USS Chicago (CA-29), a Northampton class heavy cruiser commissioned March 9, 1931 at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard (Vallejo, California), served in the WWII Pacific campaign through the Battle of Savo Island (August 9, 1942) — the disastrous defeat in which four Allied cruisers were sunk in 32 minutes — before being sunk herself by Japanese torpedo aircraft during the Battle of Rennell Island on January 30, 1943. Chicago was powered by eight Yarrow water-tube boilers driving four sets of Westinghouse geared steam turbines producing 107,000 shaft horsepower. Prior to her wartime loss, crew members aboard Chicago worked in the ship’s engineering spaces in proximity to the extensive asbestos insulation in the ship’s interwar-built steam plant.

Interwar Steam Plant and Asbestos

USS Chicago’s eight-boiler interwar steam plant used asbestos insulation throughout the engineering spaces:

  • Main boiler insulation — Chicago’s eight Yarrow boilers used asbestos block insulation on boiler casings and asbestos-containing refractory materials in the firebox construction from the original 1931 commissioning. Boiler Tenders maintaining Chicago’s boilers worked in proximity to asbestos-insulated boiler surfaces in the cruiser’s fire rooms during peacetime and wartime operations before the ship’s 1943 loss
  • Main steam system pipe insulation — the main steam piping from Chicago’s eight boilers to four turbine sets was insulated with asbestos pipe covering from the original 1931 construction. Engineering ratings in the fire rooms and engine rooms were in continuous proximity to asbestos-insulated steam piping during underway operations
  • Turbine and reduction gear insulation — Chicago’s Westinghouse main propulsion turbines used asbestos-containing insulation lagging consistent with early 1930s heavy cruiser construction specifications

1931 Construction Era Interior

Chicago was built with early 1930s construction materials throughout:

  • The crew berthing, mess, and working areas aboard Chicago used early 1930s construction materials including asbestos-containing deck covering, overhead insulation, and bulkhead construction throughout the cruiser’s hull from the original commissioning

VA Claims for USS Chicago 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 USS Chicago (CA-29) prior to her wartime loss 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 Chicago

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.