The USS O’Brien (DD-975) was a Spruance-class destroyer that served the United States Navy from 1977 to her decommissioning in 2004. The O’Brien was constructed just after asbestos was confirmed to be a carcinogen, and shipbuilders continued using insulation and other asbestos-contaminated components in their inventory. The extensive use of the toxic material throughout the vessel’s construction and systems created the risk of mesothelioma and other debilitating illnesses for seamen, contractors, and shipyard workers alike.
About the USS O’Brien
The Spruance-class Destroyers
Spruance-class destroyers like the USS O’Brien represented a significant advancement in naval destroyer technology that led the Navy into a new combat era. At 563’ 4” long and displacing 9,250 long tons, the ships were twice the size of World War II destroyers, but these vessels were specifically designed to provide enhanced anti-submarine warfare capabilities while maintaining the nimbleness required for multi-mission operations in modern naval environments. The Spruance-class ships had sophisticated sensor systems, advanced propulsion technology, and integrated weapons platforms that made them much more effective in complex threat environments.[1]
Among the innovative engineering solutions on the USS O’Brien were General Electric gas turbine propulsion systems that marked a significant improvement in speed and maneuverability over conventional steam propulsion; the ships were capable of a speed of 32.5 knots. These destroyers were equipped with state-of-the-art sonar systems, advanced radar installations, electronic warfare suites, and missile systems. Combined, this equipment made the ship remarkably effective at anti-submarine warfare, anti-air warfare, and surface engagement operations.
The Ship’s Namesake
The USS O’Brien (DD-975) honored the naval legacy of Captain Jeremiah O’Brien, a Revolutionary War naval hero. Born in Machias, Maine, in 1744, Jeremiah O’Brien became a legendary figure in American naval history. He successfully led the first naval battle of the American Revolution, before the Continental Navy was officially established. He later commanded various vessels in operations against British shipping and naval forces along the New England coast.[2]
Construction and Commissioning
The USS O’Brien was constructed by Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi, as the thirteenth in the Spruance-class destroyer program. The ship was laid down in May 1975, launched in July 1976, and commissioned in December 1977. Despite growing awareness within the scientific and medical communities of asbestos’s impact on health, her construction was one of the last for which naval construction standards still mandated the use of asbestos-containing materials in numerous shipboard applications. What had been ordered for its ability to protect the ship and its personnel ended up putting them at risk.
Operational History and Deployments
Persian Gulf Operations
In 1988, the USS O’Brien participated in direct combat action against the naval forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran during Operation Praying Mantis. As part of Surface Action Group Delta alongside USS Joseph Strauss (DDG-16) and USS Jack Williams (FFG-24), the ship successfully sank the Iranian guided missile frigate.
Western Pacific Deployments
Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, the O’Brien maintained an intensive operational schedule, with regular deployments to the Western Pacific. When China announced missile tests and military exercises, leading to the 1996 Taiwan Strait crisis, the United States sent ships, including the USS Independence (CV-62) battle group, to monitor the situation. As part of that group operating in international waters, the O’Brien and other units maintained a presence, demonstrating American commitment to regional stability and freedom of navigation.
Joint and Bilateral Training Operations
The O’Brien participated in many multinational training exercises that advanced interoperability with allied naval forces. During Exercise Valiant Blitz ’94 in November 1993, the ship operated with sailors and Marines from both the United States and the Republic of Korea in integrated force operations conducted from the Sea of Japan.
In November 1998, the O’Brien participated in Annualex 10G, a large bilateral maritime exercise conducted in waters around Japan. This exercise focused on improving both navies’ capabilities for coordinated and bilateral operations in the defense of Japan, with particular emphasis on enhancing military-to-military relationships, improving command and control systems, and advancing air, undersea, and surface warfare coordination. Approximately 8,000 U.S. naval personnel participated alongside Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force units.
Diplomatic and Regional Security Missions
In 1999, the O’Brien, forward-deployed to Yokosuka, Japan, received diplomatic approval from the Chinese government for a four-day port call to Hong Kong. This visit made the O’Brien the first U.S. Navy warship to visit Hong Kong following the May 1999 Chinese Embassy bombing in Belgrade.
During Exercise Cobra Gold 2000, the O’Brien operated alongside the USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) and other battle group units in one of the largest military exercises involving U.S. forces in the Pacific Command during that year. This exercise tested U.S. and Thai military capabilities to ensure regional peace while strengthening the Royal Thai armed forces’ ability to defend themselves and respond to regional contingencies. Armed forces from Singapore also participated for the first time, expanding the exercise’s multinational character.
Advanced Training and Readiness Operations
In February 2002, the O’Brien was one of nine ships that participated in MISSILEX 02-1, an anti-ship missile defense training exercise conducted as part of a Commander Task Force Seven Five (CTF 75) Multi-Sail battle group interoperability exercise. The ship was decommissioned in September 2004 and sunk as a target in 2006.
Asbestos Materials in Spruance-Class Destroyer Construction
The USS O’Brien was constructed during the late 1970s when asbestos remained a mandated component in naval vessel construction despite mounting scientific evidence regarding its severe health consequences. Naval specifications for extensive asbestos integration were based on the mineral’s outstanding fire resistance, superior thermal insulation, effective sound dampening, electrical insulation properties, and chemical resistance to marine environments.
The manufacturers and suppliers that were supplying the military were well aware of the danger posed by their products, including the potential for developing mesothelioma. But rather than notify the contractors installing their products or military procurement officers, these companies consciously concealed the information, prioritizing their economic considerations over the health and safety of military personnel and civilian workers.
Spruance-class destroyers like the O’Brien incorporated asbestos-containing materials throughout numerous systems and structural components, including:
Propulsion and Mechanical Systems: The destroyer’s advanced gas turbine propulsion plant was extensively insulated with asbestos, and so were surrounding turbine casings, exhaust systems, reduction gears, auxiliary machinery, and associated piping networks.
Electrical Infrastructure: The Spruance-class ships had sophisticated electrical systems that utilized asbestos insulation. Main distribution panels, motor control centers, cable routing systems, and electrical equipment housings all incorporated the material to prevent electrical failures and protect adjacent systems from fire damage and electrical currents.
Structural Fire Suppression: Compartment insulation, structural fire barriers, ventilation ductwork, and damage control equipment throughout the ship featured compressed asbestos materials designed to contain fire spread during combat damage or equipment casualties. These materials were distributed throughout living spaces, work areas, passageways, and operational compartments.
Combat and Navigation Systems: Weapons control installations, radar equipment housings, sonar systems, and command and control spaces were made with asbestos for its thermal regulation and vibration-dampening benefits. The material prevented condensation formation on sensitive electronic equipment, reduced electromagnetic interference, and provided fire protection for mission-critical systems during combat operations.
Beyond the asbestos included in the ship’s original structure, the USS O’Brien underwent several extensive upgrades that saw asbestos-containing equipment and components removed and replaced. These modifications increased the risk of asbestos breaking down and becoming airborne, creating particularly hazardous exposure conditions for maintenance personnel, shipyard workers, and any crew members still onboard to maintain security and basic ship operations.
Routine operational activities and standard maintenance procedures conducted by crew members, including equipment repairs and preventive maintenance, disturbed asbestos, and high-speed operations, weapons firing, and normal ship vibration, could cause the fibrous material to release microscopic particles into the vessel’s ventilation systems. This created a persistent exposure risk for all personnel onboard.
Health Risks for USS O’Brien Crew Members and Officers
Naval personnel assigned to the USS O’Brien were exposed to asbestos throughout their shipboard tours, and the same is true of civilian contractors and shipyard workers involved in the vessel’s construction, maintenance, and modernization programs. This exposure created significant long-term health risks.
When asbestos particles are inhaled or ingested, they can penetrate the cells that they pass by. Asbestos fibers generally get embedded in a little-known organ called the mesothelium, which can be found in the cavities that hold the lungs and the abdomen. Once there, their physical and chemical properties make them virtually impossible for the body to expel by coughing or other mechanisms that address foreign bodies, and they initiate a gradual process of inflammation and cellular damage that can eventually lead to genetic alterations and malignant tumor formation. This pathological internal process continues silently for decades, causing slow and progressive damage without warning signs or symptoms.
The latency period for mesothelioma and lung cancer, the most serious asbestos-related diseases, is typically from 20 to 50 years after exposure, and the resulting medical conditions can be fatal. Other conditions, including pleural plaques and asbestosis, are chronic and disabling.
Personnel at Greatest Risk for Asbestos Exposure
While all individuals present in asbestos-contaminated environments face potential health hazards, specific duty assignments and work responsibilities resulted in significantly higher exposure levels. Personnel working in engineering and propulsion spaces experienced the most concentrated and sustained contact with asbestos materials, as did maintenance specialists who regularly handled asbestos-containing components during repair operations, electrical technicians working with insulated systems, and damage control personnel who trained with asbestos-containing emergency equipment.
Researchers have consistently found that naval veterans, particularly those serving aboard modern destroyer platforms, experience disproportionately high rates of asbestos-related diseases compared to civilian populations.[3] This elevated risk results from the concentrated exposure conditions present aboard the vessels, which are exacerbated by the extended deployment schedules and intensive training requirements characteristic of destroyer operations.
Support for USS O’Brien Veterans with Mesothelioma
When former USS O’Brien crew members are diagnosed with mesothelioma or other asbestos-related medical conditions, there’s a good chance that their illness is connected to their naval service. Successfully establishing that link makes them eligible for compensation through multiple sources, including Veterans Administration benefits, asbestos bankruptcy trust fund distributions, and civil litigation settlements or jury verdicts.
Veterans Administration Benefits
The Department of Veterans Affairs maintains specialized benefit programs for veterans whose service-connected asbestos exposure resulted in medical disabilities. Veterans who can demonstrate the connectionbetween their military service and their diagnosis may qualify for comprehensive medical care and disability compensation, often rated at maximum disability levels. These benefits also provide access to the VA’s specialized healthcare network, including dedicated pulmonary medicine programs, advanced diagnostic services, and treatment protocols specifically developed for asbestos-related diseases.
Civil Legal Action
Beyond pursuing VA benefits, veterans affected by asbestos exposure have the legal right to file personal injury lawsuits against the manufacturers and suppliers who provided the Navy with the asbestos products that caused their illnesses. These legal actions typically focus on the companies’ failure to provide adequate warnings about their products’ health hazards, despite possessing comprehensive knowledge of the risks and potential medical consequences. Successful litigation against these manufacturers has resulted in substantial financial awards from juries.
Asbestos Bankruptcy Trust Fund Distributions
Many former asbestos manufacturers have been so financially damaged by their asbestos liability that they’ve sought bankruptcy protection. This resulted in the establishment of specialized trust funds designated specifically for individuals harmed by these companies’ products. While compensation from these funds typically provides lower amounts than available through litigation, they offer much faster payment without requiring victims to participate in lengthy, adversarial legal proceedings.
Help for Navy Veterans
Former crew members and shipyard workers who experienced asbestos exposure on the USS O’Brien should consult with their physician about appropriate monitoring and specialized screening for asbestos-related diseases, as early detection significantly improves treatment effectiveness and patient outcomes. For those who have received a diagnosis, consulting with an experienced mesothelioma attorney can provide you with the answers you need about the legal and financial options available to you.
Whether you’re pursuing VA benefits, asbestos trust fund claims, or personal injury litigation, qualified legal professionals can provide essential guidance and representation, assist with documenting service records, identify specific asbestos-containing products used aboard Spruance-class destroyers, and develop comprehensive strategies. They’ll help make sure you have the best possible chance of getting the compensation and medical care you need.
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