The USS Harwood (DD/DDE-861) was a Gearing-class destroyer launched and commissioned in 1945. The ship served in the Far East, was sent on Cold War Mediterranean deployments, and participated in intense combat during the Vietnam War. Though many of these engagements put her crew at risk, perhaps the greatest hazard faced by those onboard was exposure to asbestos-containing materials used in its construction and during subsequent modernization overhauls. Many of these veterans subsequently developed malignant mesothelioma and other debilitating asbestos-related illnesses.
The Gearing-Class Destroyers
The USS Harwood was one of 98 Gearing-class destroyers constructed during and in the immediate aftermath of World War II. The ships reflected multiple design refinements made to destroyers during the war years, with the most important change affecting the Gearings was a hull extension that increased the amount of fuel it could hold, allowing it to dramatically expand its range without sacrificing speed or performance.[1]
About the USS Harwood
The USS Harwood was built by the Bethlehem Steel Company, which was responsible for the construction of many of the Gearing-class destroyers. It was also named as a defendant in many lawsuits filed by service members sickened by the asbestos that was ubiquitous in the company’s shipyards.
The Harwood’s keel was laid down in May of 1945 and commissioned in September of 1945, under the command of Commander Reid P. Fiala. The ship displaced 2,425 tons, was able to reach a speed of 35 knots, and carried a complement of 367 officers and enlisted personnel. Her propulsion plant relied on steam turbines and high-pressure boilers supplied by Babcock & Wilcox and General Electric that required extensive thermal management. With the Navy unaware of the dangers of asbestos, this equipment and the compartments that held them were heavily insulated and sealed with asbestos-containing materials, and so too were the pipes, valves, gaskets, and mechanical components connected to them. The use of these materials created hazardous conditions for those assigned to work in the high-heat environments, as well as for those exposed to the fibers that were carried throughout the ship.
The Ship’s Namesake
The vessel was named in honor of Navy Commander Bruce Lawrence. Harwood enlisted in the Navy on June 6, 1935, and over the next four years, he trained as an aviation cadet and flew with a torpedo plane squadron. Commander Harwood distinguished himself throughout the Solomon Islands campaign of 1942, earning three Navy Crosses for his actions. In August 1942, as a lieutenant leading his squadron in an unsupported aerial torpedo raid against a Japanese task force, he flew through anti-aircraft fire, with his squadron scoring one confirmed and two estimated hits on an enemy aircraft carrier. He received a Gold Star for his actions from September through October 1942, during which he led bombers in striking Japanese destroyers at Guadalcanal. He then led a successful torpedo attack against an enemy light cruiser and three destroyers, and the following night flew through a violent tropical storm to bomb shore installations at Rekata Bay.[2]
Promoted to Commander in July 1944, Harwood was killed three months later when his ship was hit by several bombs. His widow sponsored the destroyer named in his honor.
Active Service and Tours of Duty
Following shakedown exercises along the California coast, the Harwood joined the Seventh Fleet in Chinese waters, aiding in the occupation of Japan and participating in fleet and antisubmarine exercises before returning to San Diego in February 1947. After a second Western Pacific cruise, she entered the Mare Island shipyard in January 1949 to be outfitted with the latest antisubmarine equipment. Redesignated as an escort destroyer, she was assigned to a new home port at Newport, Rhode Island, where she participated in cold weather antisubmarine warfare research as well as fleet and training exercises. She left Norfolk in late August 1950 for her first Mediterranean cruise, returning in November.[2]
The ship’s operational pattern consisted of training exercises combined with annual Mediterranean deployments to maintain combat readiness and demonstrate America’s commitment to the defense of its allies. In January 1957, she sailed for a three-month antisubmarine warfare demonstration that took her along the South American coast, visiting Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Panama, and Cuba.
In May 1961, Harwood entered the New York Navy Yard for a Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization (FRAM) overhaul. Her bridge was completely rebuilt, new torpedo tubes were installed, and the existing anti-aircraft guns were removed to create a hangar and launching deck for the DASH drone antisubmarine helicopter. She left New York in February 1962, then sailed to her new home port of Mayport, Florida. When the Cuban Missile Crisis erupted in October 1962, Harwood joined the blockading fleet.
In August 1963, she was deployed again to the Mediterranean, where she provided antisubmarine warfare service and conducted intensive anti-air warfare, antisubmarine warfare, and electronic countermeasures exercises before returning home in December. A brief visit to Brazil followed in the spring of 1964, after which she embarked midshipmen at Annapolis for a summer training cruise to Norway, Belgium, France, and England. A major overhaul and refit at Norfolk began in April 1965, and in July 1966, she left again for the Mediterranean, transiting the Suez Canal and visiting Aden and Kenya before rejoining the Sixth Fleet in November.
The Harwood deployed to Vietnam in April 1968, transiting the Panama Canal and making brief stops at San Diego and Pearl Harbor before proceeding to Subic Bay for preparation and upkeep. Her primary mission was to provide gunfire support off the coast of South Vietnam, and she spent 42 days on the gunline in direct support of troops ashore. She also operated off the North Vietnamese coast during Operation Sea Dragon, working with USS Berkeley in what was described as one of the heaviest offshore bombardments of the war, during which the two ships are credited with having destroyed or damaged 58 waterborne logistics craft.[3]
On five separate occasions, the Harwood came under fire from enemy coastal defense batteries; one hit led to two personnel casualties and resulted in two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star. Beyond combat operations, Harwood served as plane guard for the USS Bon Homme Richard, USS America, and the nuclear-powered USS Enterprise, and rescued a man lost overboard from the USS Tripoli only eight minutes after he had been knocked into the sea. She sailed more than 60,000 miles during that deployment while operating at sea 75 percent of the time.[3]
The Harwood returned to Mayport in late 1968 and entered a period of reduced operating status before undergoing four months of scheduled repair and maintenance at the Charleston Naval Shipyard beginning in May 1969. She then shifted her home port to Charleston, South Carolina, and after refresher training at Guantanamo Bay and Caribbean operations in support of Operation Springboard, deployed again to the Mediterranean in 1970, participating in a show of American strength in the Eastern Mediterranean during the September 1970 Middle East crisis and joining NATO exercises off Greece.
The Harwood was loaned to Turkey in 1971, and later decommissioned, stricken from the rolls, and formally transferred to the Turkish Navy. In 1974, the ship was bombed and sunk in a case of friendly fire.[3]
Where Was Asbestos Found on the USS Harwood?
Between the 1930s and 1970s, the devastating health impact of asbestos was largely unknown to the military, as well as the general public. For years, many of the manufacturers whose products contained the carcinogenic mineral had been presented with internal evidence of its toxicity, but decided against sharing that knowledge or taking steps to minimize the dangers in order to maximize their profits. With the military unaware of this information, asbestos was wrongly regarded as a material that offered unmatched protection for both equipment and the personnel who operated it. The Navy mandated its use in hundreds of shipboard applications to take advantage of its protective characteristics as well as its low price and ready supply.
Naval vessels of the 1940s were built with asbestos woven into every aspect of their structures, and the USS Harwood was no exception. Though it was most prevalent in the insulation found throughout the ship, it was also a key ingredient of bonding compounds, deck and flooring materials, gaskets, packing seals, and the protective clothing and fire suppression gear issued to crew members.
The greatest concentration of asbestos was found in the compartments that required the most thermal protection — the boiler rooms, engine spaces, turbine compartments, and adjacent machinery areas. The material shielded the equipment itself from heat and friction, as well as the service members operating and maintaining it.
The Harwood’s FRAM overhaul at the New York Navy Yard took place between 1961 and 1962, and the process significantly magnified the asbestos hazard aboard the ship. The complete reconstruction of the ship’s bridge, the removal of its existing gun mounts, the installation of new torpedo tubes, and the construction of the DASH helicopter hangar and launch deck all involved workers penetrating and renovating the ship’s existing structure. Workers were tasked with cutting, removing, and reinstalling some of the materials that had been in place since 1945, replacing it with new materials that also contained the toxic mineral. Every phase of the work had the potential for releasing asbestos fibers throughout the ship’s systems and confined spaces and into the shipyard, creating a significant risk of exposure for workers and crew members alike. Subsequent maintenance periods and major alterations created additional risk periods, as aging asbestos-containing materials were again disturbed, replaced, and handled.
Asbestos Exposure Risks to Harwood Crew Members
Former members of the U.S. Navy represent nearly one-third of all mesothelioma cases diagnosed in the United States. This tragically high percentage is a direct result of the heavy asbestos exposure suffered by those who sailed on navy vessels built before 1980. The thousands of individuals who served aboard the USS Harwood over the years are part of this at-risk group. From the engine rooms to the ship’s laundry and mess, nearly every sailor on the ship encountered some level of asbestos exposure as part of everyday shipboard operations.
By virtue of the significant amount of asbestos installed within the ship’s engineering and high heat spaces, the personnel assigned to them faced the greatest concentrations and therefore, they are the ones who have the highest long-term risk of being diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease. But the threat posed by asbestos fibers came from more than proximity to those areas. Asbestos found throughout the ship deteriorated due to aging, vibration, physical damage, or disturbances from routine maintenance and repairs, and as those materials broke apart, they released microscopic particles of the fibrous mineral. Mechanics, technicians, and maintenance crews who handled or disrupted asbestos-containing components during routine servicing or system upgrades were also among those at elevated risk.
The danger was not limited to those specific areas or responsibilities. As sailors moved throughout the ship, airborne asbestos fibers clung to their clothing and skin, allowing contamination to spread into berthing spaces, mess halls, and other common areas. This meant that crew members who never worked in engineering spaces could still inhale the fibers. Additionally, during the ship’s FRAM modernization at the New York Navy Yard, as well as later maintenance periods in Norfolk and Charleston, civilian shipyard workers were exposed while handling asbestos-laden materials, extending the impact beyond the ship’s crew.
Tiny bits of asbestos are invisible to the naked eye or look like harmless dust. Once they became airborne aboard the ship, they could remain suspended in enclosed areas for long periods and even be carried through the ship’s ventilation system. In far too many cases, the inhaled fibers have embedded themselves deep within sailors’ respiratory systems, and the irritation and damage caused by these trapped fibers has led to deaths and illnesses from diseases including mesothelioma, asbestosis, and other serious respiratory disorders.
Health Monitoring
If you are a veteran who sailed aboard or performed work on the USS Harwood, there is a strong likelihood that you were exposed to asbestos, and may be at risk for mesothelioma and other asbestos-linked diseases. Even if you haven’t developed symptoms, it’s important to inform your healthcare professional about your service history and the asbestos conditions aboard the Harwood. By doing so, you’ll make sure that your exposure is documented in your permanent medical records. Establishing this history in writing alerts all future providers to look for relevant warning signs and ensures that any emerging symptoms receive prompt and informed evaluation. There is an extremely long latency period between the time of asbestos exposure and the time that warning signs appear, and careful, informed monitoring facilitates monitoring and early detection.
Support and Compensation for Veterans with Mesothelioma
In the years since their service, many Navy veterans who served aboard the USS Harwood have been diagnosed with mesothelioma. These victims face a grim future, but there are many resources available to them from both the military and the private companies responsible for their illness.
Veterans Affairs (VA) Benefits
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers several forms of support to veterans who were exposed to asbestos while serving in the military. Available assistance may include the following
Disability Benefits
Veterans who develop illnesses linked to asbestos exposure during their time in service may qualify for monthly disability payments through the VA.
Health Benefits
The VA operates a nationwide healthcare system that provides medical treatment for veterans, including specialized care for diseases associated with asbestos exposure.
Support Programs:
Eligible veterans and their families may also receive additional assistance, such as counseling services, support groups, and home health care programs.
To qualify for these benefits, veterans must show that their asbestos-related illness is connected to their military service. Documentation used to support a claim may include:
- Medical records confirming an asbestos-related disease
- Evidence demonstrating exposure to asbestos during military duty
- A physician’s opinion linking the illness to that exposure
VA Medical Centers with Specialized Care
Though all VA hospitals are staffed by highly qualified professionals, a select few are particularly experienced in diagnosing and treating asbestos-related illnesses.
- The Boston VA Medical Center is recognized for its programs focused on mesothelioma and lung cancer treatment.
- The Los Angeles VA Medical Center has physicians who specialize in conditions caused by asbestos exposure.
In addition, many large VA hospitals maintain oncology and pulmonology departments with experience treating asbestos-related diseases and other forms of cancer.
Legal Help for Mesothelioma Victims
In addition to seeking VA benefits, veterans who served aboard the USS Harwood may also have legal options for pursuing financial compensation, including.
Civil Litigation:
Veterans may be able to file personal injury claims against manufacturers that produced asbestos-containing materials used on naval ships. These cases typically target the companies responsible for manufacturing or supplying those contaminated products. If a veteran has passed away from an asbestos-related illness, surviving family members may have the option to pursue a wrongful death claim.
Asbestos Trust Funds:
Many manufacturers that once produced asbestos products later filed for bankruptcy and established trust funds to compensate individuals harmed by their materials. Qualified claimants may be able to seek compensation through these funds.
Veterans who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or other asbestos-related illnesses are often encouraged to consult with an attorney who specializes in asbestos litigation. These legal professionals can explain potential compensation options, outline the claims process, and help determine which companies and exposure sources may have contributed to the illness and be named as defendants.
Information that may help support a legal claim includes:
- Ship assignments and dates of service
- Job titles, responsibilities, and work locations aboard the vessel
- Maintenance, repair, or construction activities performed by the veteran or occurring nearby
- Statements from fellow service members who witnessed the exposure
- Medical documentation showing diagnosis and treatment
Acting promptly after a diagnosis is important not only for medical reasons but also for protecting your legal rights. Every state has deadlines known as statutes of limitations that establish the time frame for filing a legal claim. If your case isn’t filed within the required period after a diagnosis, your opportunity to file a claim can be lost.
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