Pensacola Class Heavy Cruisers (CA) — Asbestos in the First US Treaty Heavy Cruisers

Pensacola class heavy cruisers — USS Pensacola (CA-24) and USS Salt Lake City (CA-25), commissioned February 6 and December 11, 1930 respectively — were the first US heavy cruisers designed and built within the Washington Naval Treaty limitations of 10,000 tons displacement and 8-inch gun armament. Built at the New York Naval Shipyard (Brooklyn, New York) and the New York Shipbuilding Corporation (Camden, New Jersey), these ships used twelve Yarrow or Babcock & Wilcox boilers driving four sets of Parsons geared steam turbines producing 107,000 shaft horsepower. Both ships served throughout WWII Pacific operations: USS Pensacola participated in multiple Pacific battles while USS Salt Lake City served in the Aleutian campaign and survived the Battle of the Komandorski Islands (March 1943). Both were sunk as nuclear weapons test targets in 1948 during Operation Crossroads.

Late 1920s Steam Plant and Asbestos

Pensacola class ships used large twelve-boiler steam plants with asbestos insulation:

• Main boiler insulation — the twelve boilers in these ships used asbestos block insulation on boiler casings and asbestos refractory in firebox construction from the original late 1920s construction. Engineering ratings maintaining these boilers worked in proximity to asbestos-insulated surfaces throughout the ships’ interwar and WWII service
• Main steam system pipe insulation — the main steam piping from twelve boilers to four turbine sets throughout these 585-foot cruisers used asbestos pipe covering from the original late 1920s construction. Engineering personnel in the fire rooms and engine rooms were in continuous proximity to aging asbestos-insulated steam piping throughout the ships’ WWII service
• Turbine insulation — the main propulsion turbines and reduction gear aboard Pensacola class ships used asbestos-containing thermal insulation lagging consistent with late 1920s heavy cruiser construction

VA Claims for Pensacola Class Veterans

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure aboard Navy heavy cruisers. Engineering ratings and crew members who served aboard USS Pensacola (CA-24) or USS Salt Lake City (CA-25) 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.