USS Meyerkord (FF-1058) — Equipment Reference & Asbestos Exposure Record
Equipment reference and asbestos exposure record for USS Meyerkord (FF-1058). 2 machinery and manufacturer entries from the public Wikipedia article...
By Rights Watch Media Group LLC•June 6, 2026•1 min read
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Service History
From the public Wikipedia / DANFS service-history record — source ›
USS Meyerkord (FF-1058) was a Knox-class frigate that served in the U.S. Navy from 1969 to 1991, named after Lieutenant Harold Dale Meyerkord, a naval adviser killed in the Vietnam War. The ship completed seven Western Pacific deployments, participated in anti-submarine warfare operations, naval gunfire support missions, and humanitarian rescue operations including the Korean Air Lines Flight 007 incident in 1983. After transfer to the Naval Reserve Force in 1989, she was decommissioned in December 1991 and scrapped in 2001.
Construction & Service Dates
Builder
Todd Shipyards, Los Angeles Division, San Pedro, California
Laid down
1966-09-01
Launched
1967-07-15
Commissioned
1969-11-28
Decommissioned
1991-12-14
Notable Tours / Service Eras
Vietnam War 1971-1973
Cold War Pacific 1974-1987
Indian Ocean operations 1981-1982
Cold War Indian Ocean 1983
Home Ports & Forward Bases
Long Beach, California — home port 1969-1974
San Diego, California — home port 1974-1989
Treasure Island, San Francisco — reassigned 1990-1991
Drydock & Overhaul Periods
High Asbestos-Exposure Window
Long Beach· 1973-1974 overhaul
Portland, Oregon· 1978-1979 overhaul
Long Beach· 1984 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
3 January 1975 — rescued 31 crew members from sinking merchant ship Gulf Banker
July 1980 — collision with Sensho Maru off Matsuyama, Japan; $115,000 in repairs at Yokosuka
September 1983 — participated in humanitarian and salvage operations at Korean Air Lines Flight 007 crash site
1984 — suicidal sailor confined in helicopter hangar for seven days during KAL 007 aftermath
Final Disposition
scrapped — dismantling began 15 December 2001
USS Meyerkord (FF-1058) 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 Meyerkord (FF-1058). 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 Meyerkord (FF-1058). 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 Meyerkord
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.
Meyerkord FF-1058 — Frequently Asked Questions
Are Meyerkord FF-1058 veterans covered by Navy asbestos litigation records?
Yes. Meyerkord FF-1058 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 Meyerkord FF-1058 contained asbestos?
Asbestos-containing materials documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels of Meyerkord FF-1058'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 Meyerkord FF-1058?
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 Meyerkord FF-1058?
Documented equipment manufacturers aboard Meyerkord FF-1058 include: Combustion Engineering, Westinghouse. These manufacturers supplied boilers, turbines, pumps, valves, electrical equipment, and insulation systems through BUSHIPS contracts during the asbestos era.
Do Meyerkord FF-1058 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. Meyerkord FF-1058 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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