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.
1941
Mooring / movement · Pearl Harbor — Moored/underway near Pearl Harbor, per the ship's deck log.
1942
Mooring / movement — Moored/underway, per the ship's deck log.
1942
Mooring / movement · Norfolk — Moored/underway near Norfolk, 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 Idaho (BB-42) at 1927 naval reviewSource: Wikimedia Commons — public domain (U.S. Navy photograph)
Service History
From the public Wikipedia / DANFS service-history record — source ›
USS Idaho (BB-42) was a New Mexico-class battleship launched in 1917 and commissioned in 1919. After two decades of peacetime Fleet operations in the Pacific, she participated in the Neutrality Patrols in 1941 before joining the Pacific Fleet for World War II combat operations, providing naval gunfire support during campaigns in the Gilbert and Marshall Islands, Philippines, Peleliu, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. The ship was decommissioned in July 1946 and scrapped in 1947.
Construction & Service Dates
Builder
New York Shipbuilding Corporation, Camden, New Jersey
Laid down
1915-01-20
Launched
1917-06-30
Commissioned
1919-03-24
Decommissioned
1946-07
Notable Tours / Service Eras
Interwar Pacific Fleet 1919-1941
Neutrality Patrols Atlantic 1941
WWII Pacific Theater 1942-1945
Combat Actions
Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaigns· 1943-1944 Naval gunfire support
Philippines campaign· 1944-1945 Naval gunfire support
Peleliu invasion· 1944 Naval gunfire support
Iwo Jima invasion· 1945 Naval gunfire support
Okinawa invasion· 1945 Naval gunfire support
Home Ports & Forward Bases
San Pedro, California — primary Pacific Fleet base 1925-1940
Drydock & Overhaul Periods
High Asbestos-Exposure Window
Norfolk Navy Yard· 1931-1934 Major reconstruction
Unknown· 1942-10 to 1942-12 Anti-aircraft refit
Unknown· 1944-10 to 1945-01 Major refit / gun upgrade
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.
Final Disposition
Sold to ship breakers November 1947 and dismantled
Read the video transcript
Did you serve aboard the USS Idaho? This battleship carried asbestos in nearly every compartment. Here is where it was, and who is responsible. The USS Idaho, hull number BB-42, was a battleship, built by New York Shipbuilding Corporation and commissioned in 1919. She served through Interwar Pacific Fleet, Neutrality Patrols Atlantic, and WWII Pacific Theater. Public naval references list this equipment aboard the USS Idaho, BB-42 — 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. If you served aboard the USS Idaho 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 Idaho (BB-42) is a documented U.S. Navy battleship 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 Idaho (BB-42). 12 machinery/equipment entries identified through ship-specific BUSHIPS documentation. Manufacturers in bold link to documented asbestos-product history on AsbestosIndex.com.
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 Idaho
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.
Idaho BB-42 — Frequently Asked Questions
Are Idaho BB-42 veterans covered by Navy asbestos litigation records?
Yes. Idaho BB-42 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 Idaho BB-42 contained asbestos?
Asbestos-containing materials documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels of Idaho BB-42'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 Idaho BB-42?
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 Idaho BB-42?
Documented equipment manufacturers aboard Idaho BB-42 include: Brunner Eng & Mfg Co, Brunner Engineering & Manufacturing, HAYS FAB, Manchester, Manchester Tank, Miura, Raypak. These manufacturers supplied boilers, turbines, pumps, valves, electrical equipment, and insulation systems through BUSHIPS contracts during the asbestos era.
Do Idaho BB-42 veterans qualify for VA disability for mesothelioma?
Potentially. VA evaluates asbestos-related disability claims individually. Idaho BB-42 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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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.
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