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
Yard period / shipyard · Long Beach — In the shipyard at Long Beach, per the ship's deck log.
1956
Mooring / movement — Moored/underway, per the ship's deck log.
1957
Yard period / shipyard · Mare Island — In the shipyard at Mare Island, per the ship's deck log.
1957
Mooring / movement — Moored/underway, per the ship's deck log.
1957
Yard period / shipyard · MARE ISLAND — In the shipyard at 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.
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USS Helena (CA-75) underway c1961Source: Wikimedia Commons — public domain (U.S. Navy photograph)
Service History
From the public Wikipedia / DANFS service-history record — source ›
USS Helena (CA-75), a Baltimore-class heavy cruiser commissioned in September 1945, served as a peacetime training and good-will vessel from 1945 to 1950 before being rushed into action during the Korean War. She served prominently as flagship of the Bombardment Task Group and Task Force 77, providing extensive shore gunfire support and amphibious assault coverage throughout the Korean conflict and participating in the strategic Dachen Islands evacuation in 1955. Following her Korean War service, Helena continued Far East operations as a Cold War-era 7th Fleet asset through the mid-1950s.
Construction & Service Dates
Builder
Bethlehem Steel Company, Quincy, Massachusetts
Launched
1945-04-28
Commissioned
1945-09-04
Notable Tours / Service Eras
Post-WWII peacetime operations 1945-1950
Korean War 1950-1953
Cold War Far East operations 1953-1956
Combat Actions
Korean War — east coast bombardment campaign· 1950-08 Flagship, Bombardment Task Group; shore gunfire support
Inchon amphibious assault support· 1950-09 Diversionary gunfire support
Pohang recapture· 1950 Gunfire support
Dachen Islands evacuation· 1955-02 Fleet flagship; patrol and rear guard
Home Ports & Forward Bases
Boston, Massachusetts — home port/outfitting base 1945-1946
Long Beach, California — homeport 1948-1950s
Yokosuka, Japan — forward base 1950-1956
Sasebo, Japan — forward base 1951
Drydock & Overhaul Periods
High Asbestos-Exposure Window
San Francisco Naval Shipyard· 1950-1951 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
Late July 1951 — straddled and hit by enemy shore gunfire off Korean coast; light damage; performed 'war dance' maneuver and destroyed seven enemy gun positions and ammunition dump
Read the video transcript
Did you serve aboard the USS Helena? This cruiser carried asbestos in nearly every compartment. Here is where it was, and who is responsible. The USS Helena, hull number CA-75, was a cruiser, built by Bethlehem Steel Company and commissioned in 1945. She served through Post-WWII peacetime operations, Korean War, and Cold War Far East operations. Public naval references list this equipment aboard the USS Helena, CA-75 — 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 Helena from makers such as Terry, Terry Turbines, Foster Wheeler, and Buffalo Pumps allegedly contained asbestos. If you served aboard the USS Helena 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 Helena (CA-75) is a documented U.S. Navy heavy 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 Manifest — USS Helena (CA-75). 8 machinery/equipment entries identified through ship-specific BUSHIPS documentation. Manufacturers in bold link to documented asbestos-product history on AsbestosIndex.com.
USS Helena, paired with Buffalo Pumps per Bureau of Navy memorandum 04/07/1937
Cruising Feed Pump
Terry Steam Turbine Company
USS Helena, Contract #53103, April 7, 1937
Cruising Feed Booster Pump
Terry Steam Turbine Company
USS Helena, Contract #53103, April 7, 1937
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.
Navy Ratings Most Exposed to Asbestos Aboard Helena
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.
Helena CA-75 — Frequently Asked Questions
Are Helena CA-75 veterans covered by Navy asbestos litigation records?
Yes. Helena CA-75 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 Helena CA-75 contained asbestos?
Asbestos-containing materials documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels of Helena CA-75'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 Helena CA-75?
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 Helena CA-75?
Documented equipment manufacturers aboard Helena CA-75 include: Buffalo Pumps, Foster Wheeler, Terry, Terry Steam Turbine Company, Terry Turbines, Wainwright. These manufacturers supplied boilers, turbines, pumps, valves, electrical equipment, and insulation systems through BUSHIPS contracts during the asbestos era.
Do Helena CA-75 veterans qualify for VA disability for mesothelioma?
Potentially. VA evaluates asbestos-related disability claims individually. Helena CA-75 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.
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