USS Richard B. Russell (SSN-687) is documented in the public U.S. Navy asbestos litigation record. A ship-specific BUSHIPS equipment manifest has not yet been published for this vessel in our records.
The standard asbestos-containing materials documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels of this era, the Navy ratings most exposed during normal duty, and the VA asbestos-claims framework are listed below and apply to any sailor who served in an engineering, hull, or damage-control rate aboard a Navy ship of this period.
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Essex-Class aircraft carrier — Class Background
Ship-specific service history is not available for this vessel in public records. The class-level information below applies to all ships in her class. Source: Wikipedia — Essex-Class aircraft carrier
The Essex class was the U.S. Navy's most numerous class of capital ships in the 20th century, consisting of 24 commissioned vessels built between 1940 and 1950. Designed with larger flight decks, enhanced armor protection, and improved anti-aircraft armament compared to their Yorktown-class predecessors, these carriers served as the backbone of U.S. naval strength from 1943 onward. Fourteen Essex-class carriers saw combat in World War II without loss to enemy action, and several were modernized to operate jet aircraft and served through the Vietnam War, with the last (USS Lexington) decommissioned in 1991.
Class Overview
- Total Ships in Class
- 24
- Construction Era
- 1940-1950
- Service Era
- 1942-1991
Class Mission & Role
Fleet aircraft carriers designed to carry larger air groups and serve as the backbone of U.S. naval air power from the mid-1940s through the Cold War era.
Primary Builders
- Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock
- Bethlehem Steel's Fore River Shipyard
- Brooklyn Navy Yard
- Philadelphia Navy Yard
- Norfolk Navy Yard
Class Combat Operations
- World War II
- Vietnam War
Asbestos Materials in this Class
The article does not document specific asbestos materials used in Essex-class construction. Standard pre-1980 U.S. Navy construction included asbestos in pipe lagging, boiler insulation, gaskets, and habitability spaces.
VA Benefits for USS Richard (SSN-687) Veterans
USS Richard (SSN-687) veterans with mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, or pleural disease may qualify for VA disability compensation when evidence shows in-service asbestos exposure, a current diagnosis, and a medical link between them. The nuclear submarine corpus — including reactor compartment asbestos rip-out documentation, named-class testimony across Permit, Sturgeon, and Los Angeles classes, and submarine overhaul exposure records — establishes the exposure pathway for nuclear submarine veterans, particularly those who served in engineering ratings or participated in overhaul periods at naval shipyards.
Free, confidential case evaluation: Speak with O’Brien Law Firm — (314) 936-2956
Documented asbestos records derived from publicly filed asbestos litigation addressing nuclear attack submarines. This does not constitute legal or medical advice.
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 Richard
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 Disability Claims for Asbestos-Related Disease
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs evaluates asbestos claims individually. A veteran generally needs medical evidence of a current asbestos-related disease, service evidence supporting in-service asbestos exposure, and a medical opinion connecting the two. Ship assignments, Navy ratings, and equipment records can help document the exposure history but do not create automatic service connection.
Approved claims may provide monthly disability compensation and related benefits. Survivors may separately qualify for Dependency & Indemnity Compensation when the applicable requirements are met. Civil lawsuits and asbestos-trust claims use different standards; claimants should obtain individualized advice about how the processes interact.
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.
