Jenkins Brothers Valve Company, headquartered in Bridgeport, Connecticut, was one of the largest manufacturers of bronze and iron body valves supplying the US Navy throughout the World War II and Cold War eras. Jenkins Brothers specialized in lower-pressure service valves — ship service steam, freshwater distribution, and auxiliary system applications — supplying the valve types found throughout crew habitability systems, auxiliary machinery spaces, and secondary engineering systems across the Navy’s surface ship and auxiliary vessel fleets.

Asbestos in Jenkins Brothers Valve Components

Jenkins Brothers valves used asbestos packing and gaskets as standard sealing materials:

  • Bronze globe valve stem packing — Jenkins Brothers bronze globe valves in ship service steam and auxiliary applications used braided asbestos packing in the valve stuffing box, maintained by engineering ratings during valve packing replacements when valves leaked at the stem. The prevalence of Jenkins Brothers valves in secondary service applications throughout ships meant these routine valve packing jobs were extremely common maintenance tasks
  • Gate valve stem packing — Jenkins Brothers gate valves used the same braided asbestos stuffing box packing construction, appearing in isolation valve service throughout the ship’s piping systems
  • Valve bonnet gaskets — asbestos sheet gaskets sealing valve bonnets to valve bodies were disturbed when valves were opened for internal inspection or seat regrinding
  • Union end gaskets — many Jenkins Brothers auxiliary service valves used union-end connections with asbestos-containing gaskets that were disturbed during valve replacement or line break tasks

Widespread Fleet Distribution

Jenkins Brothers valves were found in virtually every class of surface ship and auxiliary vessel in the Navy inventory during the WWII and Cold War period, making them among the most commonly maintained valve types in the fleet:

  • Destroyer and cruiser auxiliary systems — ship service steam for heating, galley, and laundry service on destroyers and cruisers used Jenkins Brothers bronze globe and gate valves in secondary steam distribution piping
  • Auxiliary vessel steam systems — fleet auxiliary ships — repair ships, stores ships, tenders — had extensive secondary steam systems with Jenkins Brothers valve content in hotel and auxiliary circuits
  • Freshwater distribution — Jenkins Brothers also supplied bronze valves in freshwater distribution service throughout crew habitability systems

Engineering Rating Valve Maintenance

Engineering ratings — Machinist’s Mates, Boiler Technicians, and Damage Controlmen — performed routine valve packing replacement on Jenkins Brothers and other manufacturer’s valves throughout their shipboard tours. The frequency of valve packing replacement maintenance in a Navy steam plant meant cumulative asbestos fiber exposure from stuffing box packing work throughout a sailor’s career aboard steam-powered vessels.

VA Claims

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure from valve maintenance in Navy steam plants. Engineering ratings who performed valve packing replacement on Jenkins Brothers and other asbestos-packed steam service valves and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.