USS Valley Forge (CV-45) was an Essex-class aircraft carrier commissioned in November 1946 at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. Valley Forge achieved historical distinction as the first US carrier to conduct combat operations in the Korean War — launching the initial carrier air strikes against North Korean airfields and rail infrastructure on July 3, 1950, in company with HMS Triumph. Valley Forge served through the Korean War, was later converted to an anti-submarine carrier (CVS-45), and participated in the Apollo 4 unmanned spacecraft recovery in 1967. The ship’s 1946 construction used asbestos insulation throughout the engineering plant consistent with WWII Essex-class construction standards.

Engineering Plant Asbestos

Valley Forge’s 1946 Essex-class construction used asbestos throughout:

  • Boiler plant — the eight Babcock & Wilcox boilers used asbestos lagging on exterior surfaces, asbestos refractory brick in combustion chambers, and asbestos sealing materials at boiler access points. BT ratings maintained the boiler plant in the firerooms with sustained exposure to asbestos-containing lagging throughout their duty periods
  • Steam piping — main steam and auxiliary steam distribution piping used asbestos magnesia pipe covering throughout the hot steam lines in the engineering spaces. The pipe covering in the firerooms and enginerooms was asbestos block insulation under canvas jacket throughout the WWII-era and early Cold War service
  • CVS conversion — the conversion to anti-submarine carrier configuration added new equipment and modified the ship’s interior spaces, with conversion work potentially disturbing existing asbestos-containing construction materials throughout the conversion period

Korean War First Strike

Valley Forge’s July 3, 1950 combat operations launched the carrier war in Korea:

  • The crew serving aboard Valley Forge during the initial Korean War operations occupied the ship’s asbestos-containing engineering and accommodation spaces throughout the Korean combat deployments

VA Claims for USS Valley Forge Veterans

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure aboard Essex-class carriers. Engineering ratings who served aboard USS Valley Forge 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 Valley Forge

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.