The USS William M. Wood (DD-715) was one of 98 Gearing-class destroyers built for the U.S. Navy during World War II. Though known for its speed, long range, and versatility in combat operations. the ship contained extensive amounts of asbestos that continues to affect today. Many former crew members have been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases, while others remain at risk for developing these conditions in the future.
About the USS William M. Wood
The USS William M. Wood was named for Dr. William Maxwell Wood, who served as the first Surgeon General of the United States Navy. Dr. Wood’s focus on sanitation, disease prevention, and surgical techniques saved countless sailors’ lives during the Mexican-American War and helped to modernize the practice of medicine within the Navy.[1]
Construction of the destroyer began in 1944, at the Federal Shipbuilding & Drydock Company in Kearny, New Jersey, a shipyard whose extensive use of asbestos has been blamed for hundreds of asbestos-related diseases that affected the shipyard’s workers. The ship was launched in September 1945, just as World War II was drawing to a close, and commissioned in November of that year. The Gearing-class destroyers measured 390 feet in length and displaced approximately 2,425 tons when fully loaded. The extension of the ship’s hull that was characteristic of the Gearing-class ships extended its fuel bunkerage, which simultaneously extended its range.[2]
The William M. Wood’s propulsion system consisted of four Babcock & Wilcox boilers powering General Electric geared turbines that generated 60,000 shaft horsepower, enabling speeds exceeding 35 knots.[2] Both the boilers and turbines contained numerous asbestos components and were heavily insulated with asbestos materials due to the extreme heat generated during operation. The ship’s machinery spaces, including engine rooms and boiler rooms, contained the highest concentrations of asbestos on the vessel, putting engineering personnel at particularly high risk of exposure.
USS William M. Wood Active Service, Repairs, Upgrades, and Tours of Duty
Following her shakedown in 1946, the USS William M. Wood was initially assigned to the Pacific Fleet, patrolling between China and Korea to combat post-war smuggling before being reassigned to the Atlantic Fleet in 1949. Throughout the 1950s, the ship alternated between Mediterranean deployments with the 6th Fleet and operations along the U.S. Atlantic coast. In 1952, she underwent conversion to a radar picket destroyer at the Boston Naval Shipyard and was redesignated as DDR-715. The ship participated in several NATO exercises and responded to international crises, including the 1955 earthquakes in Voles, Greece, where she provided humanitarian aid, and the 1956 Suez Crisis following Israel’s invasion of Egypt.[3]
In 1958, the William M. Wood supported U.S. Marine landings in Lebanon during a period of civil unrest, spending 40 days patrolling offshore. During the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, she participated in the naval quarantine of Cuba for 57 days. In 1963, she joined an international search for the Venezuelan freighter SS Anzoategui, which had been hijacked by communist insurgents.
The ship underwent a Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization (FRAM) overhaul in 1964-1965 at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard and was returned to her original destroyer designation of DD-715. Shortly after, she was deployed to the Dominican Republic during the 1965 revolution to protect foreign nationals and support an international peacekeeping force.[3]
From 1969-1971, William M. Wood conducted intelligence gathering on new Soviet vessels including the Moskva and Leningrad. In 1972, her home port was changed to Elefsis, Greece, beginning an extended three-year deployment with the 6th Fleet that included surveillance operations against Soviet vessels and patrols during the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus.
After returning to the United States in 1975, the William M. Wood was decommissioned on December 1, 1976, after 30 years of service. She was transferred to the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, where parts were later salvaged for the museum ship USS Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. In March 1983, the ship was sunk as a target ship off Puerto Rico.[3]
How Was Asbestos Used on the USS William M. Wood?
Like most naval vessels built between the 1930s and 1980, the USS William M. Wood contained asbestos in almost every compartment. The mineral was most heavily concentrated in the ship’s areas that contained heat-generating equipment and steam systems, including:
- Engine Rooms and Boiler Rooms: The ship’s four Babcock & Wilcox boilers were insulated with asbestos to contain the extreme heat they generated, and asbestos gaskets, packing materials, and insulation were used extensively throughout these environments. The boilers themselves often contained asbestos cement and refractory materials.
- Turbine Rooms: The General Electric geared turbines that converted steam power to mechanical energy were wrapped in asbestos insulation. Their associated components, including valves, pumps, and steam lines, also contained asbestos materials.
- Pipe Systems: Miles of piping throughout the ship were covered with asbestos insulation. This was particularly true of the steam lines that ran from the boiler rooms to various parts of the vessel. Even pipes in crew quarters and food preparation areas often had asbestos insulation.
- Electrical Systems: Electrical wiring was frequently insulated with asbestos due to its excellent electrical resistance properties. Electrical panels and components also contained asbestos backing boards or insulating materials.
- Living and Working Spaces: Asbestos was present in flooring materials, ceiling tiles, wall insulation, and fireproof doors throughout the ship. Even the paint used on bulkheads and overheads sometimes contained asbestos for additional fire protection.
- Safety Equipment: The equipment that was supplied specifically to protect sailors during emergencies often contained asbestos. Fire suits, gloves, firefighting blankets, and emergency gear typically included asbestos fibers for heat resistance.
The military’s extensive use of asbestos was based on its excellent heat resistance, durability, and fireproofing properties: These were important qualities for vessels where fire at sea represented a significant danger. Though the manufacturers that supplied these asbestos-containing materials were aware of the associated health risks, they failed to share this information with either the military or the public. These companies have since faced thousands of lawsuits from veterans and others who developed asbestos-related illnesses due to exposure to their products and have been forced to pay millions of dollars in compensation.
How Were USS William M. Wood Sailors Exposed to Asbestos?
Sailors aboard the USS William M. Wood faced asbestos exposure through various pathways depending on their duties, work locations, and living arrangements. The most significant exposures typically occurred during:
- Routine Maintenance: Everyday maintenance such as removing insulation to access pipes or equipment, replacing gaskets or packing materials, or repairing boilers or turbines frequently disturbed asbestos materials, releasing asbestos fibers into the air where they could be inhaled and settled on their hair, skin, and clothing to later be carried throughout the ship and leading to secondary exposure to asbestos.
- Overhauls and Modernizations: The FRAM upgrades that the William M. Wood underwent in the 1950s and 1960s involved extensive modifications to the ship’s systems and structure. These major overhauls disturbed large amounts of asbestos insulation and asbestos-containing components, creating hazardous conditions for both shipyard workers and crew members.
- Combat Operations: During combat, particularly in the Korean War when the William M. Wood provided shore bombardment, the force of the ship’s 5-inch guns could shake loose asbestos fibers from insulation and other materials throughout the vessel.
- Poor Ventilation: The confined spaces of a destroyer, particularly below decks, had notoriously inadequate ventilation. This meant that the asbestos fibers released into the air by repairs or combat easily spread throughout the ship.
Who Was at Risk of Asbestos Exposure Aboard the USS William M. Wood
Any service members who worked in the boiler and engine rooms faced the highest exposure risks due to the high concentration of asbestos in these areas. Engineers who worked on the propulsion equipment were also at risk, and so were machinist’s mates, and boiler technicians. However, because asbestos was found throughout the ship, including the tight living conditions, virtually all crew members experienced some level of exposure during their service.
When asbestos-containing materials deteriorate or are disturbed, they release microscopic fibers that can remain airborne for extended periods. These fibers, when inhaled, can become lodged in the mesothelium—the protective membrane that lines the lungs, heart, and abdominal organs. Over time, these embedded fibers can cause inflammation, scarring, and genetic damage that may eventually lead to mesothelioma, asbestosis, or other serious conditions. The latency period for asbestos-related diseases typically ranges from 20 to 50 years, meaning that many William M. Wood veterans may only now be developing symptoms related to their service decades ago.
Benefits and Compensation Available to Navy Veterans with Mesothelioma
The sailors who served aboard the USS William M. Wood dedicated themselves to protecting American interests during the Cold War, Korean War, and Vietnam era. Like other military personnel who served between the 1940s and 1970s, they had no idea that their service exposed them to carcinogenic materials that could cause deadly diseases decades later. They had no way of knowing that the asbestos surrounding them in their work and living spaces posed grave health risks.
Many veterans who served on the USS William M. Wood remain alive today. If you are among them and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer, your military service likely contributed significantly to your condition. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs recognizes mesothelioma as a 100% disabling condition. If you can prove that your asbestos exposure occurred during military service—which is virtually certain for William M. Wood veterans who worked in engineering spaces—you may qualify for maximum disability compensation.
In addition to VA benefits, affected veterans can access specialized medical care through the VA healthcare system and designated treatment centers nationwide. The VA works with some of the country’s leading mesothelioma specialists to provide state-of-the-art treatment options for veterans with asbestos-related diseases.
Even if you currently have no symptoms, if you served aboard the USS William M. Wood, you should inform your healthcare providers about your history of asbestos exposure. This information will help them monitor your health with an eye to asbestos-related conditions. Early diagnosis significantly improves treatment outcomes.
Veterans diagnosed with asbestos-related illnesses may benefit from consulting with an attorney specializing in asbestos litigation. These legal professionals can help you navigate the VA claims process so you’ll get the disability benefits, healthcare services, and additional compensation you’re entitled to.
In addition to compensation from the VA, you may be eligible to apply to any of the asbestos trust funds that may have been set up by manufacturers of the asbestos products you were exposed to. These funds were established by companies driven to bankruptcy by their asbestos liabilities and were required to set aside money to compensate victims diagnosed in the future. An asbestos attorney can help identify which companies’ products you were exposed to and file claims with the appropriate trusts. They can also use this information to file a personal injury lawsuit against companies that are still operational.
Deadlines known as statutes of limitations limit the amount of time you have to file certain claims. To preserve your rights, contact a mesothelioma attorney as soon as possible after your diagnosis.
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