USS Neches (AO-47) was a Cimarron-class fleet oiler commissioned 25 July 1942 — Pacific Theater WWII underway replenishment operations across virtually every major campaign (Guadalcanal, Marshall Islands, Mariana Islands, Iwo Jima, Okinawa), Korean War, and Cold War service through 1969.
The 59-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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boilers | B&W | 4 | single uptake water tube design |
| Boilers | Foster Wheeler | 4 | single uptake water tube design |
| Blowers | American Blower Corp. | ||
| Main Propulsion Turbines | General Electric | Single Flow Impulse Stage Type with two High & two Low pressure | |
| Reduction Gear | Falk Corp. | ||
| Reduction Gear | General Electric | ||
| Main Condensers | Foster Wheeler | ||
| Main Distilling Apparatus | Griscom-Russell | 1 | 12000-gpd capacity |
| AC Ships Service Turbine Generator | Westinghouse | ||
| AC Ships Service Turbine Generator | DeLaval | ||
| DC Ships Service Generator | General Electric | ||
| Turbine Drive | DeLaval | ||
| Turbine Drive | General Electric | ||
| Emergency Diesel Generator | General Motors | Model 16-278A | |
| Ships Service Air Compressor | Worthington | ||
| Main Refrigeration Unit | Carrier | 2 | |
| Auxiliary Refrigeration Unit | Frick Ice Maker Co. | 1 | |
| Fuel Oil Heater | Davis Engineer | ||
| Main Feed Pump | DeLaval | ||
| Main Feed Pump | Worthington | ||
| Main Feed Booster Pump | Warren Steam Pump Co. | ||
| Auxiliary Feed Booster Pump | Pacific Pump | ||
| Auxiliary Feed Booster Pump | Warren Steam Pump | ||
| Emergency Feed Pump | Warren | ||
| Main Condensers Pump | Allis Chalmer Co. | ||
| Main Condensers Pump | Worthington Pump Co. | ||
| Auxiliary Condensers Pump | Worthington | ||
| Main Condensers Circulating Pump | Allis Chalmer Co. | ||
| Main Condensers Circulating Pump | Worthington Pump Co. | ||
| Auxiliary Condenser Circulating Pump | Ingersoll Rand | ||
| Fuel Oil Transfer Pump | Warren | 2 | |
| Fuel Oil Transfer Pump | Kinney | ||
| Main Fuel Pump | Viking Pump Co. | ||
| Cargo Oil Pump | Ingersoll Rand Co. | 3 | |
| Cargo Oil Stripping Pump | Worthington | 2 | |
| Cargo Gasoline Pump | Peerless Pump Co. | 4 | |
| JP-5 Fuel Pump | Worthington | 4 | |
| Main Lubricating Pump | DeLaval | ||
| General Service Ballast/Bilge Pump | Worthington | ||
| Ballasting Transfer Pump | Warren | ||
| Diesel Fire Pump | DeLaval | ||
| Fire & Butterworth Pump | Worthington | ||
| Portable Fire Pump | Johnson | 4 | |
| Portable Fire Pump | Pacific Marine | 4 | |
| Fire & Bilge Service Pump | Warren | ||
| Fire and General Service Pump | Worthington | ||
| Vacuum Pump | Nash Pump Co. | ||
| Lube Oil Purifier Pump | DeLaval | ||
| Fresh Water Transfer Pump | Davidson | ||
| Fresh Water Transfer Pump | Worthington | ||
| Fuel Oil Service Pump | DeLaval | 2 | |
| Fuel Oil Service Pump | Quimby | ||
| Drainage Pump | Sawyer Electric Co. | ||
| Lube Service Pump | Warren | ||
| Lube Service Pump | Quimby | ||
| Distilling Circulation Pump | Worthington | ||
| Distilling Fresh Water Pump | Worthington | ||
| Distilling Salt Water Pump | Worthington | ||
| Evaporator Feed Pump | Warren |
Asbestos-Containing Materials Aboard Neches
The standard asbestos-containing materials installed throughout U.S. Navy fleet oilers 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 Neches 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 Neches 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 Neches (AO-47). Manufacturer attribution links to documented asbestos-product histories on AsbestosIndex.com where available. Editorial review applied per site standards.