Tuthill Corporation — Asbestos in Navy Gear Pumps and Fuel System Components
By Rights Watch Media Group LLC
•June 22, 2026
•
2 min read
Tuthill Corporation, headquartered in Burr Ridge, Illinois, was a manufacturer of positive displacement gear pumps and fluid handling equipment for industrial and marine applications — including fuel oil transfer pumps, lube oil transfer pumps, and viscous fluid handling equipment used in US Navy auxiliary engineering systems aboard surface ships. Tuthill gear pumps appeared in fuel oil day tank transfer, lube oil system makeup, and auxiliary fluid transfer applications throughout the surface ship fleet.
Asbestos in Tuthill Pump Components
Tuthill gear pumps used asbestos-containing gaskets as standard sealing materials:
- Pump cover gaskets — the end cover gaskets sealing Tuthill gear pump housings used asbestos-containing gasket material consistent with the pump manufacturing standards of the WWII and Cold War eras. Pump overhaul and gear replacement required removal of pump end covers with disturbance of the asbestos cover gaskets at each overhaul
- Relief valve gaskets — the internal pressure relief valve used in Tuthill gear pumps to provide overpressure protection had asbestos-containing sealing gaskets at the relief valve body
- Suction and discharge connection gaskets — asbestos-containing gaskets at the flanged suction and discharge connections to the pump body, disturbed during pump removal and reinstallation during maintenance
Fuel Oil and Lube Oil System Applications
Tuthill gear pumps served fuel oil and lube oil transfer functions:
- Fuel oil day tank fill pumps — the pumps transferring fuel oil from main storage tanks to engineering plant day tanks used positive displacement gear pump designs for reliable viscous fluid transfer. MMs and BTs performing day tank fill pump maintenance encountered Tuthill pump gaskets at each maintenance interval
- Lube oil makeup and transfer — lube oil makeup pumps and oil transfer equipment used in turbine and reduction gear lubrication system maintenance
- Purifier feed pumps — feed pumps supplying fuel oil and lube oil to the purifier centrifuges for separation used gear pump designs with asbestos-containing casing gaskets
VA Claims
VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure from pump maintenance in Navy engineering plants. Engineering ratings who performed maintenance on Tuthill and other gear pump manufacturers’ equipment with asbestos-containing gaskets and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.
Disclaimer: The information in this article is for general educational purposes only and does not constitute medical or legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is created by reading this site. References to ships, shipyards, companies, products, and asbestos-containing materials are drawn from public VA records, NARA archives, EPA/OSHA databases, and public litigation records. All references reflect what has been documented or alleged in publicly filed records. Consult a licensed physician for medical guidance and a qualified attorney for legal advice regarding your specific situation.
Connect With a Navy Asbestos & Mesothelioma Attorney
Navy veterans and civilian shipyard workers diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may have grounds for a civil claim against the asbestos product manufacturers whose materials were installed aboard. O'Brien Law Firm represents veterans and their families in the civil track at no upfront cost — separate from any VA disability benefits you may be eligible for.
- Free case evaluation — no obligation to hire
- No attorney fee unless we make a financial recovery
- Civil claims against asbestos manufacturers & bankruptcy trust funds
- Maritime statute of limitations: 3 years from diagnosis (46 U.S.C. § 30106)
- Runs in parallel with VA benefits — civil recovery does not reduce VA disability compensation
O'Brien Law Firm
Civil mesothelioma & asbestos litigation — veterans and their families.
VA disability benefits are a separate government process. To file a VA disability claim for asbestos exposure, visit VA.gov › Hazardous Materials Exposure, call 1‑800‑827‑1000, or contact a Veterans Service Organization (DAV, VFW, American Legion) for free claim assistance.
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