The USS Warrington (DD-843) was a Gearing-class destroyer that served the United States Navy from 1945 to 1972. Like others in its class, the ship boasted advanced technology, but the extensive use of asbestos throughout her construction created serious health risks for the approximately 3,400 sailors who served aboard during her career. These veterans are now at risk of developing mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, and other deadly diseases linked to asbestos exposure.
History of the USS Warrington and Gearing-Class Destroyers
The USS Warrington (DD-843) was named in honor of Commodore Lewis Warrington, a distinguished naval officer who served with distinction during several of America’s early wars, including the War of 1812. Warrington’s most notable achievement came in 1814 when he commanded the sloop-of-war Peacock to victory against the British brig Epervier. This earned him a gold medal from Congress. After his combat career, Warrington held numerous administrative positions, including Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance. He also briefly served as acting Secretary of the Navy in 1844.[1]
Gearing-class ships like the Warrington were the final iteration of the destroyer class during the World War II era, and post-war were considered the Navy’s workhorses. The Warrington and her sister vessels all measured 390 feet 6 inches in length with a 40-foot 10-inch beam. They displaced 2,425 tons and operated with crews of 345 personnel.[2] The Warrington’s original propulsion system was powered by steam turbines and boilers built by General Electric that generated speeds exceeding 34 knots. The destroyer’s armament initially included six 5-inch guns, sixteen 40mm weapons, twenty 20mm guns, five 21-inch torpedo tubes, six depth charges, and two depth charge tracks, providing tremendous capabilities both at the water’s surface and for antisubmarine efforts.[2]
Construction Timeline and Early Service
The Warrington’s keel was laid by Bath Iron Works of Maine in May 1945. She was launched in September 1945 and commissioned at the Boston Naval Shipyard in December 1945, under Commander Don W. Wulzen.[1]
After being commissioned, the destroyer went through shakedown training and conducted winter exercises in the West Indies before returning to Boston for assignment to Destroyer Division 82, Destroyer Squadron 8. During her first operational year, the ship operated along the eastern seaboard, providing plane-guarding services. In late spring, she joined Little Rock (CL-91) for an extended European cruise, visiting ports in England, Scotland, Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, Portugal, and the Netherlands before entering the Mediterranean for her inaugural 6th Fleet deployment. That assignment concluded in February 1947, when she passed through the Strait of Gibraltar on her way back to her home port. The Warrington arrived in New York and entered the naval shipyard there for voyage repairs.
After her yard work was completed, she sailed to her new home port of Newport, Rhode Island, from which she continued operating along the east coast, serving primarily as a gunnery training platform for the Atlantic Destroyer Force. In mid-1949, the destroyer left New England for a two-month training voyage to the West Indies. After a brief stop at Norfolk, the ship headed north for cold-weather training near the Arctic Circle, then returned to Newport.
Cold War Atlantic Operations
In early 1950, the destroyer left Newport to conduct hunter/killer exercises along the east coast and near Bermuda, then conducted antisubmarine warfare exercises from Newport News, Virginia. The destroyer returned north to Newport for antisubmarine warfare training, after which she prepared for a Mediterranean deployment that lasted just two months.
Over the next eight years, the destroyer operated from Newport and was sent on Mediterranean cruises in spring 1952, summers of 1954 and 1956, and spring 1957 for antisubmarine warfare training with Atlantic Fleet aircraft carriers.
In May 1959, Warrington was reassigned to take Naval Academy midshipmen for a unique training cruise to the Great Lakes. Warrington passed through the newly constructed St. Lawrence Seaway and participated in the opening ceremonies for the waterway led by Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain and President Dwight D. Eisenhower of the United States.[1]
FRAM Modernization and Continued Service
During the next 22 months, the Warrington performed normal duties, including a six-week assignment with the Middle East Force, a visit to Washington, D.C., in January 1961 for President John F. Kennedy’s inauguration, and duty as a recovery ship for a Project Mercury test in February. In May 1961, the destroyer entered the New York Naval Shipyard for a Mark I Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization overhaul. Those modifications were carried out on nearly every Gearing-class destroyer to leverage the enormous technological improvements made since World War II’s end and to shift their mission from surface-attack roles to submarine hunters.[2]
Warrington’s FRAM conversion took eight days short of a year, ending in May 1962.was assigned to complete various post-conversion qualifications and tests, which culminated in refresher training in the Guantanamo Bay area during June and July. After two weeks at the Fleet Sonar School at Key West, she returned to Newport on August 12 to begin duty with the Atlantic Fleet’s antisubmarine warfare forces.
Space Program Support and Crisis Response
Over the next 27 months, Warrington’s east coast operations routine was highlighted by special assignments, including serving as a unit of the recovery group for Lt. Commander Walter Schirra’s “Sigma Seven” space flight and joining a special antisubmarine warfare task group during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
The ship also helped with the unsuccessful search-and-rescue attempt related to the loss of the nuclear-powered submarine Thresher (SSN-593). She was later deployed to the Indian Ocean, arriving in Karachi, Pakistan, where she joined other United States and CENTO powers’ ships in Operation “Midlink VI.”
The first eight months of 1964 brought 2nd Fleet operations, broken only by a repair period at Norfolk and another later one at Boston after her collision with the USS Barry (DD-933) on July 25. Between September and December, the ship made another brief deployment to the Mediterranean, highlighted by Operation “Masterstroke” and NATO Exercise “Teamwork” during the outbound voyage. While conducting the latter operation, Warrington was briefly sent north of the Arctic Circle.
The Warrington returned to Newport in December 1964, where she spent almost two years conducting antisubmarine warfare training and occasional cruising to the Caribbean area for “Springboard” operations, gunnery drills, and refresher training.[1]
Vietnam War Service
In October 1966, the destroyer deployed to the Far East, transiting the Panama Canal, stopping at Pearl Harbor, and arriving at Yokosuka, Japan. She headed for the Tonkin Gulf for ongoing patrol duties to interdict waterborne logistics to the insurgents in South Vietnam. She later participated in plane guard duty, then steamed south to provide naval gunfire support.
Following a visit to Hong Kong and another repair period at Subic Bay in the Philippines, the destroyer resumed plane guard duty in the Gulf of Tonkin. She conducted a gunfire support mission in the III Corps zone near Rung Sat, then sailed for Subic Bay, and then set off for home, heading west across the Indian Ocean rather than east back across the Pacific. On their way, they stopped at Singapore and Massawa in Ethiopia, transited the Suez Canal, steamed across the Mediterranean Sea, and visited Ponta Delgada in the Azores.
Final Years and Combat Loss
Over the next six years, the Warrington returned to her routine of east coast operations, along with deployments in the Mediterranean, visits to northern European ports, and a five-month overhaul at Boston Naval Shipyard. In 1969, she returned to Newport, deploying to the West Indies to conduct gunnery drills at Culebra Island and refresher training from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
On November 2, the destroyer stood out of Newport and headed back to the Mediterranean. During that assignment, her primary mission was to observe units of the Soviet Navy operating in the eastern Mediterranean. Following a month of repairs at Boston in 1972, she spent two brief periods at sea—once in September for the America’s Cup yachting race and again in October to escort Forrestal (CVA-59) during the carrier’s post-repair acceptance trials.
Following an overhaul and a brief visit to Newport, Warrington went to sea for post-overhaul gunnery drills and refresher training in the Caribbean, then deployed to the Far East again via the Panama Canal and Pearl Harbor, for the Mariana Islands, the Philippines, and finally Vietnamese waters. She conducted gunfire support missions up and down the coast, then headed for the coast of North Vietnam to participate in Operation “Linebacker.” In July, she relieved Hamner (DD-718) of “Linebacker” duty and began her primary mission—the destruction of North Vietnamese small craft and observation of communist Chinese merchant shipping. She came under heavy fire, but prompt evasive action helped her avoid damage.
Unfortunately, the same was not true when she was hit by two underwater explosions close to her port side. She suffered severe damage in her after fireroom, after engine room, and in the main control room.[3] Through her crew’s efforts, she was able to leave the area, but the damage forced her to shut down her propulsion plant. She was towed into Subic Bay, where repairs were made to ensure her integrity. Unfortunately, a board of inspection and survey found her unfit for further naval service. In September 1972, Warrington was decommissioned at Subic Bay, and her name was struck from the Navy list. In April 1973, she was sold to the Taiwan Navy for cannibalization and scrapping.
The USS Warrington received two battle stars for service in the Vietnam conflict.
The Navy’s Use of Asbestos
Before and during the Cold War era, the United States Navy incorporated extensive amounts of asbestos-containing materials across its entire fleet. Destroyers endured demanding conditions and circumstances that required protection against fire and heat-related failures. Military engineers particularly valued asbestos for these applications because of its exceptional thermal resistance, superior insulation properties, and chemical strength.
The Warrington’s construction, as well as her various refits and modernizations, took place during the peak of naval asbestos use. While the military continued trusting in asbestos to meet its strategic goals, evidence and medical research linking asbestos to fatal respiratory conditions and cancers was mounting, but was kept from the military administration. As a result, they continued using these materials throughout the 1970s, putting hundreds of Navy sailors at unnecessary risk.
Acknowledging the Hazards of Asbestos
By 1973, the hazards of asbestos were undeniable. The Navy acknowledged the issue and began limiting the use of the mineral in all new construction and major overhauls, and by 1975, new installations had largely eliminated asbestos materials. But the existing asbestos in thousands of vessels represented too big a logistical challenge. Deciding that complete removal would be too impractical, the Navy opted for implementing comprehensive control measures, including detailed material surveys, specialized personnel training for asbestos encounters during repairs, and strict handling protocols.
Asbestos Contamination Throughout the USS Warrington
The USS Warrington contained asbestos materials in virtually every one of its compartments and systems. The military’s construction standards required asbestos-containing products wherever thermal protection, fire resistance, or insulation was needed, and this resulted in its widespread distribution throughout the destroyer.
- Engineering and Propulsion Areas – The walls of boiler rooms, engine rooms, and auxiliary machinery spaces contained asbestos insulation to protect equipment and personnel from extreme temperatures, and the equipment contained asbestos insulation too, as did steam lines, exhaust systems, and propulsion equipment. Asbestos was woven into thermal blankets and gloves that protected crew members from hot surfaces, and contained within critical valves, joints, and sealing components to prevent system failures and ensure operational integrity.
- Crew Quarters and Workspaces – Asbestos was a component of flooring materials, bulkhead panels, overhead components, and protective finishes throughout the crew’s sleeping quarters, dining areas, and workspaces.
- Electrical and Safety Systems – Electrical distribution throughout the destroyer relied heavily on asbestos-containing wire insulation, conduit materials, and switchboard components, while emergency response equipment, including fire suppression systems and protective devices, also incorporated asbestos fibers.
- Weapons and Combat Systems – The destroyer’s weapons systems, including gun mounts and ammunition storage rooms, all relied on asbestos-containing materials for thermal protection and fire prevention. The ASROC launcher and torpedo handling equipment installed during the FRAM modernization also incorporated asbestos-containing components.
- Life Support and Ventilation Systems – Air ventilation systems were essential for the destroyer’s environment, but because asbestos was present throughout the ship, the system constantly recirculated asbestos particles that were released during routine maintenance and from the system’s own contaminated components. Standard supplies, repair materials, and adhesive compounds also contained significant concentrations of the mineral’s fibers.
Personnel Exposed to Asbestos Hazards Aboard the USS Warrington
Every sailor who served on the USS Warrington and every shipyard worker involved in her overhauls, maintenance, and repairs faced potential asbestos exposure due to the pervasive presence of contaminated materials throughout the vessel. Microscopic asbestos fibers were constantly being dispersed throughout all compartments when disturbed by repair work, equipment operation, or daily activities.
The continuous operation and frequent maintenance required to keep the ship moving elevated the risk of exposure for all personnel onboard. While all crew members faced a level of risk, certain specialties were in even greater danger because of their specific responsibilities and work locations. These included:
- Boiler technicians
- Enginemen and machinist’s mates
- Electrical technicians
- Fire control technicians
- Gunner’s mates
- Hull technicians
- Damage control personnel
- Maintenance and repair personnel
Even crew members who weren’t directly involved in handling or working near asbestos faced exposure, as the deadly fibers were carried throughout the ship on the clothing of those who did. Shared ventilation systems and asbestos materials present in the components of common areas also posed a risk.
Asbestos-Related Health Consequences
Asbestos exposure’s severe health risks often remain dormant for decades, then manifest as life-threatening illnesses. The mineral breaks into microscopic particles when disturbed, releasing fine dust that can be inhaled or ingested. These particles can become lodged in lung tissue, chest cavity lining, and other organs, where their sharp, needle-like structure can cause cell death, chronic inflammation, and other damage. This can ultimately lead to malignancies, scarring, and other disabling conditions.
Mesothelioma is the most devastating of all the asbestos-related diseases. This rare and invariably fatal cancer is almost exclusively caused by asbestos exposure, and veterans represent roughly one-third of those diagnosed with the illness. Patients diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma typically survive only 12 to 21 months following diagnosis, while peritoneal mesothelioma patients may live somewhat longer. This aggressive cancer attacks the mesothelium, a protective membrane that surrounds the body’s internal organs to keep them from sticking to one another. Symptomstypically appear 20 to 50 years after exposure, and include chest pain, breathing difficulties, persistent cough, and abdominal swelling.
Beyond mesothelioma, asbestos exposure dramatically increases the risk of lung cancer. Asbestos-related lung cancermay not develop until 15 to 35 years after exposure and generally presents symptoms similar to other types of lung cancer. These include chronic cough, chest pain, and respiratory problems. Risk increases substantially when asbestos exposure combines with cigarette smoking.
Asbestosis is a chronic asbestos-caused lung condition characterized by inflammation leading to progressive scarring of lung tissue. Over time, it leads to worsening breathing difficulties, persistent cough, and significant chest pain.
Pleural plaques, pleural effusions, and diffuse pleural thickening are all debilitating asbestos-linked conditions that affect quality of life. These conditions impact the lung lining, creating breathing difficulties and pain. They are often warning signs of future cancer diagnoses.
Benefits and Legal Options for USS Warrington Veterans
Many Navy veterans who served aboard the USS Warrington and others in the destroyer class have been diagnosed with mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. Their illnesses have been blamed on asbestos manufacturers’ failure to warn of the material’s dangers, and lawsuits seeking justice have resulted in significant jury verdicts and out-of-court settlements.
While an asbestos-related diagnosis is overwhelming, those who are affected have options for support and compensation. The Department of Veterans Affairs has long recognized the devastating impact that military asbestos exposure has had on veterans and provides disability benefits and specialized medical treatment. Additionally, many veterans have successfully pursued justice against asbestos manufacturers and suppliers responsible for their exposure, resulting in billions of dollars in verdicts and settlements.
Department of Veterans Affairs Support
The Department of Veterans Affairs offers comprehensive benefits for veterans with service-connected asbestos-related conditions. Veterans diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, or asbestosis can file claims for disability compensation, specialized medical treatment, and additional benefits for family members. Mesothelioma has been categorized as a 100% disabling service-connected condition for veterans exposed during military service, and this both expedites the claims process for affected individuals and ensures maximum compensation.
Civil Litigation
Veterans are also eligible to pursue legal action against the manufacturers and distributors of the asbestos-containing products used aboard their vessels, as well as in civilian applications where they may have been exposed. While veterans can’t sue the Navy or federal government, they can point to asbestos in their service environments while seeking compensation from the private companies responsible for it being there. Successful litigation can yield enough money to cover medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and other damages. Thousands of these cases have seen juries decide against companies that manufactured insulation, seals, valves, pumps, and other asbestos-containing materials.
Asbestos Trust Funds
Asbestos compensation trusts are another important source of financial support for affected veterans. While these funds don’t typically distribute as much as what is received through successful litigation, they offer an appealing alternative to pursuing lengthy and demanding legal proceedings. Established specifically to compensate victims diagnosed with asbestos-related illnesses decades after exposure, these trusts have paid billions in claims and collectively maintain approximately $30 billion for future victims.
Legal Support for USS Warrington Veterans with Mesothelioma Diagnoses
Veterans diagnosed with mesothelioma or other asbestos-related conditions should consult with qualified asbestos attorneys as soon as possible following diagnosis. These specialized legal professionals focus on assisting victims who’ve experienced either occupational exposure, military exposure, or both. They understand the unique challenges of documenting naval service exposure and have extensive resources to identify all potentially liable parties and sources of compensation based on the individual’s work and service history. Beyond developing and implementing comprehensive legal strategies, they can assist with preparing and filing VA claims and connect you with other valuable support resources. Their goal is to minimize the burden on affected veterans and their families while maximizing available compensation.
Though your diagnosis may have come as a shock, it’s important that you don’t take too much time before taking action. Government-imposed statutes of limitations apply to personal injury claims, including those involving asbestos-related diseases. The faster you contact a mesothelioma attorney after diagnosis, the more time they’ll have to gather service records, medical documentation, and other evidence necessary for building a strong case on your behalf. With proper legal representation, veterans who were sickened after serving aboard the USS Warrington can access the benefits and compensation they deserve.
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