Simon Lake Class Submarine Tender (AS-33) — Asbestos in the Cold War Submarine Support Ship

The Simon Lake class submarine tenders — USS Simon Lake (AS-33) commissioned 1964 and USS Canopus (AS-34) commissioned 1965 — were purpose-built submarine tenders designed to provide comprehensive depot-level maintenance support for the Atlantic Fleet’s growing nuclear submarine force. Built at Puget Sound Bridge & Dredging Company in Seattle, Simon Lake class tenders used two Babcock & Wilcox boilers providing steam to a single set of Westinghouse geared steam turbines. Simon Lake class tenders carried extensive workshop facilities, repair shops, electronic maintenance capabilities, and nuclear submarine support equipment to maintain the Atlantic Fleet’s Polaris SSBN force and nuclear attack submarine force from forward operating locations. The extensive workshop and repair facility spaces within the Simon Lake class hull were constructed using early 1960s construction materials incorporating asbestos-containing construction materials consistent with the period. Simon Lake class tenders also maintained and overhauled machinery and equipment from the submarines they supported — including asbestos-containing valve packing, gasket materials, and pipe insulation removed from submarines during maintenance — creating direct handling exposure for Machinery Repairmen and Machinist’s Mates working in the tender’s workshops.

Simon Lake Class Steam Plant Asbestos

Simon Lake class submarine tenders incorporated asbestos throughout their propulsion plant:

• Babcock & Wilcox boiler casing insulation — the two Babcock & Wilcox boilers aboard Simon Lake class tenders incorporated asbestos-containing insulation on boiler casings and steam drum surfaces consistent with the early 1960s boiler construction specifications. Boilermen performing boiler maintenance in Simon Lake class firerooms worked in proximity to the asbestos-containing boiler insulation throughout their engineering watch assignments
• Steam main and auxiliary steam pipe insulation — the steam main piping and auxiliary steam distribution piping throughout Simon Lake class engineering spaces incorporated asbestos-containing pipe insulation consistent with the early 1960s steam plant construction specifications
• Westinghouse propulsion turbine insulation — the Westinghouse geared steam turbine aboard Simon Lake class tenders incorporated asbestos-containing turbine casing insulation. Machinist’s Mates performing turbine maintenance worked in proximity to turbine casing insulation during maintenance operations

Simon Lake Class Workshop and Repair Facility Asbestos

Simon Lake class tender workshop operations created direct asbestos handling exposure:

• Submarine component maintenance in tender workshops — Machinery Repairmen and Machinist’s Mates in Simon Lake class tender workshops performed repair and overhaul work on valve assemblies, pump components, and mechanical parts removed from the submarines being supported. Submarine valve assemblies being overhauled in the tender workshop retained asbestos-containing stem packing and gasket materials from their submarine installations, with tender workshop personnel handling asbestos-containing valve packing and gasket materials during each overhaul cycle
• Workshop space hull construction — the machine shops, welding shops, hydraulic shops, and repair workspaces throughout the Simon Lake class hull were constructed within the tender hull using construction materials incorporating asbestos-containing pipe insulation and overhead insulation consistent with the early 1960s construction specifications

VA Claims for Simon Lake Class Veterans

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure from Navy submarine tender service. Machinery Repairmen, Machinist’s Mates, and crew members who served aboard Simon Lake class submarine tenders 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.