The Henry J. Kaiser class fleet replenishment oilers — 18 hulls (T-AO-187 through T-AO-204) built between 1984 and 1994 at Avondale Shipyards (Louisiana) and San Diego — operated under the Military Sealift Command (MSC) with civilian MSC mariners supplemented by small Navy detachments. The Kaiser class used diesel-electric propulsion — Stork-Werkspoor diesel engines driving electric motors on two shafts — eliminating the steam propulsion plants that characterized earlier underway replenishment auxiliaries. Built at a time when asbestos was being phased out of Navy and merchant ship construction, Kaiser class ships were constructed with reduced asbestos in their propulsion plant compared to steam-powered predecessors, but early hulls of the class may have retained asbestos in some auxiliary and interior construction categories.

Diesel-Electric Propulsion and Asbestos Profile

The Kaiser class diesel-electric plant differs significantly from the steam propulsion plants of earlier US Navy auxiliaries:

  • Diesel engine gaskets — the Stork-Werkspoor diesel main engines used asbestos-containing cylinder head gaskets and exhaust manifold gaskets in early-production engines, maintained by MSC engineering personnel during engine maintenance
  • Auxiliary system connections — piping connections throughout auxiliary systems used asbestos-containing gaskets in the earliest Kaiser class hulls built before the full implementation of asbestos substitute materials in Navy-contracted auxiliary construction
  • Interior construction in early Kaiser class hulls built in the mid-1980s may have included some asbestos-containing materials in crew spaces under specifications in transition from asbestos to asbestos-substitute materials

Military Sealift Command and Civilian Mariner Exposure

The Kaiser class operated with civilian MSC mariners rather than Navy enlisted crews in the engineering plant. MSC mariners who served in the engineering departments of early Kaiser class oilers during the ships’ first commission period may have encountered the residual asbestos-containing materials in the auxiliary systems and early-hull interior construction.

Earlier Underway Replenishment Auxiliaries

The preceding Cimarron class (AO-177), Mispillion class (AO-105), and Neosho class (AO-143) fleet oilers used steam propulsion plants with comprehensive asbestos insulation in their engineering spaces. Navy Enginemen and Machinist’s Mates who served aboard earlier steam-powered fleet oilers before the Kaiser class transition had the full steam plant asbestos exposure pattern.

VA Claims

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure aboard Navy auxiliary vessels. Navy personnel and MSC civilians who served aboard pre-Kaiser class steam oilers in engineering billets 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 Henry J. Kaiser Class (T-AO)

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.