The USS Vesole (DD-878) was a Gearing-class destroyer that served the United States Navy with distinction from 1945 to 1976. Like virtually all naval vessels constructed during the mid-20th century, the ship contained extensive amounts of asbestos throughout her structure, and thousands of sailors who sailed and served on her during her decades of active service were exposed to it. Veterans who served on the Vesole face heightened risks of developing mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, and other serious asbestos-related diseases.
About the USS Vesole and the Gearing-class Destroyers
The USS Vesole was one of the last Gearing-class destroyers built for the U.S. Navy. This class of ships was the result of years of evolving and improving design throughout World War II. Though they were based on the earlier Allen M. Sumner-class, the Gearing’s design was notable for an additional 14-foot section amidship that provided extended range as a result of much more fuel storage capacity, and improved internal organization. The Navy originally planned for 152 ships in this class, but only 98 were ultimately completed due to the end of the war and a shift in naval priorities. Still, the Gearings’ design made significant modifications possible, including 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.[1]
The Vesole measured 390 feet 6 inches in length with a beam of 40 feet 10 inches. Her displacement reached 2,425 tons when fully loaded, and she carried a complement of 345 officers and enlisted personnel. The ship’s propulsion system, which was capable of speeds up to 34.5 knots, was powered by four Babcock and Wilcox boilers that fed steam to two General Electric turbines—components that contained substantial asbestos insulation. Her armament included six 5-inch guns, sixteen 40mm antiaircraft guns, five 21-inch torpedo tubes, and various depth charge equipment, and during her 1952-1953 modernization, she received upgraded 3-inch rapid-fire guns and advanced radar systems.
The Ship’s Namesake
The USS Vesole was named in honor of Ensign Kay Kopl Vesole, who was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for his heroic actions during the German bombing of Bari, Italy, in December 1943. Vesole had commanded the armed guard crew aboard the Liberty ship SS John Bascom when it was attacked and sunk. Despite suffering severe wounds, he led the ship’s defense and evacuation efforts, ultimately sacrificing his life to save others.[2]
Construction and Service History
Construction of the USS Vesole began in July 1944 at the Consolidated Steel Corporation shipyard in Orange, Texas. The destroyer was launched in December 1944, with Mrs. Kay K. Vesole, the widow of the ship’s namesake, serving as sponsor. The Navy commissioned the vessel just months before the end of World War II, in April 1945, under the command of Commander H.E. Townsend.[2]
Following commissioning, the Vesole conducted shakedown training at Guantanamo Bay, then underwent conversion to a radar picket destroyer at Norfolk Naval Base. Though the war ended before she could engage in combat in the Pacific, she was deployed to the Far East in late 1945, where she spent over a year conducting training operations and port visits throughout Japan, China, and the Philippines.
Throughout her career, the Vesole alternated between deployments to the Mediterranean with the 6th Fleet and operations along the Atlantic coast. She participated in the 1958 Lebanon crisis and the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, earning the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for both operations. During the Cuban quarantine, she actively patrolled between Key West and Havana, inspecting Soviet vessels and visually accounting for missiles being removed from the island.
In 1964, the Vesole underwent Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization (FRAM) at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. The modifications were significant and included adding DASH helicopter facilities, ASROC anti-submarine rockets, and modernized electronics. This extensive overhaul involved substantial work on her internal systems, potentially exposing shipyard workers to additional asbestos hazards.
The destroyer’s only combat deployment came during the Vietnam War from 1965 to 1966: She conducted “Market Time” operations, interdicting enemy supply vessels and providing naval gunfire support. She also served in the anti-submarine screen for aircraft carriers operating in the Gulf of Tonkin, earning two battle stars for her Vietnam service.
After Vietnam, the Vesole continued deployments to the Mediterranean and Indian Ocean, including three tours with the Middle East Force. She was decommissioned in December 1976 and was eventually sunk as a target during a fleet exercise in April 1983.
The Navy’s Reliance on Asbestos
The U.S. Navy’s widespread use of asbestos began in the early 1900s and reached its peak during World War II and the Cold War era. While all of 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.[3] As an added advantage, the mineral’s flexible fibrous structure made it easy to incorporate into numerous applications, from pipe insulation to gaskets and brake linings.
The USS Vesole was constructed and subsequently modernized during the 1940s and 1950s, when asbestos was considered essential for naval construction. The Navy specified that asbestos be used in hundreds of applications aboard 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.
The turning point came in 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, including detailed surveys of existing materials, training for personnel who might encounter asbestos during maintenance, and strict procedures for handling and disposal, but complete asbestos removal was considered impractical due to the extensive integration of these materials into ship structures and systems. Instead, the Navy focused on containment, encapsulation, and careful management of the materials until the contaminated vessels could be decommissioned.[4]
Asbestos Applications Throughout the USS Vesole
The USS Vesole contained asbestos-containing materials in virtually every compartment and shipboard system. This reflected the standard practices of the era, as naval specifications called for asbestos-containing products wherever heat resistance, fire protection, or insulation was required. This requirement meant that the mineral could be found throughout the vessel’s structure.
The ship’s machinery spaces contained the highest concentrations of asbestos materials. Boiler rooms, engine rooms, and auxiliary machinery compartments were lined with asbestos insulation to protect both equipment and personnel from extreme temperatures. 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.
Throughout the ship’s living and working spaces, asbestos appeared in floor tiles, wall panels, ceiling materials, and paint formulations. 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. Even routine maintenance supplies and consumables, such as gaskets, valve packing, and joint compounds, contained significant asbestos content. The ship’s weapons systems, including gun mounts and ammunition handling equipment, incorporated asbestos materials for thermal protection and fire resistance.
Personnel at Risk of Asbestos Exposure Aboard the USS Vesole
Every sailor who served aboard the USS Vesole faced potential asbestos exposure due to the widespread presence of asbestos-containing materials throughout the vessel. The ship’s confined spaces and mechanical ventilation systemsdistributed microscopic asbestos fibers throughout multiple compartments whenever the mineral’s fibers were sent into the air by maintenance activities, equipment vibration, or routine operations.
Certain crew members faced significantly higher exposure risks due to their duties and work environments. Engineering personnel, including boiler technicians, machinists’ mates, and enginemen, worked directly with the heavily insulated machinery and piping systems that contained the highest concentrations of asbestos materials. 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 during emergency response situations and routine training exercises. Even their protective equipment and firefighting materials contained asbestos fibers, and emergency repairs often involved disturbing asbestos-containing materials in damaged compartments.
Shipyard workers and maintenance personnel who performed overhauls, repairs, and modifications also faced substantial exposure risks. During major overhauls like the FRAM modernization that the Vesole and other Gearing-class destroyers underwent, 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.
Even crew members not directly involved in handling or working near asbestos faced exposure risks through contaminated clothing, shared ventilation systems, and the general presence of asbestos materials in living and working spaces. The ship’s close quarters meant that asbestos fibers disturbed in one area could migrate throughout the vessel, potentially affecting all personnel aboard.
The Dangers of Asbestos
Asbestos exposure poses severe health risks that can remain dormant for decades before manifesting as serious diseases. When asbestos-containing materials are disturbed, they release microscopic fibers into the air that can be inhaled or ingested. These fibers become permanently lodged in the lungs, pleura, and other tissues, where they trigger inflammatory responses and cellular damage that can eventually lead to cancer and other life-threatening conditions.
Mesothelioma represents the most serious asbestos-related disease. This rare and aggressive cancer is almost exclusively caused by asbestos exposure, and is always considered fatal, with most patients surviving only 12 to 21 months after diagnosis. It affects the thin membrane lining the lungs, heart, or abdomen and typically develops 20 to 50 years after initial exposure. Mesothelioma symptoms include chest pain, shortness of breath, persistent cough, and abdominal swelling.
Another major risk associated with asbestos exposure is lung cancer, especially for exposed individuals who also smoked tobacco. Asbestos-related lung cancer may not develop for 15 to 35 years after exposure and often presents with symptoms similar to other forms of lung cancer, including persistent cough, chest pain, and difficulty breathing. The combination of asbestos exposure and smoking dramatically increases the risk of developing both lung cancer and pleural mesothelioma.
Asbestosis is a non-cancerous but serious lung disease caused by inhaling asbestos fibers. The inflammation those fibers cause results in scarring of lung tissue, leading to progressively worsening breathing difficulties, persistent cough, and significant chest pain. Severe cases can lead to respiratory failure and death.
Other asbestos-related diseases include pleural plaques, pleural effusions, and diffuse pleural thickening. While these conditions are not typically fatal, they all affect the lining of the lungs and can cause breathing difficulties and chest pain, and can significantly impact quality of life. Importantly, they’re frequently predictors of more serious asbestos-related diseases on the horizon.
Legal Options for USS Vesole Veterans
Veterans who served aboard the USS Vesole and who have developed asbestos-related illnesses have multiple options for both compensation and state-of-the-art medical care, as both legal precedent and the government’s acknowledgement of asbestos onboard Navy ships have created a path for affected veterans.
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, which streamlines the process for affected individuals.
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 Vesole.
Asbestos Trust Funds
Asbestos trust funds represent another important source of compensation for affected veterans. Many companies that manufactured 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 processes.
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 limitations 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 proper legal representation, veterans who served aboard the USS Vesole can pursue substantial benefits and compensation for their service-connected asbestos-related illnesses.
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