The United States Navy destroyer USS George K. MacKenzie (DD-836) distinguished herself through three decades of distinguished service, from World War II through the Vietnam conflict. However, like virtually every warship constructed during the mid-20th century, the MacKenzie contained extensive amounts of asbestos throughout her structure. This toxic mineral, now recognized as causing mesothelioma and other disabling diseases, has killed and sickened countless veterans. Others who served on the vessel are still at risk.
About the USS George K. MacKenzie
The Ship’s Namesake
The destroyer carried the name of Lieutenant Commander George K. MacKenzie, a distinguished naval officer born in 1910 in Brooklyn, New York. After graduating from the Naval Academy in 1931, he completed specialized training at both Submarine School and Deep Sea Diving School, along with advanced submarine officer courses.[1]
Lieutenant Commander MacKenzie served aboard multiple vessels, including the USS Raleigh, USS Bonita, and USS Plunger, and eventually commanded both USS Falcon and USS Triton. His naval career ended heroically in 1943, when three Japanese destroyers sank the Triton.
A Gearing-class Destroyer
The USS George K. MacKenzie was one of the ships that made up the advanced Gearing-class destroyer fleet. Bearing the hull designation DD-836, she underwent multiple modifications and upgrades throughout her operational lifetime to meet changing naval warfare requirements and technological advances.[2]
The Gearing-class vessels were themselves a major advancement beyond their predecessors, the Fletcher and Allen M. Sumner destroyer classes. The improvements made to those classes gave the Gearings enhanced endurance capabilities and superior anti-submarine warfare systems, as well as expanded fuel storage that enabled extended operations without frequent resupply. This gave them a significant advantage for long-term naval campaigns.
The MacKenzie and other Gearing-class ships carried a crew complement of 276 officers and enlisted personnel. They measured 390 feet in length, had a 41-foot beam, displaced 1,620 tons Her propulsion system was powered by Babcock & Wilcox boilers and General Electric turbines that delivered speeds reaching 37.6 knots and her original armament configuration included six 5-inch guns, sixteen 40mm anti-aircraft weapons, ten 20mm cannons, five 21-inch torpedo tubes, six depth charge projectors, and two depth charge tracks.
Construction and Launch
Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine, was the builder behind the USS George K. MacKenzie. The ship launched in May 1945 with Miss Donna MacKenzie, daughter of the ship’s namesake, serving as sponsor for the ceremony. Commander Alvin W. Slayden took command when the destroyer was commissioned in July 1945.[1]
World War II and the Cold War that followed demanded a robust fleet of Navy ships. During this highly productive construction period, naval contracts with shipbuilders demanded the incorporation of asbestos-containing materials throughout due to the mineral’s advantageous properties:
- Superior heat resistance that was ideal for high-temperature machinery applications
- Exceptional fire-retardant qualities are considered essential for shipboard safety
- Outstanding electrical insulation capabilities
- Remarkable structural durability
- Effective sound-dampening properties
- Lightweight compared to alternative materials
- Immediate availability and cost-effectiveness
As beneficial as these attributes were, they came with severe health consequences that we know about today, but which were largely concealed from military personnel at the time by the companies that manufactured and supplied the products: They understood the material’s dangers but failed to warn the Navy or its sailors about the associated risks so that they could continue earning money from extremely lucrative contracts.
Operational History
Post-War Operations and Diplomatic Missions
Following her Caribbean shakedown training, the MacKenzie returned to Boston in September 1945 and participated in Navy Day celebrations at Savannah, Georgia, in October. Based at Norfolk Naval Base, she conducted training exercises and escort operations along the Atlantic coast until January 1948, when she departed for a diplomatic mission to Buenos Aires, Argentina.[1]
After successfully fulfilling her role as a “steel grey diplomat,” the destroyer returned to Norfolk in February 1948. Peacetime activities included a midshipman training cruise from June to July 1948 that took her to Portugal, Italy, North Africa, and Cuba, and in October 1948, she sailed for the Near East, supporting United Nations Palestine Patrol operations and the allied occupation of Trieste before returning to Newport for Christmas.
Korean War Service
When the Far East truce was broken by North Korea, the MacKenzie was reassigned to Pacific operations. She arrived at Pearl Harbor in July 1950 to prepare for combat deployment.
Her first Korean War tour lasted from July 1950 to January 1951. The destroyer performed screening duties for attack carriers conducting strikes against North Korean targets while providing direct fire support for Allied ground forces. After repairs at San Diego from February to July, she returned to the region and provided identical screening and support operations until April 1952.
The MacKenzie provided antisubmarine screening and conducted significant bombardment missions at Wonsan Harbor in early 1953 in support of United Nations forces. She delivered fire support to troops near Suwon Dan in April 1953, alongside USS Los Angeles, and destroyed sections of enemy railroad infrastructure along Korea’s eastern coastline during May operations.
Extended Far East Operations
Between 1953 and 1959, the MacKenzie’s homeport alternated between San Diego and Long Beach, California. During that time, she completed nine Far East tours, including training exercises and Taiwan patrol duties.
In February 1960, the ship’s homeport switched again, this time to Yokosuka, Japan. She continued conducting peacetime training operations, visiting Hong Kong, the Philippines, and various other Far Eastern ports. In 1961, the MacKenzie left Subic Bay in March to rendezvous with carriers USS Midway and USS Lexington in the South China Sea in response to the Laos crisis. When a diplomatic resolution prevented military action, the MacKenzie returned to her peacetime operations, then returned to the United States in December 1962, to her new homeport of New York.[3]
Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization (FRAM)
Like many of the Gearing-class destroyers, the George K. MacKenzie was selected for comprehensive modernization under the Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization (FRAM) program. The upgrade was performed at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. The installation of advanced systems, including SQS-23 sonar and ASROC (Anti-Submarine Rocket) launchers, significantly enhanced her capabilities, particularly in anti-submarine warfare, and new radar systems and electronic countermeasures were integrated to address evolving Cold War naval operations requirements. The FRAM program also gave the destroyer the innovative DASH (Drone Anti-Submarine Helicopter) system, allowing the deployment of unmanned helicopters for extended-range submarine detection and engagement. The ship returned to active service in October 1963, after the modernization was completed.
Vietnam War Operations
After being assigned to an extended Far East duty in January 1964, the MacKenzie sailed to Long Beach, California, then left the West Coast in May, reaching Yokosuka, Japan, in June. That was the start of over two years of continuous operations that saw her alternating between Japanese waters and Vietnam combat zones to combat Communist aggression.
The destroyer specialized in aircraft carrier screening operations and shore bombardment missions against Communist positions. After returning to Long Beach in August 1966 to prepare for a major overhaul, she resumed Far East operations in mid-1967. In July, she was screening USS Forrestal (CVA-59) when fire erupted on the carrier’s flight deck. After the MacKenzie helped fight the blaze, she escorted the damaged carrier to Subic Bay for repairs.
The George K. MacKenzie participated in key military operations throughout the Vietnam conflict, including the Tet Offensive and Easter Offensive. She was awarded the Vietnam Service Medal with nine campaign stars and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm. The ship was decommissioned in September 1976 and struck from the Naval Vessel Register in October. She was sunk as a target off California.
Asbestos Contamination on the USS George K. MacKenzie
As was true of all destroyers constructed in the World War II years and after, the USS George K. MacKenzie contained asbestos materials throughout her entire structure. While this hazardous mineral was found everywhere aboard the vessel, some locations contained exceptionally dangerous concentrations. They included:
Engineering Spaces: Asbestos insulation surrounded the heat and friction-generating equipment that powered the ships, which were found in boiler rooms and turbine compartments, and the same was true of steam pipes, condensers, and auxiliary machinery that contributed to the equipment’s operations. Gaskets and packing materials within the equipment were made with asbestos, and so were the thermal protection blankets and heat-resistant gear that crew members used to protect themselves from the hot machinery.
Ventilation and Exhaust Systems: Air handling equipment, ductwork, and exhaust systems were made with asbestos and were insulated with asbestos for thermal regulation.
Electrical Infrastructure: Wiring systems, control panels, switchboards, and electrical components were coated and insulated with asbestos. In addition to its heat and fire resistance, it prevented electrical current from escaping where it shouldn’t, reducing the risk of electrical shocks and short circuits.
Living Quarters: Berthing areas, mess halls, and recreational spaces had asbestos hidden in flooring materials, overhead insulation, bulkhead materials, and fire-resistant doors.
Damage Control Equipment: Fire-fighting gear and protective clothing incorporated asbestos fibers for thermal protection during emergency operations.
In addition to high-exposure areas within the ship, the FRAM modernization program conducted during the early 1960s both disturbed existing asbestos materials and introduced additional asbestos-containing components. Many cases of asbestos-related diseases among shipyard workers have been traced back to this extensive renovation program, which created heightened exposure risks for both shipyard personnel and crew members when it released dangerous fibers into the air.
The Shipboard Personnel at Greatest Risk
While every sailor serving aboard the USS George K. MacKenzie faced asbestos exposure risks, certain specialties encountered higher danger levels than others because their duties required working in the ship’s most heavily contaminated areas:
Machinist’s Mates operated and maintained propulsion machinery heavily insulated with asbestos in the ship’s poorly ventilated engineering spaces.
Boiler Technicians worked directly with asbestos-insulated equipment, frequently removing old insulation, scraping off asbestos, blowing asbestos dust out of machinery, and installing replacement materials.
Damage Control Personnel performed emergency repairs of asbestos-containing materials disturbed during combat and other circumstances.
Hull Maintenance Technicians performed structural repairs that often required the removal and replacement of damaged asbestos insulation.
Pipefitters maintained the ship’s extensive piping systems, which were either wrapped with asbestos insulation or coated with spray-on asbestos.
Electricians installed and serviced electrical systems that were insulated with asbestos-containing materials.
Shipyard Workers, including both military and civilian personnel, experienced intense, concentrated exposure during construction, FRAM modifications, and other maintenance activities.
Below decks, the shipboard environment had limited ventilation and extremely cramped spaces that amplified the risk of exposure. Microscopic asbestos fibers released by various activities could remain airborne for hours and circulate through compartments and ventilation systems. They could also be carried around the vessel on directly exposed workers’ hair, skin, and clothing. As a result, all personnel on the ship were exposed, regardless of their direct contact with asbestos materials.
Health Impact on USS George K. MacKenzie Veterans
Asbestos exposure can trigger numerous serious health conditions, ranging from debilitating chronic respiratory diseases to fatal cancers like mesothelioma. While many MacKenzie veterans have already developed symptoms and been diagnosed, the extended latency period associated with asbestos-related diseases means that sailors from the ship’s more recent operational years who currently feel healthy are still at risk for future illness.
Because of the Navy’s extensive use of asbestos, Navy veterans make up a disproportionately high percentage of Americans diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases. Common conditions affecting former MacKenzie crew members include:
Mesothelioma: An aggressive, fatal cancer causing malignant tumors in the protective linings of the lungs, abdomen, or heart.
Asbestosis: A chronic respiratory condition characterized by breathing difficulties and reduced oxygen transfer due to scarring of the lungs.
Lung Cancer: Malignant tumors developing within lung tissue.
Pleural Diseases: Pleural plaques, thickening, and effusions that affect respiratory functioning.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): A persistent inflammatory lung condition that causes airflow obstruction and breathing difficulties.
These diagnoses present multiple problems, as affected veterans face both serious health challenges, enormous medical expenses, and reduced quality of life for themselves and their families.
Help for USS George K. MacKenzie Veterans Affected by Asbestos
It is easy to feel hopeless in the face of a devastating diagnosis, but veterans with asbestos-related illnesses have several compensation and support options available to them.
Benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs
The VA has recognized the connection between military service and asbestos-related conditions since 1988, and offers comprehensive benefits to veterans who meet the established criteria. Benefits include
- Monthly disability compensation (mesothelioma often qualifies for maximum benefits)
- Specialized medical care from physicians experienced in treating asbestos-related diseases
- Access to cutting-edge treatment facilities and experimental therapies
- Home healthcare services, medical equipment, and additional support resources
Eligibility requires documentation of asbestos exposure during naval service and medical evidence linking the diagnosis to military service.
Asbestos Compensation Trust Funds
Many asbestos manufacturers and suppliers have established compensation trusts, some as a result of bankruptcy proceedings and others set up voluntarily in response to multiple claims. Collectively, these funds contain billions in assets set aside specifically to compensate asbestos exposure victims, including veterans. Claims require:
- Documentation of when and how asbestos exposure occurred during service
- Medical diagnosis confirmation linked to that exposure
While trust fund compensation typically provides less money than successful civil litigation, the process is faster and much less adversarial.
Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Lawsuits
Veterans aren’t able to sue the military for injuries from service-related asbestos exposure, but they can pursue compensation from the companies that manufactured or supplied asbestos products. These legal claims typically cite negligence, product liability, conspiracy, fraud, and recklessness.
Legal action may include personal injury lawsuits filed by living victims seeking compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and loss of consortium, or wrongful death claims filed by surviving family members.
Pursuing civil litigation or filing an asbestos trust fund claim does not affect VA benefits eligibility; veterans can simultaneously pursue all available compensation options.
Legal Help for USS George K. MacKenzie Veterans with Mesothelioma
Whether pursuing VA benefits, filing trust fund claims, or initiating litigation, an experienced asbestos attorney is the best resource for guiding you as you move forward. These specialized legal professionals can help you build a strong case, identify all potential defendants, negotiate favorable settlements, and secure the best possible outcomes for veterans and their families facing these challenging circumstances.
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