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 presumptive-benefits 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.

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 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 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.