Peerless Pump, headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, was a major manufacturer and supplier of centrifugal pumps serving the US Navy in auxiliary, fire suppression, bilge, and general service applications throughout World War II and the Cold War era. Peerless pumps were installed on Navy combatants, auxiliaries, and amphibious vessels in fire main pressurization systems, bilge and ballast service, seawater cooling auxiliary circuits, and general ship’s service pumping applications.

Asbestos in Peerless Pump Components

Peerless centrifugal pumps installed on Navy vessels through the 1970s used asbestos-containing sealing materials standard in centrifugal pump construction of the era:

  • Shaft gland packing — braided asbestos packing in the pump stuffing box providing shaft sealing on the rotating pump shaft, requiring periodic maintenance by Machinist’s Mates and replacement when packing leaked or wore
  • Pump body and flange gaskets between pump casing flanges and connected seawater, freshwater, or fuel piping, using asbestos sheet gasket material cut to fit flange dimensions
  • Mechanical seal gaskets on pumps equipped with mechanical shaft seals, where asbestos-containing gaskets were installed between seal components and pump casing
  • Fire main pump applications — Peerless pumps in fire main pressurization service aboard Navy ships operated in a critical safety system requiring reliable sealing maintained with asbestos packing throughout the era

Damage Controlman and Machinist’s Mate Exposure

Two Navy ratings had primary maintenance responsibility for the fire main system pumps and general auxiliary pumps where Peerless equipment was installed:

  • Damage Controlmen (DC) were responsible for ship’s damage control systems including fire main pressurization, and performed maintenance on fire pumps — including gland packing inspection and replacement — in the damage control system maintenance program
  • Machinist’s Mates (MM) maintained auxiliary machinery including all auxiliary pumping equipment, performing routine pump maintenance involving asbestos packing removal, cutting, and installation during pump overhaul

Peerless Pump held Navy supply contracts for shipboard centrifugal pump equipment through World War II and the postwar Cold War shipbuilding programs. Their pumps were supplied to multiple construction yards for installation during ship construction and were used as Navy standard equipment for auxiliary service applications across multiple vessel classes.

VA Claims

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure from pump maintenance aboard Navy vessels. Machinist’s Mates and Damage Controlmen who performed pump maintenance — including gland packing work on Peerless and other centrifugal pumps — and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.