USS Turner (DD-834) and Asbestos 

The USS Turner (DD-834) was a Gearing-class destroyer that served the U.S. Navy with distinction. Built in 1945, the ship’s structure contained significant amounts of asbestos, to which thousands of sailors who sailed and served on her were exposed. Veterans who served on the Turner face heightened risks of developing mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, and other serious asbestos-related diseases.

About the USS Turner and the Gearing-class Destroyers

The USS Turner was one of the final Gearing-class destroyers built for the U.S. Navy. Throughout World War II, the design of destroyers gradually improved, and the Gearings reflected this evolution. Though they were based on the earlier Allen M. Sumner-class, the Gearings had an additional 14-foot section amidship that provided them with more fuel storage. This gave the ships both an extended range and improved internal organization.[1] 

The Navy originally planned for 152 ships in this class, but when the war ended, naval priorities shifted, and only 98 ended up being completed. Still, the Gearings’ design allowed them to be modified extensively, and facilitated anti-submarine warfare upgrades and conversion to radar picket configurations. As a result, most of the Gearings that were built and survived the war saw years of useful operational life.

The Turner measured 390 feet 6 inches in length with a beam of 40 feet 10 inches. Her displacement reached 3,460 tons when fully loaded, and she carried a complement of 336 officers and enlisted personnel. The ship’s propulsion system was powered by four Babcock and Wilcox boilers that fed steam to two General Electric turbines. All of this equipment contained substantial asbestos insulation and has been linked to numerous diagnoses of asbestos-related diseases. Her armament included multiple gun configurations that evolved throughout her service life, and during her Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization (FRAM) overhaul in 1960, she received upgraded radar and sonar systems for enhanced antisubmarine warfare capabilities.[2]

The Ship’s Namesake

The USS Turner was the second naval vessel to honor Daniel Turner, who began his naval career as a midshipman in 1808. Turner was commissioned as a lieutenant in 1813 and played a decisive role in the Battle of Lake Erie, for which he was honored by Congress and praised by Oliver Hazard Perry. He was captured in 1814 and exchanged as a prisoner of war. Promoted steadily throughout his years of service, his career blended combat, diplomacy, and shipyard leadership.[2]

Construction and Service History

Early Days

Construction of the USS Turner began in November 1944 at Bath Iron Works Corporation in Bath, Maine. She was launched in April 1945, with Miss Louise Leahy, granddaughter of Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy, serving as sponsor. The Navy commissioned the vessel in June 1945 under the command of Commander Ellis B. Rittenhouse.

After being commissioned, the Turner went through shakedown training at Guantanamo Bay, then underwent conversion to a destroyer picket ship at Boston while her crew received specialized training. The war ended before she could participate in Pacific combat, and she was deployed to the Far East in late 1945, where she spent months conducting operations throughout Japan and the Western Pacific.

Cold War Service

One of the Turner’s most significant early assignments involved participation in Operation Crossroads, the historic atomic bomb tests conducted at Bikini Atoll during June and July 1946. Serving as the flagship for Destroyer Squadron 5, the Turner supported aerial operations that placed the vessel and her crew near radioactive fallout, adding another layer of health risks beyond asbestos exposure.

The Navy reclassified the Turner as a radar picket destroyer (DDR-834) in March 1949, recognizing the growing importance of early warning capabilities as the Cold War loomed. The ship traveled to Newport, Rhode Island, where sophisticated electronic equipment was installed for her new surveillance role. She participated in the 1958 Lebanon crisis in this capacity and was recognized for her service during that conflict. 

In 1960, the Turner underwent Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization (FRAM) at the New York Naval Shipyard. The modifications were significant and included enhanced radar and sonar capabilities for improved anti-aircraft and anti-submarine warfare. The Charleston Naval Shipyard added to her submarine detection equipment in 1961 by installing variable depth sonar technology. These overhauls involved extensive work on her internal systems, potentially exposing shipyard workers to additional asbestos hazards.

The Space Program

Among the destroyer’s most diverse assignments was its support for America’s space program. She was part of the Project Mercury Recovery Force in 1962 and later supported Gemini II operations during November and December 1964 as a recovery vessel. In February 1966, she patrolled an alternate recovery station near the equator between South America and Africa as backup support for Project Apollo missions.

Final Years

The Turner’s final years included both routine training and emergency response duties. In August 1967, she conducted a successful search and rescue operation for a disabled motor boat carrying 11 passengers in the Windward Passage, and in January 1968, she directed search efforts for the missing Israeli submarine Dakar, though these efforts proved unsuccessful. Later that year, while operating with USS Independence (CVA-62), Turner personnel rescued two survivors from a downed aircraft.

After completing 15 Mediterranean deployments and numerous other assignments, the Turner was decommissioned at Mayport in September 1969 and sold in October 1970 for scrap. 

The Navy’s Reliance on Asbestos

The U.S. Navy began aggressively including asbestos in its vessels in the early 1900s, but this application reached its peak during World War II and the Cold War era. While all the U.S. military branches valued the material for the exceptional fire-resistance, thermal insulation, and corrosion resistance it added, the Navy considered those characteristics critical for protecting and maintaining combat vessels operating in hostile environments. As an added advantage, the mineral’s flexible structure made it useful for numerous applications, from pipe insulation to gaskets and brake linings, so the Navy specified that it be used in the construction of destroyers, cruisers, aircraft carriers, and submarines. 

Despite growing awareness of the health risks associated with asbestos exposure, this extensive use continued well into the 1970s, when mounting scientific evidence conclusively linked asbestos exposure to serious respiratory diseases and cancer. By 1973, the Navy began restricting the use of asbestos in new construction and major overhauls, and by 1975, the service had largely eliminated asbestos from new installations, though existing materials remained in place aboard thousands of vessels.

Addressing the legacy asbestos already installed throughout the fleet presented an enormous challenge. The Navy developed comprehensive asbestos management programs, conducting detailed surveys of existing materials, providing special training for personnel who might encounter asbestos during maintenance, and implementing and enforcing strict procedures for its handling and disposal. Still, the administration decided that complete asbestos removal would be too expensive and too time-consuming because of the massive scope of the project. Instead, the Navy opted for containment, encapsulation, and management of the materials until the contaminated vessels aged out of their operational usefulness.[3]

Asbestos in the USS Turner

Reflected the standard practices of the era, the USS Turner had asbestos-containing materials in virtually every one of her compartments and shipboard systems. 

• The ship’s machinery spaces contained the highest concentrations of asbestos materials, as boiler rooms, engine rooms, and auxiliary machinery compartments were lined with asbestos insulation to protect both equipment and personnel from extreme temperatures, and the equipment contained the material too. 
• Steam pipes, exhaust systems, and turbine casings were wrapped with asbestos-containing insulation and blankets. Heat exchangers, condensers, and other critical components contained asbestos gaskets and packing materials to prevent leaks and maintain system integrity.
• Asbestos was also lurking in floor tiles, wall panels, ceiling materials, and paint used in the ship’s living and working spaces. 
• Electrical systems relied on asbestos-containing wire insulation and junction box materials. 
• The ship’s damage control equipment, including firefighting suits, blankets, and hoses, contained asbestos fibers for protection against extreme heat and flames.
• Ventilation systems distributed asbestos-containing materials throughout the vessel via ductwork insulation and filter materials. 
• The ship’s weapons systems, including gun mounts and ammunition handling equipment, incorporated asbestos materials for thermal protection and fire resistance.
• Even routine maintenance supplies and consumables, such as gaskets, valve packing, and joint compounds, contained significant asbestos content. 

Personnel at Risk of Asbestos Exposure Aboard the USS Turner

Every sailor who served aboard the USS Turner has to face the reality of their potential for being diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease like mesothelioma.  The widespread presence of contaminated materials throughout the vessel, combined with the ship’s confined spaces, put them at risk. No matter where they worked or whether they handled asbestos or not, their shipmates carried the dust on their hair, skin, and clothing, and the ship’s ventilation systems distributed microscopic asbestos fibers throughout the vessel’s compartments following maintenance activities, equipment vibration, and routine operations.

Still, some crew members’ duties and work environments put them at greater risk. Engineering personnel, including boiler technicians, machinists’ mates, and enginemen, worked directly with the heavily insulated machinery, and plumbers and pipefitters were exposed to systems that were wrapped or sprayed with asbestos. These sailors regularly performed maintenance and repair tasks that involved cutting, grinding, or removing asbestos-containing insulation and gaskets.

Damage control personnel and firefighters encountered asbestos whenever an emergency came up, as well as during routine training exercises: Even their protective gear and firefighting materials contained the dangerous fibers, and their work often involved disturbing asbestos-containing materials in damaged compartments.

Shipyard workers and other personnel who performed overhauls, repairs, and modifications also faced substantial exposure risks. During major overhauls like the FRAM modernization that the Turner and other Gearing-class destroyers underwent, these workers removed, replaced, and installed numerous asbestos-containing components and systems. The confined spaces and intensive work schedules of these operations often resulted in high-concentration exposures.

The Dangers of Asbestos

Asbestos exposure can lead to disabling health conditions, many of which have long latency periods.  They can remain dormant for decades after microscopic fibers into the air are inhaled or ingested. When these fibers become lodged in the tissue of the lungs, pleura, and other organs, they can trigger inflammation, mutation, and cellular death that can eventually lead to cancer and other life-threatening conditions.:

• Mesothelioma

• The most severe disease linked to asbestos exposure.
• Rare, aggressive cancer almost always caused by asbestos.
• Incurable, with an average survival of only 12–21 months after diagnosis.
• Develops in the lining of the lungs, abdomen, or heart.
• Typically appears 20–50 years after first exposure.
• Common signs include chest pain, shortness of breath, chronic cough, and abdominal swelling.

• Asbestos-Related Lung Cancer

• Risk increases for individuals exposed to asbestos who also smoked.
• Usually develops 15–35 years after exposure.
• Symptoms mirror other lung cancers, and include ongoing cough, chest pain, and difficulty breathing.

• Asbestosis

• Non-cancerous but serious lung condition caused by inhaled fibers.
• Fibers trigger inflammation and scarring in lung tissue.
• Leads to worsening breathlessness, chronic cough, and chest discomfort.
• Severe cases can progress to respiratory failure and even death.

Other Asbestos-Related Conditions

• Include pleural plaques, pleural effusions, and diffuse pleural thickening.
• Not usually fatal, but they damage the lung lining.
• Cause breathing problems and chest pain.
• Often serve as early warning signs of more severe asbestos-related diseases.

Are You a USS Turner Veteran Diagnosed with Mesothelioma?

Veterans who served aboard the USS Turner and who have developed mesothelioma or another asbestos-related illness have multiple options for both compensation and state-of-the-art medical care,

VA Claims

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides comprehensive benefits for veterans with service-connected asbestos-related diseases. Veterans diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, or asbestosis can file claims for disability compensation, specialized medical treatment, and additional benefits for their families. The VA recognizes mesothelioma as a presumptive service-connected condition for veterans who served on ships containing asbestos. 

Personal Injury Lawsuits

Beyond VA benefits, veterans may pursue legal action against the manufacturers and suppliers of asbestos-containing products used aboard their vessels. A successful lawsuit can result in substantial settlements or jury awards to compensate for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages. Thousands of cases have been successfully resolved against companies that produced boiler insulation, gaskets, valves, and other asbestos-containing materials found aboard destroyers like the USS Turner.

Asbestos Trust Funds

Asbestos trust funds represent another important source of compensation for affected veterans. Many companies that manufactured or distributed asbestos products were required to establish these funds during bankruptcy proceedings. Set up specifically to compensate victims of asbestos-related diseases, these trusts have paid billions of dollars in claims and provide an alternative to lengthy litigation.

Call an Asbestos Attorney for Help

Veterans diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases should consult with an experienced asbestos attorney who specializes in military exposure cases. These legal professionals understand the unique challenges of documenting naval service exposure and can help identify all potentially responsible parties and available compensation sources. They can also assist with VA claims procedures and coordinate legal strategies to maximize recovery while minimizing the burden on affected veterans and their families.

Time limits apply to many legal claims, making it important for diagnosed veterans to seek legal counsel promptly. Making an appointment shortly after diagnosis lets attorneys begin gathering service records, medical documentation, and other evidence necessary to build strong cases for compensation. With the right legal representation, veterans who served aboard the USS Turner can pursue substantial benefits and compensation for their service-connected asbestos-related illnesses.