Gunner’s Mate Missiles (GMM) — Navy enlisted ratings responsible for maintaining surface-to-air missile launchers, missile fire control systems, and below-deck missile handling equipment — served aboard guided missile destroyers (DDG), guided missile cruisers (CG/DLG), and guided missile frigates (FFG) maintaining the surface-to-air missile systems providing fleet air defense capability. GMM ratings maintained Tartar, Terrier, Talos, and Standard Missile launching systems, magazine elevator mechanisms, and missile handling equipment aboard Cold War-era guided missile combatants. Gunner’s Mate Missiles worked extensively in the below-deck missile magazine spaces and missile handling rooms where assembled missiles were stored and transferred to the topside launchers, in compartments constructed within the ship’s hull using construction materials consistent with the vessel’s construction period. GMM ratings working in the below-deck missile magazines and handling rooms of Cold War-era guided missile ships commissioned during the asbestos construction period accumulated background asbestos exposure from the asbestos-containing hull construction materials present in the missile handling spaces throughout their missile system maintenance work.

Missile Magazine and Handling Room Asbestos

GMM ratings in below-deck missile spaces accumulated background asbestos:

  • Missile magazine hull construction — the below-deck missile magazine spaces aboard Cold War-era guided missile destroyers and cruisers were constructed within the ship’s hull below the main deck using construction materials consistent with the vessel’s construction period. Guided missile ships commissioned in the late 1950s and 1960s — Coontz class, Charles F. Adams class, Leahy class, Belknap class, and Albany class — incorporated asbestos-containing pipe insulation and construction materials in their below-deck hull spaces, including the missile magazine compartments where GMM ratings performed missile maintenance and missile handling operations. Gunner’s Mate Missiles spending extended time in missile magazine spaces performing missile assembly, inspection, and launcher loading operations accumulated background asbestos exposure from the hull construction materials in the missile magazine spaces
  • Missile handling room and elevator machinery construction — the missile handling rooms and below-deck elevator machinery spaces aboard Cold War-era guided missile ships incorporated construction materials consistent with the vessel’s construction period. GMM ratings maintaining missile handling equipment and missile elevator mechanisms in below-deck handling spaces worked in proximity to the hull construction materials throughout their missile handling maintenance work

Topside Missile Launcher Asbestos

GMM ratings maintaining topside missile launcher equipment encountered asbestos:

  • Missile launcher handling machinery gaskets — the below-deck handling machinery, hydraulic systems, and mechanical drive components of Tartar, Terrier, and Standard Missile launching systems incorporated gasket and sealing materials consistent with the equipment manufacturing specifications of the installation period. GMM ratings performing launcher disassembly and hydraulic system maintenance encountered equipment gasket materials during launcher maintenance operations

VA Claims for Gunner’s Mate Missiles Veterans

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure from Navy guided missile ship service. Gunner’s Mate Missiles who served aboard Cold War-era guided missile destroyers or cruisers and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.