USS St Louis (CL-49) is a documented U.S. Navy light 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bronze Relief Valve, Outside Spring Type, Model B-59481 | Crane | BuShips Spec 45-V-26 (INT), Type A-1, Class C; multiple pressure ranges 1-4 to 251-300 lb installed aboard USS St Louis (CL-49) | |
| Relief Valves - Outside Spring Type | Crane | BU. SHIPS SPEC. 45-V-26 (INT). TYPE A-1, CLASS C. Multiple pressure ranges 1-4 lb to 251-300 lb. USS St Louis (CL-49) specific plan numbers CL49-S48-0334, CL49-S48-0336, CL49-S48-0340, CL49-S48-0341, CL49-S48-0342, CL49-S48-0343, CL49-S48-0337 | |
| Bronze Relief Valve - Inside Spring Type, Model B-59482 | Crane | BU. SHIPS SPEC. 45-V-26 (INT.) TYPE A-2, CLASS C; for water or oil; max 300 lbs water / 100 lbs oil pressure | |
| Steam Turbine, Type B 1.5" - 4 units | Terry Steam Turbine Company | 4 | Close connected to Buffalo pumps aboard USS St Louis (CL-49) |
| Excess Pressure Regulating Governors for Feed Pumps | Foster Engineering Company | For feed pumps aboard USS St Louis (CL-49) | |
| Two-Stage Double Suction Horizontal Pump, 1.5" | Buffalo | 4 | Aboard USS St Louis (CL-49) |
| Main and cruising feed pump turbine | Terry | Assembly and details shown in Terry Plan E-2430 and related plans; turbine rated for 460 psi steam inlet, 40 psi exhaust backpressure | |
| Bearing and governor parts | Terry | Terry Plan E-2433; packing ring springs material modified from copper-nickel alloy to corrosion resisting steel per Specification 24711-3 | |
| Turbine lagging and cooling | Terry | Terry Plan E-2440; metal type lagging replaced with plastic insulation; asbestos cement coating applied per modification procedure | |
| Asbestos cement coating | Dolphinite | Dolphinite Cement No. 1873 applied as finish coat over asbestos cement base layer on turbine insulation | |
| Main and Cruising Feed Pumps | The Terry Steam Turbine Co. | Contract 63103, Schedule 9536/9538 for USS St Louis CL-49 | |
| Feed Booster Pump | The Terry Steam Turbine Co. | Relief valve and condensate feed booster specified for USS St Louis | |
| Main Feed Pump | Buffalo Pumps | 1 | Plan GA 5260, Ba.E.Eng. CL 49-347-88, Alt. 88 |
| Cruising Feed Pump | Buffalo Pumps | 1 | Plan GA 5261, Ba.E.Eng. CL 49-347-89, Alt. 89 |
| Relief Valve Assembly | Crane Co. | 1 | 1/15213 specification for USS St Louis feed system |
| Steam Turbine, Terry Type B 1" | Terry Steam Turbine Company | 4 | Close connected to F.5 Buffalo two stage double auction horizontal pumps aboard USS St Louis (CL-49) |
| Excess Pressure Regulating Governor | Foster Engineering Company | For feed pumps aboard USS St Louis (CL-49) | |
| F.5 Buffalo Two Stage Double Auction Horizontal Pump | Buffalo | 4 | Close connected to Terry Type B steam turbines aboard USS St Louis (CL-49) |
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 St Louis
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 St Louis
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.