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Did you serve aboard the USS Cleveland? This cruiser carried asbestos in nearly every compartment. Here is where it was, and who is responsible. The USS Cleveland, hull number CL-55, was a cruiser, built by New York Shipbuilding Corporation and commissioned in 1942. She served through WWII Atlantic Theater, and WWII Pacific Theater. Public naval references list this equipment aboard the USS Cleveland, CL-55 — 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 Cleveland from makers such as De Laval, and Crane allegedly contained asbestos. If you served aboard the USS Cleveland 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 Cleveland (CL-55) is a documented U.S. Navy light cruiser 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bronze Relief Valve, Inside Spring Type, Model B-59500 | Crane | Flanged ends, oil service, 50 lb max set pressure. BuShips Plan CL55-S45-48 | |
| Bronze Relief Valve, Inside Spring Type, Model B-59501 | Crane | Screwed ends, water or oil service, up to 6000 lb max set pressure | |
| Combination Feed Stop and Stop Check Valve, Model B-59541 | Crane | Boiler feed service valve installed aboard USS Cleveland (CL-55) per Bureau of Ships Plan CL55-S4B-495 | |
| Valve | Crane | Model B59500 per plan CL55-S45-48 | |
| Fuel Oil Booster and Transfer Pumps | De Laval | CL-55 class vessel; De Laval Plan No. 8575 specifies asbestos cloth, amosite asbestos felt, and 85% magnesia insulation (~40 pounds) |
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.
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.
Navy Ratings Most Exposed to Asbestos Aboard Cleveland
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 Disability Claims for Asbestos-Related Disease
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs evaluates asbestos claims individually. A veteran generally needs medical evidence of a current asbestos-related disease, service evidence supporting in-service asbestos exposure, and a medical opinion connecting the two. Ship assignments, Navy ratings, and equipment records can help document the exposure history but do not create automatic service connection.
Approved claims may provide monthly disability compensation and related benefits. Survivors may separately qualify for Dependency & Indemnity Compensation when the applicable requirements are met. Civil lawsuits and asbestos-trust claims use different standards; claimants should obtain individualized advice about how the processes interact.
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.
