Brooklyn class light cruisers — nine ships (USS Brooklyn CL-40 through USS Helena CL-50, commissioned 1937–1939) — were Treaty light cruisers that served throughout the WWII campaign as screening vessels for carrier and battleship task forces, shore bombardment ships, and convoy escorts. Built at New York Shipbuilding (Camden, New Jersey) and Bethlehem Steel, Brooklyn class ships were powered by eight boilers driving four sets of Parsons geared steam turbines. Several Brooklyn class ships saw extensive combat — USS Helena CL-50 was lost in the Battle of Kula Gulf (1943). Surviving ships of the class served through the war and into postwar service, with several transferred to foreign navies in the late 1940s and 1950s.

Prewar Steam Plant and Asbestos

Brooklyn class light cruisers used large steam propulsion plants with asbestos insulation throughout:

  • Main boiler insulation — the eight boilers aboard Brooklyn class cruisers used asbestos block insulation on boiler casings and asbestos refractory materials in firebox construction. Firemen and Boiler Tenders maintaining these boilers worked in the cruiser’s fire rooms in proximity to asbestos-insulated boiler casings throughout their sea duty assignment
  • Main steam piping insulation — the main steam system piping throughout these 608-foot cruisers was insulated with asbestos pipe covering from the original 1937–1939 construction. Engineering personnel in the fire rooms and engine rooms were in continuous proximity to asbestos-insulated steam piping during underway operations and port maintenance periods
  • Turbine insulation — the main propulsion turbines and reduction gear sets aboard Brooklyn class ships used asbestos-containing thermal insulation consistent with late 1930s light cruiser construction specifications

1930s Interior Construction

Brooklyn class ships used prewar construction materials throughout:

  • The crew berthing, mess spaces, and working areas throughout these prewar-designed cruisers used 1930s construction materials including asbestos deck covering, overhead insulation, and bulkhead construction throughout the cruiser’s multiple deck interior

VA Claims for Brooklyn Class Veterans

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure aboard Navy light cruisers. Engineering ratings and crew members who served aboard Brooklyn class light cruisers (CL-40 through CL-50) 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 Brooklyn Class (CL)

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.