USS Nereus (AS-17) — Equipment Manifest & Asbestos Exposure Record
Documented equipment manifest and asbestos exposure record for USS Nereus (AS-17), a Fulton-class submarine tender in service 1945–1971. 26 documented...
By Rights Watch Media Group LLC•June 5, 2026•3 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 · San Diego — Moored/underway near San Diego, per the ship's deck log.
1956
Mooring / movement — Moored/underway, per the ship's deck log.
1957
Mooring / movement · San Diego — Moored/underway near San Diego, per the ship's deck log.
1957
Mooring / movement — Moored/underway, per the ship's deck log.
1957
Mooring / movement · Long Beach — Moored/underway near Long Beach, 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 Nereus (AS-17) was a Fulton-class submarine tender commissioned in October 1945 and assigned to the Pacific Fleet. After early service supporting submarine operations and participating in Operation Blue Nose (1947), she served as a floating repair and logistics base for conventional and nuclear submarines through the Cold War, earning commendation for her versatility and reliability until decommissioned in 1971. The ship was scrapped in 2012 after a quarter-century in the Reserve Fleet.
Construction & Service Dates
Builder
Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, California
Laid down
1943-10-12
Launched
1945-02-12
Commissioned
1945-10-27
Decommissioned
1971
Notable Tours / Service Eras
WWII Pacific Theater 1945-1946
Cold War Pacific Fleet 1946-1971
Home Ports & Forward Bases
San Diego CA — home port 1946-1960
Sasebo Japan — 1946
Subic Bay Philippines — 1946
Pearl Harbor Hawaii — periodic 1946-1960
Acapulco Mexico — periodic 1948-1967
Drydock & Overhaul Periods
High Asbestos-Exposure Window
Mare Island Navy Yard· 1947 overhaul
Mare Island Navy Yard· 1966-1967 overhaul
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.
Final Disposition
scrapped 2012
Read the video transcript
Did you serve aboard the USS Nereus? This tender carried asbestos in nearly every compartment. Here is where it was, and who is responsible. The USS Nereus, hull number AS-17, was a tender, built by Mare Island Navy Yard and commissioned in 1945. She served through WWII Pacific Theater, and Cold War Pacific Fleet. Public naval references list this equipment aboard the USS Nereus, AS-17 — 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 Nereus from makers such as Buffalo, Combustion Engineering, Northern, and Westinghouse allegedly contained asbestos. If you served aboard the USS Nereus 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 Nereus (AS-17) was a Fulton-class submarine tender that served the U.S. Navy from 1945 through 1971 — a 26-year service life that places her squarely within the heaviest period of asbestos use in U.S. Navy ship construction. Across her service, Nereus’s crew worked daily in machinery spaces, engineering plant, and habitable compartments constructed with extensive asbestos-containing materials.
The equipment manifest below is drawn from BUSHIPS (Bureau of Ships) ship-specific documentation that identifies the machinery and equipment manufacturers installed aboard Nereus. Each entry is a documented item of equipment with verified manufacturer attribution — primary-source evidence for asbestos-exposure case development by Navy veterans and their families.
Equipment Manifest
Equipment Manifest — USS Nereus (AS-17). 26 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 ships of this era are documented to have included:
Pipe lagging and thermal insulation on 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 turbines, reduction gears, and auxiliary machinery
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 spaces
Asbestos rope, wick, and tape in glands, joints, and seal applications
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, and overhauled.
VA Benefits for Nereus 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 documented Nereus equipment manifest is direct evidence of the asbestos-containing materials her crew worked around.
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 Nereus (AS-17). 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.
Nereus AS-17 — Frequently Asked Questions
Are Nereus AS-17 veterans covered by Navy asbestos litigation records?
Yes. Nereus AS-17 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 Nereus AS-17 contained asbestos?
Asbestos-containing materials documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels of Nereus AS-17'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 Nereus AS-17?
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 Nereus AS-17?
Documented equipment manufacturers aboard Nereus AS-17 include: Buffalo, Combustion Engineering, Foster Wheeler, Frick, General Electric, General Motors, Hardie-Tynes. These manufacturers supplied boilers, turbines, pumps, valves, electrical equipment, and insulation systems through BUSHIPS contracts during the asbestos era.
Do Nereus AS-17 veterans qualify for VA disability for mesothelioma?
Potentially. VA evaluates asbestos-related disability claims individually. Nereus AS-17 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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