Landing Ship Tank (LST) vessels — 1,051 ships built during WWII and additional postwar LST-542 class and Newport class construction — were the primary large amphibious landing ships of the US Navy, capable of beaching themselves to discharge tanks, artillery, and wheeled vehicles directly onto the beach through their bow ramp. Built at Dravo Corporation (Pittsburgh and Wilmington), American Bridge Company, Chicago Bridge & Iron, and dozens of other yards, WWII LSTs typically used two diesel engines on twin shafts, with later classes using diesel or steam propulsion. These ships served in every major WWII amphibious operation from North Africa through D-Day to the Pacific island campaigns.

WWII LST Diesel Engineering and Asbestos

WWII LSTs used diesel propulsion with asbestos-containing auxiliary systems:

  • Diesel engine exhaust and auxiliary insulation — the two diesel engines and their exhaust systems aboard WWII LSTs used asbestos-containing thermal insulation on high-temperature engine components and exhaust manifolds. Enginemen maintaining the LST diesel propulsion plant in the below-deck engineering spaces worked in proximity to asbestos-insulated engine components during underway operations and maintenance
  • Auxiliary steam and heating systems — the ship’s service steam systems aboard LSTs for crew heating, fresh water, and equipment served asbestos-insulated distribution piping in the crew habitability and auxiliary systems. Engineering ratings maintaining these auxiliary systems worked with asbestos-insulated steam piping throughout the ship’s below-deck areas
  • Engine room gaskets and sealing — the engine cylinder head gaskets, exhaust manifold gaskets, and valve packing throughout LST diesel and auxiliary systems used asbestos-containing materials for sealing high-temperature engine components

WWII Mass Production Interior Construction

LSTs were mass-produced using wartime production methods:

  • These ships were built at extremely high production rates — sometimes a ship per week at peak production — using standardized WWII construction methods with asbestos-containing products in the interior construction of crew quarters, tank deck, and superstructure throughout the mass-produced wartime hull

Cold War LST Service

Many WWII-built LSTs served through the Korean War and beyond:

  • WWII-built LSTs remaining in service served through the Korean War amphibious operations and into the early Cold War era, with crew members in this postwar period serving aboard ships carrying original WWII asbestos construction materials

VA Claims for LST Veterans

VA evaluates asbestos-related disability claims on a case-by-case basis. Veterans generally need evidence of in-service asbestos exposure, a current asbestos-related diagnosis, and a medical link between them. Engineering ratings and crew members who served aboard LST landing ships 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 Landing Ship Tank (LST)

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 Disability Claims for Asbestos-Related Disease

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs evaluates asbestos claims individually. A veteran generally needs medical evidence of a current asbestos-related disease, service evidence supporting in-service asbestos exposure, and a medical opinion connecting the two. Ship assignments, Navy ratings, and equipment records can help document the exposure history but do not create automatic service connection.

Approved claims may provide monthly disability compensation and related benefits. Survivors may separately qualify for Dependency & Indemnity Compensation when the applicable requirements are met. Civil lawsuits and asbestos-trust claims use different standards; claimants should obtain individualized advice about how the processes interact.

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.