USS Reeves (DLG-24, redesignated CG-24 in 1975), a Leahy class guided missile cruiser, was commissioned in May 1964 and served primarily with the Pacific Fleet, including a significant period as a forward-deployed Seventh Fleet cruiser based at Yokosuka, Japan. Reeves carried the Terrier/Standard surface-to-air missile system fore and aft, providing comprehensive anti-air warfare coverage for Seventh Fleet carrier battle groups operating in the Western Pacific. Reeves’ forward deployment at Yokosuka made her one of the most operationally active cruisers in the Pacific Fleet, conducting continuous Seventh Fleet operations and deployments from her Japanese homeport. Reeves’ conventional steam propulsion plant — four boilers and two sets of De Laval geared turbines — powered her through her Cold War service. Commissioned in 1964 at the peak of asbestos use in naval construction, Reeves incorporated extensive asbestos-containing boiler insulation, steam pipe insulation, turbine insulation, and hull construction materials consistent with mid-1960s naval construction specifications.

USS Reeves Steam Plant Asbestos

Reeves’ four-boiler steam plant incorporated asbestos throughout:

  • Boiler insulation — Reeves’ boilers were insulated with asbestos-containing boiler casing insulation consistent with mid-1960s naval construction specifications. Boilermen working in Reeves’ firerooms accumulated asbestos exposure from the boiler insulation through her forward-deployed Pacific Fleet service
  • High-pressure steam main pipe insulation — the steam mains throughout Reeves’ engineering spaces incorporated asbestos-containing pipe insulation consistent with 1964 naval construction specifications. Engineering ratings in Reeves’ machinery spaces encountered steam main insulation during normal operations and maintenance
  • De Laval propulsion turbine insulation — Reeves’ De Laval propulsion turbines incorporated asbestos-containing turbine casing insulation. Machinist’s Mates performing turbine maintenance worked in proximity to asbestos-containing turbine insulation
  • Terrier/Standard missile magazine spaces — Reeves’ missile magazine and handling spaces fore and aft were constructed using mid-1960s naval construction specifications incorporating asbestos-containing construction materials

VA Claims for USS Reeves Veterans

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

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.