The Garcia class frigates (FF-1040 through FF-1051) and the closely related Brooke class guided missile frigates (FFG-1 through FFG-6) were built between 1962 and 1968 at Bethlehem Steel (San Francisco), Avondale Shipyards (Louisiana), and Lockheed Shipbuilding (Seattle) as the predecessor ASW escort design to the Knox class. Garcia and Brooke class frigates used single-shaft Westinghouse steam turbine propulsion with Babcock & Wilcox boilers — the same engineering plant concept as the Knox class — requiring comprehensive asbestos insulation in the engineering spaces in the pattern standard for Cold War-era steam-powered combatants.

Steam Plant and Asbestos

Garcia and Brooke class frigates used the same single-shaft steam turbine concept as the Knox class, with asbestos insulation required throughout the engineering plant:

  • Two B&W boilers with asbestos block, sectional covering, and cement on boiler casings, steam drums, and superheater sections
  • Single Westinghouse turbine set with asbestos block insulation on turbine casings and high-temperature steam connections in the engine room
  • Main steam piping from the boiler rooms to the engine room covered with asbestos block lagging throughout the engineering spaces
  • Auxiliary steam and feedwater systems with asbestos insulation on feedwater heaters, deaerators, and auxiliary equipment

Garcia and Brooke Class in Service

Garcia class frigates served as ASW escorts throughout the 1970s, conducting North Atlantic and Mediterranean deployments in convoy escort and submarine hunting roles. Brooke class frigates added the Tartar missile system for limited area defense while retaining the same ASW sensor suite. Both classes were decommissioned or transferred to allied navies in the 1980s and early 1990s as the Oliver Hazard Perry class took over the frigate mission.

VA Claims

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure aboard Navy frigates. Veterans who served aboard Garcia class (FF-1040 through FF-1051) or Brooke class (FFG-1 through FFG-6) frigates 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 Garcia / Brooke Class (FF/FFG)

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.