Fairbanks Morse, headquartered in Beloit, Wisconsin, manufactured the opposed-piston diesel engines used in many US Navy submarines and surface vessels during World War II and the postwar era, as well as pumps, scales, and other industrial equipment installed at Navy shore facilities. Fairbanks Morse diesel engines — which used a distinctive design with two pistons per cylinder — were fitted in fleet submarines, destroyer escorts, and various auxiliary vessels. Enginemen and other engineering personnel who maintained Fairbanks Morse diesel equipment worked in proximity to asbestos-containing materials throughout the service lives of these engines.

Fairbanks Morse Opposed-Piston Diesel Engines

The Fairbanks Morse opposed-piston diesel was the primary propulsion plant in many World War II-era fleet submarines and appeared in postwar surface vessel applications. Diesel engine maintenance on Fairbanks Morse equipment required working with asbestos-containing components in multiple locations:

  • Exhaust manifold gaskets connecting the engine exhaust ports to the manifold system used asbestos spiral-wound and sheet gasket material rated for high-temperature diesel exhaust service
  • Cylinder head and power assembly gaskets on the large opposed-piston units used asbestos-containing gaskets in the high-pressure, high-temperature combustion zone
  • Exhaust piping insulation on the hot exhaust runs from Fairbanks Morse engines in submarine and surface vessel machinery spaces used asbestos block and sectional covering
  • Turbocharger and air system seals on turbocharged Fairbanks Morse variants used asbestos-containing packing on high-temperature air connections
  • Auxiliary pump and valve packing on the engine room support equipment used asbestos rope packing in standard valve maintenance practice

Submarine Engineering Exposure

Fleet submarines equipped with Fairbanks Morse diesels operated in submerged and surface modes with diesel propulsion used for surface operations and battery charging. Engine room watches on submarine diesels placed Machinist’s Mates and Enginemen in enclosed spaces with the running Fairbanks Morse engines, where exhaust gasket degradation and routine maintenance released asbestos fiber into the confined space. Publicly filed litigation records from Navy asbestos cases include testimony from submarine engineering personnel who identified Fairbanks Morse as the diesel manufacturer aboard their vessel.

Shore Facility Pumps and Equipment

Fairbanks Morse also manufactured centrifugal pumps and industrial equipment installed at Navy shore facilities — drydocks, fuel handling systems, and industrial plant equipment. Shore-side maintenance workers who serviced Fairbanks Morse pump equipment at Navy stations and shipyards encountered asbestos in valve packing, pump gaskets, and insulation on associated piping systems.

VA Claims for Veterans Exposed to Fairbanks Morse Equipment

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure aboard Navy vessels including submarines and in Navy shore facilities. Veterans who served in engineering billets on Fairbanks Morse diesel-powered vessels or worked on Fairbanks Morse equipment at Navy installations before the early 1980s and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.