Asbestos on Navy Cruisers

Cruisers are large, fast warships used in combat operations by the U.S. Navy. In the waning era of the battleship, the cruiser plays an important part in the makeup of a Navy battle group. As in the majority of U.S. Navy ships produced from World War II through the 1970s, asbestos was commonly used in the construction, operations and maintenance of cruisers. An average cruiser carries a crew of more than 350 people, with larger crews on heavy ships. Crews aboard these ships were exposed to asbestos used as insulation and fire retardant material throughout the vessel.

Asbestos was commonly used in ceiling tiles, pipe insulation, switches, electrical components, fuel storage areas, boiler rooms, engine rooms and bulkheads - anywhere there was a desire to keep sailors and other equipment away from heated parts and anywhere insulation was needed. The sailors and marines who served on board cruisers were exposed to dangerous levels of asbestos in materials and dust. So, too, were workers who built these ships, as were family members who were exposed to harmful particles and dust brought home after the shipbuilding process.

To learn more about asbestos on Navy vessels and how exposure affects veterans, ask for a free copy of the Mesothelioma Center's informational packet. The packet addresses all sorts of veteran needs as well as mesothelioma, one of several serious diseases caused by exposure to asbestos. Fill out this form to get your free packet.

What Cruisers Do

Cruisers are flexible ships are widely used in wartime and peacetime. They are designed to hold medium-sized crews and extensive armaments, including long-range guns and missile batteries. These ships are the jack-of-all-trades of the fleet, and easily put to work on a variety of tasks and missions, from patrol to exploration. Modern cruisers serve many purposes, including undersea warfare, surface warfare, air defense and naval surface fire support.

U.S. Navy Cruisers

A list of ships on which sailors, marines, shipyard and dockyard workers and related personnel may have been exposed to asbestos during service or in the construction, maintenance and retrofitting process includes some of the more famous and notoriously asbestos laden cruiser, such as:

• USS Astoria (CA 34)
• USS Atlanta (CL 51)
• USS Barton (DD 599)
• USS Birmingham (CL 62)
• USS Boise (CL 47)
• USS Chicago (CA 29)
• USS Chicago (CA 136)
• USS Cushing (DD 376)
• USS Denver (CL 58)
• USS Duncan (DD 485)
• USS Enterprise (CV 6)
• USS Gwin (DD 433)
• USS Helena (CL 50)
• USS Honolulu (CL 48)
• USS Houston (CA 30)
• USS Indianapolis (CA 35)
• USS Juneau (CL 52)
• USS Laffey (DD 459)
• USS Minneapolis (CA 36)
• USS New Orleans (CA 32)
• USS Northampton (CA 26)
• USS Pensacola (CA 24)
• USS Phoenix (CL 46)
• USS Portland (CA 33)
• USS Quincy (CA 39)
• USS Quincy (CA 71)
• USS Richmond (CL 9)
• USS Ranger (CV 4)
• USS San Francisco (CA 38)
• USS Salt Lake City (CL 25)
• USS Savannah (CL 42)
• USS St. Louis (CL 49)
• USS Tuscaloosa (CA 37)
• And USS Vincennes (CA 44)

These ships were built at a number of shipyards throughout the United States, and they are still produced today. However, today's new ships are built without asbestos. Among the shipyards that construct cruisers are:

• New York Ship Building Corporation, Camden, New Jersey
• Fore River Shipyard in Quincy, Massachusetts
• Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company Yard in Newport News, Virginia

Help for Veterans

Veterans are considered a high-risk group for developing asbestos related cancers like lung cancer and mesothelioma. If you are a veteran who needs help understanding mesothelioma or even the claims process through the Veterans Administration, take advantage of the Mesothelioma Center's free Veterans Assistance Network. Fill out this form to get free help dealing with your VA paperwork.

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