Asbestos Exposure on Ships:

USS BARTON DD 599 DESTROYER

Being a Barton-class destroyer in the United States Navy and operating during the Second World War the ship was the first to bear the name for Admiral John Kennedy Barton. She was launched on 31st January 1942 in Massachusetts and was sponsored by Miss Barbara Dean Barton. The destroyer was commissioned on 29th May 1942 and the first in command was Lieutenant Commander D. H. Fox. She took part at the Battle of Santa Cruz, Ironbottom Sound, First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal and Savo Island. The warship was attacked by the enemy and it was torpedoed and sunk by Japanese destroyer Amatsukaze off Guadalcanal on 13th November 1942. The forward section of the wreck of the USS Barton (DD-599) was discovered in 1992, with only the hull section and superstructure ahead of the boiler room found intact. In her short six months of active service to the US Navy, Barton received four battle stars for her service in World War II. The main characteristics of the destroyer as built were:

  • A Barton-class destroyer
  • 1,620 tons displacement
  • 347 feet and 9 inches in length
  • A maximum speed of 36 knots
  • 272 officers and enlisted served on board

Asbestos on the USS Barton Caused Diseases

The period in which the USS Barton ship was built large amounts of asbestos material was used. These materials were found under the form of insulating and fireproofing materials that created a very dangerous environment for the crew members on board of the Barton, especially that asbestos was not known to be dangerous back then. Asbestos materials were damaged so that asbestos particles were released into the air. By inhaling or swallowing those tiny fibers could be the cause for many diseases from today, and so was the case at that time.

Have you been exposed to asbestos on the USS Barton? Contact an attorney!

It is very important to know that the law is on your side in the case of wrongful exposure to asbestos. Contact a specialized attorney after you have visited a doctor and received a complete diagnosis sheet. Explain your situation to your lawyer and provide him or her with all the needed documents and information. Your lawyer will then file the claim in your name, at which point you are only one step away from receiving an important amount as compensation, allowing you to pay for the most effective methods of treatment available.

Please feel free to contact an asbestos expert. We provide with accurate information at no cost.