Asbestos on Navy Ships

Risks of Mesothelioma and Navy Ships

Many U.S. veterans are at risk of developing mesothelioma from Navy ships due to asbestos exposure.

Virtually all U.S. Navy ships used asbestos products for decades to keep ships fireproof and durable. The full list includes over 3,300 ships, like aircraft carriers, destroyers, submarines, and more.

Navy service members didn't know that asbestos could cause cancers like mesothelioma 10-50 years later, as manufacturers of asbestos-containing products hid the risks.

Did you know?

Due to the widespread use of asbestos on U.S. Navy ships, 33% of all mesothelioma patients are Navy veterans or former shipyard workers.

Veterans with mesothelioma from Navy ships may qualify for benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and additional compensation to help with medical bills and more.

Use our Navy Ships Database to find out if a ship you served on contained asbestos.

List of U.S. Navy Ships With Asbestos

Due to government regulations, asbestos-containing products were used on all U.S. Navy vessels between the 1930s and early 1980s. This amounted to over 3,300 Navy ships.

Explore our list of U.S. Navy ships with asbestos by clicking on the type of vessel below.

Aircraft carriers
Amphibious ships
Auxiliary ships
Battleships
Cruisers
Cutters
Destroyers
Destroyer escorts
Escort carriers
Frigates
Merchant marine ships
Minesweepers
Patrol boats
Submarines

Mesothelioma Risks in U.S. Navy Veterans - DO NOT USE - ERIC HALL Video Thumbnail

Video Summary: U.S. Navy veterans are at a high risk of mesothelioma due to the use of asbestos on Navy ships. The Mesothelioma Veterans Center can help affected veterans and families pursue benefits, medical care, and financial aid if eligible.

Military members who served between the 1930s and 1980s were very likely exposed to asbestos, particularly in the Navy, because asbestos was used throughout the ships to insulate pipes and insulate their boiler systems.

And being that you were a sailor on a ship, you would've likely been on ship for months at any given time. And that's why we see the highest rate of mesothelioma cases in Navy veterans.

Veterans diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases are entitled to several different types of benefits from the VA, to include disability benefits, [and] health care benefits. There are even survivor benefits for those with asbestos-related diseases.

If a veteran believes they were exposed to asbestos while serving in the military, we encourage them to call the Mesothelioma Veterans Center so that we can work together to help them file for VA benefits.

Asbestos on Aircraft Carriers

Aircraft carriers are some of the biggest warships ever built. About 60 U.S. Navy aircraft carriers are known to have contained asbestos.

Aircraft carriers that used asbestos included:

USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72)
USS Antietam (CV-36)
USS Belleau Wood (CVL-24)
USS Bon Homme Richard (CV-31)
USS Bunker Hill (CV-17)
USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70)
USS Coral Sea (CVB-43)
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69)
USS Enterprise (CVN-65)
USS Forrestal (CV-59)
USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVB-42)
USS Hornet (CV-8)
USS Independence (CVL-22)
USS Intrepid (CV-11)
USS Kearsarge (CV-33)
USS Lake Champlain (CV-39)
USS Langley (CVL-27)
USS Lexington (CV-16)
USS Midway (CVB-41)
USS Nimitz (CVN-68)
USS Philippine Sea (CV-47)
USS Princeton (CV-37)
USS Ranger (CV-4)
USS Reprisal (CV-35)
USS San Jacinto (CVL-30)
USS Saratoga (CV-60)
USS Tarawa (CV-40)
USS Ticonderoga (CV-14)
USS Wasp (CV-7)
USS Yorktown (CV-5)

Have You Served on Any of These Aircraft Carriers?Get a Free Veterans Packet

If you developed mesothelioma from Navy ships like aircraft carriers, you may qualify for VA benefits, free treatments, and compensation.

Asbestos on Amphibious Warships

Amphibious warships helped transport service members and supplies. Over 400 of these warships had asbestos-containing products aboard.

Amphibious warships that used asbestos included:

USS Accomac
USS Anchorage
USS Block Island
USS Chara
USS Crescent City
USS Dent
USS El Paso
USS Estes
USS Freestone
USS Gallatin
USS Hubbard
USS Ira Jeffery
USS Jenks
USS Julius A. Raven
USS Knox
USS Lacerta
USS Lenawee
USS McFarland
USS Mercer
USS Navarro
USS Okanogan
USS Overton
USS Panamint
USS Pondera
USS Queens
USS Randall
USS Seminole
USS Taconic
USS Valeria
USS Virgo
USS Weiss
USS Yancey

Have You Served on Any of These Warships?Get a Free Veterans Packet

Asbestos on Auxiliary Ships

U.S. Navy auxiliary ships gave other military vessels supplies and resources, and many were built with asbestos-containing products.

Auxiliary ships that used asbestos included:

USS Ajax (AR-6)
USS Alacrity (AG-520)
USS Amphion (AR-13)
USNS Apache (ATF-172)
USS Assurance (AG-521)
USS Briareus (AR-12)
USS Cheyenne (AG-174)
USS Cornhusker State (ACS-6)
USS Delta (AR-9)
USS Flint (AE-32)
USS Flyer (AG-178)
USS Fomalhaut (AE-20)
USS Gem State (ACS-2)
USNS Glomar Explorer (AG-193)
USS Gopher State (ACS-4)
USS Grand Canyon (AR-28)
USS Grand Canyon State (ACS-3)
USNS Hayes (AG-195)
USS Jason (AR-8)
USNS Kingsport (AG-164)
USS Markab (AR-23)
USS Monob One (YAG-61)
USNS Provo (AG-173)
USS Saluda (YAG-87)
USS Sequoia (AG-23)
USNS S.P. Lee (AG-192)
USNS Spokane (AG-191)
USS Wyoming (AG-17)

Have You Served on Any of These Auxiliary Ships?Get a Free Veterans Packet

Asbestos on Battleships

Battleships were a key part of the U.S. Navy fleet during World War II and beyond. Asbestos was heavily used aboard many of these vessels.

Battleships that used asbestos include:

USS Alabama (BB-60)
USS Arizona (BB-39)
USS Arkansas (BB-33)
USS California (BB-44)
USS Colorado (BB-45)
USS Indiana (BB-58)
USS Iowa (BB-61)
USS Maryland (BB-46)
USS Massachusetts (BB-59)
USS Missouri (BB-63)
USS Nevada (BB-36)
USS New Hampshire (BB-70)
USS New Jersey (BB-62)
USS North Carolina (BB-55)
USS Pennsylvania (BB-38)
USS South Dakota (BB-57)
USS Washington (BB-56)
USS Wisconsin (BB-64)

Have You Served on Any of These Battleships?Get a Free Veterans Packet

Asbestos on Cruisers

Cruisers help protect other vessels from enemy ships or planes. Over 100 cruisers were built with asbestos-containing materials, putting Navy veterans at risk of mesothelioma.

Cruisers built with asbestos products include:

USS Alaska
USS Amsterdam
USS Astoria
USS Augusta
USS Baltimore
USS Biddle
USS Birmingham
USS Brooklyn
USS Bunker Hill
USS Canberra
USS Chicago
USS Cleveland
USS Dale
USS Duluth
USS Flint
USS Galveston
USS Guam
USS Harry E. Yarnell
USS Huntington
USS Josephus Daniels
USS Jouett
USS Little Rock
USS Los Angeles
USS Marblehead
USS Minneapolis
USS Missoula
USS Montana
USS Nashville
USS Oregon City
USS Providence
USS Reeves
USS Savannah
USS South Carolina
USS Springfield
USS Tallahassee
USS Trenton
USS Valley Forge
USS Vicksburg
USS Virginia
USS William H. Standley

Have You Served on Any of These Cruisers?Get a Free Veterans Packet

Asbestos on Cutters

Cutters are the main type of ship used by the U.S. Coast Guard for missions, and over 70 of these vessels contained asbestos products like insulation, wiring, and paneling.

Coast Guard cutters that contained asbestos included:

USCGC Absecon (WHEC-374)
USCGC Acushnet (WMEC-167)
USCGC Androscoggin (WHEC-68)
USCGC Bering Strait (WHEC-382)
USCGC Bibb (WPG-31)
USCGC Boutwell (WHEC-719)
USCGC Campbell (WPG-32)
USCGC Castle Rock (WHEC-383)
USCGC Chautauqua (WHEC-41)
USCGC Confidence (WMEC-619)
USCGC Cook Inlet (WHEC-384)
USCGC Courageous (WMEC-622)
USCGC Dauntless (WMEC-624)
USCGC Dependable (WMEC-626)
USCGC Diligence (WMEC-616)
USCGC Durable (WMEC-628)
USCGC Escape (WMEC-6)
USCGC Gresham (WHEC-387)
USCGC Half Moon (WHEC-378)
USCGC Hamilton (WPG-34)
USCGC Ingham (WPG-35)
USCGC Jarvis (WHEC-725)
USCGC McCulloch (WHEC-386)
USCGC Mendota (WHEC-69)
USCGC Minnetonka (WHEC-67)
USCGC Mojave (WPG-47)
USCGC Resolute (WMEC-620)
USCGC Rush (WHEC-723)
USCGC Sherman (WHEC-720)
USCGC Steadfast (WMEC-623)
USCGC Valiant (WMEC-621)
USCGC Venturous (WMEC-625)
USCGC Vigorous (WMEC-627)
USCGC Yakutat (WHEC-380)

Have You Served on Any of These Cutters?Get a Free Veterans Packet

Asbestos on Destroyers

Destroyers allowed the U.S. Navy to combat enemy ships and planes. Over 900 U.S. Navy destroyers were built with asbestos.

Some of the Navy destroyers with asbestos included:

USS Abel P. Upshur (DD-193)
USS Arnold J. Isbell (DD-869)
USS Basilone (DD-824)
USS Billingsley (DD-293)
USS Burrows (DD-29)
USS Cassin Young (DD-793)
USS Damato (DD-871)
USS Earle (DD-635)
USS Ernest G. Small (DD-838)
USS Everett F. Larson (DD-830)
USS Farragut (DD-300)
USS Fife (DD-991)
USS Forrest (DD-461)
USS Grayson (DD-435)
USS Helm (DD-388)
USS Izard (DD-589)
USS John A. Bole (DD-755)
USS Kane (DD-235)
USS Killen (DD-593)
USS Knight (DD-633)
USS MacLeish (DD-220)
USS Mayo (DD-422)
USS Nelson (DD-623)
USS Norman Scott (DD-690)
USS Oldendorf (DD-972)
USS Palmer (DD-161)
USS Paulding (DD-22)
USS Pope (DD-225)
USS Remey (DD-688)
USS Sands (DD-243)
USS Shannon (DD-737)
USS Simpson (DD-221)
USS Stickell (DD-888)
USS Tattnall (DD-125)
USS Uhlmann (DD-687)
USS Waldron (DD-699)
USS Witek (DD-848)
USS Yarborough (DD-314)

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Asbestos on Destroyer Escorts

Destroyer escorts were essential to the U.S. Navy fleet during World War II, fighting submarines, aircraft carriers, and other vessels. More than 500 destroyer escorts were built with asbestos products.

Destroyer escorts known to have contained asbestos include:

USS Alger (DE-101)
USS Amesbury (DE-66)
USS Austin (DE-15)
USS Barber (DE-161)
USS Baron (DE-166)
USS Bowen (DE-1079)
USS Chambers (DE-391)
USS Cockrill (DE-398)
USS Crouter (DE-11)
USS Daniel (DE-335)
USS DeLong (DE-684)
USS Dionne (DE-261)
USS Donnell (DE-56)
USS Edsall (DE-129)
USS Eisele (DE-34)
USS Evarts (DE-5)
USS Finch (DE-328)
USS French (DE-367)
USS Garcia (DE-1040)
USS Jobb (DE-707)
USS Lockwood (DE-1064)
USS Marsh (DE-699)
USS McAnn (DE-73)
USS Moore (DE-240)
USS Oswald (DE-71)
USS Slater (DE-766)

Have You Served on Any of These Destroyer Escorts?Get a Free Veterans Packet

Asbestos on Escort Carriers

U.S. Navy escort carriers were similar to aircraft carriers, but these ships were typically smaller and converted from merchant vessels.

Dozens of escort carriers used asbestos, including:

USS Admiralty Islands
USS Baffins
USS Bismarck Sea
USS Bougainville
USS Breton
USS Chenango
USS Commencement Bay
USS Delgada
USS Didrickson Bay/Tripoli
USS Edisto
USS Fanshaw Bay
USS Gambier Bay
USS Guadalcanal
USS Hamlin
USS Jamaica
USS Kadashan Bay
USS Liscome Bay
USS Long Island
USS Makassar Strait
USS Makin Island
USS Manila Bay
USS Mission Bay
USS Munda
USS Nassau
USS Niantic
USS Ommaney Bay
USS Palau
USS Prince
USS Prince William
USS Pybus
USS Rudyerd Bay
USS Siboney
USS Sicily
USS Sitkoh Bay
USS St. Simon
USS Steamer Bay
USS Sunset
USS Suwannee
USS Thetis Bay
USS Tinian
USS Tulagi
USS Wake Island
USS White Plains
USS Willapa

Have You Served on Any of These Escort Carriers?Get a Free Veterans Packet

Asbestos on Frigates

U.S. Navy frigates were often used as escort ships or as part of an auxiliary fleet.

Over 100 frigates contained asbestos, including:

USS Ainsworth (FFT-1090)
USS Brewton (FF-1086)
USS Bronstein (FF-1037)
USS Brooke (FFG-1)
USS Clifton Sprague (FFG-16)
USS Connole (FF-1056)
USS Cook (FF-1083)
USS Copeland (FFG-25)
USS Crommelin (FFG-37)
USS Duncan (FFG-10)
USS Edward McDonnell (FF-1043)
USS Francis Hammond (FF-1067)
USS Gallery (FFG-26)
USS George Philip (FFG-12)
USS Gray (FF-1054)
USS Halyburton (FFG-40)
USS Jarrett (FFG-33)
USS Jesse L. Brown (FFT-1089)
USS Joseph Hewes (FFT-1078)
USS Kirk (FF-1087)
USS Knox (FF-1052)
USS Koelsch (FF-1049)
USS Mahlon S. Tisdale (FFG-27)
USS McClusky (FFG-41)
USS O’Callahan (FF-1051)
USS Oliver Hazard Perry (FFG-7)
USS Paul (FF-1080)
USS Pharris (FF-1094)
USS Ramsey (FFG-2)
USS Rentz (FFG-46)
USS Richard L. Page (FFG-5)
USS Schofield (FFG-3)
USS Stein (FF-1065)
USS Stephen W. Groves (FFG-29)
USS Talbot (FFG-4)
USS Taylor (FFG-50)
USS Thach (FFG-43)
USS Underwood (FFG-36)
USS Voge (FF-1047)
USS Whipple (FF-1062)

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Asbestos on Merchant Marine Ships

Asbestos was used on many merchant marine ships, which carried supplies and Navy service members from place to place during wartime..

Merchant marine vessels that had asbestos aboard included:

S.S. Alcoa Cavalier
S.S. Bay State
S.S. Berkeley Victory
S.S. Blue Grass State
S.S. Borinquen
S.S. Buckeye State
S.S. Burco Trader
S.S. C.H.M. Jones
S.S. Cilco Logger
S.S. Del Mar
S.S. E.J. Block
S.S. Elizabeth W. Moran
S.S. Empire State
S.S. Evergreen State
S.S. Excalibur
S.S. Gopher State
S.S. Keystone State
S.S. Little Butte
S.S. Mormacsea
S.S. Pacific Victory
S.S. Pan Massachusetts
S.S. Pine Tree State
S.S. President Cleveland
S.S. Robin Gray
S.S. Samuel Chase
S.S. Sheldon Clark
S.S. Simon Benson
S.S. Socony 10
S.S. Spencer Kellogg
S.S. Steel Traveler
S.S. Stonewall Jackson
S.S. Thomas H. Barry
S.S. Thomas Lynch
S.S. Thomas Nelson
S.S. Tydol Bayonne
S.S. Uruguay
S.S. William Hooper
S.S. William J. Bryan
S.S. William Mulholland
S.S. Wilson B. Keene

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Asbestos on Minesweepers

Minesweepers kept the seas clear of mines so that other vessels could sail safely. Hundreds of U.S. Navy minesweepers relied on asbestos, which put those aboard in danger of mesothelioma.

U.S. Navy minesweepers built with asbestos include:

USS Ability
USS Advance
USS Barrier
USS Bold
USS Bullfinch
USS Candid
USS Defense
USS Devastator
USS Energy
USS Excel
USS Force
USS Gallant
USS Goldfinch
USS Harlequin
USS Hilarity
USS Implicit
USS Indicative
USS Jubilant
USS Knave
USS Lapwing
USS Mainstay
USS Minivet
USS Nimble
USS Nuthatch
USS Oriole
USS Owl
USS Phantom
USS Quail
USS Quest
USS Redwing
USS Ruddy
USS Sandpiper
USS Seagull
USS Tanager
USS Triumph
USS Valor
USS Velocity
USS Waxwing
USS Widgeon
USS Zea

Have You Served on Any of These Minesweepers?Get a Free Veterans Packet

Asbestos on Patrol Boats

The U.S. Navy used patrol boats to secure waterways. Many of these vessels had asbestos-containing materials aboard.

Patrol boats that relied on asbestos included:

USS Antelope (PG-86)
USS Asheville (PG-84)
USS Beacon (PG-99)
USS Benincia (PG-96)
USS Canon (PG-90)
USS Chehalis (PG-94)
USS Crockett (PG-88)
USS Defiance (PG-95)
USS Douglas (PG-100)
USS Gallup (PG-85)
USS Grand Rapids (PGM-98)
USS Green Bay (PG-101)
USS Marathon (PG-89)
USS Pegasus (PHM-1)
USS Ready (PG-87)
USS Surprise (PG-97)
USS Susanville (PC-1149)
USS Tacoma (PG-92)
USS Tucumcari (PGH-2)
USS Welch (PG-93)

Have You Served on Any of These Patrol Boats?Get a Free Veterans Packet

Asbestos on Submarines

U.S. Navy submarines were often small and cramped, making it easy for sailors to breathe in or swallow asbestos fibers that were released into the air during work on asbestos-containing products.

Almost 400 submarines are known to have used asbestos, including:

USS Albacore (AGSS-569)
USS Argonaut (SS-475)
USS Balao (SS-285)
USS Baltimore (SSN-704)
USS Bang (SS-385)
USS Cincinnati (SSN-693)
USS Dace (SS-247)
USS Gato (SS-212)
USS Groton (SSN-694)
USS Harder (SS-568)
USS La Jolla (SSN-701)
USS Mackerel (SST-1)
USS Memphis (SSN-691)
USS Omaha (SSN-692)
USS Nathan Hale (SSBN-623)
USS Nautilus (SSN-571)
USS Sea Dog (AGSS-401)
USS Seawolf (SSN-575)
USS Tench (SS-417)
USS Will Rogers (SSBN-659)

Have You Served on Any of These Submarines?Get a Free Veterans Packet

Other Asbestos Navy Ships

Thousands of U.S. Navy ships not listed above also contained asbestos before the early 1980s.

Anyone who worked, served, or lived on these U.S. Naval vessels could be at risk of mesothelioma today since this cancer takes decades to form after exposure.

We can find out if a Navy ship you served on used asbestos and help you pursue VA benefits, compensation, and treatments.

Download VA forms for free here, or have our VA-Accredited Attorney fill them out for you to get the most out of your compensation!

Products Made With Asbestos on Navy Ships

Over 300 asbestos-containing products were used to insulate Navy ships and protect them from fire and salt water.

Asbestos-based products used on Navy ships included:

Adhesives
Cables
Caulk
Electrical wiring
Floor tiles
Gaskets and valves
Insulation
Packing
Paneling
Piping
Thermal materials
Tubing

Asbestos fibers could have been released into the air whenever Navy personnel installed, removed, or repaired these products. Breathing in or swallowing the fibers can cause veterans to develop mesothelioma 10-50 years later.

Where Was Asbestos Used on Navy Ships?

Asbestos-containing products were used throughout Navy and Coast Guard ships. For example, many vessels had miles of asbestos-containing insulation and wires.

Areas of ships that used asbestos products included:

Boiler rooms
Engine rooms
Navigation rooms

A diagram showing where asbestos could be found on Navy ships

In places with poor ventilation like engine or boiler rooms, stray asbestos fibers could stay in the air for hours. This put U.S. Navy and Coast Guard veterans at a higher risk of exposure and mesothelioma, lung cancer, or asbestosis later in life.

Risks of Mesothelioma and Navy Ship Jobs

Anyone who served aboard U.S. Navy ships with asbestos decades ago is now at risk of mesothelioma. However, certain jobs put service members in contact with asbestos on Navy ships daily.

Jobs with a high risk of mesothelioma on Navy ships include:

Boiler technicians: Boiler technicians or tenders worked on Navy ship boilers. Before the 1980s, many boilers used asbestos insulation and gaskets. Navy boilermakers also wore gloves laced with asbestos.
Hull maintenance technicians (HTs): HTs installed and repaired asbestos insulation, pipe gaskets, valves, and plumbing on ships. Many served as welders and had to remove asbestos insulation before welding.
Machinist's mates and enginemen: These workers serviced equipment that powered ships. Working in engine rooms exposed them to asbestos piping, insulation, adhesives, and gaskets.
Pipefitters: Navy pipefitters cut through asbestos pipes and installed new ones, which sent asbestos dust flying into the air. Pipefitters were also at risk of exposure to asbestos insulation in pipes.
Shipyard workers: Shipbuilders and shipyard workers built, renovated, and overhauled ships, which released asbestos fibers. In World War II-era shipyards, asbestos dust clouded shipyards to the point that workers couldn’t see across the room.

According to the VA, all jobs listed above had a “probable” or “highly probable” risk of asbestos exposure.

“I was a boiler tender when I went aboard my first ship. I asked them what the material was made out of on the boilers and they told me asbestos. It didn’t kill anybody on the spot. It took years later to start catching up with us.”

– Walter Twidwell, U.S. Navy veteran with mesothelioma

Call (877) 450-8973 now to get help if you worked on naval ships or in shipyards and now have mesothelioma. You may be eligible for VA benefits and compensation.

When Was Asbestos Banned on Ships?

The Navy banned the use of asbestos on new ships and in shipyards in the late 1970s after the health risks became known.

Major renovations to limit the risks of mesothelioma from Navy ships began in the 1980s, and many asbestos-containing materials were removed.

However, some sturdy asbestos-based products were left behind on a handful of ships. This is because the materials weren’t at risk of releasing toxic fibers. The asbestos aboard these ships is also monitored to ensure it doesn’t harm anyone.

Benefits and Compensation for Navy Asbestos Exposure

If you have mesothelioma from Navy ships, you may qualify for military benefits and compensation. Mesothelioma VA benefits pay out $4,158.17 a month to married veterans with this cancer.

You may also be able to access payouts from mesothelioma lawsuits, which award $1 million or more on average. These lawsuits aren’t filed against the military or government, and you can still get VA benefits.

Navy mesothelioma settlements secured by our legal partners include:

$40 million

for a Washington Navy veteran with pleural mesothelioma

$2.96 million

for a North Carolina machinist mate who worked on the USS Moale

$1.93 million

for a Connecticut veteran stationed on the USS Will Rogers

$1.65 million

to a Minnesota Navy veteran who served aboard the USS Augury

$2.98 million

for a West Virginia veteran stationed on the USS Valley Forge

$4.68 million

to a New Hampshire Navy veteran who served on the USS Fred T. Berry

You may also be eligible for payouts from asbestos trust funds, which currently contain an estimated $30 billion. We may be able to help you access some of this money without going to court.

Get a free case review now to find out if you may qualify for compensation from a mesothelioma Navy ship claim.

Help for Veterans With Mesothelioma From Navy Ships

If you’re a U.S. veteran with mesothelioma from Navy ships, you may qualify for VA benefits, financial compensation, and free or low-cost treatments.

The Mesothelioma Veterans Center may be able to help you access benefits and resources you need to fight this cancer.

Our team can:

Determine how you were exposed to asbestos on Navy ships
Help you file VA claims or increase your current VA payouts
Connect you with top cancer doctors and treatments
Pursue compensation worth $1 million+ on average

Get our Free Veterans Packet or call (877) 450-8973 now to see how we can assist you or a Navy veteran you love.

Mesothelioma and Navy Ships FAQs

What Navy ships had asbestos on them?

Virtually every U.S. Navy ship was built with asbestos between the 1930s and early 1980s due to government mandates. Asbestos on Navy ships put veterans at risk of mesothelioma and other illnesses 10-50 years later.

Our team has identified over 3,300 Navy vessels that contained asbestos. Aircraft carriers, submarines, destroyers, and more all had asbestos aboard.

Get a Free Veterans Packet now to see how we can help if you or a loved one developed mesothelioma from Navy ships.

What toxic exposure was on Navy ships?

A toxic substance called asbestos was used on thousands of older U.S. Navy ships for decades. It could be found in gaskets, insulation, piping, and more.

Service members working with these products could breathe in or swallow asbestos fibers, putting them at risk of asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma later in life.

Why did the Navy use asbestos?

The U.S. Navy used over 300 asbestos-containing products to keep ships fireproof, waterproof, and well-insulated.

Manufacturers hid the deadly health risks of asbestos, so U.S. Navy veterans thought the substance was safe for decades.

When did they stop using asbestos on ships?

Asbestos was no longer used on most Navy ships by the 1980s. Major renovation efforts removed asbestos-containing materials from the majority of vessels.

That said, a handful of older vessels still in service as of 2026 use asbestos, according to the Naval Vessel Register (NVR).

These ships include:

USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19)
USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70)
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69)
USS Mount Whitney (LCC-20)
USS Nimitz (CVN-68)

The asbestos-containing products in these ships are in good shape and monitored to protect human health.

Can you sue the Navy for asbestos exposure?

While you can't sue the military or government for exposure to asbestos on Navy ships, you may be able to sue private companies that made the products you were exposed to.

Examples of Navy lawsuit payouts include:

$40.1 million to a veteran from Washington
$3.4 million to a veteran from Florida
$2.5 million to a veteran from New York

Get a free case review now to see if you or a loved one may be able to pursue compensation from a mesothelioma Navy ship lawsuit.