USS Puffer (SSN-652), a Sturgeon class nuclear attack submarine, was commissioned at Ingalls Shipbuilding in August 1969 and served in the Pacific Fleet. Puffer conducted Cold War anti-submarine warfare patrols in the Pacific and Indian Ocean regions, tracking Soviet submarine activity during the Cold War. Puffer’s nuclear propulsion plant drove steam turbines providing propulsion through her service. Commissioned in 1969, Puffer incorporated asbestos-containing steam system insulation, reactor compartment insulation, and hull construction materials consistent with the Sturgeon class late 1960s construction specifications.

USS Puffer Nuclear Propulsion Plant Asbestos

Puffer’s nuclear steam propulsion plant incorporated asbestos in critical system insulation:

  • Nuclear steam plant insulation — Puffer’s secondary steam system, steam generators, and associated high-pressure steam piping incorporated thermal insulation materials consistent with late 1960s naval nuclear construction specifications, which according to publicly filed litigation records included asbestos-containing insulation materials
  • Propulsion turbine insulation — Puffer’s main propulsion turbine and reduction gear system incorporated insulation materials consistent with the late 1960s nuclear submarine construction specifications at Ingalls Shipbuilding
  • Hull construction materials — Puffer’s crew berthing, operations compartment, and working spaces were constructed using the hull construction materials of the late 1960s Sturgeon class building program

VA Claims for USS Puffer 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 Puffer 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 Puffer

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.