Haskell class attack transports — 117 ships (commissioned 1944–1945) — were mass-produced VC2-S-AP5 standard hull attack transports carrying troops, equipment, and supplies for amphibious assault operations throughout WWII. Built at Kaiser Permanente Shipyard (Richmond, California), Bethlehem-Fairfield (Baltimore), and other wartime yards, Haskell class ships were powered by two Westinghouse geared steam turbines driven by a single Foster Wheeler or Combustion Engineering boiler — a simplified single-boiler plant for wartime production efficiency. These ships carried assault troops, their equipment, and landing craft for amphibious operations across the Pacific campaign from the Philippines through Japan.

Single-Boiler Steam Plant and Asbestos

Haskell class attack transports used a simplified wartime steam plant with asbestos insulation:

  • Main boiler insulation — the single Foster Wheeler or Combustion Engineering boiler in Haskell class ships used asbestos block insulation on the boiler casing and asbestos-containing refractory materials in the firebox construction. Boiler Tender ratings maintaining these boilers worked in the ship’s boiler room in direct proximity to asbestos-insulated boiler surfaces throughout the ship’s WWII and postwar service
  • Main steam system insulation — the main steam piping from the single boiler to the propulsion turbines used asbestos pipe covering throughout the ship’s engineering spaces. Engineering ratings in the engine room were in proximity to asbestos-insulated steam piping during underway operations and maintenance
  • Turbine insulation — the two Westinghouse geared steam turbines aboard Haskell class ships used asbestos-containing thermal insulation consistent with WWII wartime construction specifications

Mass Production and Wartime Construction Materials

Haskell class ships were built using WWII mass production techniques:

  • These ships were built rapidly using the Liberty ship production techniques at Kaiser and other wartime yards, using standard WWII industrial building and shipbuilding materials throughout including asbestos-containing products in the interior construction, crew habitability systems, and engineering spaces of the mass-produced hull

VA Claims for Haskell 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 Haskell class attack transports (APA hull numbers) 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 Haskell 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.