Johns Manville Corporation was the largest manufacturer of asbestos-containing insulation products in the United States — including pipe covering, block insulation, blanket insulation, and building materials — for industrial and commercial applications throughout the first three-quarters of the 20th century. Johns Manville’s asbestos insulation product lines were standard materials used in US Navy steam plant insulation, ship interior construction, and shore facility building construction throughout the WWII and Cold War era. The company’s primary asbestos pipe insulation products — including the Thermobestos pipe covering, asbestos block insulation, and various asbestos-containing building products — appeared throughout the engineering spaces of Navy destroyers, cruisers, aircraft carriers, and submarines as the standard pipe and equipment insulation material. Johns Manville filed for bankruptcy reorganization in 1982 due to accumulated asbestos litigation liability; the Johns Manville Personal Injury Settlement Trust (later the Manville Personal Injury Settlement Trust) was established to compensate exposed persons.

Johns Manville Asbestos Insulation Products in Navy Applications

Johns Manville’s product lines created extensive Navy exposure:

  • Thermobestos and asbestos pipe covering — Johns Manville’s Thermobestos and similar asbestos pipe covering products were the standard thermal insulation for Navy steam system piping throughout the WWII and Cold War era steam plant fleet. Machinist’s Mate and Boiler Technician ratings removing old asbestos pipe covering from steam system piping during maintenance — using tools to cut away and pull away deteriorated insulation — generated asbestos fiber from the disturbed insulation material throughout each maintenance evolution
  • Asbestos block insulation — Johns Manville’s asbestos block insulation products were standard for boiler casing insulation and equipment insulation in Navy engineering spaces. Block insulation removal generated significant asbestos dust when the aged, friable blocks were cut away from insulated surfaces
  • Asbestos-containing building products — Johns Manville manufactured a broad line of asbestos-containing building products — ceiling tile, floor tile, roofing materials, wallboard, and joint compound — used throughout Navy shore facility construction. Seabees and maintenance workers installing, renovating, or removing Johns Manville asbestos building products accumulated exposure from these operations

Widespread Use Across Ship Classes and Shore Facilities

Johns Manville products appeared across the entire Navy:

  • Johns Manville was so dominant in the industrial insulation market that its asbestos pipe covering and block insulation products appeared in virtually every class of Navy steam-powered combatant built from the 1920s through the 1960s — from WWII destroyers and carriers through Cold War-era cruisers and carriers — as well as in Navy shore facility buildings throughout the naval establishment

Manville Personal Injury Settlement Trust

Johns Manville’s asbestos litigation history resulted in a major compensation trust:

  • Following the 1982 Johns Manville bankruptcy, the Manville Personal Injury Settlement Trust was established to compensate persons diagnosed with asbestos-related disease after exposure to Johns Manville products. Navy veterans with documented exposure to Johns Manville products may have claims against this trust in addition to VA disability benefit eligibility

VA Claims for Veterans Exposed to Johns Manville Products

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure from insulation work in Navy steam plant engineering spaces and shore facilities. Machinist’s Mates, Boiler Technicians, Seabees, and other ratings who worked with or around Johns Manville asbestos products and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.