USS Suribachi (AE-21) — Equipment Manifest & Asbestos Exposure Record

Documented equipment manifest and asbestos exposure record for USS Suribachi (AE-21). 9 machinery and manufacturer entries derived from the public...

By Rights Watch Media Group LLC •June 6, 2026 • 4 min read

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Hull

AE-21

Class

AE hull series

Documented Service History

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 — Moored/underway, per the ship's deck log.
1962
Mooring / movement — Moored/underway, per the ship's deck log.
1962
Yard period / shipyard · enroute Naval Shipyard — In the shipyard at enroute Naval Shipyard, per the ship's deck log.
1962
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.

⚙ View Equipment Manifest Documented BUSHIPS machinery & manufacturers aboard Suribachi AE-21 ↓ All Ship Manifests ›

MusterLog™ 0

Service History

From the public Wikipedia / DANFS service-history record — source ›

USS Suribachi (AE-21) was a Suribachi-class ammunition ship commissioned in November 1956 and assigned primarily to Atlantic Fleet and 6th Fleet Mediterranean operations through 1972. Following conversion to a Fast Automatic Shuttle Transfer ammunition ship in 1963, she deployed to the Pacific Fleet for combat logistics support during the Vietnam War from mid-1972 to early 1973, and later participated in Operation Urgent Fury off Grenada in October-December 1983. Decommissioned on 2 December 1994 after 38 years of service, she was scrapped in 2009.

Construction & Service Dates

Builder: Bethlehem Sparrows Point Shipyard, Inc.
Laid down: 1955-01-31
Launched: 1955-11-02
Commissioned: 1956-11-17
Decommissioned: 1994-12-02

Notable Tours / Service Eras

Atlantic Fleet / Caribbean operations 1956-1972
6th Fleet Mediterranean deployments 1958-1974
Pacific Fleet / Vietnam War 1972-1973
Operation Urgent Fury 1983

Combat Actions

Vietnam War combat logistics support · 1972-07 to 1973-02
ammunition and fuel replenishment for 7th Fleet
Operation Urgent Fury · 1983-10 to 1983-12
ammunition supply ship in Grenada task force

Home Ports & Forward Bases

Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba — homeport for operations and training 1956-1972
Mayport, Florida — duty port 1966-1975
Naval Weapons Station Earle, Leonardo, New Jersey — duty port 1975-1994
Subic Bay, Philippines — forward base operations 1972-1973
Yokosuka, Japan — transit port 1973

Drydock & Overhaul Periods High Asbestos-Exposure Window

Unnamed Atlantic coast facility · 1957
overhaul
Maryland Shipbuilding and Drydock Co., Baltimore, Maryland · 1963
FAST conversion and helicopter platform installation
Brooklyn Naval Yards · 1978-1979
refit

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.

Notable Incidents

September 1992 — U.S. Navy Boeing-Vertol CH-46D Sea Knight helicopter mechanical failure and crash on fantail; one crewman injured

Final Disposition

scrapped — sold for scrap 8 June 2009

Read the video transcript

Did you serve aboard the USS Suribachi? This auxiliary ship carried asbestos in nearly every compartment. Here is where it was, and who is responsible. The USS Suribachi, hull number AE-21, was an auxiliary ship, built by Bethlehem Sparrows Point Shipyard and commissioned in 1956. She served through Atlantic Fleet and Caribbean operations, 6th Fleet Mediterranean deployments, and Pacific Fleet and Vietnam War. Public naval references list this equipment aboard the USS Suribachi, AE-21 — 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 Suribachi from makers such as Warren Steam Pump Company, Leslie, and Leslie Controls allegedly contained asbestos. If you served aboard the USS Suribachi 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 Suribachi (AE-21) is a documented U.S. Navy ammunition ship 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 Manifest — USS Suribachi (AE-21). 38 machinery/equipment entries identified through ship-specific BUSHIPS documentation. Manufacturers in bold link to documented asbestos-product history on AsbestosIndex.com.

Equipment	Manufacturer	Qty	Notes
Pressure Reducing Valves	Leslie Controls		USS Suribachi (AE-21) technical manual; asbestos packing
Valves and Regulators	Leslie Controls		USS Suribachi (AE-21) technical manual; asbestos packing specified
Leslie-Tyfon Steam Whistles	Leslie Controls		USS Suribachi (AE-21); includes asbestos insulation on parts list
Pressure Reducing Valves	Leslie		Leslie valves and regulators on USS Suribachi (AE-21)
Leslie Pressure Reducing Valves and regulators	Leslie		Technical Manual for valves and regulators on USS Suribachi (AE-21)
Pressure Reducing Valve Packing	Leslie Controls		Braided asbestos ring packing specified for USS Suribachi (AE-21)
Regulators	Leslie		Technical Manual for Leslie valves and regulators on U.S. Navy vessels AE-21 and 22
Saltwater Feed Service Pump, Type 2-1/2-CNS-9 Navy Standard Close-Coupled	Warren Steam Pump Company	2	Warren Pumps drawing ND-14927, Order N-28386. Two units per ship AE-21 (USS Suribachi) and AE-22 (USS Mauna Kea). April 1955.
Saltwater Heater Drain Pump Type 1-SED-6	Warren Steam Pump Company	2	Order number N-28392 for AE-21 and AE-22; includes asbestos sheet gasket (specification HH-P-46)
Fuel Oil Heaters	Davis		Hull-specific record in BAREBO_2026: AE 21 Machinery records/AE21-22_Davis Fuel Oil Heaters.pdf
Main Feed Pumps	Pacific Pump		Hull-specific record in BAREBO_2026: AE 21 Machinery records/AE21-22_Main Feed Pumps_Pacific.pdf
Pumps (9pgs	Worthington		Hull-specific record in BAREBO_2026: AE 21 Machinery records/AE21-22_Worthington Pumps (9pgs).pdf
FO Service Pumps	DeLaval		Hull-specific record in BAREBO_2026: AE 21 Machinery records/AE21-22_FO Service Pumps_DeLaval.pdf
Port Feed Pump	Worthington		Hull-specific record in BAREBO_2026: AE 21 Machinery records/AE21-22_Port Feed Pump_Worthington.pdf
Main Feed Pumps Ross	Pacific Pump		Hull-specific record in BAREBO_2026: AE 21 Machinery records/AE21-22_Main Feed Pumps_Pacific, Ross.pdf
Distilling Plant Pumps	Warren Pumps		Hull-specific record in BAREBO_2026: AE 21 Machinery records/AE21-22_Distilling Plant Pumps_Warren.pdf
Water Gage with Valves	Jerguson		Hull-specific record in BAREBO_2026: AE 21 Machinery records/AE21-22_Water Gage with Valves_Jerguson.pdf
1300 GPM Fire Pump	Allis-Chalmers		Hull-specific record in BAREBO_2026: AE 21 Machinery records/AE21-22_1300 GPM Fire Pump_Allis-Chalmers.pdf
Transformers Swbds	General Electric		Hull-specific record in BAREBO_2026: AE 21 Machinery records/AE21-22_Transformers, Swbds_General Electric.pdf
Deaerating Feedwater Heater	Cochrane		Hull-specific record in BAREBO_2026: AE 21 Machinery records/AE21-22_Deaerating Feedwater Heater_Cochrane.pdf
LP Gate Valve for Circ System	Chapman Valve		Hull-specific record in BAREBO_2026: AE 21 Machinery records/AE21-22_LP Gate Valve for Circ System_Chapman.pdf
SW Reducing Valves	Foster Engineering		Hull-specific record in BAREBO_2026: AE 21 Machinery records/AE21-22_SW Reducing Valves_Foster Engineering.pdf
Gate Valves Co	Ohio Injector		Hull-specific record in BAREBO_2026: AE 21 Machinery records/AE21-22_Gate Valves_Ohio Injector Co, ASBESTOS.pdf
Regulating Valves	Leslie Controls		Hull-specific record in BAREBO_2026: AE 21 Machinery records/AE21-22_Various Regulating Valves_Leslie, ASBESTOS.pdf
Gate Valves for Main Steam Co	Ohio Injector		Hull-specific record in BAREBO_2026: AE 21 Machinery records/AE21-22_Gate Valves for Main Steam_Ohio Injector Co.pdf
Diesel Oil & Fog Oil Transfer Pumps	DeLaval		Hull-specific record in BAREBO_2026: AE 21 Machinery records/AE21-22_Diesel Oil & Fog Oil Transfer Pumps_DeLaval.pdf
Magazine Sprinkling Valves	Atwood & Morrill		Hull-specific record in BAREBO_2026: AE 21 Machinery records/AE21-22_Magazine Sprinkling Valves_Atwood & Morrill.pdf
Steel Valves for Main & Aux HP Feed	Edward Valve		Hull-specific record in BAREBO_2026: AE 21 Machinery records/AE21-22_Steel Valves for Main & Aux HP Feed_Edward Valve.pdf
Gate and Check Valves for Mn Circ System	Chapman Valve		Hull-specific record in BAREBO_2026: AE 21 Machinery records/AE21-22_Gate and Check Valves for Mn Circ System_Chapman.pdf
Controllers for Bilge & Ballast Pump	Cutler-Hammer		Hull-specific record in BAREBO_2026: AE 21 Machinery records/AE21-22_Controllers for Bilge & Ballast Pump_Cutler Hammer.pdf
Controller for Distilling Plant Pumps	Cutler-Hammer		Hull-specific record in BAREBO_2026: AE 21 Machinery records/AE21-22_Controller for Distilling Plant Pumps_Cutler Hammer.pdf
Boiler Coolers with Garlock gaskets	Davis		Hull-specific record in BAREBO_2026: AE 21 Machinery records/AE21-22_Boiler Coolers_Davis, with Asbestos Garlock gaskets.pdf
Gate Valves for Aux Steam FLEXITALLIC gaskets	Crane Co.		Hull-specific record in BAREBO_2026: AE 21 Machinery records/AE21-22_Gate Valves for Aux Steam_Crane, FLEXITALLIC gaskets.pdf
Controller for Aux Circ & Aux Condensate Pumps	Cutler-Hammer		Hull-specific record in BAREBO_2026: AE 21 Machinery records/AE21-22_Controller for Aux Circ & Aux Condensate Pumps_Cutler-Hammer.pdf
Control Valves Reducing Valves Governors Temp Regulators	Leslie Controls		Hull-specific record in BAREBO_2026: AE 21 Machinery records/AE21-22_Control Valves, Reducing Valves, Governors, Temp Regulators_Leslie.pdf
Deaerating Feed Water Heater and Valves (page 2) Cochrane Lonergan Co	Crane Co.		Hull-specific record in BAREBO_2026: AE 21 Machinery records/AE21-22_Deaerating Feed Water Heater and Valves (page 2)_Cochrane, Lonergan, Crane Co.pdf
Feed Water Regulators 33 P 13 & MIL P 17303 Copes Vulcan Co Packing	Crane Co.		Hull-specific record in BAREBO_2026: AE 21 Machinery records/AE21-22_Feed Water Regulators_33-P-13 asbestos & MIL-P-17303_Copes Vulcan, Crane Co Packing.pdf
Combustion Eng Boiler Tech Manual with Copes Vulcan Todd Edwards EValpak	Jerguson		Hull-specific record in BAREBO_2026: AE 21 Machinery records/AE21-22_Combustion Eng Boiler Tech Manual, with Copes-Vulcan, Todd, Jerguson, Edwards-EValpak, asbestos.pdf

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.

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.

Pipe Covering & Block Insulation Thermal insulation applied to steam lines, valves, and equipment in engine rooms and fire rooms Marine Products Insulation, gaskets, and packing products specified for naval and commercial marine applications Boilers & Steam Equipment Boiler manufacturers and insulation products — central to the fire room exposure pathway Gaskets & Packing Sheet and ring gaskets used throughout piping flanges, valve bonnets, and pump housings Electrical Products Wire insulation, switchgear arc chutes, and panel liners used throughout electrical spaces Full Product Index Search all 200+ manufacturers and 1,500+ documented asbestos products on AsbestosIndex™

Navy Ratings Most Exposed to Asbestos Aboard Suribachi

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:

Boilerman (BT) — boiler-room operations, refractory work, burner maintenance
Machinist’s Mate (MM) — main propulsion turbines, reduction gears, condensers, pumps
Engineman (EN) — auxiliary diesel and gasoline engines, gland packing
Electrician’s Mate (EM) — cable runs through asbestos-insulated chases, motor-generator sets
Hull Maintenance Technician (HT) / Pipefitter — piping system maintenance, gasket replacement, valve repacking
Damage Controlman (DC) — firefighting equipment, fire-stops, bulkhead penetrations
Fireman (FN) — engineering-plant tending across boiler and engine rooms

VA Disability Claims for Asbestos-Related Disease

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs evaluates asbestos claims individually. A veteran generally needs medical evidence of a current asbestos-related disease, service evidence supporting in-service asbestos exposure, and a medical opinion connecting the two. Ship assignments, Navy ratings, and equipment records can help document the exposure history but do not create automatic service connection.

Approved claims may provide monthly disability compensation and related benefits. Survivors may separately qualify for Dependency & Indemnity Compensation when the applicable requirements are met. Civil lawsuits and asbestos-trust claims use different standards; claimants should obtain individualized advice about how the processes interact.

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.

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.

Boiler Room Sailor stands watch in the aft machinery room of USS Iwo Jima. (35298984822) Source: Wikimedia Commons (public domain)

Drydock Overhaul USS Newport News (CA-148) in drydock at the Norfolk Navy Yard 1965 Source: Wikimedia Commons (public domain)

Engine Room Flickr - Official U.S. Navy Imagery - USS Sterett Sailor takes equipment readings in ship's engine room. Source: Wikimedia Commons (public domain)

Engineering Watch USS Bataan Stands Full Female Engineering Watch Team (8442031) Source: Wikimedia Commons (public domain)

US Navy 061108-N-6652A-037 U.S. Navy Aviation Machinist's Mate 3rd Class Roy Hernandez, left, and Aviation Machinist's Mate Airman Jerry … — Machinist Mate US Navy 061108-N-6652A-037 U.S. Navy Aviation Machinist's Mate 3rd Class Roy Hernandez, left, and Aviation Machinist's Mate Airman Jerry Rivera work on a rotor … Source: Wikimedia Commons (public domain)

Navy Fireroom Fireroom aboard USS Rochester (CA-124), in 1955 Source: Wikimedia Commons (public domain)

US Navy 080208-N-6538W-019 Civilian yard workers from Puget Sound Naval Shipyard perform maintenance on the bow catapults of the … — Shipyard Worker US Navy 080208-N-6538W-019 Civilian yard workers from Puget Sound Naval Shipyard perform maintenance on the bow catapults of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier … Source: Wikimedia Commons (public domain)

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.

Suribachi AE-21 — Frequently Asked Questions

Are Suribachi AE-21 veterans covered by Navy asbestos litigation records?

Yes. Suribachi AE-21 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 Suribachi AE-21 contained asbestos?

Asbestos-containing materials documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels of Suribachi AE-21'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 Suribachi AE-21?

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 Suribachi AE-21?

Documented equipment manufacturers aboard Suribachi AE-21 include: Allis-Chalmers, Atwood & Morrill, Chapman Valve, Cochrane, Crane Co., Cutler-Hammer, Davis. These manufacturers supplied boilers, turbines, pumps, valves, electrical equipment, and insulation systems through BUSHIPS contracts during the asbestos era.

Do Suribachi AE-21 veterans qualify for VA disability for mesothelioma?

Potentially. VA evaluates asbestos-related disability claims individually. Suribachi AE-21 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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