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Did you serve aboard the USS General W.A. Mann? This transport carried asbestos in nearly every compartment. Here is where it was, and who is responsible. The USS General W.A. Mann, hull number AP-112, was a transport, and commissioned in 1944. Public naval references list this equipment aboard the USS General W.A. Mann, AP-112 — insulated and sealed with asbestos. 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 General W.A. Mann from makers such as Foster Wheeler, DeLaval Steam Turbine Co., Aldrich Pump Co., and Allis-Chalmers Mfg. Co. allegedly contained asbestos. If you served aboard the USS General W.A. Mann 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 General W.A. Mann (AP-112) was a General-class troop transport commissioned 8 February 1944 — Pacific Theater WWII troop movements, Korean War, and Cold War transport service. Transferred to the Maritime Administration reserve fleet in 1965.
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 | Manufacturer | Qty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boiler | Foster Wheeler | 4 | Type D, two drum, water tube with economizers, 465 PSI |
| Steam Turbine | DeLaval Steam Turbine Co. | 2 | Sets of H.P. and L.P., Cross-Compound Impulse |
| Fire Pump | Ingersoll-Rand Co. | 3 | Two Stage Single Flow, 400 GPM, 276 ft head |
| Emergency Fire Pump | Gardner Denver Co. | 2 | Diesel Driven Type D Centrifugal Size 5, 1000 GPM, 280 ft head |
| Bilge Pump | Ingersoll-Rand Co. | 2 | Single Stage Double Flow, 600 GPM, 36 ft head |
| Bilge Pump | Aldrich Pump Co. | 1 | Drysdale Vertical Self Priming, 600 GPM, 57 ft head |
| Sanitary Pump | Worthington Pump & Machinery Corp. | 2 | Electric Driven Horizontal Duplex, 100 GPM |
| Fresh Water Pump | Worthington Pump & Machinery Corp. | 2 | Electric Driven Horizontal Duplex, 75 GPM, 208 ft head |
| Hot Water Pump | Allis-Chalmers Mfg. Co. | 2 | Centrifugal, 13 GPM, 51 ft head |
| Hot Water Pump | Ingersoll-Rand Co. | 1 | Electric Driven Volute, 40 GPM, 72 ft head |
| Priming Pump | Nash Engineering Co. | 4 | Centrifugal Vacuum, 15 inch, for use with Bilge Pump |
| Diesel Oil Cargo & Service Pump | Worthington Pump & Machinery Co. | 2 | Steam Driven Reciprocating Horizontal Duplex, 40 GPM, 138 ft head |
| Fire Pump | Pacific Marine Supply Co. | 3 | I.C.E.-Driven Type NY Portable (Handy-Billy), 60 GPM, 230 ft head |
| Fire Pump | Johnson Motor Co. | 1 | I.C.E.-Driven Portable Centrifugal P-500 Vertical, 500 GPM, 230 ft head |
Asbestos-Containing Materials Aboard General W.A. Mann
The standard asbestos-containing materials installed throughout U.S. Navy troop transports 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 General W.A. Mann 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 General W.A. Mann 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.
Speak with an asbestos attorney with Navy veterans experience →
Equipment manifest derived from public-record BUSHIPS documentation specific to USS General W.A. Mann (AP-112). Manufacturer attribution links to documented asbestos-product histories on AsbestosIndex.com where available. Editorial review applied per site standards.
