USS Saratoga (CV-60) — Asbestos Aboard the Forrestal Class Carrier

USS Saratoga (CV-60), second ship of the Forrestal class aircraft carriers, was commissioned at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in April 1956. Saratoga served primarily in the Atlantic Fleet throughout her career, deploying repeatedly to the Mediterranean with the Sixth Fleet and conducting Indian Ocean operations, and participated in operations including the 1958 Lebanon crisis and the Cuban Missile Crisis. Saratoga was also deployed to support operations during the Gulf War. Saratoga’s conventional steam propulsion plant — eight Babcock & Wilcox boilers and four sets of Westinghouse geared turbines — powered the carrier through her nearly 38-year service until decommissioning in 1994. Commissioned in 1956 at the peak of asbestos use in naval construction, Saratoga incorporated extensive asbestos-containing boiler insulation, steam pipe insulation, turbine insulation, and hull construction materials throughout her engineering spaces and habitability spaces consistent with mid-1950s naval construction specifications.

USS Saratoga Steam Plant Asbestos

Saratoga’s eight-boiler steam plant incorporated extensive asbestos throughout:

• Babcock & Wilcox boiler insulation — Saratoga’s eight Babcock & Wilcox boilers were insulated with asbestos-containing boiler casing insulation, steam drum insulation, and firebox refractory materials consistent with mid-1950s naval construction specifications. Boilermen working in Saratoga’s eight firerooms accumulated asbestos exposure from the boiler insulation maintained through nearly four decades of Atlantic Fleet service
• High-pressure steam main pipe insulation — the high-pressure steam mains throughout Saratoga’s engineering spaces incorporated asbestos-containing pipe insulation consistent with 1956 naval construction specifications. Engineering ratings working in Saratoga’s machinery spaces encountered steam main insulation throughout the propulsion plant during normal operations and maintenance
• Main propulsion turbine insulation — Saratoga’s four Westinghouse main propulsion turbine sets incorporated asbestos-containing turbine casing insulation. Machinist’s Mates performing turbine maintenance in Saratoga’s machinery rooms worked in proximity to asbestos-containing turbine insulation
• Steam catapult and aviation support systems — the steam catapult systems and aviation support steam distribution systems aboard Saratoga incorporated asbestos-containing pipe insulation at steam catapult supply lines and the extensive auxiliary steam distribution system serving aviation support equipment throughout the ship

USS Saratoga Hull Construction Asbestos

Saratoga’s mid-1950s construction incorporated asbestos throughout:

• Crew berthing and interior spaces — Saratoga’s interior crew spaces were constructed using mid-1950s naval construction specifications incorporating asbestos-containing floor tile, overhead insulation, and bulkhead construction materials throughout the hull
• Engineering and propulsion space construction — the engineering spaces and propulsion plant compartments aboard Saratoga were constructed using mid-1950s naval construction incorporating asbestos-containing materials at the peak of asbestos use in naval construction

VA Claims for USS Saratoga Veterans

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