Atlanta class anti-aircraft light cruisers — eight ships (USS Atlanta CL-51 through USS Spokane CL-120, commissioned 1941–1946) — were purpose-built fleet anti-aircraft ships designed to provide a dense curtain of anti-aircraft gun fire to protect carrier task forces from Japanese air attack, mounting numerous 5-inch/38 caliber dual-purpose guns in a light cruiser hull. Built at Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company (Kearny, New Jersey) and Bethlehem Steel San Francisco, Atlanta class ships were powered by four Babcock & Wilcox boilers driving two sets of General Electric geared turbines. USS Atlanta CL-51 and USS Juneau CL-52 were lost in the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal (November 1942). Later ships of the class, the Juneau subclass (CL-119 through CL-121), were modified designs commissioned after WWII’s end.

WWII Steam Plant and Asbestos

Atlanta class anti-aircraft cruisers used steam propulsion with asbestos throughout the engineering spaces:

  • Main boiler insulation — the four Babcock & Wilcox boilers aboard Atlanta class ships used asbestos block insulation on boiler casings and asbestos-containing refractory in firebox construction. Boiler Tender ratings maintaining these boilers worked in the cruiser’s fire rooms with asbestos-insulated boiler surfaces throughout their sea duty assignment
  • Main steam piping insulation — the main steam distribution system from Atlanta class boilers to the propulsion turbines used asbestos pipe covering throughout the engineering spaces. Engineering ratings in the fire rooms and engine rooms were in continuous proximity to asbestos-insulated steam lines
  • Turbine insulation — Atlanta class turbines and reduction gear used asbestos-containing insulation lagging consistent with WWII-era light cruiser construction

Anti-Aircraft Weapon and Combat Operations

Atlanta class ships served as carrier task force escorts:

  • These ships escorted carrier task forces during major WWII Pacific operations, with engineering crew members serving continuous watches in the fire rooms and engine rooms through extended at-sea operations in the Pacific campaign, maintaining proximity to the ships’ asbestos-insulated engineering systems

VA Claims for Atlanta Class Veterans

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure aboard Navy anti-aircraft cruisers. Engineering ratings and crew members who served aboard Atlanta class ships (CL-51 through CL-121) 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 Atlanta Class (CLAA)

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 Presumptive Benefits — No Filing Deadline

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs recognizes mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, and pleural disease as conditions presumed to be service-connected for Navy veterans with documented asbestos exposure under 38 CFR § 3.309(d). No statute of limitations applies to VA disability compensation claims.

Available benefits may include monthly disability compensation, Dependency & Indemnity Compensation (DIC) for surviving spouses, priority VA healthcare enrollment, and Special Monthly Compensation for severe cases. Parallel claims against the asbestos bankruptcy trust funds established by the manufacturers of these products do not reduce VA compensation.

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.