USS Leo — Equipment Manifest & Asbestos Exposure Record

Documented equipment manifest and asbestos exposure record for USS Leo. 16 machinery and manufacturer entries derived from the public asbestos litigation record (depositions, expert reports, manufacturer interrogatories).

By Rights Watch Media Group LLC •June 6, 2026 • 2 min read

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⚙ View Equipment Manifest Documented BUSHIPS machinery & manufacturers aboard Leo ↓ All Ship Manifests ›

USS Leo is a documented U.S. Navy vessel 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 Leo. 16 machinery/equipment entries identified through ship-specific BUSHIPS documentation. Manufacturers in bold link to documented asbestos-product history on AsbestosIndex.com.

Equipment	Manufacturer	Qty	Notes
Boilers - single uptake water tube design	Foster Wheeler		Ship-specific installation aboard USS Leo AKA
Economizer	Foster Wheeler		Ship-specific installation aboard USS Leo AKA
Blowers	General Electric Co.		Ship-specific installation aboard USS Leo AKA
Main Propulsion - Single Flow Impulse Stage Type	General Electric		8-Stage with one high and one low pressure, ship-specific
Reduction gear	General Electric Corp.		Ship-specific installation aboard USS Leo AKA
Main Condensers	Foster Wheeler		Ship-specific installation aboard USS Leo AKA
Auxiliary Condensers	Foster Wheeler		Ship-specific installation aboard USS Leo AKA
Main Distilling Apparatus - 10000 gpd	Griscom-Russell		Ship-specific installation aboard USS Leo AKA
Emergency Distilling Apparatus - 6000 gpd	Griscom Russell		Ship-specific installation aboard USS Leo AKA
Ships Service Turbine drive Generators	General Electric		Ship-specific installation aboard USS Leo AKA
Emergency Diesel Generators	General Motors / Delco Electric		Ship-specific installation aboard USS Leo AKA
Ships Service Air Compressors - HP & LP	Worthington		Ship-specific installation aboard USS Leo AKA
Main Refrigeration	York Corp.	2	2 main units, ship-specific installation aboard USS Leo AKA
Auxiliary Refrigeration	Frick Ice Maker Co.	1	1 auxiliary unit, ship-specific installation aboard USS Leo AKA
Fuel Oil Heater	Lummus		Ship-specific installation aboard USS Leo AKA
Steam Traps	Yarway		Class AKA only data

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.

Asbestos-Containing Materials Aboard Leo

U.S. Navy vessels built between the 1930s and 1980s were constructed with extensive asbestos-containing materials throughout machinery spaces, engineering plants, and habitability compartments. The standard ACM categories installed and maintained aboard included:

Pipe lagging and thermal insulation — 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 and burner fronts.
Asbestos gaskets and braided packing — valves, flanges, pumps, condensers, heat exchangers, and turbine glands.
Insulation jackets and removable lagging — main propulsion turbines, reduction gears, ship-service turbine generators, and forced-draft blowers.
Sheet asbestos and Marinite panels — fire-stops, bulkhead insulation, and overhead insulation throughout damage-control zones.
Vinyl asbestos floor tile (VAT) — passageways, berthing, mess decks, wardroom, and habitable compartments.
Asbestos rope, wick, and tape — gland-seal applications throughout the engineering plant.

Navy Ratings Most Exposed to Asbestos Aboard Leo

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:

Boilerman (BT) — boiler-room operations, refractory work, burner maintenance
Machinist’s Mate (MM) — main propulsion turbines, reduction gears, condensers, pumps
Engineman (EN) — auxiliary diesel and gasoline engines, gland packing
Electrician’s Mate (EM) — cable runs through asbestos-insulated chases, motor-generator sets
Hull Maintenance Technician (HT) / Pipefitter — piping system maintenance, gasket replacement, valve repacking
Damage Controlman (DC) — firefighting equipment, fire-stops, bulkhead penetrations
Fireman (FN) — engineering-plant tending across boiler and engine rooms

VA Presumptive Benefits — No Filing Deadline

The U.S. 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 under 38 CFR § 3.309(d). No statute of limitations applies to VA disability compensation claims.

Available benefits may include monthly disability compensation, Dependency & Indemnity Compensation (DIC) for surviving spouses, priority VA healthcare enrollment, and Special Monthly Compensation for severe cases. Parallel claims against the asbestos bankruptcy trust funds established by the manufacturers of these products do not reduce VA compensation.

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.

VA Claims Guide on This Site › Compare: VA vs. Civil Lawsuit

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.

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.

Pipe Covering & Block Insulation Thermal insulation applied to steam lines, valves, and equipment in engine rooms and fire rooms Marine Products Insulation, gaskets, and packing products specified for naval and commercial marine applications Boilers & Steam Equipment Boiler manufacturers and insulation products — central to the fire room exposure pathway Gaskets & Packing Sheet and ring gaskets used throughout piping flanges, valve bonnets, and pump housings Electrical Products Wire insulation, switchgear arc chutes, and panel liners used throughout electrical spaces Full Product Index Search all 200+ manufacturers and 1,500+ documented asbestos products on AsbestosIndex™

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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