USS Wichita (CA-45), commissioned February 16, 1939 at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), was a one-of-a-kind heavy cruiser design that incorporated the 5-inch/38 caliber dual-purpose secondary battery and improved main battery arrangement in a 9,700-ton treaty cruiser hull. Wichita was powered by eight Babcock & Wilcox boilers driving four sets of Parsons geared steam turbines producing 100,000 shaft horsepower. Wichita served in Atlantic operations including convoy escort and the 1942 North African landings before transferring to the Pacific for operations from the Guadalcanal campaign through the end of WWII. After WWII, Wichita was decommissioned and scrapped in 1947.

Late 1930s Heavy Cruiser Steam Plant and Asbestos

USS Wichita’s eight-boiler steam plant used asbestos insulation throughout the engineering spaces:

  • Main boiler insulation — Wichita’s eight Babcock & Wilcox boilers used asbestos block insulation on boiler casings and asbestos-containing refractory in the firebox construction from the original 1939 commissioning. Boiler Tender ratings maintaining Wichita’s boilers worked in direct proximity to asbestos-insulated boiler surfaces in the cruiser’s fire rooms during the ship’s WWII service
  • Main steam piping insulation — the high-pressure main steam system throughout Wichita’s hull used asbestos pipe covering from the 1939 construction. Engineering ratings in the fire rooms and engine rooms were in continuous proximity to asbestos-insulated steam piping during underway operations across both Atlantic and Pacific theaters
  • Turbine and reduction gear insulation — Wichita’s main propulsion turbines and reduction gear sets used asbestos-containing thermal insulation consistent with late 1930s heavy cruiser construction specifications

1939 Interior Construction

Wichita’s hull used late 1930s construction materials throughout:

  • The crew berthing, mess spaces, and working areas aboard Wichita used late 1930s construction materials including asbestos-containing deck products, overhead insulation, and bulkhead construction throughout the cruiser’s hull

VA Claims for USS Wichita Veterans

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure aboard Navy heavy cruisers. Engineering ratings and crew members who served aboard USS Wichita (CA-45) 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 Wichita

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.