The USS Gurke (DD-783), a Gearing-class destroyer, served the United States Navy for several decades. The ship and her crew participated in multiple conflicts from the post-World War II occupation of Japan through the Vietnam War. The Gurke was constructed when asbestos was a key component of shipbuilding: Her structure contained substantial amounts of the carcinogenic material, leading to many veterans being diagnosed with asbestos-related health conditions, including pleural mesothelioma and asbestosis. Decades after she was decommissioned, her former crewmembers are still at risk.
The USS Gurke’s Namesake
The USS Gurke was named in honor of Private Henry Gurke, a Marine from North Dakota who enlisted in April 1942. Private Gurke’s life ended in November 1943 when a Japanese grenade landed in the foxhole he shared with a Marine operating an automatic weapon. Recognizing the importance of his companion’s weapon, he threw himself on the grenade, absorbing the explosion with his body. For this extraordinary act, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, and in 1945, his mother, Mrs. Julius Gurke, sponsored the vessel at its launching.[1]
Gearing-Class Destroyers and Asbestos
Gearing-class destroyers like the USS Gurke represented the culmination of evolving naval engineering: The ship was a redesign of the previous class, the Allen M. Sumner, extending the hull by 14 feet and dramatically increasing range and speed. The USS Gurke displaced 2,425 tons standard (reaching approximately 3,500 tons fully loaded) and measured 390 feet 6 inches in length with a beam of 40 feet 11 inches and a draft of 18 feet 6 inches. Her propulsion system was powered by Babcock and Wilcox boilers and General Electric turbines. Both enabled speeds of up to 35 knots, but were later identified as being heavily contaminated with asbestos-containing materials. She carried a complement of 336 officers and enlisted personnel along with six 5-inch guns, twelve 40mm anti-aircraft guns, ten 20mm anti-aircraft cannons, six depth charge projectors, two depth charge tracks, and ten 21-inch torpedo tubes.[2]
Construction and Deployment
The keel of the USS Gurke (DD-783) was laid down in February 1945 at Todd-Pacific Shipyards, Inc., in Tacoma, Washington. Following her shakedown cruise along the West Coast, the Gurke departed for Western Pacific duty in August, arriving at Pearl Harbor and then proceeding westward to help with the occupation of Japan and former Japanese territories. She returned to her home port of San Diego in 1946 and engaged in training operations until her next Western Pacific deployment in 1947, followed by additional WestPac cruises, operations from San Diego, and a special cruise to Alaska in 1948 for the 50th anniversary celebration of the Yukon gold rush.[1]
When the Korean War erupted, the Gurke was deployed to screen fast carrier task forces operating off Korea’s west coast. During the initial phase of the Inchon operation, she navigated the challenging Flying Fish (So Sudo) Channel at flood tide, bombarding Wolmi Do and the Inchon waterfront as Communist forces fired. The Gurke sustained three hits that caused minor damage without casualties, and her 5-inch batteries delivered pre-landing shore bombardment until the first Marine assault secured the area. For this, she shared a Navy Unit Commendation for extraordinary heroism.
After Inchon, the Gurke screened fast attack carriers launching strikes against enemy positions. She also patrolled the Formosa Straits to prevent a Chinese Communist invasion of Formosa and ensure the island wasn’t used as a base for operations against mainland China. She frequently served as flagship for Vice Admiral Struble and the 7th Fleet’s Carrier Task Force 77, with brief stateside interludes for repairs and training. In June 1953, she again drew fire from Communist shore batteries but escaped serious damage despite two direct hits and shrapnel from five air bursts.[1]
The USS Gurke received seven battle stars for her service during the Korean conflict. After the Korean War armistice in August 1953, the USS Gurke continued Far East patrols to maintain peace, alternating between six- to eight-month Western Pacific deployments and stateside overhauls and training. In June 1960, she escorted the cruiser St. Paul while it carried President Eisenhower on a Manila-Taiwan cruise and participated in nose-cone recovery operations supporting the space program. In June 1962, the ship took part in nuclear tests near Christmas Island. In July 1963, she entered Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for a modernization overhaul that gave her upgraded equipment ranging from anti-submarine rocket launchers to advanced air search radar and electronic detection systems.
As Vietnam hostilities intensified in late January 1965, she escorted an amphibious task group near Da Nang, South Vietnam, then returned to the west coast for training exercises. In May 1966, she departed for the western Pacific again, assuming search and rescue duties in the Gulf of Tonkin. While operating there, Gurke pioneered the in-flight helicopter refueling that enabled the rescue of American pilots, completing 113 in-flight refuelings. She also bombarded Viet Cong positions in the Mekong and Saigon River deltas before returning to San Diego via Okinawa and Japan in November 1966.[1]
In late 1967, the Gurke headed to Vietnam again, conducting operations on Yankee Station and performing search and rescue missions in the northern Gulf of Tonkin. During the 1968 Tet Offensive, she provided crucial naval gunfire support to U.S. Marines, then enjoyed brief rest and recuperation in Hong Kong before participating in Sea Dragon operations along North Vietnam’s coastline. She returned to San Diego in June 1968, and in April 1975, she supported the evacuation of Saigon as South Vietnam fell.
The USS Gurke was decommissioned and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register in January 1976. She was transferred to Greece in 1977.[1]
How Was Asbestos Used in the USS Gurke?
Like other naval vessels of her time, the USS Gurke contained asbestos throughout her structure, but certain areas and products contained particularly high concentrations of the carcinogenic material. These included:
- Boiler rooms were the highest asbestos concentration areas aboard the ship. Asbestos-containing insulation was used both inside and surrounding the boilers, plus associated piping networks, control valves, and auxiliary pumps.
- Machinery areas where the destroyer’s main propulsion equipment was housed, including steam conduits, exhaust manifolds, and heat exchangers.
- Ventilation and Pipe Networks: Pipes wrapped in asbestos insulation carried steam and hot water throughout the vessel.
- Electrical conductors, junction boxes, and their components used asbestos because of its flame-retardant and insulating capabilities.
- The crew’s living quarters contained asbestos in flooring materials, overhead panels, bulkhead insulation, and fire-resistant doors.
- Firefighting gear and other damage control equipment often incorporated asbestos for thermal protection.
Who Onboard the USS Gurke was at Risk of Asbestos Exposure?
While the entire crew had the potential for asbestos exposure during their time aboard the ship, personnel assigned to certain responsibilities and duty stations were at greater risk.
- Sailors who operated and maintained the propulsion systems and worked directly with heavily insulated equipment.
- Boiler technicians who managed the steam generation systems.
- Damage controlmen who conducted repairs throughout the ship.
- Shipfitters and pipefitters responsible for maintaining the Gurke’s extensive piping network.
- Electricians who maintained and repaired the ship’s electrical systems.
In addition to the normal shipboard maintenance and activities that exposed crew members to asbestos, shipyard workers and repair personnel who worked on the Gurke during its post-damage repairs and the 1963-1964 modernization at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard would have been at risk of inhaling airborne asbestos fibers.
Health Risks to USS Gurke Veterans Exposed to Asbestos
Asbestos exposure has been linked to several serious, often deadly health conditions, many of which don’t show symptoms until decades after initial exposure. This extended latency period means that many USS Gurke veterans have only recently developed symptoms related to their service, and others may yet be diagnosed.
The asbestos-related conditions most commonly seen in U.S. Navy veterans include:
- Mesothelioma
- Asbestosis
- Asbestos-related lung cancer
- Pleural diseases, including pleural plaques and COPD
Too often, these conditions result in significant medical expenses, diminished quality of life, reduced earning capacity, and early death.
Legal Help and Compensation for USS Gurke Veterans with Mesothelioma
Former crew members of the USS Gurke who have developed asbestos-related illnesses face many challenges, but they also have many options for obtaining support and compensation. For medical care and other benefits, the Veterans Administration provides eligible veterans with service-connected disability benefits. These are regular payments, with amounts determined by the severity of the veteran’s condition and its impact on their ability to work. Mesothelioma generally qualifies for a 100% disability classification, providing maximum benefit levels.
The VA also provides comprehensive healthcare through its own specialized treatment centers and experienced oncologists and pulmonary specialists, though vets without access to these facilities can also seek care at non-agency cancer centers. There is also supplementary assistance available, including home-based medical care, mobility equipment, and support services for family caregivers. To establish eligibility for these benefits, the VA requires proof of the connection between your military service aboard the USS Gurke and your asbestos-related illness. This generally includes detailed service records, work history documentation, and medical evidence.
Veterans can also access compensation from asbestos bankruptcy trusts that hold billions of dollars set aside specifically for asbestos victims. These accounts were set up by bankrupt companies that manufactured asbestos products installed on naval vessels.
Navy veterans suffering from asbestos-related conditions also have the right to pursue legal action against the companies responsible for manufacturing, distributing, or installing the asbestos products used aboard naval vessels. By filing a personal injury claim (or a wrongful death action if you are a family member who has lost a loved one), you can pursue compensation for the damages you suffered. An experienced asbestos attorney can explain all of the resources available to you, providing you with invaluable information about the process and answering all your questions so you can get the justice you deserve.
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