Amphibious Cargo Ships (LKA Class) — Asbestos in Navy Amphibious Force Cargo Vessels

US Navy amphibious cargo ships — designated AKA (Attack Cargo Ship) in WWII and redesignated LKA (Amphibious Cargo Ship) in 1969 — were the Navy’s specialized cargo vessels for the amphibious assault force, carrying heavy military equipment, ammunition, and bulk cargo for delivery to assault beaches using the ship’s own LCVP and LCU landing craft. The LKA class included WWII-era converted Maritime Commission cargo vessels (the Charleston class and similar) and postwar purpose-built amphibious cargo ship designs operated by the Naval Reserve Force and active amphibious squadrons through the Cold War era.

Steam Plant and Asbestos

LKA class ships were powered by conventional steam plants with extensive asbestos insulation:

• Main steam system pipe insulation — the steam propulsion plant in LKA class cargo ships used asbestos pipe covering throughout the steam system serving the main propulsion turbines and ship’s service generators. Machinist’s Mates and Boiler Technicians maintaining the steam plant aboard LKA class ships worked continuously in proximity to asbestos-insulated piping in the ship’s engineering spaces
• Boiler insulation — the main propulsion boilers in LKA class ships used asbestos block insulation on boiler casings and asbestos refractory material in the firebox construction. Boiler Technicians performing boiler maintenance disturbed boiler insulation at each inspection and maintenance cycle
• Turbine insulation — the main propulsion turbines and auxiliary turbine generators used asbestos-containing insulation lagging consistent with the WWII and early postwar construction era of these vessels

Cargo Handling Equipment and Asbestos

LKA class ships were equipped with heavy cargo handling equipment:

• Cargo boom and winch systems — the heavy cargo booms and winch systems used for loading and offloading military cargo during amphibious operations used steam or electric winches with braking systems that included asbestos brake lining materials in winch control brakes
• Cargo hold construction — the cargo holds and vehicle decks throughout LKA class ships used period construction materials in deck coatings and structural fireproofing

Amphibious Operations

LKA class ships supported Marine Corps amphibious operations throughout the Cold War:

• LKA ships participated in Vietnam, Lebanon, and other amphibious contingency operations, with crew members living continuously in the ship’s asbestos-containing spaces during extended deployments
• The cargo handling nature of LKA service meant crew members worked throughout the ship’s construction rather than primarily in engineering spaces

VA Claims for LKA 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 deck ratings who served aboard LKA class ships and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.

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.