Frigates and Asbestos

Before the late 1970s, U.S. Marina de guerra frigates were constructed with amianto materials that exposed veteranos and put them at risk of serious illness. Hundreds of frigates in the Marina de guerra played various roles during wartime. Veteranos who served on frigates and now have mesotelioma may be eligible for compensation.

If you or a loved one has mesotelioma, amianto-related lung cancer, or asbestosis, you may be eligible for a large amount of compensation. Currently, there is over $30 billion in amianto trust funds set up for those who have been diagnosed with an amianto-related illness. Fill out our form to get a free Financial Compensation Packet. You’ll learn about the experienced mesotelioma lawyers in your area, how to get paid in 90 days, how to file a claim for the amianto trust funds, and more.

About Frigates

According to la Marina de los EE. UU., frigates help fulfill two important militar missions: 

• Anti-Submarine Warfare
• Protection of Shipping

The anti-submarine warfare frigates helped to protect the military from maritime enemies. The frigates also protected against merchant convoys.

Frigates were initially designed for affordability in construction. The lower cost of building them was useful but meant frigates didn’t have the capabilities of many of the newer modern warships.

Frigate History in the U.S. Navy

Frigates were first created in 1794 when the Marina de guerra constructed six sailing frigates. The name sailing frigates was changed to simply frigate during World War II.

In the following years, many frigates of various sizes were built, redesigned, and modified. Although larger than corvette ships, frigates are considered small vessels.

They were created initially to make up for what the corvette vessels lacked, such as unfit hulls, limited speed, inadequate range, and shortness of maneuvering effectively.

1975 Frigate Reclassification

The frigate classification stopped in June 1975. Although most of the gun frigates had already been removed, the DLG class of frigates was redesigned as cruisers. The USS Farragut class of frigates became destroyer vessels.

All of the nuclear-powered frigates turned into nuclear-powered cruisers. Cruisers were also reclassified during this time, as the Soviet Union military defined the term “cruiser” differently than the U.S. military.

Consequently, the difference in terms caused political tension, which led to the U.S. military redefining the cruiser. Cruisers became decommissioned, with the last one being the gun cruiser decommissioned in 1975.

Why Was Asbestos Used in Frigates?

Frigates and other Marina de guerra vessels were constructed with hundreds of amianto components. During peak amianto use, approximately the 1930s to 1970s, amianto was valued for its insulating ability.

Ships like frigates need to have insulating materials to protect the crew from heat and fire. Amianto was inexpensive, abundantly available, and excellent at insulating.

How Was Asbestos Used in Frigates?

The military used numerous amianto materials in frigate construction for decades. This was before the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) strict rules on the use of asbestos.

According to the military, over 250 amianto-containing were sent to shipyards and used to construct and repair military vessels like frigates.

Many U.S. military purchase receipts, documentation, and repair orders indicate that many amianto-containing products were used to construct and repair frigates.

Some of the many components of frigates that contained amianto incluir:

• Aislamiento
• Revestimiento de tuberías
• Calderas
• Zapatillas
• válvulas
• Juntas

Who Was at Risk of Asbestos Exposure on Navy Frigates?

All men and women who served on Marina de guerra frigates with amianto were at risk of exposure. Some are at an increased risk of developing amianto illnesses:

• Shipyard workers
• Instaladores de tuberías
• trabajadores de calderas
• Repair and maintenance workers
• Pintores
• Electrician
• Instaladores de aislamiento

Anyone who works around amianto in any industry is at risk of exposure. People who served on ships were at heightened amianto exposure risk.

Marina de guerra service men and women on ships spent long hours in close quarters with amianto and with limited ventilation. This increased the amount of fibras de amianto they likely inhaled.

U.S. Navy Frigates with Asbestos

This is an incomplete list of U.S. Marina de guerra frigates known to have contained amianto materials:

• USS Albert David (FF-1050)
• USS Aylwin (FF-1081)
• USS Badger (FF-1071)
• USS Bagley (FF-1069)
• USS Barbey (FF-1088)
• USS Blakely (FF-1072)
• USS Bowen ​​(FFT-1079)
• USS Bradley (FF-1041)
• USS Brewton (FF-1086)
• USS Bronstein (FF-1037)
• USS Brooke (FFG-1)
• USS Brumby (FF-1044)
• USS Capodanno (FF-1093)
• USS Connole (FF-1056)
• USS Cook (FF-1083)
• USS Davidson (FF-1045)
• USS De Wert (FFG 45)
• USS Donald B. Beary (FFT-1085)
• USS Downes (FF-1070)
• USS Duncan (FFG-10)
• USS Edward McDonnell (FF-1043)
• USS Elmer Montgomery (FF-1082)
• USS Estocin (FFG-15)
• USS Fahrion (FFG-22)
• USS Fanning (FF-1076)
• USS Flatley (FFG-21)
• USS Francis Hammond (FF-1067)
• USS Gallery (FFG-26)
• USS Garcia (FF-1040)
• USS George Philip (FFG-12)
• USS Glover (AGFF-1)
• USS Gray (FF-1054)
• USS Harold E. Holt (FF-1074)
• USS Hepburn ​​(FF-1055)
• USS Ingraham (FFG-61)
• USS Jack Williams (FFG-24)
• USS Jesse L. Brown (FFT-1089)
• USS John A. Moore (FFG-19)
• USS John L. Hall (FFG-32)
• USS Joseph Hewes (FFT-1078)
• USS Julius A. Furer (FFG-6)
• USS Kauffman (FFG-59)
• USS Kirk (FF-1087)
• USS Knox (FF-1052)
• USS Koelsch (FF-1049)
• USS Lang (FF-1060)
• USS Lewis B. Puller (FFG-23)
• USS Lockwood (FF-1064)
• USS Mahlon S. Tisdale (FFG-27)
• USS Marvin Shields (FF-1066)
• USS McCandless ​​(FFT-1084)
• USS McCloy (FF-1038)
• USS McClusky (FFG-41)
• USS McInerney (FFG-8) U
• SS Meyerkord (FF-1058)
• USS Miller (FF-1091)
• USS Moinester (FFT-1097)
• USS O’Callahan (FF-1051)
• USS Oliver Hazard Perry (FFG-7)
• USS Ouellet (FF-1077)
• USS Patterson (FF-1061)
• USS Paul (FF-1080)
• USS Pharris (FF-1094)
• USS Ramsey (FFG-2)
• USS Rathburne (FF-1057)
• USS Reasoner (FF-1063)
• USS Richard L. Page (FFG-5)
• USS Roark (FF-1053)
• USS Robert E. Peary (FF-1073)
• USS Robert G. Bradley (FFG-49)
• USS Sample (FF-1048)
• USS Samuel Eliot Morison (FFG-13)
• USS Schofield (FFG-3)
• USS Sides (FFG-14)
• USS Stark (FFG 31)
• USS Stein (FF-1065)
• USS Stephen W. Groves (FFG-29)
• USS Talbot (FFG-4)
• USS Thach (FFG-43)
• USS Thomas C. Hart (FF-1092)
• USS Trippe (FF-1075)
• USS Truett (FFT-1095)
• USS Underwood (FFG-36)
• USS Valdez (FF-1096)
• USS Voge (FF-1047)
• USS Vreeland (FF-1068)
• USS W. S. Sims (FF-1059)
• USS Wadsworth (FFG-9)
• USS Whipple (FF-1062)

Do Navy Frigates Still Contain Asbestos?

El Marina de guerra stopped building ships with amianto in the 1970s. It also embarked on projects to remove amianto from areas of ships that posed the greatest risks. These included areas where parts needed to be maintained or replaced frequently.

Some older Marina de guerra vessels, including frigates, still contain amianto today because it is not feasible to remove all amianto materials. These materials should be contained and sealed so that anyone serving on the ships is at low risk or no risk for exposure.

Benefits and Compensation for Veterans with Asbestos Illness

If you served on a frigate and now have a diagnóstico de mesotelioma or another amianto illness, you could be eligible for compensation. Options include benefits offered by the U.S. Department of Veteranos Asuntos (Virginia) and private legal options:

• VA Benefits. The VA offers several benefits for disabled veterans and their families. These include monthly disability compensation, payments for veterans who need in-home care, compensation for dependents of deceased veterans, and funeral benefits.
• VA Healthcare. Veterans with mesothelioma and other illnesses can access expert medical care at VA facilities nationwide. Many VA hospitals have access to mesothelioma specialists because this cancer occurs at higher rates in veterans than in the general population.
• Mesothelioma Lawsuit. Veterans cannot sue the Navy over asbestos exposure. But they can sue private companies that supplied the military with asbestos. A lawsuit can potentially end in a settlement for the veteran.
• Reclamación al Fondo Fiduciario del Amianto. Asbestos suppliers that went bankrupt have asbestos trust funds. Veterans may qualify for these trust funds and can make a claim for additional compensation.

If you are a Marina de guerra veterano with mesotelioma or are concerned about past exposure on frigates, contact an abogado con experiencia en mesotelioma. They can advise and guide your next steps to help you get compensation.

Help and Resources for Veterans

Remember to fill out our form to get your free Financial Compensation Packet, with information on experienced amianto y mesotelioma lawyers in your area. For additional assistance, contact us toll-free at 800-793-4540.