USS Miami (SSN-755), an improved Los Angeles class (Flight II) nuclear attack submarine, was commissioned in June 1990 and served in the Atlantic Fleet. Miami was built with the vertical launch system for Tomahawk cruise missiles and conducted post-Cold War anti-submarine warfare patrols and special operations throughout her career. Miami’s S6G nuclear propulsion plant drove steam turbines providing propulsion through her service. Commissioned in 1990, Miami incorporated asbestos-containing steam system insulation and hull construction materials consistent with the Los Angeles class late 1980s construction specifications.
USS Miami Nuclear Propulsion Plant Asbestos
Miami’s nuclear steam propulsion plant incorporated asbestos in critical system insulation:
- Nuclear steam plant insulation — Miami’s S6G secondary steam system, steam generators, and associated high-pressure steam piping incorporated thermal insulation materials consistent with late 1980s naval nuclear construction specifications, which according to publicly filed litigation records included asbestos-containing insulation materials
- Propulsion turbine insulation — Miami’s main propulsion turbine and reduction gear system incorporated insulation materials consistent with the Los Angeles class construction specifications
- Hull construction materials — Miami’s crew berthing, operations compartment, and working spaces were constructed using the hull construction materials of the Los Angeles class building program
VA Claims for USS Miami Veterans
VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure from Navy nuclear submarine service. Nuclear-trained ratings, Engineering ratings, and crew members who served aboard USS Miami 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 Miami
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.
