Cruisers play an integral role in wartime operations, but their construction with asbestos materials posed threats to those on board. At least 140 cruisers are known to have contained asbestos and were in active combat during World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and the Cold War. Some of the types of cruisers that served our nation during wartime include battlecruisers, armored cruisers, command cruisers and guided missile cruisers.
These ships can perform different tasks in battle, making them highly utilized and versatile during wartime. However, the asbestos used in pipes and insulating materials made for dangerous conditions for those on board. With as many as 350 passengers on an average cruiser ship at a time, there were potentially thousands of crew members exposed to asbestos. Today, these veterans and shipyard workers are still at risk of developing mesothelioma cancer.
| Name | Hull | Class | Commissioned | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USS Alaska | CB-1 | Alaska | 6/17/1944 | Scrapped |
| USS Albany | CA-123 | 6/15/1946 | Scrapped, 1990 | |
| USS Amsterdam | CL-101 | 1/8/1945 | Scrapped | |
| USS Amsterdam | CL-59 | Independence | 1/14/1943 | Sunk, 1951 |
| USS Arkansas | CGN-41 | Virginia | 10/18/1980 | Ship Recycling, 1999 |
| USS Astoria | CA-34 | 4/28/1934 | Sunk, 1942 | |
| USS Astoria | CL-90 | 5/17/1944 | Sold for Scrap, 1971 | |
| USS Atlanta | CL-104 | 12/3/1944 | Sunk as Target, 1970 | |
| USS Atlanta | CLAA-51 | 12/24/1941 | Sunk, 1942 | |
| USS Augusta | CL/CA-31 | Northampton | 1/30/1931 | Scrapped, 1960 |
| USS Bainbridge | CGN-25 | Leahy | 10/6/1962 | Recycled,, 1999 |
| USS Baltimore | CA-68 | 4/15/1943 | Scrapped, 1972 | |
| USS Belknap | CG-26 | Belknap | 11/7/1964 | Sunk as Target, 1998 |
| USS Biddle | CG-34 | Belknap | 1/21/1967 | Scrapped |
| USS Biloxi | CL-80 | Cleveland | 8/31/1943 | Scrapped, 1962 |
| USS Birmingham | CL-62 | Cleveland | 1/29/1943 | Scrapped, 1959 |
| USS Boise | CL-47 | 8/12/1938 | Scrapped, 1978 | |
| USS Boston | CAG-1 | 6/30/1943 | Scrapped, 1975 | |
| USS Bremerton | CA-130 | Baltimore | 4/29/1945 | Scrapped, 1974 |
| USS Brooklyn | CL-40 | 9/30/1937 | Sold to Chile, 1951 | |
| USS Buffalo | CL-99 | Independence | 11/17/1943 | Sold for Scrap, 1961 |
| USS Bunker Hill | CG-52 | Ticonderoga | 9/20/1986 | |
| USS California | CGN-36 | California | 2/16/1974 | Recycling, 2000 |
| USS Canberra | CA-70 | Baltimore | 10/14/1943 | Sold for Scrap, 1980 |
| USS Chester | CA-27 | Northampton | 6/24/1930 | Sold for Scrap, 1959 |
| USS Chicago | CA-136 | Baltimore | 1/10/1945 | Scrapped, 1992 |
| USS Chicago | CL/CA-29 | Northampton | 3/9/1931 | Sunk, 1943 |
| USS Cincinnati | CL-6 | Omaha | 1/1/1924 | Scrapped, 1946 |
| USS Cleveland | CL-55 | 6/15/1942 | Sold for Scrap, 1960 | |
| USS Columbia | CL-56 | Cleveland | 7/29/1942 | Sold for Scrap, 1959 |
| USS Columbus | CA-74 | 6/8/1945 | Scrapped, 1977 | |
| USS Concord | CL-10 | Omaha | 11/3/1923 | Sold for Scrap, 1947 |
| USS Dale | CG-19 | Leahy | 11/23/1963 | Sunk as Target, 2000 |
| USS Dayton | CL-105 | 1/7/1945 | Sold for Scrap, 1962 | |
| USS Dayton | CL-78 | 6/17/1943 | Sold for Scrap | |
| USS Denver | CL-58 | Cleveland | 10/15/1942 | Scrapped, 1960 |
| USS Des Moines | CA-134 | Des Moines | 11/16/1948 | Scrapped |
| USS Detroit | CL-8 | Omaha | 7/31/1923 | Sold for Scrap, 1946 |
| USS Duluth | CL-87 | 9/18/1944 | Scrapped | |
| USS England | CG-22 | Leahy | 12/7/1963 | Scrapped, 2004 |
| USS Fall River | CA-131 | Baltimore | 7/1/1945 | Sold for Scrap, 1972 |
| USS Fargo | CL-106 | Fargo | 12/9/1945 | Sold for Scrap, 1971 |
| USS Fargo | CL-85 | Independence | 8/31/1943 | Sold for Scrap |
| USS Flint | CL-97 | Atlanta | 8/31/1944 | Scrapped, 1966 |
| USS Fox | CG-33 | 5/8/1966 | To Be Scrapped | |
| USS Fresno | CL-121 | 11/27/1946 | Scrapped, 1966 | |
| USS Galveston | CL-93 | Galveston | 5/28/1958 | Sold for Scrap, 1975 |
| USS Gridley | CG-21 | Leahy | 5/25/1963 | Scrapped, 2005 |
| USS Guam | CB-2 | 9/17/1944 | Scrapped | |
| USS Halsey | CG-23 | Leahy | 7/20/1963 | Scrapped, 2003 |
| USS Harry E. Yarnell | CG-17 | Leahy | 2/2/1963 | Scrapped, 2002 |
| USS Helena | CA-75 | 9/4/1945 | Scrapped, 1974 | |
| USS Helena | CL-50 | St. Louis | 9/18/1939 | Sunk, 1943 |
| USS Honolulu | CL-48 | Brooklyn | 6/15/1938 | Scrapped, 1949 |
| USS Horne | CG-30 | 4/15/1967 | Sunk as Target, 2008 | |
| USS Houston | CA-30 | 6/17/1930 | Sunk, 1942 | |
| USS Houston | CL-81 | Cleveland | 12/20/1943 | Scrapped |
| USS Huntington | CL-107 | 2/23/1946 | Sold for Scrap, 1962 | |
| USS Indianapolis | CA-35 | Portland | 11/15/1932 | Sunk, 1945 |
| USS Josephus Daniels | CG-27 | 5/8/1965 | Scrapped | |
| USS Jouett | CG-29 | 12/3/1966 | Sunk, 2007 | |
| USS Juneau | CL-119 | Atlanta | 2/15/1946 | Sold for Scrap, 1962 |
| USS Juneau | CL-52 | Atlanta | 2/14/1942 | Sunk, 1942 |
| USS Leahy | CG-16 | Leahy | 8/4/1962 | Scrapped, 2005 |
| USS Little Rock | CG-4 | Cleveland | 6/17/1945 | Museum Ship |
| USS Long Beach | CGN-9 | 9/9/1961 | Sub Recycling | |
| USS Los Angeles | CA-135 | Baltimore | 7/22/1945 | Sold for Scrap, 1975 |
| USS Louisville | CL/CA-28 | 1/15/1931 | Scrapped, 1959 | |
| USS Macon | CA-132 | Baltimore | 8/26/1945 | Sold for Scrap, 1973 |
| USS Manchester | CL-83 | Cleveland | 10/29/1946 | Scrapped, 1960 |
| USS Marblehead | CL-12 | Omaha | 9/8/1924 | Scrapped, 1946 |
| USS Memphis | CL-13 | Omaha | 2/4/1925 | Scrapped, 1947 |
| USS Miami | CL-89 | Cleveland | 12/28/1943 | Scrapped, 1962 |
| USS Milwaukee | CL-5 | Omaha | 6/20/1923 | Sold for Scrap, 1949 |
| USS Minneapolis | CA-36 | 5/19/1934 | Scrapped, 1959 | |
| USS Mississippi | CGN-40 | Virginia | 8/5/1978 | To Be Recycled |
| USS Missoula | CA-13 | Tennessee | 7/21/1908 | Scrapped, 1935 |
| USS Mobile | CL-63 | Cleveland | 3/24/1943 | Scrapped, 1960 |
| USS Montana | ACR-13 | Tennessee | 7/21/1908 | Scrapped, 1935 |
| USS Montpelier | CL-57 | Cleveland | 9/9/1942 | Scrapped, 1960 |
| USS Nashville | CL-43 | Brooklyn | 6/6/1938 | Sold to Chile, 1951 |
| USS New Haven | CL-76 | 3/31/1943 | Sold for Scrap, 1960 | |
| USS New Orleans | CL/CA-32 | New Orleans | 2/15/1934 | Scrapped, 1959 |
| USS Newark | CL-100 | Independence | 11/15/1943 | Scrapped |
| USS Newport News | CA-148 | Des Moines | 1/29/1949 | Scrapped, 1993 |
| USS Northampton | CA-125 | 3/7/1953 | Scrapped | |
| USS Northampton | CA-26 | 5/17/1930 | Sunk, 1942 | |
| USS Oakland | CL-95 | Atlanta | 7/17/1943 | Sold for Scrap, 1959 |
| USS Oklahoma City | CL-91 | Galveston | 12/22/1944 | Sunk as Target, 1999 |
| USS Omaha | CL-4 | Omaha | 2/24/1923 | Scrapped, 1946 |
| USS Oregon City | CA-122 | Oregon City | 2/16/1946 | Scrapped, 1973 |
| USS Pasadena | CL-65 | Cleveland | 6/8/1944 | Scrapped, 1970 |
| USS Pensacola | CL/CA-24 | Pensacola | 2/6/1930 | Sunk as Target, 1948 |
| USS Philadelphia | CL-41 | Brooklyn | 9/23/1937 | Sold to Brazil, 1951 |
| USS Phoenix | CL-46 | 10/3/1938 | Sunk, 1982 | |
| USS Pittsburgh | CA-72 | Baltimore | 10/10/1944 | Sold for Scrap, 1974 |
| USS Portland | CL/CA-33 | 2/23/1933 | Sold for Scrap, 1959 | |
| USS Portsmouth | CL-102 | Cleveland | 6/25/1945 | Scrapped, 1974 |
| USS Providence | CL-82 | Cleveland | 5/15/1945 | Sold for Scrap, 1980 |
| USS Quincy | CA-39 | 6/9/1936 | Sunk, 1942 | |
| USS Quincy | CA-71 | Baltimore | 12/15/1943 | Scrapped, 1974 |
| USS Raleigh | CL-7 | 2/6/1924 | Sold for Scrap, 1946 | |
| USS Reeves | CG-24 | Leahy | 5/15/1964 | Sunk as Target, 2001 |
| USS Reno | CL-96 | Atlanta | 12/28/1943 | Scrapped, 1962 |
| USS Richmond | CL-9 | Omaha | 7/2/1923 | Sold for Scrap, 1946 |
| USS Richmond K. Turner | CG-20 | Leahy | 6/13/1964 | Sunk as Target, 1998 |
| USS Roanoke | CL-145 | Worcester | 4/4/1949 | Sold to Levin Metals, 1972 |
| USS Rochester | CA-124 | Oregon City | 12/20/1946 | Scrapped, 1974 |
| USS Salem | CA-139 | Des Moines | 5/14/1949 | |
| USS Salt Lake City | CL/CA-25 | Pensacola | 12/11/1929 | Sunk as Target, 1948 |
| USS San Diego | CL-53 | Atlanta | 1/10/1942 | Sold for Scrap, 1960 |
| USS San Francisco | CA-38 | 2/10/1934 | Scrapped, 1959 | |
| USS San Juan | CL-54 | Atlanta | 2/28/1942 | Sold for Scrap, 1961 |
| USS Santa Fe | CL-60 | Cleveland | 11/24/1942 | Scrapped, 1959 |
| USS Savannah | CL-42 | Brooklyn | 3/10/1938 | Scrapped, 1966 |
| USS Seattle | CA-11 | Tennessee | 8/7/1906 | Sold for Scrap, 1946 |
| USS South Carolina | CGN-37 | California | 1/25/1975 | To Be Recycled |
| USS Spokane | CL-120 | Atlanta | 5/17/1946 | Sold for Scrap, 1973 |
| USS Springfield | CL-66 | Cleveland | 9/9/1944 | Scrapped |
| USS Springfield | CLG/CG-7 | Cleveland | 9/9/1944 | Scrapped |
| USS St. Louis | CL-49 | St. Louis | 5/19/1939 | Sold to Brazil, 1951 |
| USS St. Paul | CA-73 | Baltimore | 2/17/1945 | Scrapped, 1980 |
| USS Sterett | CG-31 | 4/8/1967 | To Be Dismantled | |
| USS Tallahassee | CL-61 | Independence | 2/25/1943 | Sunk, 1944 |
| USS Texas | CGN-39 | Virginia | 9/10/1977 | Recycling, 2001 |
| USS Ticonderoga | CG-47 | Ticonderoga | 1/22/1983 | |
| USS Toledo | CA-133 | Baltimore | 10/27/1946 | Sold for Scrap, 1974 |
| USS Topeka | CL-67 | 12/23/1944 | Scrapped, 1975 | |
| USS Trenton | CL-11 | Omaha | 4/19/1924 | Sold for Scrap, 1946 |
| USS Truxtun | CGN-35 | Belknap | 5/27/1967 | Ship Recycling, 1999 |
| USS Tucson | CL-98 | Atlanta | 2/3/1945 | Scrapped, 1971 |
| USS Tuscaloosa | CA-37 | New Orleans | 8/17/1934 | Scrapped, 1959 |
| USS Valley Forge | CG-50 | 1/18/1986 | Sunk as Target, 2006 | |
| USS Vicksburg | CL-86 | Cleveland | 6/12/1944 | Scrapped, 1964 |
| USS Vincennes | CA-44 | New Orleans | 2/24/1937 | Sunk, 1942 |
| USS Vincennes | CG-49 | Ticonderoga | 7/6/1985 | Sold for Scrap, 2010 |
| USS Vincennes | CL-64 | Cleveland | 1/21/1944 | Sunk as Target |
| USS Virginia | CGN-38 | Virginia | 9/11/1976 | Ship Recycling, 2002 |
| USS Washington | ACR-11 | Tennessee | 8/7/1906 | Sold for Scrap, 1946 |
| USS Wichita | CA-45 | 2/16/1939 | Scrapped, 1959 | |
| USS Wilkes-Barre | CL-103 | Cleveland | 7/1/1944 | Sunk, 1972 |
| USS William H. Standley | CG-32 | 7/9/1966 | Scrapped | |
| USS Wilmington | CL-79 | Independence | 7/24/1943 | Scrapped, 2002 |
| USS Worcester | CL-144 | Worcester | 6/26/1948 | Sold for Scrap, 1972 |
| USS Worden | CG-18 | Leahy | 8/3/1963 | Sunk as Target, 2000 |
| USS Yorktown | CG-48 | Ticonderoga | 7/4/1984 | Scheduled for Scrapping |
