U.S. Navy ships with asbestos exposure

Asbestos was used in nearly every U.S. Navy ship built between the 1930s and the late 1980s — in boilers, steam lines, gaskets, valve packing, brake linings, electrical insulation, and fireproofing. Sailors served in those compartments every day.

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Where asbestos was used aboard ship

Asbestos was selected for Navy use because it is fireproof, durable, lightweight, and an effective thermal and electrical insulator. From the 1930s through the early 1980s, it was specified in hundreds of shipboard products including:

Boilers and steam plants — insulation blankets, refractory brick, gasket material, valve packing
Engine rooms — pipe lagging, turbine insulation, brake linings, clutch facings
Damage control — fire-fighting blankets, fireproofing on bulkheads, fire-resistant clothing
Electrical systems — cable insulation, switchboard panels, junction-box gaskets
Living and working spaces — deck tile, ceiling tile, joint compound, paint additives

Ship classes with documented asbestos use

The following ship classes had especially heavy asbestos use. A full per-ship database (200+ vessels) is being added to the site.

Aircraft carriers

Forrestal class, Kitty Hawk class, Essex class, Midway class, Nimitz class (early)

Battleships

Iowa, New Jersey, Missouri, Wisconsin · North Carolina, Washington, South Dakota, Alabama, Massachusetts, Indiana

Cruisers

Cleveland, Baltimore, Des Moines, Worcester classes · later Belknap, Leahy, Long Beach, California, Virginia

Destroyers

Fletcher, Sumner, Gearing, Forrest Sherman, Charles F. Adams, Spruance class

Submarines

Gato, Balao, Tench, Tang, Skipjack, Permit, Sturgeon, early Los Angeles class

Auxiliary & amphibious

Tankers, ammo ships, repair ships, LST/LPH/LHA/LPD vessels

Common rates with the heaviest exposure

Boiler Technician (BT)
Machinist's Mate (MM)
Hull Maintenance Technician (HT)
Pipefitter / Pipefitter striker
Electrician's Mate (EM)
Engineman (EN)
Damage Controlman (DC)
Fireman (FN) and Fireman Apprentice

If you served in any of these rates aboard a Navy ship between 1930 and the late 1980s, you almost certainly had documented asbestos exposure.

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