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.
1963
Mooring / movement — Moored/underway, 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 John Marshall (SSBN-611)Source: Wikimedia Commons — public domain (U.S. Navy photograph)
Service History
From the public Wikipedia / DANFS service-history record — source ›
USS John Marshall (SSBN-611) was an Ethan Allen-class fleet ballistic missile submarine commissioned in 1962 that conducted 25 deterrent patrols from multiple forward bases between 1962 and 1980. Reclassified as an attack submarine in 1981 and modified to support special warfare operations, she conducted four Mediterranean deployments and multiple SEAL team exercises before decommissioning in 1992. Her service spanned three decades of Cold War strategic deterrence and special operations missions.
Construction & Service Dates
Builder
Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company
Laid down
1960-04-04
Launched
1961-07-15
Commissioned
1962-05-21
Decommissioned
1992-07-22
Notable Tours / Service Eras
Cold War Atlantic Fleet deterrent patrols 1962-1980
Cold War Mediterranean deployments 1981-1991
Cold War Pacific Fleet operations 1981-1992
Home Ports & Forward Bases
Holy Loch, Scotland — home port 1963-1970
Rota, Spain — home port 1970-1973
Charleston, South Carolina — home port 1973-1980
Apra Harbor, Guam — home port 1977-1980
Pearl Harbor, Hawaii — home port 1980-1981
Charleston, South Carolina — home port 1981-1983
Norfolk, Virginia — home port 1985-1992
Drydock & Overhaul Periods
High Asbestos-Exposure Window
Newport News Shipbuilding· 1966-1968 major overhaul
Mare Island Naval Shipyard· 1974-1976 refueling overhaul with missile system conversion
Puget Sound Naval Shipyard· 1983-1985 overhaul with special warfare modifications
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
25 October 1988 — achieved 1,000th dive off Puerto Rico
September 1991 — served as flagship for Exercise Phantom Shadow with 191 embarked personnel including three flag officers
Final Disposition
scrapped through Nuclear Power Ship and Submarine Recycling Program — 29 March 1993
Read the video transcript
Did you serve aboard the USS John Marshall? This submarine carried asbestos in nearly every compartment. Here is where it was, and who is responsible. The USS John Marshall, hull number SSBN-611, was a submarine, built by Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company and commissioned in 1962. She served through Cold War Atlantic Fleet deterrent patrols, Cold War Mediterranean deployments, and Cold War Pacific Fleet operations. Public naval references list this equipment aboard the USS John Marshall, SSBN-611 — 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 John Marshall from makers such as Garlock, MILWAUKEE VALVE, and Pittsburg Corning allegedly contained asbestos. If you served aboard the USS John Marshall 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 John Marshall (SSBN-611) is a documented U.S. Navy nuclear-powered ballistic-missile 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 John Marshall (SSBN-611). 6 machinery/equipment entries identified through ship-specific BUSHIPS documentation. Manufacturers in bold link to documented asbestos-product history on AsbestosIndex.com.
Raw stock material used to fabricate replacement gaskets aboard USS John Marshall
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 John Marshall
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.
John Marshall SSBN-611 — Frequently Asked Questions
Are John Marshall SSBN-611 veterans covered by Navy asbestos litigation records?
Yes. John Marshall SSBN-611 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 John Marshall SSBN-611 contained asbestos?
Asbestos-containing materials documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels of John Marshall SSBN-611'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 John Marshall SSBN-611?
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 John Marshall SSBN-611?
Documented equipment manufacturers aboard John Marshall SSBN-611 include: Garlock, MILWAUKEE VALVE, Pittsburg Corning, Unibestos. These manufacturers supplied boilers, turbines, pumps, valves, electrical equipment, and insulation systems through BUSHIPS contracts during the asbestos era.
Do John Marshall SSBN-611 veterans qualify for VA disability for mesothelioma?
Potentially. VA evaluates asbestos-related disability claims individually. John Marshall SSBN-611 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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