USS California (BB-44) is a documented U.S. Navy battleship with asbestos-exposure evidence in the public litigation record. The equipment manifest below was assembled from depositions, expert reports, and manufacturer interrogatory responses filed in U.S. asbestos litigation that reference equipment installed aboard this vessel.
Equipment Manifest
| Equipment | Manufacturer | Qty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boilers | Babcock & Wilcox | Main boilers installed aboard USS California BB-44 | |
| Spare Boiler (8 Divided furnace / Superheated water tube design drum) | Combustion Engineers | 1 | Spare boiler for USS California BB-44 |
| Blowers (turbine driven) | F B Sturtevant | Turbine-driven blowers aboard USS California BB-44 | |
| Main Propulsion | General Electric | Main propulsion system for USS California BB-44 | |
| Ten Stage Single Flow Impulse Stage Type | Curtis Co. | Propulsion component aboard USS California BB-44 | |
| Air Compressor (High Pressure) | Herdie Tynes Manufacturing | High-pressure air compressor installed on USS California BB-44 | |
| Air Compressor (Medium Pressure) | Ingersoll Rand Co. | Medium-pressure air compressor installed on USS California BB-44 | |
| Main Condensers | C H Wheeler | Main condensers aboard USS California BB-44 | |
| Auxiliary Condensers | Foster Wheeler | 4 | Four auxiliary condensers installed on USS California BB-44 |
| Main Distilling Apparatus | Griscom Russell | 2 | Two main distilling apparatus aboard USS California BB-44 |
| Emergency Distilling Apparatus | Griscom Russell | 1 | One emergency distilling apparatus aboard USS California BB-44 |
| Ships Service Turbine drive Generators | General Electric Co. | Turbine-driven generators for ship service aboard USS California BB-44 | |
| Emergency Diesel Generators | Westinghouse | Emergency diesel generators aboard USS California BB-44 | |
| Emergency Diesel Generators | General Motors | Emergency diesel generators aboard USS California BB-44 | |
| Main Refrigeration | Carrier | 2 | Two main refrigeration units aboard USS California BB-44 |
| Vacuum Pump for Emergency Generator Unit | Nash Pump Co. | Emergency generator support | |
| Submersible Pump | Dean Steam Pump | ||
| Oil Purifier Pump | DeLaval | Diesel oil purification | |
| Fire & Bilge Pump | Garden Denver | ||
| Fresh Water Pump | Sawyer Electric Co. | ||
| Fresh Water Booster Pump | Morris Machine Co. | ||
| Sanitary Pump | Morris Machine Co. | ||
| Secondary Drainage Pump | Morris Machine Co. | ||
| Fuel Oil Service Pump | Northern Pump | ||
| Fuel Oil Transfer Pump | M T Davidson | ||
| High Temperature Insulation | Johns Manville Sales Corp. | Asbestos-containing material | |
| Asbestos Cloth | Raybestos Co. | ||
| Deck Matting | Raybestos Co. | Asbestos-containing | |
| Asbestos Tape 1 to 3 inch | Johns Manville | ||
| Asbestos Pipe Covering | Union Asbestos & Manufacturing Co. | ||
| Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Plants | Carrier Corporation | USS California (BB-44) contract with Carrier Corporation, referenced in 24 APR 1941 correspondence from Puget Sound Navy Yard | |
| Spare Boiler - 8 Divided furnace / Superheated water tube design drum boilers | Combustion Engineers | 8 | Spare boiler units for USS California BB-44 |
| Blowers - Turbine driven | F B Sturtevant | Turbine-driven blowers aboard USS California BB-44 | |
| Air Compressor High Pressure | Herdie Tynes Manufacturing | High pressure air compressor aboard USS California BB-44 | |
| Air Compressor Med. Pressure | Ingersoll Rand Co. | Medium pressure air compressor aboard USS California BB-44 | |
| Main Condenser pump drive | Terry Turbine Co. | Main condenser pump turbine drive aboard USS California BB-44 | |
| Emergency Diesel Generators | Westinghouse / General Motors | Emergency diesel generator units aboard USS California BB-44 | |
| Main Refrigeration - 2 main units | Carrier | 2 | Main refrigeration units aboard USS California BB-44 |
Note: this manifest is derived from public asbestos litigation records (depositions, expert reports, manufacturer interrogatories) rather than primary BUSHIPS construction documents. Entries reflect what has been documented or alleged in publicly filed legal records.
Asbestos-Containing Materials Aboard California
U.S. Navy battleships built between the 1930s and 1980s were constructed with extensive asbestos-containing materials throughout machinery spaces, engineering plants, and habitability compartments. The standard ACM categories installed and maintained aboard included:
- Pipe lagging and thermal insulation — 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 and burner fronts.
- Asbestos gaskets and braided packing — valves, flanges, pumps, condensers, heat exchangers, and turbine glands.
- Insulation jackets and removable lagging — main propulsion turbines, reduction gears, ship-service turbine generators, and forced-draft blowers.
- Sheet asbestos and Marinite panels — fire-stops, bulkhead insulation, and overhead insulation throughout damage-control zones.
- Vinyl asbestos floor tile (VAT) — passageways, berthing, mess decks, wardroom, and habitable compartments.
- Asbestos rope, wick, and tape — gland-seal applications throughout the engineering plant.
Navy Ratings Most Exposed to Asbestos Aboard California
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.