The USS William C. Lawe (DD-763) was a Gearing-class destroyer that served the United States Navy for over three decades, participating in the Korean War, during the Vietnam War, and later becoming a Naval Reserve training ship. Like many of the vessels built in the years between the 1930s and 1980s, the USS William C. Lawe contained asbestos. Veterans who served aboard the vessel have suffered from several asbestos-related diseases, including mesothelioma, and others are still at risk of diagnosis.
About the USS William C. Lawe
The USS William C. Lawe was a destroyer that served in the U.S. Navy between 1946 and 1983. She was one of the ninety-eight destroyers in the Gearing class, a group of ships built at the end of World War II and in the years immediately following. Like other destroyers, the Gearing-class vessels were designed as fleet escorts to protect larger ships and assist in offensive operations. While not massive vessels, they were heavily armed and could travel long distances alongside larger ships such as aircraft carriers.[1]
Gearing-Class Destroyers and Asbestos
The Gearing-class destroyers, including the William C. Lawe, were powered by General Electric geared turbines and four Babcock and Wilcox boilers:[2] The ship measured 390 feet 6 inches in length, with a beam of 40 feet 10 inches and a draft of 14 feet 4 inches. When fully loaded, she displaced 3,460 tons and could accommodate a crew of 336 officers and enlisted men. Her propulsion system delivered 60,000 shaft horsepower to drive two screws, allowing a top speed of 36.8 knots and a range of 4,500 nautical miles at 20 knots.[1]
The boilers, turbines, and other elements on the William C. Lawe had to be insulated to be protected from the effects of heat and friction. At the time of her construction, asbestos was the top choice for ship insulation: It was heat resistant, durable, and fireproof, making it ideal for use in the high-temperature environments found throughout naval vessels.
Ship’s Namesake: William Clare Lawe
The destroyer was named in honor of William Clare Lawe, an Aviation Metalsmith Third Class who served as part of Torpedo Squadron 8 (VT-8) in World War II. As part of the battle of Midway Atoll in June 1942, AM3c Lawe volunteered to join a six-plane detachment, serving as a gunner in an Avenger flown by Ensign Charles E. Brannon, USNR.
After arriving at Midway, the detachment took off to attack the approaching Japanese fleet. Though they encountered fierce opposition, the Avengers pressed their attack at low altitude. Five of the six TBFs, including Ensign Brannon’s aircraft with AM3c Lawe aboard, were shot down miles from their objective. William C. Lawe was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.[3]
Construction and Commissioning of the USS William C. Lawe
The USS William C. Lawe (DD-763) was laid down in March 1944 at the Bethlehem Steel Company in San Francisco, California. She was launched in May 1945, sponsored by Mrs. Nancy Lee Lawe, and commissioned in December 1946 after World War II had ended. The ship initially experienced problems with her starboard reduction gear, requiring an extended fitting-out period and return to the shipyard for repairs. She then reported to San Diego for shakedown training in March 1947.[3]
Operational History
The William C. Lawe initially operated along the west coast until October 1947, when she sailed for Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. After three months there, she departed with three other destroyers and the aircraft carrier USS Valley Forge (CV-45) for an around-the-world cruise meant for training and goodwill purposes. During this five-month journey, the ship recorded over 46,000 miles. She returned to San Diego and conducted local operations for 18 months, with periods of upkeep and repair at San Francisco. After being reassigned to the Atlantic Fleet in October 1949, she sailed to her new home port at Newport, Rhode Island, via the Panama Canal. That same month, she left to participate in cold weather operations in the Arctic region. [3]
Throughout the 1950s, the William C. Lawe participated in numerous exercises and deployments, including anti-submarine operations, NATO exercises, and Mediterranean cruises. She underwent regular periods of maintenance and upgrades, during which shipyard workers handled asbestos materials, potentially releasing harmful fibers into the air.
In 1960, the ship began preparations for the Fleet Rehabilitation And Modernization (FRAM I) program, changing her status to “In Commission In Reserve.” Her FRAM overhaul was completed at the Charleston Naval Yard in South Carolina. This extensive modernization, completed in November 1961, involved significant work on the ship’s systems and components, many of which contained asbestos materials.
After modernization, William C. Lawe resumed active service, deploying to the Mediterranean in early 1962. When the Cuban Missile Crisis broke out in October 1962, she was sent to the Caribbean. She returned to her home port of Mayport, Florida, in December.
From 1965 to 1972, the William C. Lawe conducted multiple deployments, including service during the Dominican Republic crisis, operations in the Middle East, and support for Gemini space missions. In December 1972, she experienced her first combat action during a night raid on North Vietnamese coastal defense sites. Her gun-line duty continued off the coast of Vietnam until the January 1973 ceasefire, after which she supported prisoner-of-war releases and troop withdrawals before leaving the Gulf of Tonkin in May 1973.[3]
After returning to the United States, William C. Lawe shifted her home port to New Orleans, Louisiana, in August 1973, and began serving as a Naval Reserve training vessel. She continued in this role through the 1970s, participating in various exercises and cruises, including a 1978 Great Lakes tour during which over 190,000 visitors came aboard.
The William C. Lawe was decommissioned and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on October 1, 1983, after 37 years of service. She was later disposed of as a target.[3]
Where Was Asbestos Used on the USS William C. Lawe?
Like other Navy ships built during this period, the USS William C. Lawe contained extensive amounts of asbestos. While today the material is known as a dangerous carcinogen, in the early 20th century it was highly prized for being an extremely effective insulator against heat and preventing the spread of fire, while also being lightweight but strong. It also had the added advantage of being inexpensive and readily available.
While asbestos was used throughout the ship—from adhesives and flooring to deck coatings and firefighting and safety gear worn by the crew—it was most heavily concentrated in the areas where hot equipment and steam pipes needed to be insulated and to prevent the start or spread of potentially catastrophic fires in the confined spaces of a naval vessel. These spaces included:
- Engine rooms
- Boiler rooms
- Turbine rooms
- Machine rooms
- Pipe insulation throughout the vessel
The William C. Lawe underwent multiple overhauls and modernization programs during her service life, including the extensive FRAM upgrade completed in November 1961. During these maintenance periods, exposure to asbestos materials spread beyond the ship’s interior spaces to the shipyards where it would have been disturbed, removed, or replaced.
USS William C. Lawe Veterans Exposed to Asbestos
The heavy use of asbestos on all Navy ships was meant to protect service members and military assets, but it has had a tragic outcome. U.S. Navy veterans are subject to a much greater chance of being diagnosed with mesothelioma and other asbestos-related illnesses than other U.S. veterans or the general population.
Any work environment containing asbestos puts people at risk of inhaling harmful microscopic fibers, but this is especially true in a ship’s confined spaces and made worse by the limited ventilation that was typical of Navy vessels. Even personnel who did not work directly with asbestos-containing materials could have been exposed to harmful fibers.
As asbestos materials wore down, were damaged in accidents, or were disturbed during routine maintenance and repairs, fibers were released into the air and inhaled by nearby personnel. The crew members and officers who served on the USS William C. Lawe at greatest risk of asbestos exposure were those who worked with and around the boilers, turbines, and machinery that contained asbestos materials. These included:
- Boilermen and boiler technicians
- Machinist’s mates
- Enginemen
- Pipefitters
- Electricians
- Damage control personnel
Maintenance and repair workers who installed, removed, or repaired asbestos-containing materials, such as pipe insulation, gaskets, and lagging, were at particularly high risk. Additionally, workers in the shipyards that built the William C. Lawe and performed her upgrades and repairs were also exposed to significant amounts of asbestos during their work.
Benefits and Compensation for Navy Veterans with Mesothelioma
Veterans who served aboard the USS William C. Lawe, as well as those who served on other naval vessels, were unknowingly put at risk of asbestos exposure that could lead to illnesses decades after their service. If you are a veteran who has been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease such as mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer, your military service may be the cause of your illness.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recognizes mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases as service-connected disabilities for veterans who can show that they were exposed during their military service and link that exposure to their diagnosis. For those whose claims are approved, the VA offers various benefits, including:
- Disability compensation: The VA rates mesothelioma as 100% disabling, entitling veterans to the highest level of monthly disability payments.
- Specialized healthcare: The VA provides expert healthcare from mesothelioma specialists at designated VA medical centers as well as at specialized cancer treatment centers across the country.
- Additional benefits: These may include dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses, healthcare benefits, and burial benefits.
The process of submitting a VA claim is complex, but an experienced asbestos attorney can help. Having assistance from one of these professionals can increase your chances of approval, ensuring that you receive the maximum benefits to which you’re entitled.
Beyond filing a VA claim, there are other forms of compensation available to victims of asbestos exposure. Though you cannot pursue legal action against the military, many of the companies that manufactured or distributed the hundreds of asbestos-containing products used by the Navy were aware of the material’s dangers but chose to keep the information a secret from the Navy. As a result, they have faced significant legal action, with juries awarding individual veterans millions of dollars in compensation. In the face of these mounting liabilities, many of the companies were forced into bankruptcy and were forced to establish asbestos trust funds to compensate individuals harmed by their products. Veterans may be eligible to file claims against these trust funds, even if the companies are no longer in business.
Veterans also have the right to file personal injury lawsuits against asbestos companies that are still in business, and families who have lost a loved one to an asbestos-related disease can file wrongful death claims against the responsible companies. These lawsuits can result in compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages.
A mesothelioma attorney has specific expertise in cases involving asbestos liability. They can help you in many ways, including identifying all the companies responsible for your exposure, gathering evidence of exposure during your naval service, and handling all paperwork and deadlines for claims and lawsuits. They can also negotiate settlements with asbestos companies and their insurers represent veterans and their families in court if necessary, and connect you with medical experts who can establish the link between exposure and illness.
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