USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63), lead ship of the Kitty Hawk class aircraft carriers, was commissioned at New York Shipbuilding in Camden, New Jersey in April 1961. Kitty Hawk served primarily in the Pacific Fleet, deploying repeatedly to the Western Pacific for Vietnam War combat operations — conducting air strikes against North Vietnam during multiple Westpac deployments — and for Cold War Pacific operations. Kitty Hawk was based at Yokosuka, Japan from 1998 as a forward-deployed carrier, one of two Kitty Hawk class carriers to serve as forward-deployed Western Pacific carriers. Kitty Hawk’s conventional steam propulsion plant — eight Babcock & Wilcox boilers and four sets of Westinghouse geared turbines — powered the carrier through her 48-year service until decommissioning in 2009, making her one of the longest-serving carriers in US Navy history. Commissioned in 1961 at the peak of asbestos use in naval construction, Kitty Hawk incorporated extensive asbestos-containing boiler insulation, steam pipe insulation, turbine insulation, and hull construction materials throughout her engineering spaces.
USS Kitty Hawk Steam Plant Asbestos
Kitty Hawk’s eight-boiler steam plant incorporated extensive asbestos throughout:
- Babcock & Wilcox boiler insulation — Kitty Hawk’s eight Babcock & Wilcox boilers were insulated with asbestos-containing boiler casing insulation, steam drum insulation, and firebox refractory materials consistent with early 1960s naval construction specifications. Boilermen working in Kitty Hawk’s eight firerooms accumulated asbestos exposure from the boiler insulation throughout her 48-year service
- High-pressure steam main pipe insulation — the high-pressure steam mains throughout Kitty Hawk’s engineering spaces incorporated asbestos-containing pipe insulation consistent with 1961 naval construction specifications. Engineering ratings working in Kitty Hawk’s machinery spaces encountered steam main insulation throughout the propulsion plant during operations and maintenance
- Main propulsion turbine insulation — Kitty Hawk’s four Westinghouse main propulsion turbine sets incorporated asbestos-containing turbine casing insulation consistent with early 1960s construction. Machinist’s Mates performing turbine maintenance worked in proximity to asbestos-containing turbine insulation
- Steam catapult accumulators and aviation support steam systems — the steam catapult systems and aviation support steam distribution systems aboard Kitty Hawk incorporated asbestos-containing pipe insulation at the catapult supply steam lines and the aviation support steam system serving aviation equipment throughout the ship
USS Kitty Hawk Hull Construction Asbestos
Kitty Hawk’s early 1960s construction incorporated asbestos throughout:
- Crew berthing and living spaces — Kitty Hawk’s interior crew spaces for her 5,000-plus complement were constructed using early 1960s naval construction specifications incorporating asbestos-containing floor tile, overhead insulation, and bulkhead construction materials throughout the hull
- Aviation and hangar spaces — Kitty Hawk’s hangar deck, aviation fuel systems, and aviation support spaces incorporated asbestos-containing construction materials consistent with early 1960s naval construction specifications at the peak asbestos use period
VA Claims for USS Kitty Hawk 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. Machinist’s Mates, Boilermen, and crew members who served aboard USS Kitty Hawk and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.
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.
Navy Ratings Most Exposed to Asbestos Aboard Kitty Hawk
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.
