Navy Torpedoman’s Mates (TM) — the enlisted rating responsible for the maintenance, readiness, and operation of torpedo tubes, torpedoes, torpedo fire control systems, and underwater weapons handling equipment — served aboard submarines, destroyers, destroyer escorts, and cruisers throughout the WWII and Cold War eras. TM ratings aboard submarines worked in the torpedo rooms in the bow and (in older submarines) stern sections, maintaining the torpedo tube tube-in-tube assemblies, torpedo handling equipment, and the torpedoes themselves. Surface ship Torpedoman’s Mates maintained torpedo tubes and torpedo handling equipment aboard destroyer-type surface combatants. Torpedoman’s Mates working in submarine torpedo rooms accumulated sustained background asbestos exposure from the asbestos-containing pipe insulation and interior construction of the submarine torpedo spaces, and encountered asbestos-containing electrical insulation in torpedo propulsion motor components during torpedo maintenance and overhaul operations.

Submarine Torpedo Room Asbestos

TM ratings in submarine torpedo rooms accumulated sustained asbestos exposure:

  • Submarine torpedo room pipe insulation — submarine torpedo rooms aboard WWII-era and Cold War conventional and nuclear submarines were fitted with oxygen breathing apparatus systems, seawater systems, and hotel service systems with piping insulated with asbestos-containing pipe covering on the torpedo room pipe systems. TM ratings living and working in submarine torpedo rooms — which served as working, living, and sleeping spaces for torpedo gang personnel — accumulated sustained background asbestos exposure from the asbestos pipe insulation and interior construction materials in the torpedo room spaces throughout their submarine assignments
  • Torpedo tube operating gear insulation — the torpedo tube operating gear and flood/drain systems in submarine torpedo tubes incorporated asbestos-containing gasket and packing materials at valve and fitting connections in the torpedo tube hydraulic and flooding systems. Torpedoman’s Mates performing torpedo tube maintenance and operational testing encountered asbestos-containing gasket and packing materials in the torpedo tube operating gear components during torpedo tube maintenance operations
  • Submarine interior construction background exposure — submarine torpedo rooms were located within the submarine pressure hull constructed with asbestos-containing materials in the interior construction of diesel-electric and early nuclear submarines. TM ratings quartered and working in the submarine torpedo rooms accumulated background asbestos exposure from the submarine interior construction throughout the torpedo room work and living space

Torpedo Propulsion and Electrical Asbestos

TM ratings maintaining torpedo propulsion systems encountered asbestos:

  • Torpedo electric propulsion motor insulation — the electric propulsion motors of wire-guided and acoustic homing torpedoes used winding insulation materials in the propulsion motor stator and rotor assemblies. Torpedoman’s Mates performing torpedo propulsion motor maintenance and overhaul at naval torpedo stations and aboard submarine tender torpedo shops encountered asbestos-containing electrical winding insulation in torpedo propulsion motor assemblies during torpedo overhaul operations
  • Torpedo warhead and propulsion section maintenance — the propulsion sections of conventional torpedoes were maintained and overhauled at naval weapons stations and submarine tender torpedo workshops. TM ratings performing torpedo propulsion section overhaul in torpedo shop facilities accumulated background asbestos exposure from the torpedo shop building construction in addition to direct asbestos contact during torpedo propulsion component maintenance

Surface Ship Torpedo Space Asbestos

TM ratings on surface combatants accumulated asbestos exposure:

  • Destroyer torpedo tube spaces — torpedo tubes and torpedo handling equipment aboard WWII-era and early Cold War destroyers and destroyer escorts were installed in torpedo spaces adjacent to the ship’s engineering compartments, with the torpedo space construction incorporating asbestos-containing pipe insulation and structural materials consistent with WWII-era destroyer construction. TM ratings working in destroyer torpedo spaces accumulated background asbestos exposure from the torpedo space construction throughout their surface ship torpedo assignments

VA Claims for Navy Torpedoman’s Mates

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure from Navy underwater weapons service. Torpedoman’s Mates who served in submarine torpedo rooms and surface ship torpedo spaces and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.