USS Hué City (CG-66), a Ticonderoga class AEGIS guided missile cruiser named for the 1968 Battle of Hue during the Vietnam War, was commissioned at Ingalls Shipbuilding in April 1992. Hué City serves in the Atlantic Fleet and has participated in combat operations including Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003, firing Tomahawk cruise missiles against targets in Iraq. Hué City carries the vertical launch system (VLS) with Standard SM-2 missiles and Tomahawk cruise missiles. Built at Ingalls Shipbuilding in 1989–1992, Hué City incorporated hull construction materials and gas turbine exhaust system insulation consistent with the early 1990s construction period.

USS Hué City Gas Turbine and Construction Asbestos

Hué City’s gas turbine propulsion plant and hull construction:

  • Gas turbine exhaust system insulation — the gas turbine exhaust ducting and uptake systems aboard Hué City carrying high-temperature exhaust from the four LM2500 gas turbines incorporated thermal insulation materials consistent with early 1990s naval construction specifications. Engineering ratings working in Hué City’s engineering spaces accumulated background exposure from any insulation materials in the exhaust system during normal operations and maintenance
  • Gas turbine module enclosures — the acoustic and thermal enclosures surrounding Hué City’s LM2500 gas turbine modules incorporated insulation materials consistent with early 1990s construction specifications
  • Hull construction materials — Hué City’s crew berthing, combat systems equipment rooms, VLS magazines, and working spaces were constructed using early 1990s hull construction materials during a period when asbestos use in naval construction had been substantially reduced

VA Claims for USS Hué City Veterans

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure from Navy cruiser service. Officers and crew members who served aboard USS Hué City 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 Hué City

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 Presumptive Benefits — No Filing Deadline

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs recognizes mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, and pleural disease as conditions presumed to be service-connected for Navy veterans with documented asbestos exposure under 38 CFR § 3.309(d). No statute of limitations applies to VA disability compensation claims.

Available benefits may include monthly disability compensation, Dependency & Indemnity Compensation (DIC) for surviving spouses, priority VA healthcare enrollment, and Special Monthly Compensation for severe cases. Parallel claims against the asbestos bankruptcy trust funds established by the manufacturers of these products do not reduce VA compensation.

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.