Navy Boatswain’s Mates (BM) — the enlisted rating responsible for seamanship operations, deck maintenance, small boat operation, anchoring and mooring operations, and cargo handling aboard naval vessels — served aboard surface combatants, amphibious ships, auxiliary vessels, and service craft throughout the WWII and Cold War eras. BM ratings worked throughout the ship’s deck spaces, cargo holds, below-deck passageways, and spaces adjacent to engineering compartments in the daily performance of seamanship and deck maintenance duties. Boatswain’s Mates accumulating shipboard service aboard vessels constructed during the WWII and Cold War eras — when asbestos-containing materials were standard Navy construction materials — accumulated background asbestos exposure from the asbestos-insulated ship construction in the passageways, deck spaces, and adjacent spaces where they performed their daily duties. BM ratings working on deck painting and maintenance operations also encountered asbestos-containing deck coatings and deck composition materials used in Navy surface vessel construction through the early 1970s.

Ship Interior Asbestos Background Exposure

BM ratings working throughout ship interiors accumulated background asbestos exposure:

  • Passageway and below-deck space insulation — Navy surface vessels constructed during the WWII and Cold War era used asbestos-containing pipe insulation throughout the below-deck passageways connecting engineering spaces, berthing compartments, and working spaces throughout the ship’s interior. Boatswain’s Mates transiting below-deck passageways and working in below-deck spaces adjacent to engineering compartments during their daily shipboard duties accumulated background asbestos exposure from the asbestos pipe insulation and structural insulation in the ship’s interior construction throughout their shipboard service
  • Deck composition and deck coating materials — the deck composition material used on Navy vessel weather decks and interior decks during the WWII and early Cold War era incorporated asbestos-containing materials as a standard component of Navy deck surfacing. BM ratings performing deck maintenance, deck scraping, and deck coating operations on asbestos-containing Navy deck surfaces encountered asbestos-containing deck composition materials during deck maintenance operations

Deck Equipment and Small Boat Asbestos

BM ratings maintaining deck equipment and small boats encountered asbestos:

  • Anchor windlass and capstan maintenance — anchor windlass and capstan machinery used for anchoring and mooring operations aboard Navy vessels incorporated asbestos-containing gasket materials in windlass and capstan drive housing components. Boatswain’s Mates performing maintenance on anchor windlass and capstan drive machinery encountered asbestos-containing gasket materials in anchoring system drive components during maintenance operations
  • Small boat engine gasket materials — ship’s boats maintained and operated by Boatswain’s Mates — motor whaleboats, utility boats, and captain’s gigs — used gasoline or diesel engines with asbestos-containing cylinder head and exhaust system gasket materials. BM ratings performing small boat engine maintenance encountered asbestos-containing engine gasket materials during small boat engine overhaul and maintenance operations
  • Cargo handling equipment insulation — the steam-driven cargo winches and boat davit machinery aboard auxiliary vessels and amphibious ships incorporated asbestos-insulated steam supply and exhaust lines serving the winch and davit steam drives. Boatswain’s Mates operating and maintaining steam-driven cargo handling equipment on auxiliary vessels accumulated exposure from the asbestos-insulated steam systems serving the deck cargo handling machinery

VA Claims for Navy Boatswain’s Mates

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure from Navy shipboard service. Boatswain’s Mates who served aboard Navy vessels constructed with asbestos-containing materials and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits, including under the VA’s recognition of background asbestos exposure from shipboard construction.