USS Princeton (CG-59) is a documented U.S. Navy guided-missile cruiser with asbestos-exposure evidence in the public litigation record. The equipment manifest below was assembled from depositions, expert reports, and manufacturer interrogatory responses filed in U.S. asbestos litigation that reference equipment installed aboard this vessel.
Equipment Manifest
| Equipment | Manufacturer | Qty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cast Steel Angle Bottom Blow Valve (1 ½) | Manning Maxwell & Moore, Inc. - Hancock Valve Division | With 1/8" salinometer conn., special right/left hand quarter turn inlet, flanged end; asbestos packing gland | |
| Main Feed Booster Pump | Westinghouse Electric Corp. | Includes slot insulation and fishpaper/varnish cabric/MICARTA insulation materials | |
| Weighted Control Valve (2 ½") | Foster Engineering Co. | Gland steam supply; asbestos gasket | |
| Refrigeration Plant | York | Installed aboard USS Princeton | |
| Refrigeration Plant Motor | Wagner | Motor for refrigeration plants | |
| Evaporator and Distilling Plant | Griscom-Russell Co. | Primary evap/distilling plant | |
| Air Ejector | C.H. Wheeler Mfg. Co. | Associated with evap/distilling plants | |
| Additional Evaporator and Distilling Plant | Griscom-Russell Co. | 1 | Fire Room No. 3 |
| Turbo Generator Set | Westinghouse | 1 | 250 KW Ships Service Turbo-Gen, Forward Auxiliary Machine Space |
| Diesel Generator | Cooper Bessemer | 2 | 250 KW, one aft and one forward in machine space |
| Diesel Generator | Delco | 1 | 60 KW Ships Service Generator |
| Motor Generator Set | Westinghouse | 1 | I.C. Motor Generator in Forward Auxiliary Machine Space |
| Portable Arc Welder | General Electric Co. | 1 | Motor generator type welder |
| DeGaussing Motor Generator Set | Hansen-Van Winkle-Munning | Degaussing M.G. Sets | |
| Main Engine | Westinghouse | Primary propulsion | |
| Boiler | Babcock & Wilcox | Main boilers | |
| Motor Generator | Bogue Electric Co. | 2 | Shipped with spare parts and instruction books |
| Packing Rings | Purolator Products Inc. | 3 | 5 rings per set for turbogenerators and machinery |
Note: this manifest is derived from public asbestos litigation records (depositions, expert reports, manufacturer interrogatories) rather than primary BUSHIPS construction documents. Entries reflect what has been documented or alleged in publicly filed legal records.
Asbestos-Containing Materials Aboard Princeton
U.S. Navy cruisers built between the 1930s and 1980s were constructed with extensive asbestos-containing materials throughout machinery spaces, engineering plants, and habitability compartments. The standard ACM categories installed and maintained aboard included:
- Pipe lagging and thermal insulation — 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 and burner fronts.
- Asbestos gaskets and braided packing — valves, flanges, pumps, condensers, heat exchangers, and turbine glands.
- Insulation jackets and removable lagging — main propulsion turbines, reduction gears, ship-service turbine generators, and forced-draft blowers.
- Sheet asbestos and Marinite panels — fire-stops, bulkhead insulation, and overhead insulation throughout damage-control zones.
- Vinyl asbestos floor tile (VAT) — passageways, berthing, mess decks, wardroom, and habitable compartments.
- Asbestos rope, wick, and tape — gland-seal applications throughout the engineering plant.
Navy Ratings Most Exposed to Asbestos Aboard Princeton
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the public asbestos litigation record document that the following Navy ratings worked routinely in spaces where ACM was installed, maintained, ripped out, and replaced:
VA Presumptive Benefits — No Filing Deadline
The U.S. 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 under 38 CFR § 3.309(d). No statute of limitations applies to VA disability compensation claims.
Available benefits may include monthly disability compensation, Dependency & Indemnity Compensation (DIC) for surviving spouses, priority VA healthcare enrollment, and Special Monthly Compensation for severe cases. Parallel claims against the asbestos bankruptcy trust funds established by the manufacturers of these products do not reduce VA compensation.
How to file a VA disability claim: VA claims are filed directly with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs — not with a law firm. Start at VA.gov › Hazardous Materials Exposure, call 1‑800‑827‑1000, or get free help filing from a Veterans Service Organization: DAV, VFW, or American Legion.
VA Claims Guide on This Site › Compare: VA vs. Civil Lawsuit
Source notes: equipment-manifest entries (where shown) are sourced from public-record BUSHIPS (Bureau of Ships) documentation, NARA archives, and the public asbestos litigation record. Manufacturer attributions link to documented asbestos-product histories on AsbestosIndex.com where available. Nothing on this page constitutes medical or legal advice.