The Whidbey Island class dock landing ships — eight hulls (LSD-41 through LSD-48) built between 1981 and 1992 at Lockheed Shipbuilding (Seattle, Washington) — were the Cold War amphibious force’s primary dock landing ship design, providing a large well deck capable of operating LCAC (Landing Craft, Air Cushion) hovercraft for high-speed amphibious assault. The Whidbey Island class used diesel propulsion — four Colt-Pielstick diesel engines in a diesel-electric arrangement — rather than the steam turbine plants of earlier LSD classes, eliminating the boiler room asbestos exposure of steam-powered predecessors.

Diesel Propulsion and Asbestos Profile

The Whidbey Island class diesel-electric propulsion plant differs significantly from earlier steam-powered LSD classes:

  • Diesel engine gaskets — the Colt-Pielstick 16 PC2.5 V diesel engines used asbestos-containing cylinder head gaskets and exhaust system gaskets in early-production engines before full asbestos substitute implementation
  • Auxiliary system connections — LSD-41 class ships built in the early 1980s (LSD-41 through LSD-44) were commissioned during the Navy’s asbestos phase-down transition and may retain asbestos-containing materials in some auxiliary piping connections and equipment gaskets from the transitional construction period
  • Interior construction materials — the earliest Whidbey Island class hulls commissioned in 1985-1987 were built as asbestos was being phased from Navy interior construction specifications

Well Deck and Amphibious Operations

The Whidbey Island class’s large well deck — designed for four LCAC hovercraft — is the defining operational feature of the class. Well deck operations involve diesel-powered landing craft and LCAC turbine exhaust in the enclosed well deck environment, with maintenance personnel servicing landing craft engines using diesel engine gaskets.

Marine Embarked Force

The Whidbey Island class carries approximately 450 Marines in addition to the ship’s Navy crew. Marines embarked in the LSD-41’s troop berthing spaces for amphibious exercises and deployments were present in the ship’s interior throughout their embarkation period.

Named Whidbey Island Class Ships

The class includes USS Whidbey Island (LSD-41), USS Germantown (LSD-42), USS Fort McHenry (LSD-43), USS Gunston Hall (LSD-44), USS Comstock (LSD-45), USS Tortuga (LSD-46), USS Rushmore (LSD-47), and USS Ashland (LSD-48).

VA Claims for Whidbey Island 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. Veterans who served aboard early Whidbey Island class LSD hulls (LSD-41 through LSD-44) and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma should document all prior shipboard duty as part of their claim, as prior steam-powered vessel service provides the strongest asbestos exposure pathway.

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 Whidbey Island 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.