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.
1961
Mooring / movement · Mare Island — Moored/underway near Mare Island, per the ship's deck log.
1961
Mooring / movement — Moored/underway, per the ship's deck log.
1961
Yard period / shipyard · Mare Island — In the shipyard at Mare Island, per the ship's deck log.
1962
Mooring / movement — Moored/underway, per the ship's deck log.
1962
Mooring / movement · San Diego — Moored/underway near San Diego, 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 Paricutin (AE-18) was a Wrangler-class ammunition ship that served the U.S. Navy from 1945 through 1973, initially engaged in post-war ammunition consolidation from forward Pacific areas. Reactivated for the Korean War in 1950, she provided sustained logistical support to carrier task forces and surface units throughout the conflict, followed by routine Western Pacific deployments with the Seventh Fleet through the 1960s. She supplied ammunition resupply services during American operations in Vietnam before being struck from the Navy List and transferred to MARAD disposal in 1973.
Construction & Service Dates
Builder
North Carolina Shipbuilding Company, Wilmington, N.C.
Laid down
1944-12-07
Launched
1945-01-30
Commissioned
1945-03-03
Decommissioned
1948-04-30
Notable Tours / Service Eras
WWII Pacific Theater 1945
Korean War 1950-1953
Cold War Western Pacific deployments 1953-1970
Vietnam War support 1965-1970
Combat Actions
Korean War — ammunition supply operations· 1950-1953 Combat logistics / ammunition resupply
Home Ports & Forward Bases
San Francisco CA — home port 1945-1973
Bangor WA — ammunition transfer operations
Port Chicago CA — ammunition transfer operations
Sasebo Japan — forward base Korean War operations
Hong Kong
Manila Philippines
Guam
Taiwan
Drydock & Overhaul Periods
High Asbestos-Exposure Window
Mare Island Naval Shipyard· 1947-1948 inactivation / 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
struck from Navy List 1 June 1973 and transferred to MARAD for disposal
Read the video transcript
Did you serve aboard the USS Paricutin? This auxiliary ship carried asbestos in nearly every compartment. Here is where it was, and who is responsible. The USS Paricutin, hull number AE-18, was an auxiliary ship, built by North Carolina Shipbuilding Company and commissioned in 1945. She served through WWII Pacific Theater, Korean War, and Cold War Western Pacific deployments. Public naval references list this equipment aboard the USS Paricutin, AE-18 — 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 Paricutin from makers such as Babcock and Wilcox, Combustion Engineering, General Electric, and General Electric Co. allegedly contained asbestos. If you served aboard the USS Paricutin 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 Paricutin (AE-18) was a Mount Hood-class ammunition ship commissioned 27 January 1945 — Pacific Theater WWII ammunition replenishment, Korean War, Cold War Pacific Fleet, and Vietnam War combat replenishment service through 1973.
The 33-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 Paricutin (AE-18). 33 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 ammunition ships 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 Paricutin 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 Paricutin 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 Paricutin (AE-18). 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.
Paricutin AE-18 — Frequently Asked Questions
Are Paricutin AE-18 veterans covered by Navy asbestos litigation records?
Yes. Paricutin AE-18 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 Paricutin AE-18 contained asbestos?
Asbestos-containing materials documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels of Paricutin AE-18'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 Paricutin AE-18?
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 Paricutin AE-18?
Documented equipment manufacturers aboard Paricutin AE-18 include: Aldrich Pump Co., Allis Chalmers Co., Allis Chalmers Company, Allis Chalmers Mfg. Co., Babcock & Wilcox, Buffalo Forge Co., Cobe Pump. These manufacturers supplied boilers, turbines, pumps, valves, electrical equipment, and insulation systems through BUSHIPS contracts during the asbestos era.
Do Paricutin AE-18 veterans qualify for VA disability for mesothelioma?
Potentially. VA evaluates asbestos-related disability claims individually. Paricutin AE-18 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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