Bogue class escort carriers — eleven ships (USS Bogue CVE-9 through USS Breton CVE-23, commissioned 1942–1943) — were converted C3-type merchant hulls serving as the primary US Navy anti-submarine escort carriers in the Battle of the Atlantic during the critical 1942–1944 period. USS Bogue, Card, Core, Croatan, and other ships of the class were credited with sinking dozens of German U-boats during the mid-war period. Built at Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding (Tacoma, Washington), Bogue class ships retained the C3 hull’s Allis-Chalmers geared steam turbine propulsion system from the original merchant construction, with steam plant specifications and materials consistent with late 1930s commercial shipbuilding.

Converted C3 Hull Steam Plant and Asbestos

Bogue class escort carriers used the C3 commercial hull steam plant with asbestos insulation:

  • Commercial specification boiler insulation — the boilers in converted Bogue class hulls used asbestos block insulation on boiler casings and asbestos-containing refractory in firebox construction consistent with late 1930s commercial shipbuilding specifications. Boiler Tender ratings maintaining these boilers worked in the converted carrier’s engineering spaces in proximity to asbestos-insulated boiler surfaces
  • Main steam system insulation — the main steam piping in these converted C3 hulls used asbestos pipe covering consistent with the commercial maritime construction of the parent hulls. Engineering ratings in the engine room were in proximity to asbestos-insulated steam piping during the escort carrier’s underway operations in the Atlantic
  • Turbine insulation — the Allis-Chalmers geared steam turbines in Bogue class ships used asbestos-containing insulation lagging from the commercial C3 construction specification

C3 Commercial Hull Interior Construction

Bogue class carriers combined commercial hull construction with Navy conversion modifications:

  • These converted merchant hulls retained original late 1930s commercial construction materials in the below-deck spaces while the converted hangar deck and flight deck areas used WWII Navy construction materials; engineering personnel in the below-deck engineering spaces encountered the original commercial hull asbestos-containing materials throughout the ship’s ASW carrier service

VA Claims for Bogue 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 Bogue class escort carriers (CVE-9 through CVE-23) 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 Bogue Class (CVE)

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.