Cimarron class fleet oilers — five vessels (USS Cimarron AO-177 through USS Monongahela AO-178 and related hulls, commissioned 1981-1984) — were purpose-built underway replenishment oilers constructed at Avondale Shipyards in New Orleans, Louisiana, providing fuel oil, aviation fuel, and distillate products to operating carrier battle groups and surface action groups during underway replenishment (UNREP) operations. The Cimarron class was powered by steam turbines and operated as dedicated fuel support vessels for the fleet.

Steam Plant and Asbestos

Cimarron class oilers commissioned in 1981-1984 were built during the transitional construction period:

  • Main steam system insulation — the Cimarron class steam propulsion plant used thermal insulation in the steam distribution system that may have included asbestos-containing materials in construction areas where the Navy’s phase-down specifications were still transitioning in 1981-1982 construction. Machinist’s Mates and Boiler Technicians maintaining the steam plant aboard Cimarron class oilers worked in proximity to steam system insulation in the ship’s engineering spaces
  • Boiler system insulation — the main propulsion boilers aboard Cimarron class ships used thermal insulation that in the earliest-commissioned ships may have retained some asbestos-containing materials in the boiler casing insulation of the transitional construction period
  • Auxiliary steam systems — hotel steam and auxiliary equipment services aboard Cimarron class oilers used insulated piping that in the earliest-commissioned vessels may have included asbestos-containing materials

Fuel Handling Systems

Cimarron class oilers carried and transferred fuel in high volumes during UNREP operations:

  • The oilers’ fuel transfer operations required extensive piping and pump systems for moving fuel oil and aviation fuel from the oiler’s tanks to receiving ships during UNREP alongside operations
  • Engineering ratings maintaining the fuel transfer pump systems and associated piping aboard Cimarron class ships worked in the ship’s engineering spaces throughout UNREP operations

VA Claims for Cimarron Class Veterans

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure in Navy fleet oiler engineering spaces. Engineering ratings who served aboard Cimarron class fleet oilers during the early service period 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 Cimarron Class

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.