USS McClusky (FFG-41), an Oliver Hazard Perry class guided missile frigate, was commissioned at Bath Iron Works in December 1983 and served in the Pacific Fleet throughout her career. McClusky conducted multiple Western Pacific deployments as part of carrier battle groups and surface action groups, providing anti-air warfare and surface warfare capability. McClusky’s all-gas-turbine propulsion plant — two General Electric LM2500 gas turbines driving a single controllable pitch propeller — provided propulsion through her service. Built at Bath Iron Works in 1981–1983, McClusky incorporated hull construction materials and gas turbine exhaust system insulation consistent with the early 1980s construction period.
USS McClusky Gas Turbine and Construction Asbestos
McClusky’s gas turbine propulsion plant and hull construction:
- Gas turbine exhaust system insulation — the gas turbine exhaust ducting and uptake systems aboard McClusky carrying high-temperature exhaust from the two LM2500 gas turbines incorporated thermal insulation materials consistent with early 1980s naval construction specifications. Engineering ratings working in McClusky’s engineering spaces accumulated background asbestos exposure from any asbestos-containing exhaust system insulation
- Gas turbine module enclosures — the acoustic and thermal enclosures surrounding McClusky’s LM2500 gas turbine modules incorporated insulation materials consistent with early 1980s construction specifications
- Hull construction materials — McClusky’s crew berthing, missile magazine, combat systems spaces, and working areas were constructed using the hull construction materials of the 1981–1983 building period reflecting early 1980s naval construction practices
VA Claims for USS McClusky Veterans
VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure from Navy frigate service. Officers and crew members who served aboard USS McClusky 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 McClusky
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.
