USS Macon (CA-132) — Equipment Manifest & Asbestos Exposure Record
Documented equipment manifest and asbestos exposure record for USS Macon (CA-132), a Baltimore-class heavy cruiser in service 1945–1969. 7 documented...
By Rights Watch Media Group LLC•June 6, 2026•2 min read
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
Mooring / movement — Moored/underway, per the ship's deck log.
1956
Mooring / movement · Norfolk — Moored/underway near Norfolk, per the ship's deck log.
1956
Yard period / shipyard · Norfolk — In the shipyard at Norfolk, per the ship's deck log.
1956
Yard period / shipyard — In the shipyard, per the ship's deck log.
1957
Dry-docking · Boston Naval Shipyard — Dry-docked at Boston Naval Shipyard, per the ship's deck log.
1957
Dry-docking — Dry-docked, per the ship's deck log.
1957
Mooring / movement — Moored/underway, per the ship's deck log.
1957
Yard period / shipyard · Boston Naval Shipyard — In the shipyard at Boston Naval Shipyard, 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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Service History
From the public Wikipedia / DANFS service-history record — source ›
USS Macon (CA-132) was a Baltimore-class heavy cruiser commissioned in August 1945 and served primarily with the Atlantic Fleet as an experimental test ship and training vessel through 1950, then was reactivated for Korean War-era operations. Between 1950 and 1961, she conducted Mediterranean patrols during the Suez Crisis, participated in NATO exercises, and tested early missile systems including the Regulus missile. The ship was decommissioned in March 1961 and subsequently scrapped in 1973.
Construction & Service Dates
Builder
New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, New Jersey
Laid down
1943-06-14
Launched
1944-10-15
Commissioned
1945-08-26
Decommissioned
1961-03-10
Notable Tours / Service Eras
Atlantic Fleet operations 1946-1950
Korean War era Atlantic Fleet 1950-1961
Mediterranean and NATO operations 1956-1959
Home Ports & Forward Bases
Norfolk VA — 1946-1950
Philadelphia PA — home port 1946-1961
Boston MA — 1960
Mediterranean ports — 1956-1959
Drydock & Overhaul Periods
High Asbestos-Exposure Window
Philadelphia Naval Shipyard· 1946-1950 experimental equipment installation and testing
Philadelphia Naval Shipyard· 1956 missile equipment installation
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
19-20 January 1959 — diverted to aid burning Italian merchant ship Maria Amata off course from Cartagena to Marseille
19 February 1960 — 19 members of U.S. Navy Band perished in plane crash en route to Brazilian state dinner
Final Disposition
scrapped in Port Newark, New Jersey
Read the video transcript
Did you serve aboard the USS Macon? This cruiser carried asbestos in nearly every compartment. Here is where it was, and who is responsible. The USS Macon, hull number CA-132, was a cruiser, built by New York Shipbuilding Corp. and commissioned in 1945. She served through Atlantic Fleet operations, Korean War era Atlantic Fleet, and Mediterranean and NATO operations. Public naval references list this equipment aboard the USS Macon, CA-132 — 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 Macon from makers such as G. M. Co., and G.E. allegedly contained asbestos. If you served aboard the USS Macon 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 Macon (CA-132) was a Baltimore-class heavy cruiser commissioned 26 August 1945 — Atlantic Fleet flagship and Mediterranean Sixth Fleet service across 24 years through her 1969 decommissioning.
The 7-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 Manifest — USS Macon (CA-132). 7 machinery/equipment entries identified through ship-specific BUSHIPS documentation. Manufacturers in bold link to documented asbestos-product history on AsbestosIndex.com.
The standard asbestos-containing materials installed throughout U.S. Navy heavy cruisers 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 Macon Veterans
The Department of Veterans Affairs recognizes mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, and pleural disease as conditions that may be service-connected for Navy veterans with documented asbestos exposure. The Macon 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.
Equipment manifest derived from public-record BUSHIPS documentation specific to USS Macon (CA-132). Manufacturer attribution links to documented asbestos-product histories on AsbestosIndex.com where available. Editorial review applied per site standards.
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.
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.
Macon CA-132 — Frequently Asked Questions
Are Macon CA-132 veterans covered by Navy asbestos litigation records?
Yes. Macon CA-132 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 Macon CA-132 contained asbestos?
Asbestos-containing materials documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels of Macon CA-132'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 Macon CA-132?
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 Macon CA-132?
Documented equipment manufacturers aboard Macon CA-132 include: Cutler Hammer, De Laval, Delavel Separator Co., G. M. Co., G.E., Macon. These manufacturers supplied boilers, turbines, pumps, valves, electrical equipment, and insulation systems through BUSHIPS contracts during the asbestos era.
Do Macon CA-132 veterans qualify for VA disability for mesothelioma?
Potentially. VA evaluates asbestos-related disability claims individually. Macon CA-132 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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Runs in parallel with VA benefits — civil recovery does not reduce VA disability compensation
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