The PC-461 class submarine chasers — approximately 360 vessels commissioned between 1941 and 1945 — were 173-foot steel-hulled patrol craft designed for anti-submarine warfare, convoy escort, and coastal patrol. Built at numerous yards including Albina Engine & Machine Works in Portland, Defoe Shipbuilding in Bay City Michigan, and other small yards, PC class vessels served in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters. In the Atlantic, PC class chasers formed the coastal defense network against German U-boat operations and provided escort for coastal convoys. In the Pacific, PC class vessels supported amphibious operations by providing screening, minesweeping support, and anti-submarine patrol in advance of landing forces. PC class vessels were powered by four General Motors diesel engines driving twin screws. The diesel engines used asbestos-containing gasket materials, and the vessel’s steel interior construction incorporated asbestos-containing building materials consistent with WWII-era Navy construction specifications.

Diesel Engine Systems and Asbestos

PC-461 class diesel propulsion systems used asbestos-containing materials:

  • General Motors diesel engine gaskets — PC class submarine chasers used four General Motors diesel engines with asbestos-containing cylinder head and exhaust manifold gaskets in the diesel engine assemblies. Enginemen and Motor Machinist’s Mates performing diesel maintenance in the confined machinery spaces of these 280-ton patrol craft encountered asbestos fiber from the compressed asbestos gasket materials during engine overhaul operations
  • Diesel exhaust piping insulation — the diesel engine exhaust systems and cooling water piping used asbestos-containing insulation on heat-producing exhaust components and asbestos gasket materials in pipe flange connections throughout the PC class machinery spaces
  • Auxiliary system piping gaskets — the fuel, lube oil, bilge, and fire main piping systems used asbestos-containing gasket materials in pipe connections throughout the vessel’s service systems

Interior Construction and Asbestos

PC class patrol craft interior construction incorporated asbestos:

  • Interior building materials — the officer quarters, crew berthing spaces, and pilothouse interior construction in PC class vessels used asbestos-containing building materials including asbestos insulating board on bulkheads and overhead surfaces consistent with WWII Navy construction specifications for small combatants

Anti-Submarine and Amphibious Patrol Service

PC class submarine chasers performed the Navy’s coastal anti-submarine mission:

  • PC class vessels provided anti-submarine patrol and convoy escort in both Atlantic and Pacific theaters, with crew members maintaining the diesel propulsion systems through sustained patrol operations in these workhouse anti-submarine warfare vessels

VA Claims for PC Class Veterans

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure aboard Navy patrol vessels. Engineering ratings and crew members who served aboard PC-461 class submarine chasers 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 PC-461 Submarine Chaser

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 Presumptive Benefits — No Filing Deadline

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs recognizes mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, and pleural disease as conditions presumed to be service-connected for Navy veterans with documented asbestos exposure under 38 CFR § 3.309(d). No statute of limitations applies to VA disability compensation claims.

Available benefits may include monthly disability compensation, Dependency & Indemnity Compensation (DIC) for surviving spouses, priority VA healthcare enrollment, and Special Monthly Compensation for severe cases. Parallel claims against the asbestos bankruptcy trust funds established by the manufacturers of these products do not reduce VA compensation.

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.