Landing Ships Medium (LSM) — 558 ships built in the LSM-1 through LSM-558 series (commissioned 1944–1946) — were 203-foot amphibious vessels designed to land tanks, trucks, and troops directly on beaches in the shallow draft landing operation role. Built primarily at Brown Shipbuilding (Houston, Texas), Charleston Drydock and Machine, and other yards, LSM ships served in both Pacific island-hopping operations and European theater operations including the Operation DRAGOON landing in southern France in August 1944. LSM vessels were powered by two Fairbanks Morse opposed-piston diesel generators driving electric motors (diesel-electric propulsion), giving these amphibious vessels good beaching and retraction capability. Despite their relatively small size, LSM vessels used asbestos-containing materials in their diesel engine gaskets and in the interior construction consistent with WWII-era naval construction specifications.

Diesel-Electric Machinery and Asbestos

LSM diesel-electric propulsion systems used asbestos-containing materials:

  • Fairbanks Morse diesel engine gaskets — the Fairbanks Morse opposed-piston diesel generators used asbestos-containing cylinder head and exhaust manifold gaskets in the engine assembly. Enginemen performing diesel overhaul operations on LSM vessels encountered asbestos fiber from the compressed asbestos gasket materials in the diesel engine construction
  • Diesel exhaust system insulation — the diesel generator exhaust piping used asbestos pipe insulation on exhaust lines in the LSM’s machinery spaces. Engineering ratings were in proximity to asbestos-insulated exhaust piping in the confined machinery compartments of these relatively small amphibious vessels
  • Engine room pipe system gaskets — the auxiliary piping systems in LSM engine rooms used asbestos-containing gasket materials in pipe flange connections throughout the engineering spaces

WWII Pacific Amphibious Operations

LSM vessels participated in the final Pacific island campaigns:

  • LSM ships provided critical amphibious capability for the Okinawa invasion (Operation ICEBERG), Iwo Jima, and other Pacific island operations, with crew members serving in the diesel machinery spaces during sustained amphibious operations in the final year of the Pacific war

VA Claims for LSM 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 Landing Ships Medium 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 LSM Landing Ship Medium

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.