Newport Class Tank Landing Ship (LST-1179) — Asbestos in the Cold War LST

The Newport class tank landing ships — twenty ships commissioned between 1969 and 1972, designated LST-1179 through LST-1198 — were the United States Navy’s final tank landing ship design, representing a major advance over the WWII LST in speed and capability. Unlike earlier LSTs that beached bow-first, Newport class LSTs used a distinctive bow ramp and twin stern anchors to approach beaches at an angle, with a 20-knot speed capability achieved using six Alco diesel engines driving twin controllable-pitch propellers through an unusual diesel-electric arrangement. Built at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard and National Steel and Shipbuilding Company, Newport class LSTs served as the primary beach assault capability of Cold War amphibious ready groups through the 1970s and 1980s. Newport class tank landing ships incorporated asbestos-containing construction materials in their diesel engineering spaces and hull interior consistent with the late 1960s and early 1970s construction specifications, creating background asbestos exposure for engineering ratings and crew members who maintained Newport class LSTs throughout their Cold War service.

Newport Class Diesel Engineering Space Asbestos

Newport class LSTs incorporated transitional-era materials in their diesel engineering spaces:

• ALCO diesel engine cylinder head and exhaust gaskets — the six ALCO diesel engines providing main propulsion power aboard Newport class LSTs incorporated asbestos-containing cylinder head gasket materials at the cylinder head-to-block joint faces consistent with the diesel engine construction specifications of the late 1960s. Enginemen performing diesel engine maintenance and cylinder head overhaul aboard Newport class LSTs handled the asbestos-containing cylinder head gasket materials during each engine maintenance evolution
• Diesel engine exhaust system pipe insulation — the exhaust systems from the ALCO diesel engines incorporated thermal insulation on exhaust piping and exhaust manifold surfaces consistent with the diesel engine installation construction of the period. Engineering ratings working in Newport class engineering spaces accumulated background asbestos exposure from any asbestos-containing thermal insulation on diesel exhaust system components
• Auxiliary machinery room construction — the auxiliary machinery rooms and pump rooms aboard Newport class LSTs incorporated construction materials and pipe insulation consistent with the late 1960s construction specifications. Engineering ratings maintaining auxiliary machinery accumulated background asbestos exposure from the engineering space construction materials

Newport Class Hull Interior Construction Asbestos

Newport class LSTs incorporated transitional-era hull interior construction materials:

• Tank deck and vehicle stowage area construction — the large tank deck and vehicle stowage areas aboard Newport class LSTs where Marine Corps vehicles and equipment were loaded for transport incorporated hull construction materials consistent with the late 1960s construction specifications. Ship’s company and embarked Marines working in Newport class vehicle stowage areas accumulated background asbestos exposure from any asbestos-containing construction materials in the vehicle deck area
• Crew berthing and working space construction — the crew berthing compartments and working spaces within the Newport class hull incorporated interior construction materials consistent with the late 1960s construction period

VA Claims for Newport Class Veterans

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure from Navy tank landing ship service. Enginemen and crew members who served aboard Newport class tank landing 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.