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USS Bagley (FF-1069) underway in the Pacific Ocean on 15 April 1983 (6372719)Source: Wikimedia Commons — public domain (U.S. Navy photograph)
Service History
From the public Wikipedia / DANFS service-history record — source ›
USS Bagley (FF-1069) was a Knox-class frigate commissioned in May 1972 at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. Homeported in San Diego, she conducted multiple deployments to the Far East and Indian Ocean between 1973 and 1982, including contingency operations during the Yom Kippur War, Iranian hostage crisis, and Iran-Iraq War, while performing humanitarian rescues of Vietnamese refugees. The vessel underwent significant overhauls and maintenance periods at Long Beach Naval Shipyard throughout the late 1970s.
Construction & Service Dates
Builder
Lockheed Shipbuilding and Construction Company
Laid down
1970-10-05
Launched
1971-04-17
Commissioned
1972-05-06
Notable Tours / Service Eras
Western Pacific 1973-1974
Far East 1975-1976
Western Pacific 1977
Far East 1980-1981
Indian Ocean / Arabian Sea 1981-1982
Home Ports & Forward Bases
San Diego, California — home port 1972 onwards
Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
Yokosuka, Japan
Subic Bay, Philippines
Hong Kong
Keelung, Taiwan
Pusan, Korea
Singapore
Mombasa, Kenya
Al Masirah, Oman
Drydock & Overhaul Periods
High Asbestos-Exposure Window
Long Beach Naval Shipyard· 1972-11-15 to 1973-05-04 post-shakedown availability
Long Beach Naval Shipyard· 1977-03-14 to 1977-04-02 hull repairs
Long Beach Naval Shipyard· 1978-02-14 to 1979-01 overhaul
Asbestos rip-out, insulation replacement, and gasket-packing work occurred during these yard periods. Sailors aboard during overhauls had peak exposure to airborne asbestos fiber.
Notable Incidents
20 October 1981 rescued 37 Vietnamese refugees adrift in South China Sea
USS Bagley (FF-1069) is a documented U.S. Navy frigate. The equipment reference below was extracted from the publicly-available Wikipedia article on this vessel, which cites the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS) — the U.S. Navy’s official ship-history publication maintained by the Naval History and Heritage Command.
Equipment Reference
Equipment Manifest — USS Bagley (FF-1069). 2 machinery/equipment entries identified through ship-specific BUSHIPS documentation. Manufacturers in bold link to documented asbestos-product history on AsbestosIndex.com.
Source: this equipment reference was extracted from public Wikipedia/DANFS records for USS Bagley (FF-1069). These are secondary-source records — not primary BUSHIPS design documents. For litigation purposes, this data is a starting point; a ship-specific BUSHIPS Material Inspection Report or commissioning book would provide gold-standard verification.
The asbestos-containing products documented on U.S. Navy vessels and at shipyards are catalogued by manufacturer on AsbestosIndex. These records cross-reference which companies supplied which materials and to which facilities.
Navy Ratings Most Exposed to Asbestos Aboard Bagley
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the public asbestos litigation record document that the following Navy ratings worked routinely in spaces where ACM was installed, maintained, ripped out, and replaced:
Fireman (FN) — engineering-plant tending across boiler and engine rooms
VA Presumptive Benefits — No Filing Deadline
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs recognizes mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, and pleural disease as conditions presumed to be service-connected for Navy veterans with documented asbestos exposure under 38 CFR § 3.309(d). No statute of limitations applies to VA disability compensation claims.
Available benefits may include monthly disability compensation, Dependency & Indemnity Compensation (DIC) for surviving spouses, priority VA healthcare enrollment, and Special Monthly Compensation for severe cases. Parallel claims against the asbestos bankruptcy trust funds established by the manufacturers of these products do not reduce VA compensation.
How to file a VA disability claim: VA claims are filed directly with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs — not with a law firm. Start at VA.gov › Hazardous Materials Exposure, call 1‑800‑827‑1000, or get free help filing from a Veterans Service Organization: DAV, VFW, or American Legion.
Source notes: equipment-manifest entries (where shown) are sourced from public-record BUSHIPS (Bureau of Ships) documentation, NARA archives, and the public asbestos litigation record. Manufacturer attributions link to documented asbestos-product histories on AsbestosIndex.com where available. Nothing on this page constitutes medical or legal advice.
Documented Asbestos-Exposure Environments — U.S. Navy Service
Public-domain U.S. Navy photographs illustrating the engineering spaces, ratings, and yard environments where asbestos materials were routinely encountered during normal duty.
All images are public domain (U.S. Government works). Specific photographs depict generic Navy engineering and yard environments — not the named vessel above. Asbestos materials shown or implied include pipe lagging, boiler insulation, steam-line covering, and gasket / packing materials standard on U.S. Navy vessels through the early 1980s.
Bagley FF-1069 — Frequently Asked Questions
Are Bagley FF-1069 veterans covered by Navy asbestos litigation records?
Yes. Bagley FF-1069 is documented in the public U.S. Navy asbestos litigation record. U.S. Navy vessels of her service era were built to BUSHIPS specifications that required asbestos insulation throughout engineering spaces, on steam lines, around boilers and turbines, and in gasket and packing materials.
Which shipboard components on Bagley FF-1069 contained asbestos?
Asbestos-containing materials documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels of Bagley FF-1069's era include: boiler insulation and lagging, steam-line pipe insulation, turbine and reduction-gear casings, valve packing, gaskets, brake and clutch friction materials, electrical wire insulation, overhead pipe coverings in berthing and mess spaces, and Navy-issue boiler cement and refractory in fireboxes.
What ratings were exposed to asbestos serving on Bagley FF-1069?
Navy ratings with the highest documented asbestos exposure include Machinist's Mate (MM), Boiler Technician (BT), Hull Maintenance Technician (HT), Engineman (EN), Electrician's Mate (EM), Interior Communications Electrician (IC), Damage Controlman (DC), and Pipefitter / Shipfitter. Officers in engineering departments also encountered asbestos in normal duty. Shipyard workers performing overhaul, repair, or refit work had concentrated exposure during yard periods.
What equipment manufacturers are documented on Bagley FF-1069?
Documented equipment manufacturers aboard Bagley FF-1069 include: Combustion Engineering, Westinghouse. These manufacturers supplied boilers, turbines, pumps, valves, electrical equipment, and insulation systems through BUSHIPS contracts during the asbestos era.
Do Bagley FF-1069 veterans qualify for VA disability for mesothelioma?
Yes. Mesothelioma is recognized by the VA as service-connected for veterans with documented Navy service and qualifying asbestos exposure. Bagley FF-1069 veterans (or surviving family) typically file at VA.gov, by phone at 1-800-827-1000, or with assistance from a Veterans Service Officer through DAV, VFW, or American Legion. Civil claims against asbestos product manufacturers are separate from VA benefits — many veterans pursue both paths.
Disclaimer: The information in this article is for general educational purposes only and does not constitute medical or legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is created by reading this site. References to ships, shipyards, companies, products, and asbestos-containing materials are drawn from public VA records, NARA archives, EPA/OSHA databases, and public litigation records. All references reflect what has been documented or alleged in publicly filed records. Consult a licensed physician for medical guidance and a qualified attorney for legal advice regarding your specific situation.
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