The USS Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. (DD-850) is credited with three decades of distinguished naval service, from its commissioning in December 1945 through decommissioning in 1973. Throughout these years, the ship’s crew members came in constant contact with asbestos within the destroyer’s structural materials, machinery systems, and equipment. Veterans assigned to the USS Joseph P. Kennedy Jr., and shipyard workers responsible for her maintenance and repairs, now face a risk of mesothelioma that’s directly attributable to that contact.
The Ship’s Namesake
The USS Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. was named in honor of Lieutenant Joseph Patrick Kennedy Jr., the eldest son of Joseph P. and Rose Kennedy and older brother to future President John F. Kennedy. Born in Nantasket, Massachusetts, in 1915, young Joe graduated with honors from Harvard University in 1938 before enrolling at Harvard Law School, but left school early to enlist as a Navy pilot in the Naval Reserve in 1941.[1]
After completing flight training and receiving his commission as Ensign, Kennedy served with Patrol Squadron 203 and Bombing Squadron 110. By 1944, he’d been promoted to Lieutenant and volunteered for a secret mission in which radio-controlled aircraft were loaded with explosives and targeted German rocket launching sites in Normandy, France. Unfortunately, these experimental aircraft required human pilots to take off before their guidance systems assumed control, and the craft Lieutenant Kennedy was piloting detonated prematurely, killing him instantly. For his courage and sacrifice, Lieutenant Kennedy received posthumous awards, including the Navy Cross and Air Medal.[2]
The Ship’s History and Global Operations
The keel for DD-850 was laid at Bethlehem Steel Company in Quincy, Massachusetts, in April 1945, and launched 26 days later, on Lieutenant Kennedy’s birthday, with his sister Jean Kennedy serving as sponsor. The destroyer was commissioned at Boston in December 1945, under the command of Commander H.G. Moore’s.[2]
Measuring 390 feet in length with a 41-foot beam, the destroyer displaced 2,425 tons and could achieve speeds of 35 knots. The ship’s original armament included six 5-inch guns, twelve 40mm weapons, ten 20mm guns, five 21-inch torpedo tubes, depth charge projectors, and depth charge tracks, and the vessel carried 369 officers and enlisted personnel.[2]
The ship left Boston in February 1946 for Caribbean shakedown training, then returned to Newport, Rhode Island, in April, and spent several months in Naval Reserve training before deploying for a diplomatic cruise to Chile and Venezuela in October. The destroyer transited the Panama Canal twice during this voyage and participated in a naval review for Venezuela’s president in November 1946.
Mediterranean Peace-Keeping and Korean War Service
Throughout 1947, the USS Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. conducted operations along the East Coast and throughout the Caribbean. The destroyer sailed for Puerto Rico fleet maneuvers in February, then joined the Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean, where it was used for peacekeeping and stabilization. The destroyer returned to Newport in June 1948, then spent the rest ot the year on antisubmarine exercises. The first half of 1949 featured two Caribbean training cruises, and then in August, the vessel deployed for Sixth Fleet duty, returning in early 1950.[1]
When hostilities broke out in Korea, the Kennedy conducted reserve training during July 1950, followed by bombardment and convoy exercises in preparation for combat. The ship left Newport for Japan in January 1951, then joined Task Force 77 off Korea. For two months, the vessel screened attack carriers striking enemy positions and supply lines before leaving for Formosa Patrol duty, where it prevented hostilities across the Taiwan Straits. The destroyer returned to Korea in May, staying for nearly a month to engage in bombardment support.
After combat operations ended, the Kennedy visited Singapore, Bahrain, Port Said, Naples, and Gibraltar before reaching Newport in 1951. The ship earned two battle stars for Korean War service.[2]
Training, Fleet Operations, and Space Program Support
Until January 1953, the Kennedy conducted battle practice and served as a school ship for Newport’s Fleet Training School. The ship was sent for another Sixth Fleet cruise in January 1953, returning to Newport in May, then spending the following two years on antisubmarine training exercises and a Mediterranean cruise. In November 1955, the ship was sent for Arctic maneuvers off northern Europe, visiting Oslo, Norway, and Bremerhaven before returning to Newport in March 1956. In June, the vessel arrived at Annapolis for Naval Academy midshipmen training. In May 1957, the ship was again deployed for Sixth Fleet duty, and following the Jordanian crisis, participated in carrier operations until September, then sailed to Norway for NATO joint maneuvers and returned to Newport in October 1957.
In 1958, the ship deployed to the Mediterranean, operating in the Persian Gulf with the Middle East Force before returning to Newport and undergoing an overhaul at Boston. In 1959, the destroyer returned to Annapolis for midshipman training, then represented the Navy at the Seaway opening ceremonies attended by President Eisenhower and Queen Elizabeth II in June 1959.[1]
In 1960, the vessel deployed to the Mediterranean until it returned in October, and in January 1961, sailed to Washington for the inauguration of President John F. Kennedy, brother of the ship’s namesake. In February and April 1961, the destroyer participated in Project Mercury space missions.
FRAM Modernization
In July 1961, the vessel sailed to New York for a FRAM (Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization) overhaul at the Naval Shipyard. This extensive conversion installed cutting-edge antisubmarine equipment, a helicopter flight deck and hangar aft, and numerous modifications that substantially extended the destroyer’s operational usefulness. After the overhaul, the ship underwent shakedown operations, returning in August 1962. The destroyer was part of the U.S. Cuban missile response, actively participating in the blockade that defused the crisis and then remained on Caribbean patrol until returning to Newport in December 1962.
Final Years, Space Program Support, and Decommissioning
Throughout 1963, the vessel conducted training operations off the Virginia Capes and Nova Scotia, then left Newport in April 1964 for Mediterranean operations. In August, the ship participated in Operation “Steel Pike I,” the largest amphibious operation since World War II, then returned to Newport in November 1964. In late January 1965, the ship sailed to Port Canaveral, Florida, to assist in qualifying two newly constructed Polaris submarines for overseas patrol. A three-month overhaul at Boston Naval Shipyard followed.
In November 1965, the Kennedy played a significant role in the U.S. Man in Space Program as part of the recovery team for Gemini 6 and 7 missions. It then returned to Newport in December to prepare for Mediterranean deployment in February 1966. After arriving at Gibraltar in February, the destroyer participated in anti-air warfare and antisubmarine warfare operations throughout the Mediterranean from North Africa to Turkey, completed peacekeeping patrols in late June, then returned to Newport in July.
During the remainder of 1966, its crew conducted exercises and carrier screening operations off the eastern seaboard and then participated in recovery operations following Gemini 12’s successful four-day flight. In March 1967, the USS Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. again sailed for Sixth Fleet duty, cruising the Mediterranean until late April and returning to Newport the following month.
The destroyer was decommissioned in 1973 and struck from the Naval Register that same year. Battleship Cove in Fall River, Massachusetts, acquired the vessel in 1974. In the Spring of 2000, the destroyer was towed to Rhode Island Sound to portray itself and destroyer John R. Pierce (DD-753) in the film “Thirteen Days,” recreating the Cuban Missile Crisis events. Designated a National Historic Landmark, the USS Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. now houses the Admiral Arleigh Burke National Destroyer Museum and serves as the official memorial to Massachusetts citizens who sacrificed their lives during the Korean and Vietnam Wars.[1]
Widespread Asbestos Contamination Aboard the USS Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr.
Throughout its operational lifetime, the USS Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. presented significant mesothelioma hazards to its crew and those involved in its maintenance, upgrades, and repairs. Shipbuilders incorporated asbestos materials during both its original 1945 construction and the FRAM modernization it went through in the early 1960s. Many areas of the ship were heavily contaminated, including:
- The destroyer’s engineering plant, where boilers that produced steam for the ship’s propulsion turbines required thick insulation to maintain extreme temperatures and prevent injuries to personnel. Asbestos insulation was applied to pipes, valves, and machinery, and steam lines and ducts that extended throughout the ship carried this insulation from engineering spaces to systems in distant compartments.
- Turbine compartments were contaminated by asbestos contained in gaskets, packing materials, and the thermal barriers that protected high-speed, friction-generating equipment. Gears that linked turbines to propeller shafts incorporated asbestos components in lubrication and cooling systems.
- Auxiliary machinery spaces contained pumps, compressors, and generators that incorporated asbestos. Electrical generation equipment also required insulation to prevent fires and protect personnel. Refrigeration units for both food storage and air conditioning systems used asbestos in compressor insulation and pipe covering.
- The vessel’s weapons systems used asbestos on gun mounts’ recoil mechanisms and thermal protection systems, and ammunition hoists and handling equipment included asbestos in electrical components and friction materials. The FRAM modernization installed ASROC (Anti-Submarine Rocket) and DASH (Drone Anti-Submarine Helicopter) systems that introduced additional asbestos-containing equipment.
- Living and working spaces throughout the destroyer featured asbestos in floor tiles, wall coverings, and overhead panels. Sleeping compartments contained the mineral in mattresses, bed frames, and locker insulation. Mess decks where crew members ate their meals had asbestos floor tiles that deteriorated through age and constant traffic, releasing deadly fibers for crew members to breathe.
- Firefighting equipment and the protective clothing worn by damage control parties contained asbestos fibers, and the thermal barriers designed to contain fires and prevent their spread through the ship were largely manufactured using asbestos or asbestos-containing products.
- The helicopter flight deck and hangar installed during the FRAM modernization introduced additional asbestos hazards. Deck surfacing materials, hangar structural components, and aviation support equipment all contained asbestos materials exposing aviation personnel and flight deck crews.
High-Risk Duty Assignments
Some sailors were assigned to particularly dangerous duties and work locations aboard the USS Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. that placed them at intensified risk of mesothelioma. These included:
- Boiler Technicians, who routinely removed and replaced asbestos-containing gaskets, valve packing, and insulation, working in compartments heavily insulated with asbestos materials.
- Machinist’s Mates serviced the destroyer’s asbestos-containing propulsion turbines, reduction gears, and auxiliary machinery, frequently working with asbestos-containing materials in confined spaces without adequate ventilation.
- Electrician’s Mates installed, repaired, and maintained electrical systems throughout the vessel using asbestos-insulated wiring and components.
- Fire Control Technicians worked on weapons systems incorporating asbestos in electrical circuits, mechanical linkages, and thermal protection systems.
- Hull Maintenance Technicians performed welding, cutting, and structural repairs that disturbed asbestos in deck tiles, bulkhead insulation, and pipe lagging. Their work frequently generated airborne asbestos fibers throughout the destroyer.
- Damage Controlmen trained and responded to emergencies using asbestos-containing firefighting equipment while working in compartments filled with asbestos materials. Emergency repair operations often required cutting through asbestos-insulated systems.
- Aviation Personnel assigned after the FRAM modernization worked on the flight deck and in the helicopter hangar, where they were exposed to asbestos in deck materials, structural components, and aviation support equipment.
- Shipyard workers during the 1961-1962 FRAM overhaul and subsequent maintenance periods faced particularly severe asbestos exposure. This comprehensive conversion involved removing obsolete equipment and installing modern systems, all of which involved disturbing accumulated asbestos materials throughout the destroyer. Welders, pipefitters, electricians, insulation workers, and laborers encountered massive quantities of asbestos dust and debris throughout the lengthy overhaul period.
Options for USS Joseph P. Kennedy Jr., Veterans Diagnosed with Mesothelioma
Veterans diagnosed with mesothelioma following service aboard the USS Joseph P. Kennedy Jr., and any other Naval vessel, should immediately pursue the benefits they’re entitled to, whether through the Department of Veterans Affairs, personal injury lawsuits, or asbestos trust funds. The relationship between shipboard asbestos exposure and subsequent disease has been well documented and qualifies affected veterans for a wide range of benefits and compensation.
VA Benefits
The Department of Veterans Affairs provides comprehensive medical treatment, disability compensation, and additional support programs to veterans diagnosed with mesothelioma who can connect their illness to their service. Successful VA claims require documentation establishing both service aboard the USS Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. and a confirmed mesothelioma diagnosis. Veterans should compile discharge papers, service records, and medical documentation from treating physicians, and surviving family members of veterans affected by asbestos may qualify for dependency and indemnity compensation benefits if a veteran’s mesothelioma diagnosis contributed to their death.
Mesothelioma Lawsuits
Over the last several decades, the manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors who provided asbestos products to the Navy have been held financially responsible for their failure to protect veterans and others from the harm caused by asbestos, and their failure to warn about the mineral’s documented health hazards. These companies understood asbestos’s dangers for decades, yet chose not to inform the military about those risks so they could continue earning profits from sales of the dangerous material. Veterans can pursue compensation from these companies by filing personal injury lawsuits, and their survivors can file wrongful death claims. Thousands of these victims have been awarded millions of dollars in damages by juries, while others have negotiated generous out-of-court settlements.
Asbestos Trust Funds
Though many of the companies responsible for exposing veterans to asbestos are still in business today, others filed for bankruptcy protection after facing overwhelming asbestos liabilities. As part of their agreements with the bankruptcy courts, these companies were required to establish asbestos trust funds that held monies specifically allocated for victims diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases in the future. Though these funds generally distribute smaller dollar amounts than are available through litigation, the process of receiving compensation is much faster than going through the courts and is less adversarial and stressful.
Working with a Specialized Mesothelioma Attorney
Specialized mesothelioma attorneys possess expertise in naval asbestos cases and have deep knowledge of which manufacturers supplied products to specific ship classes during particular timeframes. These lawyers can identify all potentially liable parties, gather evidence of asbestos use aboard the USS Joseph P. Kennedy Jr., and pursue maximum compensation for medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and other damages.
Legal claims involving asbestos exposure are subject to filing deadlines that vary by jurisdiction. Veterans should reach out to qualified attorneys as soon as possible after receiving a mesothelioma diagnosis to preserve their legal rights and maximize their ability to get the compensation they deserve.
References
View All References
