USS Theodore E. Chandler (DD-717) is a gearing-class destroyer in the U.S. asbestos litigation record. The equipment manifest below is a class-pattern reference assembled from manufacturer and machinery entries documented across 28 sister ships of the same class. Ship-specific BUSHIPS documentation for USS Theodore E. Chandler (DD-717) herself has not yet been published; this pattern reflects what was standard for vessels of this class.

Class Equipment Pattern

Equipment Manifest — USS Theodore E. Chandler (DD-717). 28 machinery/equipment entries identified through ship-specific BUSHIPS documentation. Manufacturers in bold link to documented asbestos-product history on AsbestosIndex.com.
EquipmentManufacturerQtyNotes
BoilerBabcock & WilcoxDocumented across 7 sister-ship records of the Gearing-class destroyer
BoilersBabcock & WilcoxDocumented across 7 sister-ship records of the Gearing-class destroyer
Air CompressorWorthingtonDocumented across 4 sister-ship records of the Gearing-class destroyer
Emergency Feed PumpWarrenDocumented across 3 sister-ship records of the Gearing-class destroyer
Fire Control SystemFord InstrumentDocumented across 3 sister-ship records of the Gearing-class destroyer
SonarGeneral ElectricDocumented across 3 sister-ship records of the Gearing-class destroyer
SwitchboardGeneral ElectricDocumented across 3 sister-ship records of the Gearing-class destroyer
TurbineGeneral ElectricDocumented across 3 sister-ship records of the Gearing-class destroyer
TurbinesGeneral ElectricDocumented across 3 sister-ship records of the Gearing-class destroyer
Air CompressorsWorthingtonDocumented across 2 sister-ship records of the Gearing-class destroyer
Auxiliary CondenserWorthingtonDocumented across 2 sister-ship records of the Gearing-class destroyer
BoilersBabcock and WilcoxDocumented across 2 sister-ship records of the Gearing-class destroyer
CondenserWorthingtonDocumented across 2 sister-ship records of the Gearing-class destroyer
EngineBabcock & WilcoxDocumented across 2 sister-ship records of the Gearing-class destroyer
Fire Control SystemSperryDocumented across 2 sister-ship records of the Gearing-class destroyer
Forced Draft BlowersWestinghouse Electric Co.Documented across 2 sister-ship records of the Gearing-class destroyer
Forced Draft BlowersWestinghouseDocumented across 2 sister-ship records of the Gearing-class destroyer
GeneratorGeneral ElectricDocumented across 2 sister-ship records of the Gearing-class destroyer
GeneratorsGeneral ElectricDocumented across 2 sister-ship records of the Gearing-class destroyer
GyroscopeSperryDocumented across 2 sister-ship records of the Gearing-class destroyer
Hp Air CompressorWorthingtonDocumented across 2 sister-ship records of the Gearing-class destroyer
Lp Air CompressorWorthingtonDocumented across 2 sister-ship records of the Gearing-class destroyer
Main Condensate PumpDe LavalDocumented across 2 sister-ship records of the Gearing-class destroyer
Main CondensersWorthingtonDocumented across 2 sister-ship records of the Gearing-class destroyer
PumpsDeLavalDocumented across 2 sister-ship records of the Gearing-class destroyer
RadarSperryDocumented across 2 sister-ship records of the Gearing-class destroyer
RadarGeneral ElectricDocumented across 2 sister-ship records of the Gearing-class destroyer
Reduction GearFalkDocumented across 2 sister-ship records of the Gearing-class destroyer

Note: this manifest is a class-level pattern derived from sister-ship BUSHIPS records and public asbestos litigation documents. Individual ship-specific variations may exist. Where ship-specific documentation becomes available for USS Theodore E. Chandler (DD-717), this page will be updated to reflect her unique equipment profile.

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.

Product & Manufacturer Reference

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 Theodore E. Chandler

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:

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.