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Did you serve aboard the USS Enterprise? This aircraft carrier carried asbestos in nearly every compartment. Here is where it was, and who is responsible. The USS Enterprise, hull number CVN-65, was an aircraft carrier, built by Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company and commissioned in 1961. She served through Cold War Atlantic Fleet, Vietnam War, and Cold War Mediterranean deployments. Public naval references list this equipment aboard the USS Enterprise, CVN-65 — 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 Enterprise from makers such as FOSTER WHEELER, Warren Pumps, Inc., and Foster Wheeler allegedly contained asbestos. If you served aboard the USS Enterprise 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 Enterprise (CVN-65) is a documented U.S. Navy nuclear aircraft carrier 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vertical Single, Double-Acting, Reciprocating Steam Pump | Warren Pumps, Inc. | 28 | 6x6x6 inch, Contract Nobs-3959 |
| Chain Drive Lube Oil Service Pump | Warren Pumps, Inc. | 29 | Type III, Contract Nobs-74687 |
| Bilge & Fuel Oil Tank Stripping Pump | Warren Pumps, Inc. | 20 | |
| Turbine Generator Circulating Pumps | Warren Pumps, Inc. | 29 | |
| Standby Lube Oil Pump | Warren Pumps, Inc. | 55 | |
| Turbine Driven Main Circulating Pump | Warren Pumps, Inc. | 47 | |
| Motor Driven Fire Pump 750 G.P.M. | Warren Pumps, Inc. | 66 | |
| Chain Driven Main Lube Oil Pump | Warren Pumps, Inc. | 134 | includes Turbine Driven Standby and Motor Driven Emergency variants |
| Main Lube Oil Service Pump | Warren Pumps, Inc. | 70 | |
| Single Stage, Double Suction Centrifugal Pump, Type DBH | Warren Pumps, Inc. | 3 | |
| 2-Stage Vertical Condensate Pump, Types 2CV and 2CVP | Warren Pumps, Inc. | 6 | Marine Centrifugal |
| Boilers | FOSTER WHEELER | FW Products aboard USS ENTERPRISE (CVGN-65) prior to 1975 | |
| Soot Blowers | FOSTER WHEELER | FW Products aboard USS ENTERPRISE (CVGN-65) prior to 1975 | |
| Bottom Blow Valves | FOSTER WHEELER | FW Products aboard USS ENTERPRISE (CVGN-65) prior to 1975 | |
| Safety Valves | FOSTER WHEELER | FW Products aboard USS ENTERPRISE (CVGN-65) prior to 1975 | |
| Condensers | FOSTER WHEELER | FW Products aboard USS ENTERPRISE (CVGN-65) prior to 1975 | |
| Air ejectors | Foster Wheeler | Aboard USS Enterprise (CVAN 65) | |
| Steam generators | Foster Wheeler | Aboard USS Enterprise (CVAN 65) |
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.
Documented Asbestos Evidence
Nuclear carriers of this era incorporated asbestos-containing materials in spaces not directly associated with the reactor plant: pipe insulation, gaskets, and packing in conventional steam auxiliary systems, hotel loads, and aviation support systems. Veterans who worked in engineering, damage control, or maintenance rates aboard Enterprise during her 1961–2012 service life may have encountered asbestos in these non-reactor spaces.
Free, confidential case evaluation: Speak with O’Brien Law Firm — (314) 936-2956
All consultations are free. No fee unless a financial recovery is made on your behalf.
References reflect what has been alleged or documented in publicly filed asbestos litigation. This does not constitute a finding of fact or liability. This site does not provide legal or medical advice.
VA Benefits for USS Enterprise (CVN-65) — Equipment Manifest & Asbestos Exposure Record Veterans
USS Enterprise (CVN-65) — Equipment Manifest & Asbestos Exposure Record veterans with mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, or pleural disease may qualify for VA disability compensation when evidence shows in-service asbestos exposure, a current diagnosis, and a medical link between them. The nuclear carrier corpus — including individual hull-number naming for CVN-68 and CVN-69, Rotex gasket documentation for the CVN-68 class, and extensive USS Enterprise overhaul records — establishes the exposure pathway for nuclear carrier veterans.
Free, confidential case evaluation: Speak with O’Brien Law Firm — (314) 936-2956
Documented asbestos records derived from publicly filed asbestos litigation addressing nuclear aircraft carriers. This does not constitute legal or medical advice.
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 Enterprise
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.
