USS New Jersey (BB-62) — Asbestos Aboard the Most Decorated Battleship

USS New Jersey (BB-62), commissioned at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in May 1943, is the most decorated battleship in United States Navy history, earning nineteen battle stars across her service in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and the Persian Gulf. New Jersey served in the Pacific theater during WWII, screening carrier task forces and providing shore bombardment at Kwajalein, Eniwetok, Truk, Saipan, and during the Battle of Leyte Gulf. New Jersey was recommissioned for Korean War shore bombardment service and then again in 1968 for Vietnam War shore bombardment operations — the only battleship to fire her 16-inch guns in anger during the Vietnam conflict, expending over 5,000 rounds of 16-inch ammunition and 15,000 rounds of 5-inch ammunition during her Vietnam deployment. New Jersey was again reactivated in 1982 as part of the Reagan-era battleship recommissioning program. New Jersey’s eight Babcock & Wilcox boilers and four sets of General Electric geared turbines provided propulsion across her multiple commission periods, with the original WWII-era steam plant asbestos construction maintained through Korean, Vietnam, and 1980s reactivation refits at Philadelphia, Bremerton, and Long Beach Naval Shipyards.

USS New Jersey Steam Plant Asbestos

New Jersey’s eight-boiler steam plant incorporated asbestos throughout:

• Babcock & Wilcox boiler insulation — New Jersey’s eight Babcock & Wilcox boilers were insulated with asbestos-containing boiler casing insulation and steam drum insulation consistent with WWII naval construction specifications. Boilermen serving in New Jersey’s firerooms during her four commission periods — WWII, Korea, Vietnam, and 1980s — worked with the WWII-era boiler insulation maintained through multiple refits at Philadelphia, Bremerton, and Long Beach Naval Shipyards
• High-pressure steam main insulation — the high-pressure steam mains throughout New Jersey’s engineering spaces incorporated asbestos-containing pipe insulation from WWII construction. Engineering ratings working in New Jersey’s machinery spaces encountered steam main insulation throughout the propulsion plant during normal operations and periodic maintenance
• Main propulsion turbine insulation — New Jersey’s four General Electric main propulsion turbine sets incorporated asbestos-containing turbine casing insulation from WWII construction. Machinist’s Mates performing turbine maintenance aboard New Jersey during her multiple commission periods worked in proximity to the original WWII-era turbine insulation
• 1968 Vietnam reactivation work — New Jersey’s 1968 reactivation at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard incorporated modernization work including new electronics and fire control systems. New construction materials from the 1968 reactivation reflect the construction specifications of the late 1960s transitional period

USS New Jersey Hull Construction Asbestos

New Jersey’s WWII construction incorporated asbestos throughout the hull:

• Crew berthing and living spaces — New Jersey’s interior crew spaces incorporated asbestos-containing floor tile, overhead insulation, and bulkhead construction materials consistent with WWII naval construction specifications. Officers and crew serving aboard New Jersey accumulated background asbestos exposure from the hull construction materials during all four commission periods
• 16-inch turret and handling room spaces — the three 16-inch/50 caliber Mark 7 gun turrets aboard New Jersey and the associated magazine and handling rooms were constructed using WWII naval construction incorporating asbestos-containing materials in the turret and handling room spaces
• 1982 reactivation new construction — New Jersey’s 1982 reactivation at Long Beach Naval Shipyard incorporated new construction for Tomahawk missile launchers, Harpoon launchers, Phalanx CIWS, and updated combat systems spaces. New construction materials from the 1982 refit reflect the transitional construction specifications of the early 1980s

VA Claims for USS New Jersey Veterans

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure from Navy battleship steam plant service. Machinist’s Mates, Boilermen, and crew members who served aboard USS New Jersey 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.