Lacking the firepower of other warships, aircraft carriers are considered vulnerable to attack by other ships, aircraft, submarines, or missiles. Aircraft carriers therefore travel as part of a carrier battle group for their protection. They are designed with the primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft and allow the Navy to project air power great distances without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations.

Unfortunately, the military used asbestos on aircraft carriers for the mineral's heat resistance and fireproofing capabilities. Asbestos was particularly used for insulation and any products located near engine rooms. However, all sections of naval ships built prior to the 1970s are likely to contain asbestos.

Some naval ships still contain asbestos, as the material may be imbedded in brakes, clutches, gaskets and older construction materials. From the 1930s through the mid-1970s, the U.S. Navy used asbestos-containing materials on all ships. These materials will likely continue to affect another generation until better regulations are strictly enforced.

Please select a ship from the list below for information regarding specific aircraft carriers and potential asbestos exposure.

Aircraft Carriers Index

USS America CV 66
USS Antietam CV 36
USS Badoeng Strait CVE 116
USS Bairoko CVE 115
USS Bataan CVL 29
USS Belleau Wood CVL 24
USS Bennington CV 20
USS Bon Homme Richard CVA 31
USS Boxer CV 21
USS Bunker Hill CV 17
USS Cabot CVL 28
USS Carl Vinson CVN 70
USS Constellation CV 64
USS Coral Sea CV 43
USS Corregidor CVE 58
USS Cowpens CVL 25
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower CVN 69
USS Enterprise CV 6
USS Enterprise CVN 65
USS Essex CV 9
USS Forrestal CV 59
USS Franklin CV 13
USS Franklin D. Roosevelt CVB 42
USS Hancock CV 19
USS Hornet CV 12
USS Hornet CV 8
USS Independence CV 62
USS Independence CVL 22
USS Intrepid CV 11
USS John F. Kennedy CV 67
USS Kearsarge CV 33
USS Kitty Hawk CV 63
USS Lake Champlain CV 39
USS Langley CV 1

USS Langley CVL 27
USS Lexington CV 16
USS Lexington CV 2
USS Leyte CV 32
USS Midway CV 41
USS Monterey CVL 26
USS Nimitz CV 68
USS Oriskany CV 34
USS Phillipine Sea CV 47
USS Point Cruz CVE 119
USS Princeton CV 37
USS Princeton CVL 23
USS Randolph CV 15
USS Ranger CV 4
USS Ranger CV 61
USS Rendova CVE 114
USS Sable IX 81
USS Saipan CVL 48
USS San Jacinto CVL 30
USS Saratoga CV 60
USS Saratoga CV 3
USS Shangri La CV 38
USS Sicily CVE 118
USS Sitkoh Bay
USS Tarawa CV 40
USS Ticonderoga CV 14
USS Valley Forge CV 45
USS Wasp CV 18
USS Wasp CV 7
USS Wolverine IX 64
USS Wright CVL 49
USS Yorktown CV 10
USS Yorktown CV 5

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Asbestos.com's Veterans Assistance Department can help you with questions about veterans and asbestos-related illnesses or about potential benefits.

Naval Ships Index
Search through our extensive list of ships that used asbestos-containing products.
(e.g. USS Alabama BB 60)

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