Thomaston class dock landing ships — eight ships (USS Thomaston LSD-28 through USS Monticello LSD-35, commissioned 1954–1957) — were purpose-built Cold War amphibious ships providing an improved well deck design for the amphibious force. Built at Ingalls Shipbuilding (Pascagoula, Mississippi) and Bath Iron Works (Bath, Maine), Thomaston class ships were powered by two sets of boilers driving steam turbines producing 24,000 shaft horsepower. These ships served as the primary dock landing ships for both Atlantic and Pacific Fleet amphibious forces through the 1970s and 1980s, participating in Vietnam War amphibious operations and Cold War amphibious exercises.

Mid-1950s Steam Plant and Asbestos

Thomaston class dock landing ships used steam propulsion with asbestos insulation:

  • Main boiler insulation — the boilers aboard Thomaston class ships used asbestos block insulation on boiler casings and asbestos-containing refractory in firebox construction from the original mid-1950s commissioning. Boiler Technician ratings maintaining these boilers worked in the ships’ engineering spaces in proximity to asbestos-insulated boiler surfaces throughout the ships’ long service lives
  • Main steam system pipe insulation — the main steam piping from the boilers to the propulsion turbines used asbestos pipe covering throughout the engineering spaces from the original 1954–1957 construction. Engineering ratings in the machinery spaces were in proximity to asbestos-insulated steam piping during underway operations
  • Turbine insulation — the main propulsion turbines aboard Thomaston class ships used asbestos-containing thermal insulation consistent with mid-1950s amphibious ship construction specifications

Mid-1950s Interior Construction

Thomaston class ships used mid-1950s construction materials:

  • The crew berthing, well deck, and working spaces throughout these mid-1950s dock landing ships used construction materials from the period including asbestos-containing deck tile and interior construction throughout the ship’s hull

VA Claims for Thomaston 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 Thomaston class dock landing ships (LSD-28 through LSD-35) 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 Thomaston Class (LSD)

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.