USS Preble (DLG-15) — Equipment Manifest & Asbestos Exposure Record

Documented equipment manifest and asbestos exposure record for USS Preble (DLG-15), a Farragut-class guided-missile destroyer-leader in service...

By Rights Watch Media Group LLC •June 5, 2026 • 3 min read

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Hull

DLG-15

Class

Farragut-class guided-missile frigate

Commissioned

1960

Decommissioned

1991

⚙ View Equipment Manifest Documented BUSHIPS machinery & manufacturers aboard Preble DLG-15 ↓ All Ship Manifests ›

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Service History

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

USS Preble (DLG-15/DDG-46) was a Farragut-class guided-missile destroyer that served in the U.S. Navy from 1960 to 1991. During the Vietnam War era, she deployed repeatedly with the 7th Fleet, conducting plane-guard, search-and-rescue, and coastal-bombardment operations in the Western Pacific. Following decommissioning in November 1991, the ship was scrapped and completely dismantled by February 2003.

Construction & Service Dates

Builder: Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine
Laid down: 1957-12-16
Launched: 1959-05-23
Commissioned: 1960-05-09
Decommissioned: 1991-11-15

Notable Tours / Service Eras

Far East / 7th Fleet 1961
Western Pacific / Vietnam War 1964-1968
Mediterranean and Black Sea 1987
Northern Atlantic 1989
Operation Desert Shield/Storm 1990-1991

Combat Actions

Vietnam War — Tonkin Gulf operations · 1964-1968
Plane guard and coastal bombardment
North Vietnamese artillery damage · 1973-01
Combat damage off Quảng Trị Province

Home Ports & Forward Bases

San Diego, California — home port 1960-1991
Norfolk, Virginia — home port 1989-1991

Drydock & Overhaul Periods High Asbestos-Exposure Window

Philadelphia Naval Shipyard · 1968-1970
Extensive 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

19 June 1968 — Helicopter Squadron 7 rescue mission in North Vietnam; Navy Lt.jg. Clyde Everett Lassen awarded Medal of Honor
24 January 1973 — Torpedo tubes and three antennae damaged by North Vietnamese artillery off Quảng Trị Province

Final Disposition

Scrapped — dismantled by 10 February 2003

USS Preble (DLG-15) was a Farragut-class guided-missile destroyer-leader (later redesignated guided-missile destroyer, DDG-46) that served the U.S. Navy from her commissioning on 9 May 1960 through decommissioning on 28 September 1991. She was built at Bath Iron Works, Maine, and operated primarily from Pacific Fleet bases over her 31-year service life — a service span squarely within the heaviest asbestos use period in U.S. naval construction.

The equipment manifest below is drawn from BUSHIPS (Bureau of Ships) ship-specific documentation that identifies the machinery and equipment manufacturers installed aboard the Preble. Each entry below is a documented item of equipment with verified manufacturer attribution — primary-source evidence for asbestos-exposure case development.

Equipment Manifest

Equipment Manifest — USS Preble (DLG-15). 36 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
750 KW Turbine Generator Set	General Electric
Main Forced Draft Blowers	Hardie-Tynes
Main Boilers	Babcock & Wilcox
Deaerating Feed Tank	Cochrane Corp.
Propulsion Turbine	DeLaval
Main Condensers	C.H. Wheeler
Aux. Gland Exhauster Condensers	C.H. Wheeler
Distilling Plant	Bethlehem Steel
Main Feed Pumps	General Electric
Main Feed Booster Pumps	Allis-Chalmers
Reserve Feed Transfer Pump	Well Pumps
Emerg. Diesel S.W. Booster Pump	Well Pumps
F.W. Drain Pump	Well Pumps
Main Circulating Pumps	Warren
Main Condensate Pumps	Warren
Mechanical Cooling SW Circ. Pumps	Aurora
Distiller Feed Pump	Aurora
Aux. Machy Cooling Water Pump	Aurora
Aux. Cond. Circ. Pumps	Aurora
Aux. Condensate Pumps	Aldrich
Main Fuel Oil Service Pump	DeLaval
Port Fuel Oil Service Pump	DeLaval
Main Lube Oil Service Pump	DeLaval
D.O. Transfer Pump	DeLaval
F.O. Transfer Pump	DeLaval
Fire Pumps	Warren
Fuel Oil Transfer Pumps	DeLaval
Oily Bilge & Fuel Oil Tank Stripping Pump	Warren
Mechanical Cooling Chilled Water Circ. Pump	M.T. Davidson
F.W. Potable Pumps	M.T. Davidson
Vacum Priming Pump	Nash
H.P. Air Compressor	Worthington
L.P. Combustion Control Compressor	Worthington
Fuel Oil Heaters	Davis Engineering
Lube Oil Purifiers	Sharpies
Diesel Oil Purifiers	Sharpies

Asbestos Exposure Aboard Preble

The Preble’s engineering plant — Babcock & Wilcox main boilers, DeLaval propulsion turbines, General Electric 750 kW turbine generators, multiple compressors and pump systems — used the standard asbestos-containing materials of her era:

Pipe lagging and thermal insulation on steam, feed-water, fuel-oil, and condensate piping throughout machinery spaces
Boiler block insulation and refractory around the main boilers
Asbestos gaskets and braided packing in valves, flanges, pumps, and turbine glands (Warren Pumps fire pumps documented with original 1959 tech manual)
Insulation jackets on turbines, reduction gears, and auxiliary machinery
Marinite and sheet asbestos as fire-stops, bulkhead insulation, and overhead insulation
Vinyl asbestos floor tile throughout berthing, mess, and habitable compartments

Crew members in Boilerman, Machinist’s Mate, Engineman, Electrician’s Mate, Hull Maintenance Technician, Damage Controlman, and Storekeeper ratings worked routinely in spaces where this equipment was installed, maintained, and overhauled.

VA Benefits for Preble 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. Preble’s documented equipment manifest is direct evidence of the asbestos-containing materials her crew worked around.

Speak with an asbestos attorney with Navy veterans experience →

Equipment manifest derived from public-record BUSHIPS documentation specific to USS Preble (DLG-15). Manufacturer attribution links to documented asbestos-product histories on AsbestosIndex.com where available. Editorial review applied per site standards.

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 Preble

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.

USS Preble DLG-15 — Frequently Asked Questions

Are USS Preble DLG-15 veterans covered by Navy asbestos litigation records?

Yes. USS Preble DLG-15 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 USS Preble DLG-15 contained asbestos?

Asbestos-containing materials documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels of USS Preble DLG-15'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 USS Preble DLG-15?

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 USS Preble DLG-15?

Documented equipment manufacturers aboard USS Preble DLG-15 include: Aldrich, Allis-Chalmers, Aurora, Babcock & Wilcox, Bethlehem Steel, C.H. Wheeler, Cochrane Corp.. These manufacturers supplied boilers, turbines, pumps, valves, electrical equipment, and insulation systems through BUSHIPS contracts during the asbestos era.

Do USS Preble DLG-15 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. USS Preble DLG-15 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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