Tennessee class battleships — 2 ships (USS Tennessee BB-43 and USS California BB-44, commissioned 1919–1921) — were the culmination of the standard-type dreadnought battleship design series, incorporating improved turbo-electric propulsion. Both Tennessee class ships were present at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941: USS Tennessee was damaged but escaped sinking, and USS California was hit by two torpedoes and bombs and sank at her moorings — both were refloated, thoroughly rebuilt, and returned to Pacific service in 1943–1944. After their extensive modernization, both ships served through the entire Pacific campaign in shore bombardment and fire support roles. The ships’ turbo-electric steam plants and the extensive asbestos-containing construction in their original commissioning and wartime modernization created asbestos exposure for crew members throughout their service.

Turbo-Electric Steam Plant and Asbestos

Tennessee class battleships used turbo-electric propulsion with asbestos throughout:

  • Main boiler insulation — the Babcock & Wilcox boilers used asbestos block insulation on boiler casings and asbestos refractory in firebox construction. Boiler Tender ratings maintaining these boilers worked in the fire rooms in direct proximity to asbestos-insulated boiler surfaces during interwar service and WWII Pacific operations
  • Main steam piping — the steam distribution piping from boilers to turbo-electric generator sets used asbestos pipe covering throughout the machinery spaces. Engineering ratings were in continuous proximity to asbestos-insulated steam piping throughout underway operations
  • Wartime modernization construction — the extensive 1943 modernization of Tennessee class ships at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard added new construction and updated systems using WWII-era construction materials including asbestos-containing pipe insulation, asbestos floor tile, and other asbestos-containing materials in the modernized ship sections

Pearl Harbor and Pacific Service

Tennessee class ships served from WWI commissioning through Pacific campaign:

  • Both Tennessee class ships served from their 1919–1921 commissioning through the end of WWII — including the Pearl Harbor attack, subsequent repairs and modernization, and the entire later Pacific campaign — with crew members across this extended service period working in the asbestos-insulated engineering spaces and interior construction

VA Claims for Tennessee 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 Tennessee class battleships 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 Tennessee Class

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.