01. Cruisers’ History
History of Cruisers
Cruisers have played an important role in the U.S. Navy for many years. These ships provide air defense, bombard the shore and perform ship-to-ship battles. These intense operations subjected the ships to extreme temperatures and fire hazards. This may explain why cruisers were constructed with asbestos products until the 1970s. The dangerous mineral is known for its heat and fire-resistant properties.
The first cruisers of the U.S. Navy were iron-hulled warships powered by steam. Later versions of the U.S. Navy vessel were armored with steel and equipped with large guns. Modern cruisers are typically smaller than battleships and larger than destroyers. They are designed for combat and high speeds. Cruisers may sail in a fleet with aircraft carriers and destroyers.
Cruisers’ History at a Glance
- Other Names/Classes:
- Anti-aircraft light cruiser (CLAA)
- Armored cruiser (CA)
- Command cruiser (CC)
- Command light cruiser (CLC)
- Cruiser – hunter killer (CLK)
- Guided missile cruiser (CG)
- Guided missile cruiser, nuclear powered (CGN)
- Guided missile light cruiser, nuclear powered (CLGN)
- Guided missile heavy cruiser (CAG)
- Guided missile light cruiser (CLG)
- Heavy cruiser (CA)
- Large command ship (CBC)
- Large cruiser (CB)
- Light cruiser (CL)
- Years of Operation: 1880s – Present
- Wartime Operations: World War I (WWI), World War II (WWII), the Korean War, the Vietnam War
- Size of Crew: Approximately 330 to 1,100
- Size of Ship: About 600 feet long, displacing 7,000 – 10,000 tons
- Noteworthy Ships: USS Baltimore, USS Boston, USS New Orleans, USS San Francisco
The term cruiser has been used for combat ships for hundreds of years. In the 1880s, the cruiser designation was given to a specific type of U.S. warship. The USS Atlanta, USS Boston and the USS Chicago are considered the first cruisers in the modern Navy.
Notable Cruisers
Shipyards produced many U.S. Navy cruisers during the height of asbestos use. Two notable cruisers include the USS Bremerton and the USS Worden. These ships are two of the estimated 140 cruisers that contained asbestos.
Asbestos was useful for shipbuilding because of its durability and fire resistance. Because asbestos was widely used in the Navy, ships may have exposed many service members.
USS Bremerton (CA-130)
The USS Bremerton was a heavy cruiser commissioned at the end of World War II. Built by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation, the USS Bremerton launched for service in 1944. The cruiser sailed in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and was also later used in the Korean War.
Steam turbines powered the USS Bremerton, and it used a lot of insulated materials. This insulation contained asbestos to help protect against the high temperatures.
In a 1995 case, a shipyard worker testified about asbestos on the USS Bremerton. He stated the ship contained Kaylo asbestos block insulation made by Owens-Illinois Inc. The block insulation was used in the ship’s boiler and on its pipes.
In 1960, the Navy decommissioned the ship. The Navy sent the Bremerton to Long Beach Shipyard. The workers cut, sawed and removed thermal insulation from the ship’s pipes. This work may have exposed shipyard workers and veterans to asbestos.
USS Worden (CG-18)
The USS Worden was a guided missile cruiser. The Navy first commissioned the Worden as a destroyer but reclassified it as a cruiser in 1975. The Worden took part in missions during the Vietnam War, including some in the Gulf of Tonkin.
Bath Iron Works built the Worden during the peak years of asbestos use. This shipyard received products from several asbestos companies. Many U.S. Navy vessels used asbestos-containing materials in boiler rooms and engine rooms.
Crew members testified there were thousands of feet of insulated pipes in the ship. Removing or repairing the insulation could result in airborne asbestos fibers. This put anyone onboard the ship at risk of exposure and asbestos-related illnesses.
02. List of Cruisers
Complete List of Cruisers
Many 20th-century ships, including Navy cruisers, had asbestos-containing products. This meant many shipbuilders and crew members experienced asbestos exposure.
The Navy has decommissioned most of the cruisers built with asbestos. But Navy veterans and crew members who worked on these ships may still develop mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease.
03. Cruisers & Asbestos
Asbestos Use on Cruisers
Before the 1980s, many U.S. Navy ships used asbestos, including cruisers. The engines that powered the cruisers needed to withstand high temperatures. Other areas on Navy cruisers also needed insulation. Naval ships often used asbestos because of the mineral’s strong fireproofing qualities.
Many cruisers were built with asbestos pipes, turbines and valves. Asbestos insulation was also used to insulate pipes and other machinery. During installation, repair and maintenance, these materials may have been disturbed, putting nearby personnel at risk.
Other asbestos products that cruisers may have on board include:
- Adhesives and sealants
- Boilers
- Engine components
- Gaskets
- Paint
- Welding rods
Damaged or disturbed asbestos materials may release the mineral into the air. Once airborne, people in the area could inhale the fibers. Over time, the asbestos could trigger mesothelioma or other cancers.
04. Asbestos Exposure on Cruisers
Who Was at Risk of Asbestos Exposure on Cruisers?
Each cruiser had roughly 300 to 1,100 sailors on board, depending on its class. Thousands of Navy personnel may have experienced asbestos exposure.
Anyone who worked on pipes, boilers and other machinery may have been exposed. Often, crews would cut, saw or handle these asbestos products. Shipbuilders and shipyard workers also experienced occupational exposure while building or repairing cruisers.
Trades that risked asbestos exposure on cruisers and at shipyards include:
- Insulators
- Machinists
- Machinist’s mates
- Mechanics
- Merchant Marines
- Pipefitters
- Shipbuilders
- Shipfitters
- Shipyard workers
- Steamfitters
- Welders
Sailors who worked in boiler rooms and other poorly ventilated areas were at particularly high risk. Poor ventilation can lead to high concentrations of asbestos fibers in the air.
When someone inhales or ingests asbestos dust, the fibers may embed in their organs. Over time, asbestos in the body can cause asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma. These diseases often have a long latency period, meaning the symptoms can take years to start. For example, mesothelioma symptoms can take 10 – 50 years to develop.
Today, Navy veterans and shipyard workers are still at risk of developing mesothelioma cancer.
05. Compensation Options
Compensation for People Exposed on Cruisers
People who developed mesothelioma from asbestos exposure on cruisers may have compensation options. For example, Navy veterans may be eligible to file a claim with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Along with their VA healthcare benefits, eligible veterans can receive compensation by filing a VA claim.
Veterans and their families may have other options, like asbestos lawsuits. Many veterans and workers have filed successful lawsuits after developing mesothelioma. They have filed these lawsuits against asbestos shipbuilding companies and asbestos manufacturers.
In one case, a former shipfitter developed asbestosis and lung cancer after working at New York Shipyard. He filed a lawsuit against Garlock Sealing Technologies, Keene Corporation and GAF Corporation. Other companies named in the lawsuit settled outside of court. From 1939 to 1945, he worked on several Navy light cruisers, including:
- USS Alaska
- USS Cleveland
- USS Guam
- USS Hawaii
- USS Montpelier
Veterans can use compensation from a lawsuit, VA claim or other asbestos claims to help with treatment and other expenses. People can determine their eligibility by contacting a mesothelioma law firm. Lawyers at these law firms can help people understand their options.
