Sangamon class escort carriers — four ships (USS Sangamon CVE-26, USS Suwanee CVE-27, USS Chenango CVE-28, USS Santee CVE-29, commissioned 1942) — were converted T3 fleet oiler tanker hulls provided to the Navy as a faster, larger alternative to the smaller escort carrier conversions, offering improved speed and aircraft capacity compared to the C3 conversion CVEs. Built originally as fleet oilers (AO) at Sun Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company (Chester, Pennsylvania), these ships were converted at Newport News and other yards. Sangamon class ships used diesel-electric propulsion from the oiler construction — four diesel engines driving electric motors — a non-steam plant that differed from most naval vessels of the era. These four ships served in North African invasion, Pacific operations, and Leyte Gulf where USS Santee was damaged by a Kamikaze attack.

Diesel-Electric Engineering and Asbestos

Sangamon class escort carriers used diesel-electric propulsion from their oiler hull origins:

  • Diesel engine exhaust and auxiliary insulation — the four diesel engines and their exhaust systems used asbestos-containing thermal insulation on high-temperature engine components and exhaust manifolds in the converted tanker engineering spaces. Enginemen maintaining the diesel propulsion plant worked in proximity to asbestos-insulated diesel engine components in the ship’s below-deck engineering spaces
  • Auxiliary steam system insulation — despite diesel-electric main propulsion, Sangamon class ships retained auxiliary steam systems for crew habitability, fuel heating, and ship services that used asbestos-insulated steam distribution piping. Engineering personnel maintaining the auxiliary steam systems worked with asbestos-insulated steam piping and fittings throughout these auxiliary systems
  • Original T3 oiler construction materials — the Sangamon class hulls were built using commercial tanker construction standards of the late 1930s with asbestos-containing products in the original oiler construction’s pipe insulation, gaskets, and interior construction throughout the below-deck spaces

Converted Interior Construction

Sangamon class ships combined original oiler construction with carrier conversion work:

  • The below-deck crew spaces, fuel and aviation fuel handling areas, and engineering spaces in these converted tanker hulls used original T3 oiler construction materials mixed with WWII Navy conversion work, with asbestos-containing products throughout both the original construction and the conversion modifications

VA Claims for Sangamon 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 Sangamon class escort carriers (CVE-26 through CVE-29) 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 Sangamon Class (CVE)

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.