USS Gato (SS-212) — Equipment Manifest & Asbestos Exposure Record
Documented equipment manifest and asbestos exposure record for USS Gato (SS-212). 6 machinery and manufacturer entries derived from the public asbestos...
By Rights Watch Media Group LLC•June 6, 2026•1 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.
1941
Mooring / movement — Moored/underway, per the ship's deck log.
1942
Mooring / movement — Moored/underway, per the ship's deck log.
1942
Dry-docking · Mare Island — Dry-docked at Mare Island, per the ship's deck log.
1942
Dry-docking — Dry-docked, per the ship's deck log.
1942
Mooring / movement · Mare Island — Moored/underway near Mare Island, 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 Gato;0821201Source: Wikimedia Commons — public domain (U.S. Navy photograph)
Service History
From the public Wikipedia / DANFS service-history record — source ›
USS Gato (SS-212) was the lead ship of the Gato-class submarine and was commissioned on 31 December 1941, just days after the declaration of war. She conducted thirteen war patrols throughout the Pacific Theater from 1942 to 1945, sinking numerous enemy vessels and participating in crucial operations including the Battle of Midway, rescue missions off Okinawa, and lifeguard duties supporting carrier air strikes. After the war she served as a Naval Reserve training vessel until being decommissioned on 16 March 1946 and subsequently scrapped in 1960.
Construction & Service Dates
Builder
Electric Boat Company, Groton, Connecticut
Laid down
1940-10-05
Launched
1941-08-21
Commissioned
1941-12-31
Decommissioned
1946-03-16
Notable Tours / Service Eras
WWII Pacific Theater 1942-1945
Combat Actions
Battle of Midway· 1942-06 patrol station west of Midway Atoll
Operations off New Georgia, Solomon Islands· 1943-01 sank three cargo ships
Bougainville evacuation and transport· 1943-03 evacuated civilians and landed commandos
Wolf pack operations Yellow Sea· 1945-02 coordinated attack with Jallao and Sunfish
Okinawa invasion lifeguard· 1945-04 lifeguard duty and rescued aviators
Home Ports & Forward Bases
Pearl Harbor, Hawaii — primary base 1942-1945
Brisbane, Australia — forward base 1942-1943
New York — home port 1946-1960
Drydock & Overhaul Periods
High Asbestos-Exposure Window
Mare Island Navy Yard· 1942-03 repairs
Mare Island· 1943-08 overhaul
Mare Island· 1944-09 overhaul
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
23 March 1942 — friendly fire attack by U.S. Navy TC-13 blimp with four depth charges off San Francisco Bay; extensive damage but no casualties
Final Disposition
scrapped — sold to Northern Metals Company Philadelphia 25 July 1960
Read the video transcript
Did you serve aboard the USS Gato? This submarine carried asbestos in nearly every compartment. Here is where it was, and who is responsible. The USS Gato, hull number SS-212, was a submarine, built by Electric Boat Company and commissioned in 1941. She served through WWII Pacific Theater. Public naval references list this equipment aboard the USS Gato, SS-212 — 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 Gato from makers such as Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Co., and Badger and Sons Co. allegedly contained asbestos. If you served aboard the USS Gato 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 Gato (SS-212) is a documented U.S. Navy submarine 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 Manifest — USS Gato (SS-212). 6 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
Refrigeration Machinery
Frick Company
Operating Instructions No. 32030 for U.S. Submarines; SS-212 referenced
Officer's Pantry Refrigeration
York Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Co.
Installation and maintenance instructions for U.S. Submarines; SS-212 referenced
Pressure Reducing Regulators
Grove Regulator Company
SS-212, 240-264, 361-364; Model Nos. T-363, 364, RB204-04, RB202-02
Type BN-2 Automatic Voltage Regulator, 500KW Generator
Contract NXss-13632 for SS-212; XB type compressors referenced
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.
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.
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:
Fireman (FN) — engineering-plant tending across boiler and engine rooms
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.
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.
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.
Gato SS-212 — Frequently Asked Questions
Are Gato SS-212 veterans covered by Navy asbestos litigation records?
Yes. Gato SS-212 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 Gato SS-212 contained asbestos?
Asbestos-containing materials documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels of Gato SS-212'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 Gato SS-212?
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 Gato SS-212?
Documented equipment manufacturers aboard Gato SS-212 include: Badger & Sons Co., Electric Boat Company, Frick Company, Grove Regulator Company, Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Co., York Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Co.. These manufacturers supplied boilers, turbines, pumps, valves, electrical equipment, and insulation systems through BUSHIPS contracts during the asbestos era.
Do Gato SS-212 veterans qualify for VA disability for mesothelioma?
Potentially. VA evaluates asbestos-related disability claims individually. Gato SS-212 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.
