New Mexico class battleships — 3 ships (USS New Mexico BB-40, USS Mississippi BB-41, USS Idaho BB-42, commissioned 1917–1919) — were standard-type dreadnought battleships representing an early step toward the turbo-electric propulsion that became standard for subsequent US Navy battleships. New Mexico class ships were powered by four turbo-electric sets using steam generated by Babcock & Wilcox boilers driving electric motors — a propulsion system that combined steam plant thermal efficiency with electric drive flexibility. These ships served in WWI, the interwar period, and WWII, with USS New Mexico and USS Mississippi participating in Aleutian, Pacific Island, and Western Pacific operations, and USS Idaho participating in the Aleutian Campaign and then the Pacific campaign. As with all naval combatants of their era, New Mexico class ships used asbestos insulation throughout the steam plant and interior construction.

Turbo-Electric Steam Plant and Asbestos

New Mexico class battleships used turbo-electric propulsion with asbestos throughout:

  • Main boiler insulation — the Babcock & Wilcox boilers used asbestos block insulation on boiler casings and asbestos-containing refractory in firebox construction. Boiler Tender ratings maintaining these boilers worked in the fire rooms in direct proximity to asbestos-insulated boiler surfaces during WWI service, interwar modernizations, and WWII Pacific operations
  • Main steam piping — the main steam distribution piping from boilers to the turbo-electric generator sets used asbestos pipe covering throughout the machinery spaces. Engineering ratings were in proximity to asbestos-insulated steam piping during all underway operations throughout the ships’ lengthy service lives
  • Turbo-electric generator insulation — the large steam turbine generator sets powering the electric propulsion motors used asbestos-containing thermal insulation on turbine casing surfaces in the machinery spaces

Extended Service Life and Accumulated Exposure

New Mexico class ships served from WWI through WWII:

  • The New Mexico class ships served from initial commissioning in 1917–1919 through the end of WWII in 1945 — nearly three decades of service — with crew members across this entire period working in the asbestos-insulated engineering spaces and in the asbestos-containing interior construction of these long-serving battleships

VA Claims for New Mexico Class 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 New Mexico class battleships 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 New Mexico Class

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.