USS Enterprise (CVN-65) — Asbestos Aboard the World's First Nuclear Carrier

USS Enterprise (CVN-65) — known throughout the fleet as Big E — was commissioned in November 1961 at Newport News Shipbuilding as the world’s first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and the largest warship afloat at the time of commissioning. Enterprise used eight Westinghouse A2W pressurized water reactors providing steam to four sets of Westinghouse geared turbines producing 280,000 shaft horsepower. While the nuclear propulsion plant eliminated the conventional oil-fired boiler rooms of conventionally powered carriers, the secondary steam systems of the nuclear plant — the non-nuclear steam generating side that converts reactor heat to propulsion steam — still incorporated asbestos-containing materials consistent with Navy steam system construction practices of the early 1960s. Enterprise served for 51 years until decommissioning in 2012, with nuclear-qualified engineering ratings maintaining the complex naval reactor plant throughout the ship’s extraordinary service life. The ship’s interior construction, built in the early 1960s, incorporated asbestos-containing floor tile and insulation in crew spaces and working areas throughout the ship.

Nuclear Plant Secondary Steam System Asbestos

Enterprise’s nuclear steam plant secondary systems incorporated asbestos:

• Secondary steam system thermal insulation — the secondary side of Enterprise’s nuclear steam plant — the steam generators, steam distribution piping, and turbine admission systems through which reactor-heated steam passed to the main propulsion turbines — incorporated asbestos-containing thermal insulation on secondary steam piping and components. Machinist’s Mates working in Enterprise’s engine rooms maintaining the secondary steam systems and propulsion turbines worked in proximity to the asbestos-containing steam system insulation
• Westinghouse turbine casing insulation — the four sets of Westinghouse geared propulsion turbines in Enterprise’s engine rooms were insulated with asbestos block insulation on turbine casings and asbestos lagging on high-pressure steam admission piping. Machinist’s Mates maintaining and operating the propulsion turbines encountered asbestos turbine casing insulation throughout engine room watch standing and during turbine maintenance operations
• Ship’s service turbine generator insulation — the ship’s service turbine generators providing electrical power throughout Enterprise used steam from the nuclear plant and were insulated with asbestos-containing materials on turbine casings and associated steam piping consistent with early 1960s Navy construction specifications

Nuclear Plant Maintenance and Insulation

Enterprise’s nuclear plant maintenance involved asbestos-containing materials:

• Steam generator access and maintenance — Enterprise’s eight steam generators (two per reactor system) required periodic maintenance and inspection access. Engineering ratings performing steam generator maintenance operations in the reactor compartment secondary spaces worked in proximity to steam system piping and components with asbestos-containing insulation materials
• Auxiliary system gasket materials — the auxiliary systems of the nuclear plant — cooling water systems, compressed air systems, and service systems in the engineering spaces — incorporated asbestos-containing gasket materials in flanged piping connections throughout the system. Engineering ratings performing auxiliary system maintenance encountered asbestos-containing flange gasket materials throughout the maintenance operations

Interior Construction Asbestos

Enterprise’s crew and working spaces incorporated asbestos-containing construction materials:

• Crew berthing and officer quarters — Enterprise’s crew berthing compartments, officer staterooms, CPO quarters, and working spaces incorporated asbestos-containing floor tile and overhead insulation materials in the early 1960s construction. Crew members living and working in these spaces accumulated background asbestos exposure from the interior construction throughout the operational service period
• Electronics and combat system spaces — the combat system equipment spaces housing Enterprise’s electronics suites incorporated asbestos-containing construction materials in the space construction consistent with early 1960s Navy construction specifications

VA Claims for USS Enterprise Veterans

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure aboard Navy aircraft carriers. Machinist’s Mates, enginemen, and crew members who served aboard USS Enterprise (CVN-65) 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.