USS Ault and Asbestos Exposure
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The USS Ault was an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer that served through World War II, the Korean War period, and the Vietnam era. Like many Navy ships built in the 1940s, she was constructed during a time when asbestos was heavily used for insulation, fireproofing, and equipment protection. For sailors, shipyard workers, and families trying to understand the origin of mesothelioma or another asbestos-related illness, service connected to the USS Ault may be an important part of the exposure history.
Older destroyers were compact, intensely mechanical ships. They relied on powerful propulsion systems, steam lines, pumps, electrical equipment, and repeated repair work throughout long service lives. Those same features are part of why asbestos exposure may have been common on vessels like the Ault.
Background on the USS Ault
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The USS Ault (DD-698) was built by Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company in Kearny, New Jersey. She was launched in 1944 and commissioned on May 31, 1944. During World War II, she joined Pacific Fleet operations and later continued serving after the war. The Ault was reactivated during the Korean War era, participated in later Cold War operations, and even saw Vietnam-era service before being decommissioned in 1973.
That long career is significant. A ship that remained in service for decades was likely repaired, upgraded, and overhauled many times. Each of those shipyard periods may have disturbed older asbestos materials and exposed new generations of sailors and civilian workers.
How Asbestos Exposure May Have Happened on the USS Ault
Asbestos was commonly used aboard Navy destroyers in boiler rooms, engine rooms, around steam pipes, turbines, pumps, valves, gaskets, electrical systems, flooring, adhesives, and fireproof wall or ceiling materials. On a ship built in the mid-1940s, many of these products may have been original to construction, while others may have been replaced during later repairs.
The engineering spaces likely presented the greatest risk. Heat and steam systems required insulation, and asbestos was widely chosen for that purpose. Maintenance work often involved stripping insulation from pipes, replacing gaskets, repacking valves, opening pumps, or removing worn thermal coverings from machinery. Those jobs could release asbestos fibers into the air, especially in tight compartments where dust had little room to disperse.
The Ault’s long service history may have added to the danger. Overhaul periods in shipyards frequently required cutting, scraping, drilling, welding, and demolition work around old insulation and lagging. As ships aged, materials became brittle and easier to disturb. Even sailors who were not insulation workers might still have inhaled airborne fibers while serving nearby.
Who May Have Been at Risk
A wide range of military and civilian workers may have been exposed aboard or around the USS Ault.
Potentially affected jobs include:
- Boiler tenders, firemen, and enginemen
- Machinist’s mates
- Pipefitters and shipfitters
- Electrician’s mates
- Hull maintenance technicians and damage control personnel
- Civilian shipyard workers involved in refit and overhaul
Destroyers were crowded working environments. Dust from maintenance in one area could move through passageways or settle in nearby berthing and work spaces. Men who lived close to engineering compartments or who participated in cleanup after repairs may also have been exposed.
Secondary exposure at home is another serious concern. Sailors and workers often returned home with dust on uniforms, jackets, bags, and shoes. Spouses and children may have inhaled those fibers while handling laundry or spending time with a loved one who had unknowingly carried asbestos home.
Health Effects of Asbestos Exposure
Asbestos diseases often develop slowly. Mesothelioma may not be diagnosed until 20, 30, or even 60 years after the original exposure.
Mesothelioma is an especially serious cancer affecting the lining around the lungs or abdomen. It is associated with asbestos exposure. Other illnesses linked to asbestos can cause scarring, breathing difficulty, chronic chest symptoms, and progressive respiratory decline.
Because symptoms may begin gradually, they are sometimes mistaken for normal aging, asthma, pneumonia, or another lung condition. For anyone who served on an older destroyer like the USS Ault, a full exposure history can be an important part of medical and legal review.
Why the USS Ault is Still Relevant
The USS Ault combined wartime construction with decades of later service. That means asbestos exposure may not have been limited to one period. It may have occurred during initial construction, during postwar maintenance, or during later major overhauls as the ship continued serving into the 1970s.
That long timeline can help explain why veterans from different eras may all share similar health concerns tied to the same ship.
How Belluck Law Can Help
An asbestos-related diagnosis can affect every part of a family’s life. Medical care, financial pressure, and uncertainty about the future can all arrive at once.
Belluck Law helps people affected by mesothelioma and other asbestos diseases investigate likely exposure sources, review military and work histories, and understand what compensation options may be available, including claims involving asbestos trust funds or other legal pathways. Every case is unique, but informed guidance can help families make decisions with greater confidence.
If you or someone you love served aboard the USS Ault or worked on the ship during construction, overhaul, repair, or decommissioning and later developed an asbestos-related disease, it may be helpful to learn more about your rights and possible options for support.
