Wasp Class and Essex Class Early Carriers (CV) — Asbestos in WWII Fleet Carrier Engineering

The Wasp class (USS Wasp CV-7) and early Essex class fleet carriers (CV-9 through CV-21, commissioned 1943–1946) were the primary US Navy fleet carrier force in the WWII Pacific campaign. Built at Bethlehem Steel Quincy (Massachusetts), Newport News Shipbuilding (Virginia), Brooklyn Navy Yard, and other wartime yards, these carriers were powered by large Babcock & Wilcox boiler plants driving Westinghouse or General Electric steam turbines producing 150,000 shaft horsepower. The early Essex class carriers — including USS Essex (CV-9), USS Yorktown (CV-10), USS Intrepid (CV-11), USS Hornet (CV-12), USS Franklin (CV-13), and others — served through WWII and continued in service through the 1960s and 1970s in ASW carrier, amphibious assault, and reserve fleet roles after WWII.

WWII Fleet Carrier Steam Plant and Asbestos

Early Essex class and Wasp class carriers used large WWII steam plants with asbestos throughout:

• Main boiler insulation — the eight Babcock & Wilcox boilers powering Essex class carriers used asbestos block insulation on boiler casings and asbestos refractory materials in firebox construction throughout the carrier’s four fire rooms. Boiler Technicians (BT) maintaining these boilers worked directly with asbestos-insulated boiler casings throughout the ship’s service life
• Main steam piping insulation — the high-pressure main steam system from eight boilers to four main propulsion turbines covered extensive distance in the Essex class hull, with all steam piping insulated using asbestos pipe covering from the original wartime construction. Engineering personnel in the machinery spaces were in continuous proximity to asbestos-insulated steam piping during underway operations and maintenance
• Turbine insulation — the main propulsion turbines and reduction gear sets aboard Essex class carriers used asbestos-containing thermal insulation lagging consistent with WWII carrier construction specifications

Large Carrier Interior Construction

Essex class carriers used WWII construction throughout their massive interior:

• The crew berthing, mess decks, working spaces, and passageways throughout these 27,100-ton fleet carriers used WWII-era construction materials including asbestos deck tile, asbestos-containing overhead insulation, and standard period bulkhead construction throughout the carrier’s multiple deck levels

Extended Cold War Service Periods

Many early Essex class carriers served through the 1960s and into the 1970s:

• These WWII-commissioned carriers received SCB-27 and SCB-125 modernization upgrades extending their service lives, with engineering crew members in the 1950s and 1960s serving aboard ships that retained the original WWII asbestos-containing construction materials throughout the main propulsion plant and interior spaces

VA Claims for Early Carrier 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 Wasp class or early Essex class carriers (CV-7, CV-9 through CV-21) 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.