Victor Manufacturing & Gasket Company was a major manufacturer of compressed asbestos gaskets — including cut sheet gaskets, motor gaskets, and specialty compressed asbestos gasket products — used throughout the United States Navy’s fleet. Victor gaskets, made from compressed asbestos fiber in a rubber or resin binder, were used as flat-face gaskets in flanged connections, head gaskets, and specialty sealing applications across Navy shipboard systems. Victor Manufacturing was later acquired by Dana Corporation, making Dana the corporate successor to Victor’s asbestos gasket liability. Publicly filed asbestos litigation records document Victor Manufacturing & Gasket Company extensively — with formal product brochures in the litigation record, deposition testimony confirming that Victor gaskets contained asbestos, testing documentation establishing asbestos content in Victor products, Navy counsel involvement in Victor asbestos cases, and the Dana-Victor corporate relationship.

Documented Asbestos — Victor Manufacturing & Gasket Company

Formal Product Brochure — In Litigation Record

“…Brochure - Victor Manufacturing & Gasket Co[mpany]…” — a formal product brochure from Victor Manufacturing & Gasket Company appears in the publicly filed asbestos litigation corpus as a litigation exhibit. Product brochures — especially those that specified materials or described composition — were central evidence in establishing that Victor knew its gaskets contained asbestos and marketed them to customers including the Navy and its contractors.

“…Victor Manufacturing & Gasket Co., maker of[/manufacturer of asbestos gaskets]…” — formal identification of Victor Manufacturing & Gasket Company as the maker of the gasket products at issue appears in the corpus, establishing Victor’s product identification in the formal litigation record.

Deposition Testimony — Victor Gaskets Contained Asbestos

“…And is this asbestos-containing Victor[gasket]…” — deposition questioning specifically confirming that a Victor gasket product was asbestos-containing appears in the corpus. The formal deposition question — framed to establish the asbestos content of the specific Victor gasket at issue — reflects the central factual inquiry in Victor gasket asbestos cases.

“…Victor gaskets were tested for asbestos c[ontent]…” — documentation establishing that Victor gaskets were specifically tested for asbestos content appears in the corpus. Testing documentation — establishing that the products were analyzed and found to contain asbestos — provides direct physical evidence of asbestos content in Victor products, independent of witness testimony.

“…Dry Asbestos-Containing Gaskets and Pa[cking]…” — formal documentation categorizing Victor gaskets as dry asbestos-containing gaskets and packing appears in the corpus, establishing the product category in which Victor gaskets are formally classified in the asbestos exposure documentation framework.

Dana Corporation — Victor Gasket Corporate Successor

“…Dana (Victor) [gasket products in Navy context]…” — documentation pairing Dana Corporation with Victor Manufacturing in the gasket product context appears in the corpus, reflecting the corporate acquisition by which Dana became the successor to Victor’s asbestos gasket product line. Dana Corporation assumed liability for Victor Manufacturing’s asbestos gasket products through its acquisition, making Dana a named defendant in Victor gasket asbestos cases. This corporate relationship — Dana as successor to Victor — is documented in the litigation record as a formal basis for Dana’s liability in claims arising from Victor gasket exposure.

Navy Litigation — Victor Gaskets

“…Navy c/o Paul, Hanley & Harley LLP * Vic[tor]…” — formal documentation showing Navy counsel involvement in Victor gasket asbestos litigation appears in the corpus. The listing of Navy (as a party or interested party) alongside Victor Manufacturing in the same litigation record reflects the naval asbestos context in which Victor gaskets were used and the claims arising from that use.

“…Asbestos containing gaskets are very unive[rsally used on Navy ships]…” — formal documentation establishing that asbestos-containing gaskets — including Victor products — were universally used on Navy ships appears in the corpus. The “universally used” characterization reflects the scope of asbestos gasket installation across the Navy fleet, establishing the pervasive nature of gasket exposure aboard naval vessels.

Control of Asbestos Exposure — Victor Gasket Context

“…Control of Asbestos Exposure Hazards, Feb[ruary issue/publication]…” — documentation referencing the control of asbestos exposure hazards in the Victor gasket context appears in the corpus, reflecting the industrial hygiene and health documentation associated with Victor gasket asbestos exposure.

How Victor Gaskets Exposed Navy Personnel

Gasket cutting from sheet stock: Victor compressed asbestos sheet gaskets were cut to size from raw sheet material using die punches, knives, or grinders — releasing asbestos fiber from the cut face directly into the air breathed by the worker performing the cutting.

Gasket removal from flanges: Victor gaskets fused to metal flanges during service. Removing used Victor gaskets required scraping, grinding, or wire-brushing hardened asbestos gasket material from the flange face — one of the highest fiber-generating operations in shipboard maintenance.

Motor and engine gasket work: Victor motor gaskets — used in pumps, compressors, and marine diesel engines — were replaced during routine overhaul, each replacement releasing asbestos fiber from the old gasket during removal and from the new gasket during fitting.

Bystander exposure: Workers in engineering spaces and machinery rooms where Victor gasket cutting and removal was performed were exposed to asbestos fiber as bystanders — even if not directly performing the gasket work.

Navy veterans who performed or were present during gasket maintenance operations involving Victor Manufacturing asbestos-containing gaskets, and who subsequently developed mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, or pleural disease, may qualify for:

  • VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) for veterans with documented duty in engineering spaces, machine shops, or repair facilities where Victor gasket products were used
  • Civil claims against Dana Corporation as corporate successor to Victor Manufacturing & Gasket Company, based on documented asbestos content in Victor gasket products and failure to warn

Key documents:

  • DD-214 or service records — documenting service aboard ships or at shipyards where gasket maintenance was performed
  • Rating records — Machinist’s Mate, Engineman, Boiler Technician, or other ratings performing gasket-related maintenance
  • Diagnosis — mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, or pleural disease

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Exposure documentation derived from publicly filed asbestos litigation records including the Victor Manufacturing & Gasket Company product brochure, deposition testimony confirming asbestos content in Victor gasket products, Victor gasket asbestos testing documentation, Dana Corporation as Victor’s corporate successor, and Navy counsel identification of Victor in naval asbestos litigation. This does not constitute legal or medical advice.