The Baltimore class consisted of 14 heavy cruisers commissioned between 1943 and 1946 at Bethlehem Steel Quincy, Bethlehem Steel Fore River, and New York Shipbuilding Corporation. The Baltimore class formed the backbone of WWII heavy cruiser forces, providing naval gunfire support and carrier task force escort with 8-inch main batteries. Several Baltimore-class ships were converted to guided missile cruisers (CAG/CG) in the 1950s-1960s, extending the class’s service life into the 1970s. The Baltimore-class ships’ large steam engineering plant — four boilers in four firerooms — used extensive asbestos insulation consistent with WWII-era naval construction standards.

WWII-Era Steam Plant Asbestos

Baltimore-class heavy cruisers used a large steam turbine propulsion system with extensive asbestos insulation:

  • Four-boiler plant — Baltimore-class heavy cruisers used four Babcock & Wilcox boilers arranged in four separate firerooms with asbestos lagging on exterior surfaces, asbestos refractory brick in combustion chambers, and asbestos packing at boiler access points. The four-fireroom arrangement meant a large total volume of asbestos-containing boiler insulation distributed throughout the ship’s engineering spaces
  • Main steam distribution — the main steam piping from four firerooms to four enginerooms and to auxiliary steam loads used asbestos magnesia pipe covering throughout the extensive steam distribution network in a large cruiser hull. The large internal volume of Baltimore-class engineering spaces contained significant footage of asbestos-covered steam piping
  • Guided missile conversion modifications — Baltimore-class ships converted to CAG/CG guided missile cruisers in the 1950s underwent construction modifications that disturbed the existing asbestos pipe covering and construction materials during the conversion work at the conversion shipyard

WWII and Korean War Operations

Baltimore-class cruisers served in some of the most significant WWII Pacific operations:

  • Crew members serving aboard Baltimore-class cruisers occupied the asbestos-containing engineering and accommodation spaces throughout WWII Pacific combat operations and Korean War patrols

VA Claims for Baltimore-Class Veterans

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure aboard WWII-era heavy cruisers. Engineering ratings and crew members who served aboard Baltimore-class cruisers 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 Baltimore-Class Heavy Cruisers (CA)

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.