USS Belknap (CG-26) Fire and Repair — Asbestos Exposure During the 1975 Collision Repair

USS Belknap (CG-26), a Belknap class guided missile cruiser, suffered a catastrophic collision with USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67) in the Mediterranean Sea on November 22, 1975, when Kennedy’s flight deck overhang struck Belknap’s aluminum superstructure during a nighttime maneuver. The resulting fire fed by aviation fuel from Kennedy’s ruptured fuel lines spread quickly through Belknap’s aluminum superstructure, which melted under the extreme heat rather than burning. The fire killed eight sailors and injured dozens more, and caused such extensive damage above the main deck that Belknap was initially considered a total loss. The Navy ultimately decided to repair Belknap, and the rebuilding of her superstructure at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard from 1975 to 1978 involved the removal of the damaged aluminum superstructure and construction of a new steel superstructure — a change from the original aluminum design that also required extensive work with the asbestos-containing insulation and construction materials present throughout the ship. The repair work involved stripping, removing, and replacing asbestos-containing insulation materials throughout Belknap’s machinery spaces and throughout the new superstructure construction.

USS Belknap Repair Asbestos Exposure

The Belknap collision repair created concentrated asbestos exposure at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard:

• Damaged superstructure demolition and removal — the demolition and removal of Belknap’s fire-damaged and melted aluminum superstructure above the main deck required cutting, burning, and mechanical removal of damaged structure that had been fire-damaged in proximity to asbestos-containing construction materials in the adjacent spaces. Shipyard workers and Navy personnel involved in the demolition phase encountered asbestos-containing materials throughout the demolition work
• Asbestos-containing insulation removal in machinery spaces — the Belknap repair required access to and refurbishment of the machinery spaces below the main deck, where the steam plant and engineering equipment were located. Asbestos-containing pipe insulation, boiler insulation, and equipment insulation in the machinery spaces required removal and replacement during the repair process, creating asbestos exposure for the insulation workers, pipe fitters, and other tradesmen working in the engineering spaces during the repair
• New superstructure construction with contemporary materials — the construction of Belknap’s new steel superstructure during 1976–1978 incorporated construction materials consistent with the mid-to-late 1970s construction specifications, including any asbestos-containing materials still in use during that period of transitional naval construction practice

USS Belknap Post-Repair Steam Plant Asbestos

After repair, Belknap retained her original steam plant asbestos:

• Original Belknap class steam plant insulation — the original Belknap class two-boiler steam plant in Belknap’s lower hull was refurbished during the repair but retained the original early 1960s steam plant asbestos construction, including boiler insulation, steam main pipe insulation, and turbine insulation consistent with the Belknap class 1964 commissioning period. Machinist’s Mates serving aboard Belknap after her repair encountered the original steam plant insulation during normal engineering operations

VA Claims for USS Belknap Veterans

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure from Navy cruiser steam plant service and from shipyard repair work. Navy personnel who served aboard USS Belknap or who worked on the 1975–1978 repair 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.