USS Casa Grande (LSD-13) — Equipment Manifest & Asbestos Exposure Record
Documented equipment manifest and asbestos exposure record for USS Casa Grande (LSD-13), a Casa Grande-class dock landing ship in service 1944–1976. 14...
By Rights Watch Media Group LLC•June 6, 2026•3 min read
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.
1956
Mooring / movement — Moored/underway, per the ship's deck log.
1957
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.
Log every ship, shipyard, or base where you served — build a personal asbestos-exposure record for VA claims and civil litigation.
Your MusterLog is empty.
Use the gold button on any ship, shipyard, or base page to log a duty station.
USS Casa Grande (LSD-13) at Hampton Roads 1951Source: Wikimedia Commons — public domain (U.S. Navy photograph)
Service History
From the public Wikipedia / DANFS service-history record — source ›
USS Casa Grande (LSD-13), first of the Casa Grande-class dock landing ships, served in the U.S. Navy from 1944 to 1946 and again from 1950 to 1969. She participated in major Pacific amphibious operations during World War II including Leyte Gulf, Lingayen Gulf, and Okinawa, earning three battle stars. Following recommissioning during the Korean War, Casa Grande conducted Atlantic Fleet operations and multiple Mediterranean deployments with the 6th Fleet until her final decommissioning in 1969.
Construction & Service Dates
Builder
Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Newport News, Virginia
Laid down
1943-11-11
Launched
1944-04-11
Commissioned
1944-06-05
Decommissioned
1969-10-06
Notable Tours / Service Eras
WWII Pacific Theater 1944-1945
Korean War and Cold War Atlantic Fleet 1950-1969
Mediterranean deployments 1953, 1959-1960, 1962
Combat Actions
Battle of Leyte Gulf· 1944-10 Landing craft operations
Lingayen Gulf operation· 1945-01 Amphibious assault support
Okinawa campaign· 1945-04 Troop and equipment landing
Home Ports & Forward Bases
Norfolk, Virginia — home port 1946, 1950-1969
Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
San Francisco, California
Manus Island
Leyte, Philippines
Lingayen Gulf, Philippines
Okinawa
Mediterranean ports (6th Fleet)
Drydock & Overhaul Periods
High Asbestos-Exposure Window
Leyte· 1945-06 minor overhaul
San Francisco· 1945-07 to 1945-09 dry-docking
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
13 August 1953 — humanitarian relief mission to Cephalonia, Greece following earthquake
Final Disposition
sold for scrap 6 April 1992
Read the video transcript
Did you serve aboard the USS Casa Grande? This amphibious ship carried asbestos in nearly every compartment. Here is where it was, and who is responsible. The USS Casa Grande, hull number LSD-13, was an amphibious ship, built by Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co. and commissioned in 1944. She served through WWII Pacific Theater, Korean War and Cold War Atlantic Fleet, and Mediterranean deployments. Public naval references list this equipment aboard the USS Casa Grande, LSD-13 — 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 Casa Grande from makers such as Baker God Chromilly, The Hayes Company Contractor, H-404-KE-11, and Other Bu. Ships allegedly contained asbestos. If you served aboard the USS Casa Grande 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 Casa Grande (LSD-13) was the lead ship of her class — a dock landing ship commissioned 5 June 1944 and serving the U.S. Navy through 1976 — Pacific Theater WWII amphibious operations (Lingayen, Iwo Jima, Okinawa), Korean War, and Cold War service.
The 14-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 Casa Grande (LSD-13). 19 machinery/equipment entries identified through ship-specific BUSHIPS documentation. Manufacturers in bold link to documented asbestos-product history on AsbestosIndex.com.
Equipment
Manufacturer
Qty
Notes
CL55 Class - Boilers - 25% Cr. 1% Ni Elements for Soot Blower Units A & B
The Hayes Company Contractor
Located in superheater of boilers; experienced trouble with warping and failures
Soot blower elements - Dialoy
Diamond Power Specialty Corporation
80% Cr. alloy elements; tested at elevated temperatures for extended life
Boiler God Chromilly (25% Cr. 12% Ni) soot blower elements cuttable
Baker God Chromilly
For installation in A & B boilers on subject vessel
Plan #RY-72218; Bur. #BAPM-84601-11, Alt.0 and -72446
Main Condensate Pumps
Worthington
Plan RY-72446, Bureau No. BAPU-84601-12, Alt. O
Main Condensate Pumps - Elevation
Worthington
Plan RY-72218, Bureau No. BAPU-84601-11, Alt. O
Motor Driven Air Condensate Pump
WPAM Corp.
LSDO-15 - MMS P.O. 635-11
Turbine Driven Condensate Pump
Other Bu. Ships
LSDO-15/LI.6 (65091-12)
Asbestos-Containing Materials Aboard Casa Grande
The standard asbestos-containing materials installed throughout U.S. Navy dock landing ships 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 Casa Grande 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 Casa Grande 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 Casa Grande (LSD-13). 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.
Casa Grande LSD-13 — Frequently Asked Questions
Are Casa Grande LSD-13 veterans covered by Navy asbestos litigation records?
Yes. Casa Grande LSD-13 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 Casa Grande LSD-13 contained asbestos?
Asbestos-containing materials documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels of Casa Grande LSD-13'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 Casa Grande LSD-13?
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 Casa Grande LSD-13?
Documented equipment manufacturers aboard Casa Grande LSD-13 include: 5207-R, Baker God Chromilly, C. H. Wheeler Mfg. Co., Diamond Power Specialty Corporation, Garlock, Gibbs & Cox, H-404-KE-11. These manufacturers supplied boilers, turbines, pumps, valves, electrical equipment, and insulation systems through BUSHIPS contracts during the asbestos era.
Do Casa Grande LSD-13 veterans qualify for VA disability for mesothelioma?
Potentially. VA evaluates asbestos-related disability claims individually. Casa Grande LSD-13 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.
Sponsored Legal Resource — Attorney Advertising
Connect With a Navy Asbestos & Mesothelioma Attorney
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.
Living with a diagnosis?
If you were diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, a filing deadline may already be running. You may have a legal claim now — and claims can often be pursued even if the company is out of business.
Lost a loved one to mesothelioma?
Surviving spouses and children may pursue a wrongful-death claim and asbestos-trust recovery on a loved one's behalf — a separate deadline that can run from the date of passing.
Free case evaluation — no obligation to hire
No attorney fee unless we make a financial recovery
Personal-injury and wrongful-death claims both evaluated
Civil claims against asbestos manufacturers & bankruptcy trust funds
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
Thank you. Your inquiry has been submitted. An attorney will be in touch shortly.
Attorney Advertising. This website is published by Rights Watch Media Group LLC, an independent media organization, and is not a law firm. Visiting this site or submitting this form does not create an attorney-client relationship. O'Brien Law Firm is a licensed MO law firm. Free consultations are offered at no obligation. Legal representation is provided on a contingency basis — there is no charge unless a financial recovery is made on your behalf. Individual results vary; past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Inquiries submitted to navyshipexposure.com are routed directly and exclusively to O'Brien Law Firm. Rights Watch Media Group LLC is an independent publisher and is not a lawyer referral service. We do not sell or share inquiries with other firms.
