USS Paul Hamilton (DD-590) — Equipment Manifest & Asbestos Exposure Record

Documented equipment manifest and asbestos exposure record for USS Paul Hamilton (DD-590). 6 machinery and manufacturer entries derived from the public...

By Rights Watch Media Group LLC •June 6, 2026 • 1 min read

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Hull

DD-590

Class

DD hull series

⚙ View Equipment Manifest Documented BUSHIPS machinery & manufacturers aboard Paul Hamilton DD-590 ↓ All Ship Manifests ›

MusterLog™ 0

Service History

From the public Wikipedia / DANFS service-history record — source ›

USS Paul Hamilton (DD-590) was a Fletcher-class destroyer that served in the Pacific Theater from 1944 to 1945. She participated in major operations including the Philippine Sea, Saipan, Palau, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa campaigns, performing screening, fire support, and air defense duties while earning seven battle stars. The ship was decommissioned in September 1945 and sold for scrap in 1970.

Construction & Service Dates

Builder: Charleston Navy Yard
Laid down: 1943-01-20
Launched: 1943-04-07
Commissioned: 1943-10-25
Decommissioned: 1945-09-24

Notable Tours / Service Eras

WWII Pacific Theater 1944-1945

Combat Actions

Battle of the Philippine Sea · 1944-06
Task Force 58 screening vessel
Saipan Landing · 1944-06
Protective screen for replenishment groups
Palau Islands Capture · 1944-09
Screening vessel for replenishment groups
Mindoro Island Landing · 1944-12
Screening and air defense; shot down three enemy planes
Lingayen Gulf Assault · 1945-01
Screening vessel; rescued 73 survivors
Battle of Iwo Jima · 1945-02
Shore bombardment, fire support, pilot rescue
Battle of Okinawa · 1945-03
Fire support for amphibious landings

Home Ports & Forward Bases

Norfolk VA — home port 1944
Pearl Harbor HI — arrived May 1944
San Diego CA — arrived July 1945

Drydock & Overhaul Periods High Asbestos-Exposure Window

San Diego · 1945
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.

Final Disposition

scrapped 1970

USS Paul Hamilton (DD-590) is a documented U.S. Navy destroyer with asbestos-exposure evidence in the public litigation record. The equipment manifest below was assembled from depositions, expert reports, and manufacturer interrogatory responses filed in U.S. asbestos litigation that reference equipment installed aboard this vessel.

Equipment Manifest

Equipment Manifest — USS Paul Hamilton (DD-590). 6 machinery/equipment entries identified through ship-specific BUSHIPS documentation. Manufacturers in bold link to documented asbestos-product history on AsbestosIndex.com.

Equipment	Manufacturer	Qty	Notes
40" Southbend bench lathe	Southbend		Repair and adjustment work item A32s aboard USS Paul Hamilton (DD-690)
40" Bench Lathe	Southbend	1	Work item A32s refers to repair and adjustment aboard USS Paul Hamilton (DD-690)
Steam Pump	Warren Steam Pump Company, Inc.		USS Paul Hamilton (DD-590) listed in Warren Steam Pump Company document
Pump	Warren Steam Pump Company, Inc.		Serial number 10365 for DD-590 USS Paul Hamilton
Turbine	Warren Steam Pump Company, Inc.		Serial number TA-99kC-47 for DD-590 USS Paul Hamilton
Turbine	Warren Steam Pump Company		DD-590 USS Paul Hamilton listed in serial numbers with Warren Steam Pump Company turbine

Note: this manifest is derived from public asbestos litigation records (depositions, expert reports, manufacturer interrogatories) rather than primary BUSHIPS construction documents. Entries reflect what has been documented or alleged in publicly filed legal records.

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.

Pipe Covering & Block Insulation Thermal insulation applied to steam lines, valves, and equipment in engine rooms and fire rooms Marine Products Insulation, gaskets, and packing products specified for naval and commercial marine applications Boilers & Steam Equipment Boiler manufacturers and insulation products — central to the fire room exposure pathway Gaskets & Packing Sheet and ring gaskets used throughout piping flanges, valve bonnets, and pump housings Electrical Products Wire insulation, switchgear arc chutes, and panel liners used throughout electrical spaces Full Product Index Search all 200+ manufacturers and 1,500+ documented asbestos products on AsbestosIndex™

Navy Ratings Most Exposed to Asbestos Aboard Paul Hamilton

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:

Boilerman (BT) — boiler-room operations, refractory work, burner maintenance
Machinist’s Mate (MM) — main propulsion turbines, reduction gears, condensers, pumps
Engineman (EN) — auxiliary diesel and gasoline engines, gland packing
Electrician’s Mate (EM) — cable runs through asbestos-insulated chases, motor-generator sets
Hull Maintenance Technician (HT) / Pipefitter — piping system maintenance, gasket replacement, valve repacking
Damage Controlman (DC) — firefighting equipment, fire-stops, bulkhead penetrations
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.

VA Claims Guide on This Site › Compare: VA vs. Civil Lawsuit

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.

Boiler Room Sailor stands watch in the aft machinery room of USS Iwo Jima. (35298984822) Source: Wikimedia Commons (public domain)

Drydock Overhaul USS Newport News (CA-148) in drydock at the Norfolk Navy Yard 1965 Source: Wikimedia Commons (public domain)

Engine Room Flickr - Official U.S. Navy Imagery - USS Sterett Sailor takes equipment readings in ship's engine room. Source: Wikimedia Commons (public domain)

Engineering Watch USS Bataan Stands Full Female Engineering Watch Team (8442031) Source: Wikimedia Commons (public domain)

US Navy 061108-N-6652A-037 U.S. Navy Aviation Machinist's Mate 3rd Class Roy Hernandez, left, and Aviation Machinist's Mate Airman Jerry … — Machinist Mate US Navy 061108-N-6652A-037 U.S. Navy Aviation Machinist's Mate 3rd Class Roy Hernandez, left, and Aviation Machinist's Mate Airman Jerry Rivera work on a rotor … Source: Wikimedia Commons (public domain)

Navy Fireroom Fireroom aboard USS Rochester (CA-124), in 1955 Source: Wikimedia Commons (public domain)

US Navy 080208-N-6538W-019 Civilian yard workers from Puget Sound Naval Shipyard perform maintenance on the bow catapults of the … — Shipyard Worker US Navy 080208-N-6538W-019 Civilian yard workers from Puget Sound Naval Shipyard perform maintenance on the bow catapults of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier … Source: Wikimedia Commons (public domain)

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.

Paul Hamilton DD-590 — Frequently Asked Questions

Are Paul Hamilton DD-590 veterans covered by Navy asbestos litigation records?

Yes. Paul Hamilton DD-590 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 Paul Hamilton DD-590 contained asbestos?

Asbestos-containing materials documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels of Paul Hamilton DD-590'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 Paul Hamilton DD-590?

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 Paul Hamilton DD-590?

Documented equipment manufacturers aboard Paul Hamilton DD-590 include: Southbend, Warren Steam Pump Company, Warren Steam Pump Company, Inc.. These manufacturers supplied boilers, turbines, pumps, valves, electrical equipment, and insulation systems through BUSHIPS contracts during the asbestos era.

Do Paul Hamilton DD-590 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. Paul Hamilton DD-590 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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