The USS William R. Rush (DD-714) was a Gearing-class destroyer built for the United States Navy. Like many Navy ships built between the 1930s and 1980, the USS William R. Rush was constructed using asbestos and asbestos-containing materials. As a result, many veterans who served aboard the ship, along with shipyard workers involved in its construction, were later diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, asbestosis, and other asbestos-related illnesses, while others remain at risk.
About the USS William R. Rush
The USS William R. Rush was one of the 98 Gearing-class destroyers that represented the very last that the Navy ordered during World War II. These ships offered significant advantages over their predecessors. They were among the heaviest and most powerful destroyers in the world, and the 14 feet of additional hull space inherent in their design provided significantly increased fuel capacity. This extended the ships’ operating range and speed.[1]
After World War II’s end, almost all the Gearing destroyers underwent numerous upgrades and conversions to accommodate their new missions and assignments. In the case of the USS William R. Rush, the modifications she underwent allowed her to serve as a patrol ship, antisubmarine warfare ship, radar picket ship, and fleet escort, adapting to various naval warfare requirements throughout her service life.[2]
The USS William R. Rush was 390.5 feet long and 41 feet wide and was capable of attaining speeds in excess of almost 37 knots. She displaced 3,460 tons fully loaded and was powered by four Babcock & Wilcox boilers and two General Electric geared steam turbines that provided 60,000 shaft horsepower.[3] Though this equipment made the ship highly maneuverable and quick, they all were built and insulated with asbestos components that put hundreds of Navy veterans at risk for malignant mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases.
Construction and Repairs
The USS William R. Rush’s keel was laid in October 1944. She was constructed by the Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company in Kearny, New Jersey. She was commissioned in September 1945, just after the end of World War II. The ship was named for William Rees Rush, who graduated from the Naval Academy in 1877 and served onboard the Ranger, the Bennington, the Boston, and the Albatross before serving as a turret division commander in the armored cruiser Brooklyn. In later years, Commander Rush was given command of the naval brigade that was sent ashore at Veracruz in 1914 and was awarded the Medal of Honor for his efforts. He was later given command of the Boston Navy Yard and was awarded the Navy Cross for “exceptionally meritorious services in a duty of great responsibility” during World War I.[2]
After her initial shakedown cruise and early assignments, the William R. Rush underwent her first significant overhaul at the Boston Naval Shipyard in 1949. Throughout the 1950s, she received routine maintenance and minor refits to keep her systems operational for her Cold War duties, and in June 1964, the ship entered the New York Naval Shipyard for her ten-month major Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization (FRAM I) conversion. This extensive modernization removed older weapons systems and added new antisubmarine warfare equipment, including an ASROC launcher, updated sonars, and a DASH drone helicopter facility. These changes optimized the ship for her primary Cold War mission of detecting and countering Soviet submarines.[2]
The William R. Rush underwent additional repairs and maintenance periods throughout the 1960s at various naval facilities, including Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Boston Naval Shipyard, and Charleston Naval Shipyard. In 1973, as the ship approached the end of her service life, she received an overhaul at the Boston Naval Shipyard. She was decommissioned in 1978 and transferred the same day to the Republic of Korea Navy, where she served as ROKS Rang Won (DD-922) until 1979.[2]
Service and Deployment History of the USS William R. Rush
The USS William R. Rush began its service journey with outfitting in New York, followed by initial training exercises near Cuba and Maine before participating in East Coast fleet maneuvers in the spring of 1946. The vessel subsequently traveled to Florida to shield the aircraft carrier Ranger during flight exercises, then returned to its Newport, Rhode Island, base for regional activities.[2]
In early 1947, the Rush embarked on its first foreign voyage, visiting numerous European ports before returning to American waters. For the next two years, it conducted exercises with underwater vessels and safeguarded aircraft carriers along the Atlantic coast. The destroyer ventured to Europe again in mid-1949 for an extended Mediterranean tour, calling at various ports before undergoing maintenance in Boston. After completion, it conducted training with naval officer candidates between Canada and the Caribbean.[2]
January 1951 marked the start of the vessel’s Asian deployment during the Korean conflict, where it fired upon North Korean infrastructure and protected allied ships. Its return journey via the Indian Ocean, the Suez Canal, the Mediterranean, and the North Atlantic completed a global circumnavigation. Later that year, the ship underwent FRAM conversion to enhance her radar capabilities, receiving new weaponry and electronic systems before returning to service under the modified designation of DDR-714 in September 1952.[2]
Between 1954 and 1964, the William R. Rush completed eight Mediterranean tours while operating from bases in Rhode Island and later in Mayport, Florida. During non-Mediterranean periods, her activities ranged from Arctic exercises to Caribbean patrols, including participation in the 1962 naval blockade of Cuba during the missile crisis.
The vessel underwent comprehensive modernization at the New York Naval Shipyard in 1964-65, after which she resumed her original classification of DD-714. Her subsequent operations included training activities, rescue missions, and further Mediterranean deployments. In 1967, she was deployed to the Middle East just before the outbreak of the Six-Day War, witnessing regional tensions firsthand.[2]
During her last decade of service, the ship’s notable achievements included surveillance of Soviet naval vessels, participation in specialized anti-submarine warfare groups, and a final major deployment to the Indian Ocean and Middle East in 1972, marking the completion of her second global circumnavigation.
After serving as a training platform for reserve sailors from 1973 to 1978, the William R. Rush was decommissioned and transferred to South Korea’s navy, where she operated under a new name into the following year.[2]
How Was Asbestos Used on the USS William R. Rush?
The use of asbestos in building the USS William R. Rush was identical to the tragic practice in hundreds of other ships constructed between the 1930s and 1980s, particularly in vessels ordered by the military. While many of the manufacturers and distributors that sold the contaminated product to the government had received reports of the connection between cancer and other respiratory illnesses and asbestos, the government remained unaware of its dangers. By prioritizing the protection of both human and physical assets, the War Department unknowingly exposed hundreds of thousands of service members to a material that sickened many of them decades later.
There were hundreds of items onboard the William R. Rush that contained asbestos. Though the areas and exposures described below were the most heavily contaminated, anybody who was aboard the USS William R. Rush was likely to have been exposed to asbestos.
- Boiler Rooms and Engine Rooms: Boiler workers and others who worked in the engine or boiler rooms account for a significant number of Navy veterans’ mesothelioma diagnoses as they contained the highest concentration of asbestos and had almost no ventilation that could have minimized the concentration of the deadly fiber in the air.
- Protective Gear: Sailors were issued many types of protective clothing, including gloves and firefighting equipment, that were made of asbestos textiles.
- Pipe Insulation: Aerosolized asbestos was sprayed onto the pipes in some areas of the ship and asbestos-containing insulation was wrapped in other areas. This put plumbers, pipefitters, and maintenance personnel at risk.
- Additional asbestos-containing components aboard the ship included many gaskets and valves, as well as flooring and ceiling materials.
Who Was at Risk of Asbestos Exposure on the USS William R. Rush?
Personnel aboard the USS William R. Rush, including both enlisted crew and officers, faced significant dangers due to asbestos exposure. The hazardous material was used extensively throughout the vessel, and any disturbance of the fibrous material components could release tiny airborne particles that were easy to inhale or ingest. Once inside the body, these needle-like fibers were difficult to eliminate. Remaining lodged within the tissues, they can cause scarring, mutations, and severe health issues over time. Illnesses linked to asbestos exposure included asbestosis, mesothelioma, and asbestos-related lung cancer—diseases that often took decades to manifest.
Although everyone who served aboard the USS William R. Rush was at some risk, certain personnel suffered more frequent exposure, including:
- Boiler Technicians – Boilers were heavily insulated with asbestos-based materials, and those working on them often wore protective gear that also contained asbestos.
- Pipefitters – These crew members routinely handled asbestos-insulated pipes, facing the highest exposure risks during maintenance or replacement work.
- Engine Room Personnel – Due to the extreme heat produced by engine components, asbestos insulation was commonly used, creating significant exposure hazards.
- Machinists – Those assigned to operate and service machinery—such as pumps, generators, and cooling systems—encountered asbestos insulation regularly.
- Electricians – Since asbestos was frequently used in electrical wiring insulation, electricians and their mates faced potential exposure.
- Shipyard Workers – Those involved in the construction, repair, or modernization of Navy vessels often dealt with large quantities of asbestos-containing materials, making them particularly vulnerable. In some cases, these workers unknowingly carried asbestos fibers into their homes, exposing family members to secondary asbestos exposure.
Compensation and Benefits for USS William R. Rush Veterans
Faced with a mesothelioma diagnosis and the knowledge that asbestos manufacturers could have prevented it, many former sailors have taken legal action against the companies they hold responsible. The lawsuits that they filed over the years have resulted in millions of dollars being awarded to asbestos victims and their families, and billions of dollars still available in the asbestos trust funds that companies bankrupted by the litigation were required to establish for future victims. Veterans sickened by asbestos they were exposed to during their time in the service are also entitled to comprehensive benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
If you are a Navy veteran who served on the USS William R. Rush or worked in any shipyards where it underwent maintenance, upgrades, or modifications, you may have been exposed to asbestos and placed at risk for serious illnesses. Filing a VA claim can grant access to crucial benefits, such as medical coverage for treatments at VA hospitals or specialized care facilities nationwide. Additionally, veterans diagnosed with mesothelioma may qualify for disability compensation, as the condition is recognized as 100% disabling.
Beyond VA assistance and filing claims with the asbestos trust funds, affected veterans can file personal injury lawsuits against asbestos manufacturers who knowingly supplied these dangerous materials to the military. These civil actions often result in out-of-court settlements or court-ordered awards. Consulting an experienced mesothelioma lawyer is an essential first step in seeking justice and compensation. A qualified attorney will listen to your case, answer any questions, and guide you through your legal options. They can help identify the manufacturers responsible for your exposure, assist with filing VA claims, and represent you in legal proceedings. Their expertise can be an invaluable resource in your fight for compensation and accountability.
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