Bayfield class attack transports were C3-type merchant vessel hulls converted for Navy attack transport service during WWII — carrying assault troops and landing craft for amphibious operations. USS Bayfield (APA-33) served as flagship for the Utah Beach landings on D-Day (June 6, 1944), carrying the amphibious force command and delivering assault troops to the Normandy beaches. Bayfield class ships were powered by steam turbine propulsion systems carried over from the commercial C3 hull construction, with steam plant specifications and insulation materials consistent with the commercial shipbuilding practices of the late 1930s and early 1940s when the parent hulls were originally constructed.

Commercial Steam Plant and Asbestos

Bayfield class attack transports used steam propulsion from commercial C3 hull specifications:

  • Main boiler insulation — the boilers in Bayfield class ships used asbestos block insulation on boiler casings and asbestos-containing refractory materials in the firebox construction consistent with commercial merchant ship construction of the late 1930s. Boiler Tender ratings maintaining these boilers worked in proximity to asbestos-insulated boiler surfaces in the ships’ boiler rooms throughout their WWII service
  • Main steam system pipe insulation — the main steam distribution piping throughout these converted cargo vessel hulls was insulated with asbestos pipe covering from the commercial construction, with engineering personnel in the engine room in continuous proximity to asbestos-insulated steam piping during underway operations
  • Turbine insulation — the main propulsion turbines in these converted C3 hulls used asbestos-containing insulation lagging from the commercial C3 hull construction specification

Wartime Conversion Interior Construction

Bayfield class ships retained commercial hull interior construction with Navy modifications:

  • The troop berthing spaces, cargo decks converted for troop use, and amphibious warfare equipment spaces in these converted merchant hulls used a combination of the original commercial construction materials and WWII Navy modifications, with asbestos-containing products throughout the interior from both the original commercial construction and the WWII Navy conversion work

VA Claims for Bayfield Class Veterans

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure aboard Navy attack transports. Engineering ratings and crew members who served aboard Bayfield class attack transports 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 Bayfield Class (APA)

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.