The USS Theodore E. Chandler (DD-717) was one of 98 Gearing class destroyers built for the U.S. Navy in the 1940s. Like all the ships in her class, she was valued for her ease of maneuverability and speed. Unfortunately, the many advantages of the USS Theodore E. Chandler were offset by the asbestos exposure that crew members suffered. Like almost all vessels constructed between 1930 and 1980, the Theodore E. Chandler had the carcinogenic material throughout its structure and equipment, as well as many of its supplies. It is unknown how many of those who served on her during her thirty years of service were diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases, or how many may yet be.
About the USS Theodore E. Chandler
The USS Theodore E. Chandler was named for Theodore E. Chandler, born in 1894 in Annapolis, Maryland. The son of Rear Admiral Lloyd Horwitz Chandler, his grandfather served as both a U.S. Senator from New Hampshire and as Secretary of the Navy. Theodore E. Chandler served during World War I and for many years after and was promoted to rear admiral during World War II. He was killed when a kamikaze in January 1945 while commanding the USS Louisville in the 100 miles from Manilla Bay.[1]
The ship that bears Chandler’s name was laid down on April 23, 1945, at the Federal Shipbuilding Company in Kearny, New Jersey, a subsidiary of U.S. Steel that was active from 1917 to 1945. She was sponsored by Theodore E. Chandler’s widow, launched in October 1945, and commissioned in March 1946.
Like all the Gearing-class destroyers, the Theodore E. Chandler measured 390 feet long and displaced 3,460 long tons while full.[2] Her 4,500 nautical mile operational range was propelled by four Babcock & Wilcox steam boilers and by General Electric geared steam turbines, all of which were known to contain asbestos parts and asbestos insulation.[3] Asbestos was considered invaluable to shipbuilding during the war years because of its ability to withstand heat and flame, as well as for its strength, durability, and low cost.
While the Gearing-class destroyers were longer and reflected an improvement in endurance and distance over their predecessor Allen M. Summer class of destroyers, all of the ships have been linked to sailors and officers being exposed to asbestos, especially those who worked in engine and boiler rooms.
USS Theodore E. Chandler Active Service, Repairs, Upgrades, and Tours of Duty
The USS Theodore E. Chandler served the U.S. Navy with distinction from the time of her launch to the time of her decommissioning, earning nine battle stars during the Korean War and eight battle stars and the Navy Unit Commendation for her service in the Vietnam War.[4]
The ship began its career with a shakedown off the shores of Cuba and escort duties for aircraft carriers training new pilots. After joining Destroyer Squadron 17 in San Diego in 1947, the USS Theodore E. Chandler was deployed to Japan, where the struggle between Communist and Nationalist forces in China was of significant concern to the United States government. During her second western Pacific tour in 1948, the ship collided with the USS Ozbourn during night maneuvers, requiring temporary repairs in Japan followed by five months of repairs at the Long Beach Naval Complex. She did not sail again until mid-1949.[4]
When the Korean War erupted in June 1950, Theodore E. Chandler quickly set sail for Sasebo as part of the first unit to be sent from the west coast of the United States to the conflict. She participated in numerous combat operations, including shore bombardments supporting United Nations forces, helping evacuate the ROK 3rd Division from Chongha, and covering the Inchon landing and Hungnam evacuation. Throughout the war, the USS Theodore E. Chandler alternated between coastal bombardment duties and screening aircraft carriers. She served three tours before the 1953 armistice was declared.[4]
Between the Korean War and the Vietnam War, Theodore E. Chandler deployed to the Far East seven times, conducting training exercises with the 7th Fleet and Taiwan Navy. In 1961, the destroyer underwent a year-long Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization overhaul at the San Francisco Naval Shipyard, and then again in December 1962, when, after her return from the western Pacific, she entered the yard for repairs to her generating plant.[4]
In 1964, the ship began her Vietnam War service, coinciding with the Gulf of Tonkin incident. During multiple deployments between 1965 and 1970, Theodore E. Chandler performed diverse duties, including naval gunfire support, acting as escort and plane guard for aircraft carriers, participating in the Operation Sea Dragon coastal interdiction, and in search and rescue operations. In May 1968, the ship was struck twice by enemy shore battery fire but quickly returned to action, later receiving the Navy Unit Commendation.[4]
After completing her final combat deployment in 1971, the destroyer made one last western Pacific cruise in 1973, just as the Vietnam ceasefire took effect. The USS Theodore E. Chandler was transferred to Naval Reserve training duty in Seattle in October 1973, decommissioned on April 1, 1975, and sold for scrapping on December 30, 1975.[4]
How Was Asbestos Used on the USS Theodore E. Chandler?
Like most naval ships built before 1980, the USS Theodore E. Chandler was constructed using large amounts of asbestos. Asbestos was present throughout the ship, but it was especially concentrated in areas containing heat-producing equipment and steam systems—most notably in the engine rooms, boiler rooms, turbine rooms, and machine rooms. It was also commonly used to insulate pipes. These locations required the highest levels of insulation and heat resistance, but asbestos was also embedded in various components and materials, including adhesives, flooring, deck coatings, and even the firefighting and safety gear worn by the crew.
At the time, the risks associated with the mineral were not widely recognized, and the military favored asbestos due to its affordability, availability, and superior heat insulation and fire-resistant properties. Many of the manufacturers that supplied the asbestos-containing materials had received studies linking it to cancer and have faced hundreds of personal injury lawsuits accusing them of suppressing this information and putting profits over people in a way that caused real harm. Their decision to keep their knowledge quiet rather than acting responsibly and protecting the interests and well-being of America’s military members has cost them millions of dollars and sent many into bankruptcy.
How Were USS Theodore E. Chandler Sailors Exposed to Asbestos?
When materials containing asbestos break down — whether due to regular wear and tear, damage such as that sustained during the USS Theodore E. Chandler’s collision, or during everyday maintenance tasks like replacing valves, gaskets, and other components—they become friable. In this state, asbestos crumbles into dust and microscopic fibers that are invisible to the naked eye. Easily inhaled, their sharp, needle-like structure allows them to become stuck in the cells that line the mesothelium, an organ found in many areas of the body that hold vital organs, including the lungs and abdominal organs. The fibers are extremely difficult for the body to expel, and because asbestos is so indestructible, they tend to remain there for the rest of the individual’s life. Over time, they cause scarring, as seen in asbestosis, or trigger severe diseases, including asbestos-related lung cancer and malignant pleural mesothelioma.
Because of the confines in which they worked and lived, Navy veterans make up a significant percentage of the mesothelioma cases diagnosed each year in the United States, along with other asbestos-related illnesses. Many of these diseases and fatalities resulted from occupational exposure, particularly among sailors who spent time in the ship’s confined spaces. Those working in the poorly ventilated engine and boiler rooms faced the highest risk of inhaling asbestos fibers. Maintenance and repair personnel who handled asbestos-containing materials such as pipe insulation were also heavily exposed. Additionally, shipyard workers responsible for building, upgrading, and repairing the vessel encountered significant asbestos exposure during their work.
Benefits and Compensation Available to Navy Veterans with Mesothelioma
The sailors who served aboard the USS Theodore E. Chandler carried out their duties with honor. Like other military members who served in the years when asbestos was used, they had no way of knowing that materials present on the ship were exposing them to the risk of death and diseases decades in the future, or that asbestos was a hazardous, carcinogenic substance. Although those who served in the boiler rooms and engine rooms faced a higher degree of exposure due to the environment they worked in, every individual aboard the vessel was at risk of developing diseases linked to asbestos exposure—and that risk persists to this day.
Many veterans who served on the USS Theodore E. Chandler are alive today. If you are among them and have been diagnosed with an illness related to asbestos exposure, there’s a strong possibility that your time on the ship played a role in your condition. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs classifies malignant mesothelioma as a 100% disabling disease, meaning that if you can establish that you were exposed to asbestos during your service, you may be eligible for the maximum level of disability compensation. Additionally, you could receive state-of-the-art specialized medical care from treatment centers and healthcare professionals across the nation.
Even if you are currently in good health, if you served aboard the USS Theodore E. Chandler you are strongly encouraged to inform your doctor about your history of asbestos exposure. This will put them on alert that they should monitor your health for any asbestos-related symptoms and let them reach an accurate diagnosis more quickly than they would if unaware of this high-risk factor.
If you are diagnosed with mesothelioma or any other asbestos-related disease, a knowledgeable asbestos lawyer can guide you through the process of submitting a VA claim. This will ensure that you have the strongest possible chance of obtaining the benefits and assistance you’re entitled to. They can also assist you in seeking financial compensation from the manufacturers that provided asbestos-containing materials to the U.S. military. By working with an attorney or a law firm that specializes in asbestos-related cases, you may be able to file a lawsuit in pursuit of a settlement, and even if the companies responsible for your asbestos exposure have declared bankruptcy, you may still be eligible to file a claim against an asbestos trust fund.
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