USS New Jersey (BB-62) — Equipment Manifest & Asbestos Exposure Record
Documented equipment manifest and asbestos exposure record for USS New Jersey (BB-62), Iowa-class battleship in service 1943–1991. NYCAL propulsion plant records, Distilling Plant pump documentation, Navy correspondence, and Boiler Registry from the publicly filed litigation corpus.
By Rights Watch Media Group LLC•June 6, 2026•4 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.
1957
Yard period / shipyard · York Naval Shipyard — In the shipyard at York Naval Shipyard, per the ship's deck log.
1957
Mooring / movement — Moored/underway, per the ship's deck log.
1957
Yard period / shipyard — In the 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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New Jersey SailsSource: Wikimedia Commons — public domain (U.S. Navy photograph)
Service History
From the public Wikipedia / DANFS service-history record — source ›
USS New Jersey (BB-62) was an Iowa-class battleship that served 21 years in the active fleet and earned 19 battle stars across World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Lebanese Civil War, and Persian Gulf operations. She served as flagship for Admirals Spruance and Halsey during the Pacific War and was the only U.S. battleship to provide gunfire support during the Vietnam War. After her final decommissioning in 1991, she was donated to the Home Port Alliance and has served as a museum ship in Camden, New Jersey, since 2001.
Construction & Service Dates
Builder
Philadelphia Navy Yard
Launched
1942-12-07
Commissioned
1943-05-23
Decommissioned
1991
Notable Tours / Service Eras
WWII Pacific Theater 1943-1945
Korean War 1950-1953
Vietnam War 1968-1969
Cold War 1982-1991
Combat Actions
Marshall Islands Campaign· 1944-01 Carrier screening and bombardment
Operation Hailstone (Truk)· 1944-02 Fleet flagship and surface strike
Marianas Campaign· 1944-06 Bombardment and carrier screening
Battle of the Philippine Sea· 1944-06 Anti-aircraft screening
Okinawa Campaign· 1945 Gunfire support and shelling
Korean War operations· 1950-1953 Coastal bombardment
Vietnam War gunfire support· 1968-1969 Heavy bombardment ship
Lebanese Civil War operations· 1983 Naval presence
Home Ports & Forward Bases
Majuro Lagoon — forward base 1944
Ulithi — forward base 1944-1945
Pearl Harbor — home port 1944
Philadelphia Navy Yard — commissioning port 1943
Camden, New Jersey — museum port 2001
Final Disposition
Museum ship — Camden, New Jersey since 15 October 2001
Read the video transcript
Did you serve aboard the USS New Jersey? This battleship carried asbestos in nearly every compartment. Here is where it was, and who is responsible. The USS New Jersey, hull number BB-62, was a battleship, built by Philadelphia Navy Yard and commissioned in 1943. She served through WWII Pacific Theater, Korean War, and Vietnam War. Public naval references list this equipment aboard the USS New Jersey, BB-62 — 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 New Jersey from makers such as Buffalo Pumps, and Buffalo Pumps Inc allegedly contained asbestos. If you served aboard the USS New Jersey 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 New Jersey (BB-62) was an Iowa-class battleship commissioned 23 May 1943 at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, serving the U.S. Navy through four reactivations — a longer and more varied service history than any of her sisters. “Big J” fought in the Pacific Theater of WWII, provided gunfire support during the Korean and Vietnam Wars, conducted operations off Lebanon (1983–1984), and was decommissioned 8 February 1991 after Desert Shield/Desert Storm support operations. Each reactivation brought new crew members into engineering spaces containing progressively more deteriorated asbestos insulation — with rip-out and re-insulation work during modernization creating the highest peak exposure levels of her service life.
Equipment Manifest
Equipment Manifest — USS New Jersey (BB-62). 14 machinery/equipment entries identified through ship-specific BUSHIPS documentation. Manufacturers in bold link to documented asbestos-product history on AsbestosIndex.com.
Iowa-class battleships were constructed during the peak period of asbestos use in U.S. Navy shipbuilding. USS New Jersey carried the same asbestos-saturated engineering plant as her sisters Iowa, Missouri, and Wisconsin:
Pipe lagging and thermal insulation on main steam, feed-water, fuel-oil, condensate, and saltwater piping throughout four main machinery spaces and auxiliary machinery rooms
Boiler block insulation, refractory brick, and gun-blocks around the eight Babcock & Wilcox high-pressure boilers
Turret-level fire-control insulation in main-battery turret enclosures (16"/50 caliber Mark 7 guns)
Asbestos gaskets and braided packing in valves, flanges, pumps, condensers, heat exchangers, and turbine glands across the entire engineering plant
Insulation jackets and removable lagging on main propulsion turbines, reduction gears, ship-service turbine generators, forced-draft blowers, and auxiliary equipment
Sheet asbestos and Marinite panels as fire-stops, bulkhead insulation, and overhead insulation in damage-control zones
Vinyl asbestos floor tile (VAT) in passageways, berthing, mess decks, wardroom, and bridge compartments
Asbestos rope, wick, and tape in gland-seal applications throughout the engineering plant
VA Benefits for New Jersey 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 NYCAL Buffalo propulsion plant records, Distilling Plant pump documentation, and Navy correspondence specific to BB-62 are direct evidentiary support for veterans’ VA claims across all service eras — WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Lebanon, and the 1980s reactivation.
Key documents for a New Jersey veteran’s claim:
DD-214 — confirming BB-62 assignment
NARA muster rolls — for service periods not captured on the DD-214
Diagnosis — mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, or pleural disease
Parallel claims against the asbestos bankruptcy trust funds established by the manufacturers of the products documented aboard New Jersey are also available and do not reduce VA compensation.
All consultations are free. No fee unless a financial recovery is made on your behalf.
Equipment manifest derived from public-record BUSHIPS documentation and publicly filed asbestos litigation records specific to USS New Jersey (BB-62), including NYCAL Buffalo docket filings. This does not constitute legal or medical advice.
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.
New Jersey BB-62 — Frequently Asked Questions
Are New Jersey BB-62 veterans covered by Navy asbestos litigation records?
Yes. New Jersey BB-62 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 New Jersey BB-62 contained asbestos?
Asbestos-containing materials documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels of New Jersey BB-62'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 New Jersey BB-62?
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 New Jersey BB-62?
Documented equipment manufacturers aboard New Jersey BB-62 include: Buffalo Pumps, Buffalo Pumps Inc. These manufacturers supplied boilers, turbines, pumps, valves, electrical equipment, and insulation systems through BUSHIPS contracts during the asbestos era.
Do New Jersey BB-62 veterans qualify for VA disability for mesothelioma?
Potentially. VA evaluates asbestos-related disability claims individually. New Jersey BB-62 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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Maritime statute of limitations: 3 years from diagnosis (46 U.S.C. § 30106)
Runs in parallel with VA benefits — civil recovery does not reduce VA disability compensation
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