Navy patrol boats — including river patrol boats (PBR), fast patrol craft (PCF “Swift Boats”), patrol gunboats (PG), and coastal patrol craft — were small, fast vessels used extensively during the Vietnam War and Cold War for riverine, coastal, and interdiction operations. Though far smaller than fleet vessels, patrol boats packed diesel and gas-turbine propulsion machinery into tight engine compartments where asbestos-containing gaskets, exhaust lagging, and machinery insulation surrounded the crew in close quarters.
Patrol boat crews were small — often four to a dozen sailors — and every crew member worked in close proximity to the engineering machinery. Exposure was not limited to designated engineering ratings; the confined nature of patrol craft meant the entire crew shared the same air as the engine compartment.
Asbestos Materials Aboard Patrol Boats
Engine exhaust systems. Diesel and gas-turbine patrol boat engines produced intense exhaust heat, and the exhaust manifolds, risers, and mufflers were lagged with asbestos insulation to protect the crew and the hull. This exhaust insulation deteriorated under constant thermal cycling and vibration, releasing fiber into the engine compartment.
Engine and machinery gaskets. Diesel engines, transmissions, pumps, and auxiliary machinery used asbestos-containing gaskets throughout. Patrol boat crews performing the frequent field maintenance these hard-worked engines required removed and replaced asbestos gaskets by hand, often scraping old gasket material from mating surfaces.
Turbocharger and manifold insulation. Gas-turbine and turbocharged diesel patrol craft used asbestos insulation around high-temperature turbine and turbocharger housings.
Firefighting and damage-control materials. Patrol boats carried asbestos-containing fire blankets and gasket stock as part of their damage-control equipment, handled by crew during drills and actual casualties.
Electrical systems. Generator sets and electrical panels aboard patrol craft used asbestos-insulated wiring and board backing, serviced by the crew’s engineering personnel.
Patrol Craft Types with Documented Asbestos Construction
PBR (Patrol Boat, River). Fiberglass-hulled river patrol boats powered by twin diesel engines driving water jets, used extensively in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta. Their diesel engines, exhaust systems, and jet drives used asbestos gaskets and insulation. Crews of four operated in immediate proximity to the engine compartment.
PCF (Patrol Craft, Fast — “Swift Boat”). Aluminum-hulled coastal patrol craft powered by twin diesel engines. Swift Boat crews of six worked directly around the engine compartment, where exhaust lagging and machinery gaskets contained asbestos.
PG (Patrol Gunboat — Asheville class). Larger patrol gunboats with combined diesel and gas-turbine (CODAG) propulsion. Their gas-turbine engines and associated exhaust systems used extensive high-temperature asbestos insulation.
PCE / PC coastal patrol craft. Steel-hulled patrol escorts and coastal patrol craft with diesel propulsion plants insulated and gasketed with asbestos-containing materials.
PT and later patrol craft. Earlier motor torpedo boats and later Cyclone-class patrol coastals continued the pattern of diesel and turbine machinery served by asbestos gaskets, packing, and exhaust insulation.
Who Was Exposed Aboard Patrol Boats
Because patrol boats were so small, the entire crew was exposed to asbestos from the engine compartment — not just designated engineering ratings. Enginemen (EN) and machinist’s mates (MM) who maintained the propulsion machinery had the most direct and frequent contact with asbestos gaskets and exhaust lagging. But boat captains, gunner’s mates, boatswain’s mates, and radarmen aboard these craft all worked and often berthed within feet of the engine compartment, sharing its air during every underway period.
VA Benefits and Trust Fund Claims
Patrol boat veterans qualify for VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) for asbestos-related diseases. Vietnam-era riverine and coastal patrol service is fully qualifying military service.
The asbestos-containing gaskets, insulation, and exhaust materials aboard patrol boats were manufactured by companies that have established asbestos bankruptcy trust funds. Patrol boat veterans diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease may be eligible to file trust fund claims against these manufacturers, separate from and in addition to their VA benefits.
If you were diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or another asbestos-related disease after exposure aboard a Navy patrol boat, Swift Boat, or river patrol craft, O’Brien Law Firm offers a free, confidential case evaluation.
(314) 237-6461 — Free Case Evaluation
References to asbestos-containing materials aboard patrol boats are drawn from publicly filed U.S. Navy asbestos litigation records. This does not constitute legal or medical advice. No attorney-client relationship is created by use of this site.