Ashland class dock landing ships — eight ships (USS Ashland LSD-1 through USS Oak Hill LSD-7, commissioned 1943–1946) — were the first purpose-built dock landing ships in the US Navy, providing a large flooded well deck for launching and recovering landing craft, launching and recovering small submarines, and supporting underwater demolition operations. Built at Moore Shipbuilding (Oakland, California) and other wartime yards, Ashland class ships were powered by two sets of steam reciprocating engines — a simplified propulsion plant using vertical triple-expansion reciprocating engines rather than turbines — providing adequate speed for amphibious force operations. These ships served in the Pacific campaign and postwar amphibious exercises through the Korean War era.

Reciprocating Steam Plant and Asbestos

Ashland class dock landing ships used steam reciprocating engines with asbestos throughout:

  • Main boiler insulation — the boilers supplying steam to Ashland class reciprocating engines used asbestos block insulation on boiler casings and asbestos-containing refractory in firebox construction from the original 1943–1946 commissioning. Boiler Tender ratings maintaining these boilers worked in proximity to asbestos-insulated boiler surfaces in the ships’ engineering spaces
  • Steam distribution piping insulation — the main steam piping from the boilers to the reciprocating engine cylinders used asbestos pipe covering throughout the engineering spaces. Engineering ratings in the machinery spaces were in proximity to asbestos-insulated steam distribution piping during operations
  • Reciprocating engine cylinder insulation — the large vertical triple-expansion reciprocating engine cylinders used asbestos-containing insulation on the cylinder and valve chest surfaces, with engineering ratings performing engine maintenance in proximity to these asbestos-insulated engine components

WWII Well Deck and Interior Construction

Ashland class ships used WWII-era construction materials throughout:

  • The well deck, crew berthing, and working spaces throughout these WWII-era dock landing ships used wartime construction materials including asbestos-containing deck products and interior construction throughout the ship’s hull from the original commissioning

VA Claims for Ashland Class Veterans

VA evaluates asbestos-related disability claims on a case-by-case basis. Veterans generally need evidence of in-service asbestos exposure, a current asbestos-related diagnosis, and a medical link between them. Engineering ratings and crew members who served aboard Ashland class dock landing ships (LSD-1 through LSD-8) and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.

Product & Manufacturer Reference

The asbestos-containing products documented on U.S. Navy vessels and at shipyards are catalogued by manufacturer on AsbestosIndex. These records cross-reference which companies supplied which materials and to which facilities.

Pipe Covering & Block Insulation Thermal insulation applied to steam lines, valves, and equipment in engine rooms and fire rooms Marine Products Insulation, gaskets, and packing products specified for naval and commercial marine applications Boilers & Steam Equipment Boiler manufacturers and insulation products — central to the fire room exposure pathway Gaskets & Packing Sheet and ring gaskets used throughout piping flanges, valve bonnets, and pump housings Electrical Products Wire insulation, switchgear arc chutes, and panel liners used throughout electrical spaces Full Product Index Search all 200+ manufacturers and 1,500+ documented asbestos products on AsbestosIndex™

Navy Ratings Most Exposed to Asbestos Aboard Ashland Class (LSD)

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the public asbestos litigation record document that the following Navy ratings worked routinely in spaces where ACM was installed, maintained, ripped out, and replaced:

VA Disability Claims for Asbestos-Related Disease

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs evaluates asbestos claims individually. A veteran generally needs medical evidence of a current asbestos-related disease, service evidence supporting in-service asbestos exposure, and a medical opinion connecting the two. Ship assignments, Navy ratings, and equipment records can help document the exposure history but do not create automatic service connection.

Approved claims may provide monthly disability compensation and related benefits. Survivors may separately qualify for Dependency & Indemnity Compensation when the applicable requirements are met. Civil lawsuits and asbestos-trust claims use different standards; claimants should obtain individualized advice about how the processes interact.

How to file a VA disability claim: VA claims are filed directly with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs — not with a law firm. Start at VA.gov › Hazardous Materials Exposure, call 1‑800‑827‑1000, or get free help filing from a Veterans Service Organization: DAV, VFW, or American Legion.

VA Claims Guide on This Site › Compare: VA vs. Civil Lawsuit

Source notes: equipment-manifest entries (where shown) are sourced from public-record BUSHIPS (Bureau of Ships) documentation, NARA archives, and the public asbestos litigation record. Manufacturer attributions link to documented asbestos-product histories on AsbestosIndex.com where available. Nothing on this page constitutes medical or legal advice.