waller | DD-466 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Strong | DD-467 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Taylor | DD-468 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS De Haven | DD-469 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Bache | DD-470 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Beale | DD-471 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Green | DD-472 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Bancroft | DD-598 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Caldwell | DD-605 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Coghlan | DD-606 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Frazier | DD-607 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Gansevoort | DD-608 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Morrison | DD-560 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Luce | DD-522 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Abner Read | DD-526 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Ammen | DD-527 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Mullany | DD-528 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Bush | DD-529 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Trathen | DD-530 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Hazelwood | DD-531 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Heermann | DD-532 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Hoel | DD-533 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Mccord | DD-534 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Miller | DD-535 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Owen | DD-536 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS The Sullivans | DD-537 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Stephen Potter | DD-538 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Tingey | DD-539 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Twining | DD-540 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Yarnall | DD-541 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Boyd | DD-544 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Bradford | DD-545 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Brown | DD-546 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Cowell | DD-547 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Caperton | DD-650 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Cogswell | DD-651 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Ingersoll | DD-652 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Knapp | DD-653 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Bearss | DD-654 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS John Hood | DD-655 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Van Valkenburgh | DD-656 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Charles J. Badger | DD-657 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Colahan | DD-658 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Dashiell | DD-659 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Bullard | DD-660 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Kidd | DD-661 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Bennion | DD-662 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Heywood L. Edwards | DD-663 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Richard P. Leary | DD-664 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Sigsbee | DD-502 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Conway | DD-507 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Cony | DD-508 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Converse | DD-509 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Eaton | DD-510 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Foote | DD-511 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Spence | DD-512 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Terry | DD-513 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Thatcher | DD-514 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Anthony | DD-515 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Wadsworth | DD-516 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Walker | DD-517 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Brownson | DD-518 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Daly | DD-519 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Isherwood | DD-520 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Kimberly | DD-521 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Ringgold | DD-500 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Schroeder | DD-501 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Woodworth | DD-460 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Farenholt | DD-491 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Bailey | DD-492 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Carmick | DD-493 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Doyle | DD-494 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Endicott | DD-495 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Mccook | DD-496 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Frankford | DD-497 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Smalley | DD-565 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Stoddard | DD-566 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Watts | DD-567 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Wren | DD-568 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Phillip | DD-498 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Renshaw | DD-499 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Longshaw | DD-559 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Pritchett | DD-561 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Robinson | DD-562 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Ross | DD-563 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Rowe | DD-564 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Callaghan | DD-792 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Cassin Young | DD-793 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Irwin | DD-794 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Preston | DD-795 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Benner | DD-807 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Dennis J. Buckley | DD-808 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Gatling | DD-671 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Healy | DD-672 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Hickox | DD-673 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Hunt | DD-674 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Lewis Hancock | DD-675 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Marshall | DD-676 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Mcdermut | DD-677 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Mcfeely | DD-681 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Mcnair | DD-679 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Melvin | DD-680 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Hopewell | DD-681 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Porterfield | DD-682 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Stockham | DD-683 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Wedderburn | DD-684 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Picking | DD-685 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Halsey Powell | DD-686 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Uhlmann | DD-687 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Remey | DD-688 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Wadleigh | DD-689 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Norman Scott | DD-690 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
| USS Mertz | DD-691 | Largest WWII destroyer class — 175 ships; highest-risk boiler/engine room insulation exposure |
VA Benefits & Legal Options for Fletcher DD-445 Veterans
Veterans diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, pleural plaques, or asbestos-related lung cancer who served aboard Fletcher DD-445 ships may be eligible for:
- VA disability compensation — monthly benefit; requires diagnosis plus evidence of shipboard service. No manufacturer identification needed.
- Asbestos trust fund claims — lump-sum payments from trusts funded by bankrupt asbestos manufacturers (Johns-Manville, Owens Corning, and others). Requires identifying specific products used aboard.
These two paths are not mutually exclusive. Many veterans pursue both.
Full claim guidance for Destroyers › Free Legal Review ›
Asbestos.cam is an informational resource, not a law firm. The above is general information, not legal advice. Consult a qualified attorney for guidance on your specific situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Fletcher DD-445 ships use asbestos?
Yes. The Fletcher DD-445 was built during the era when asbestos was the standard insulation material in U.S. naval construction. Engineering spaces aboard these vessels contained asbestos pipe lagging, boiler block insulation, gaskets, and valve packing. Veterans who worked in boiler rooms, engine rooms, or repair roles had the highest likelihood of exposure.
How do I prove I served aboard a Fletcher DD-445 ship for a VA claim?
Your DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) lists your ship assignments. Additional documentation includes ship deck logs (available from the National Archives), official orders, and buddy statements from fellow crew members. A Veterans Service Organization (VSO) can help you gather and submit this evidence at no cost.
What asbestos products were used aboard Fletcher DD-445 ships?
Common asbestos products used in U.S. Navy destroyers of this era included Kaylo pipe insulation (Owens-Illinois), Unibestos block insulation (Pittsburgh Corning), 85% magnesia pipe covering (various manufacturers), Flexitallic spiral-wound gaskets, and Johns-Manville pipe covering. A mesothelioma attorney who specializes in Navy claims maintains detailed product-identification databases for specific ship classes.
Did You Serve Aboard Fletcher DD-445?
If you or a family member served aboard Fletcher DD-445, you may have been exposed to asbestos. Sharing your service information is completely voluntary and may help build the historical record of shipboard exposure — information that can be valuable in VA disability and asbestos trust fund claims.
What we do with your information: Your submission goes into a private moderation queue. We will never publish your name, contact details, or diagnosis information publicly. The only information that may appear publicly is an anonymized count of verified veterans who have reported serving on this ship. We will not sell, rent, or share your information with third parties except as necessary to respond to your specific request. You may request deletion of your information at any time.
To request that your information be removed: Data Removal Request ›