USS Kyes (DD-787) was a Gearing-class destroyer commissioned 8 February 1946 — Korean War combat operations and Cold War Pacific Fleet service through 1973. Transferred to Greece as Themistocles.
The 15-entry equipment manifest below is sourced from ship-specific BUSHIPS (Bureau of Ships) documentation identifying machinery and equipment installed aboard. Each entry is documented equipment with verified manufacturer attribution — primary-source material for asbestos-exposure case development by Navy veterans and surviving families.
Equipment Manifest
| Equipment | Manufacturer | Qty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boiler | Babcock & Wilcox | ||
| Turbine | General Electric | ||
| Generator | General Electric | ||
| Fire Control System | Ford Instrument | ||
| Air Compressor | Worthington | ||
| Radar | Westinghouse | ||
| Sonar | General Electric | ||
| Radar | Sperry | ||
| Turbines | General Electric | ||
| Boilers | Babcock & Wilcox | ||
| Radio | Raytheon | ||
| Fire Control System | Sperry | ||
| Engine | Babcock & Wilcox | ||
| Turbine | Westinghouse | ||
| Switchboard | General Electric |
Asbestos-Containing Materials Aboard Kyes
The standard asbestos-containing materials installed throughout U.S. Navy destroyers of this era are documented to have included:
- Pipe lagging and thermal insulation on main steam, feed-water, fuel-oil, condensate, and saltwater piping throughout machinery spaces
- Boiler block insulation, refractory brick, and gun-blocks around the main boilers
- Asbestos gaskets and braided packing in valves, flanges, pumps, condensers, heat exchangers, and turbine glands
- Insulation jackets and removable lagging on main propulsion turbines, reduction gears, ship-service turbine generators, and forced-draft blowers
- Sheet asbestos and Marinite panels as fire-stops, bulkhead insulation, and overhead insulation
- Vinyl asbestos floor tile (VAT) in passageways, berthing, mess decks, and habitable compartments
- Asbestos rope, wick, and tape in gland-seal applications throughout the engineering plant
Sailors in Boilerman, Machinist’s Mate, Engineman, Electrician’s Mate, Hull Maintenance Technician, Damage Controlman, and other engineering ratings worked routinely in spaces where these materials were installed, maintained, ripped out, and replaced.
VA Benefits for Kyes Veterans
The 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. The Kyes equipment manifest is direct documentary evidence of the asbestos-containing materials her crew worked around throughout her service life.
Parallel claims against the asbestos bankruptcy trust funds established by the manufacturers of these products are also available, and do not reduce VA compensation.
Speak with an asbestos attorney with Navy veterans experience →
Equipment manifest derived from public-record BUSHIPS documentation specific to USS Kyes (DD-787). Manufacturer attribution links to documented asbestos-product histories on AsbestosIndex.com where available. Editorial review applied per site standards.
Gearing-Class destroyer — Class Background
Ship-specific service history is not available for this vessel in public records. The class-level information below applies to all ships in her class. Source: Wikipedia — Gearing-Class destroyer
The Gearing class consisted of 98 destroyers built for the U.S. Navy during and after World War II, representing a minor modification of the Allen M. Sumner class with a 14-foot lengthened hull amidships to increase fuel storage and operating range. Though the first ships did not enter service until mid-1945, the class continued operating with successive upgrades through the 1970s, including extensive FRAM modernization conversions in the 1960s that transformed them into anti-submarine warfare platforms. Many surplus Gearing-class destroyers were subsequently transferred to other nations, where they served for many additional years.
Class Overview
- Total Ships in Class
- 98
- Construction Era
- 1944-1946
- Service Era
- 1945-1970s
Class Mission & Role
Fleet destroyers designed to provide anti-aircraft, anti-surface, and anti-submarine warfare capabilities, with increased range and upgradeability compared to previous destroyer classes.
Primary Builders
- Bath Iron Works
- Federal Shipbuilding
- Bethlehem Steel
- Todd Pacific Shipyards
- Consolidated Steel
Asbestos Materials in this Class
The article does not document asbestos use in the Gearing-class. Standard pre-1980 U.S. Navy construction included asbestos in pipe lagging, boiler insulation, gaskets, and habitability spaces.
