USS Impervious (MSO-449) was an Aggressive-class ocean minesweeper commissioned 15 July 1954 — Vietnam War minesweeping operations and Cold War mine warfare force service through 1991.
The 15-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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diesel V12 Cylinder Engines | Packard Motors | 4 | 2 Curtis Wright 900bhp installed in 1960 |
| Boiler Auxiliary Cylotherm Type | US Radiator Corp. | 2 | |
| Reduction Gear | Westinghouse | ||
| Main Distilling Apparatus | E B Badger & Sons Co. | 1 | 2000 gpd |
| Main Generators | Delco | ||
| Auxiliary Generator | Hallet Mfg-Westinghouse | ||
| AC Motor Generators | Packard Motor | ||
| Ships Service Air Compressor HP-LP | Gardner Denver Co. | ||
| Main Refrigeration | Carrier Co. | ||
| Diesel Oil Purifier | Sharples | ||
| Main Condensers Circulating Pump | Gould | ||
| Evaporator Feed Pump | Warren | ||
| Evaporator Brine Pump | Warren | ||
| Fire Pump | Worthington Pump | ||
| Diesel Oil Transfer Pump | Vickers |
Asbestos-Containing Materials Aboard Impervious
The standard asbestos-containing materials installed throughout U.S. Navy minesweepers 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 Impervious Veterans
The Department of Veterans Affairs recognizes mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, and pleural disease as conditions presumed to be service-connected for Navy veterans with documented asbestos exposure. The Impervious 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 Impervious (MSO-449). Manufacturer attribution links to documented asbestos-product histories on AsbestosIndex.com where available. Editorial review applied per site standards.