Shipyard, deployment, and service events for this vessel documented in the public record — court filings, the ship’s deck logs, or the crew’s own cruise book (each entry cites its source). Dry-dockings, overhauls, and yard periods were when asbestos insulation was torn out and replaced, the peak-exposure work for the crew and yard workers aboard.
1976
Mooring / movement — Moored/underway, per the ship's deck log.
Derived from publicly filed asbestos-litigation records, ship’s deck logs, and the crew’s own cruise books. Historical service events; this does not constitute legal or medical advice.
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USS Biddle (DLG-34) underway at seaSource: Wikimedia Commons — public domain (U.S. Navy photograph)
Service History
From the public Wikipedia / DANFS service-history record — source ›
USS Biddle (DLG-34/CG-34) was a Belknap-class guided-missile cruiser commissioned in 1967 and homeported at Norfolk, Virginia. She conducted three major combat deployments to Vietnam (1968, 1969, 1972–1973), where she performed PIRAZ, strike-support, and search-and-rescue duties; on 19 July 1972, she is believed to have downed the last enemy aircraft destroyed by a U.S. Navy ship using hand-loaded guns. She was also involved in the Gulf of Sidra incident in 1981 and was decommissioned on 30 November 1993.
Construction & Service Dates
Builder
Bath Iron Works Corporation, Bath, Maine
Laid down
1963-12-09
Launched
1965-07-02
Commissioned
1967-01-21
Decommissioned
1993-11-30
Notable Tours / Service Eras
Vietnam War 1968
Vietnam War 1969
Vietnam War 1972-1973
Combat Actions
MiG Attack off Vietnam· 1972-07-19 antiair warfare — destroyed one MiG with Terrier missiles
Home Ports & Forward Bases
Norfolk, Virginia — home port
Subic Bay, Philippines — forward base Vietnam operations
Guam
Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
Danang, South Vietnam
Yokosuka, Japan
Hong Kong
Drydock & Overhaul Periods
High Asbestos-Exposure Window
Boston Naval Shipyard· 1967 post-shakedown availability
Asbestos rip-out, insulation replacement, and gasket-packing work occurred during these yard periods. Sailors aboard during overhauls had peak exposure to airborne asbestos fiber.
Notable Incidents
19 July 1972 — MiG attack off Vietnam coast; destroyed one enemy aircraft with hand-loaded Terrier missiles
Final Disposition
sold for scrap 4 December 2000
Read the video transcript
Did you serve aboard the USS Biddle? This cruiser carried asbestos in nearly every compartment. Here is where it was, and who is responsible. The USS Biddle, hull number CG-34, was a cruiser, built by Bath Iron Works Corporation and commissioned in 1967. She served through Vietnam War, Vietnam War, and Vietnam War. Public naval references list this equipment aboard the USS Biddle, CG-34 — insulated and sealed with asbestos. Each shipyard overhaul and major repair meant asbestos insulation was torn out and replaced — peak-exposure work for the yard workers and the crew aboard. Exposure was worst in the engineering spaces, where the snipes worked — but asbestos lined the whole ship, so all hands were exposed. The companies that made the asbestos equipment aboard — not the Navy — are who asbestos claims are brought against. According to asbestos litigation records, the equipment aboard the USS Biddle from makers such as Babcock and Wilcox, Byron Jackson div./ Borg-Warner, De Laval, and General Electric allegedly contained asbestos. If you served aboard the USS Biddle and were later diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or another asbestos-related disease, you may have a legal claim against the companies that made the asbestos products used aboard your ship. This is educational information from an independent publisher — not a law firm — and is not legal advice.
USS Biddle (DLG-34 / CG-34) was a Belknap-class guided-missile cruiser commissioned 21 January 1967 and serving the U.S. Navy through 30 November 1993 — Vietnam War combat operations, multiple Cold War Mediterranean and Indian Ocean deployments, and Operation Desert Storm. Reclassified from DLG to CG in 1975.
The 80-entry equipment manifest below is sourced from ship-specific BUSHIPS (Bureau of Ships) documentation identifying machinery and equipment installed aboard. Each entry is documented equipment with verified manufacturer attribution — primary-source material for asbestos-exposure case development by Navy veterans and surviving families.
Equipment Manifest
Equipment Manifest — USS Biddle (CG-34). 80 machinery/equipment entries identified through ship-specific BUSHIPS documentation. Manufacturers in bold link to documented asbestos-product history on AsbestosIndex.com.
Ship's Service TG Condenser Circulating Pumps (Motor Driven)
Walter H. Eagan
Asbestos-Containing Materials Aboard Biddle
The standard asbestos-containing materials installed throughout U.S. Navy guided-missile cruisers of this era are documented to have included:
Pipe lagging and thermal insulation on main steam, feed-water, fuel-oil, condensate, and saltwater piping throughout machinery spaces
Boiler block insulation, refractory brick, and gun-blocks around the main boilers
Asbestos gaskets and braided packing in valves, flanges, pumps, condensers, heat exchangers, and turbine glands
Insulation jackets and removable lagging on main propulsion turbines, reduction gears, ship-service turbine generators, and forced-draft blowers
Sheet asbestos and Marinite panels as fire-stops, bulkhead insulation, and overhead insulation
Vinyl asbestos floor tile (VAT) in passageways, berthing, mess decks, and habitable compartments
Asbestos rope, wick, and tape in gland-seal applications throughout the engineering plant
Sailors in Boilerman, Machinist’s Mate, Engineman, Electrician’s Mate, Hull Maintenance Technician, Damage Controlman, and other engineering ratings worked routinely in spaces where these materials were installed, maintained, ripped out, and replaced.
VA Benefits for Biddle Veterans
The Department of Veterans Affairs recognizes mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, and pleural disease as conditions that may be service-connected for Navy veterans with documented asbestos exposure. The Biddle equipment manifest is direct documentary evidence of the asbestos-containing materials her crew worked around throughout her service life.
Parallel claims against the asbestos bankruptcy trust funds established by the manufacturers of these products are also available, and do not reduce VA compensation.
Equipment manifest derived from public-record BUSHIPS documentation specific to USS Biddle (CG-34). Manufacturer attribution links to documented asbestos-product histories on AsbestosIndex.com where available. Editorial review applied per site standards.
AsbestosIndex™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.
Documented Asbestos-Exposure Environments — U.S. Navy Service
Public-domain U.S. Navy photographs illustrating the engineering spaces, ratings, and yard environments where asbestos materials were routinely encountered during normal duty.
All images are public domain (U.S. Government works). Specific photographs depict generic Navy engineering and yard environments — not the named vessel above. Asbestos materials shown or implied include pipe lagging, boiler insulation, steam-line covering, and gasket / packing materials standard on U.S. Navy vessels through the early 1980s.
Biddle CG-34 — Frequently Asked Questions
Are Biddle CG-34 veterans covered by Navy asbestos litigation records?
Yes. Biddle CG-34 is documented in the public U.S. Navy asbestos litigation record. U.S. Navy vessels of her service era were built to BUSHIPS specifications that required asbestos insulation throughout engineering spaces, on steam lines, around boilers and turbines, and in gasket and packing materials.
Which shipboard components on Biddle CG-34 contained asbestos?
Asbestos-containing materials documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels of Biddle CG-34's era include: boiler insulation and lagging, steam-line pipe insulation, turbine and reduction-gear casings, valve packing, gaskets, brake and clutch friction materials, electrical wire insulation, overhead pipe coverings in berthing and mess spaces, and Navy-issue boiler cement and refractory in fireboxes.
What ratings were exposed to asbestos serving on Biddle CG-34?
Navy ratings with the highest documented asbestos exposure include Machinist's Mate (MM), Boiler Technician (BT), Hull Maintenance Technician (HT), Engineman (EN), Electrician's Mate (EM), Interior Communications Electrician (IC), Damage Controlman (DC), and Pipefitter / Shipfitter. Officers in engineering departments also encountered asbestos in normal duty. Shipyard workers performing overhaul, repair, or refit work had concentrated exposure during yard periods.
What equipment manufacturers are documented on Biddle CG-34?
Documented equipment manufacturers aboard Biddle CG-34 include: Alco, Anchor Equipment, Andale, Atlas, Aurora div./ New York Air Brake, Automatic Switch, Babcock & Wilcox. These manufacturers supplied boilers, turbines, pumps, valves, electrical equipment, and insulation systems through BUSHIPS contracts during the asbestos era.
Do Biddle CG-34 veterans qualify for VA disability for mesothelioma?
Potentially. VA evaluates asbestos-related disability claims individually. Biddle CG-34 veterans generally need medical records showing the current disease, service records supporting in-service asbestos exposure, and a doctor's statement connecting the two. Veterans may file at VA.gov, call 1-800-827-1000, or seek free help from an accredited Veterans Service Organization such as DAV, VFW, or the American Legion.
Disclaimer: The information in this article is for general educational purposes only and does not constitute medical or legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is created by reading this site. References to ships, shipyards, companies, products, and asbestos-containing materials are drawn from public VA records, NARA archives, EPA/OSHA databases, and public litigation records. All references reflect what has been documented or alleged in publicly filed records. Consult a licensed physician for medical guidance and a qualified attorney for legal advice regarding your specific situation.
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Navy veterans and civilian shipyard workers diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may have grounds for a civil claim against the asbestos product manufacturers whose materials were installed aboard. O'Brien Law Firm represents veterans and their families in the civil track at no upfront cost — separate from any VA disability benefits you may be eligible for.
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Maritime statute of limitations: 3 years from diagnosis (46 U.S.C. § 30106)
Runs in parallel with VA benefits — civil recovery does not reduce VA disability compensation
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