USS Texas (BB-35) — Equipment Reference & Asbestos Exposure Record
Equipment reference and asbestos exposure record for USS Texas (BB-35). 2 machinery and manufacturer entries from the public Wikipedia article citing...
By Rights Watch Media Group LLC•June 6, 2026•1 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.
1944
Mooring / movement — Moored/underway, 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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USS Texas-2Source: Wikimedia Commons — public domain (U.S. Navy photograph)
Service History
From the public Wikipedia / DANFS service-history record — source ›
USS Texas (BB-35) was a New York-class dreadnought battleship commissioned in 1914 that served in Mexican waters, made numerous North Sea sorties during World War I, and became flagship of the United States Fleet from 1927 to 1931. In World War II, she was the only Allied battleship to participate in all four major amphibious landings, providing naval gunfire support in North Africa, Normandy, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa, earning five battle stars before decommissioning in 1948. Permanently transferred to the State of Texas in 1948 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1976, she remains the last surviving dreadnought and sole remaining capital ship to have served in both world wars.
Construction & Service Dates
Builder
Newport News Shipbuilding
Laid down
1911-04-17
Launched
1912-05-18
Commissioned
1914-03-12
Decommissioned
1948
Notable Tours / Service Eras
Mexican Waters 1914
World War I Atlantic 1917-1918
Interwar Fleet Operations 1920s-1930s
World War II Atlantic Theater 1941-1944
World War II Pacific Theater 1944-1945
Combat Actions
North African Landings· 1942 Naval gunfire support against Vichy French
Normandy Landings· 1944-06 Naval gunfire support against German-held beaches
Battle of Iwo Jima· 1945-02 Naval gunfire support
Battle of Okinawa· 1945-04 Naval gunfire support
Home Ports & Forward Bases
Norfolk Navy Yard — commissioning and repairs 1914
New York Navy Yard — fire-control equipment installation and repairs
Veracruz, Mexico — Mexican operations 1914
Houston — permanent museum home 1948-2022
Galveston, Texas — dry dock and restoration 2022-present
Drydock & Overhaul Periods
High Asbestos-Exposure Window
New York Navy Yard· 1914-08 repairs and fire-control installation
New York Navy Yard· 1914-12 to 1915-02 repairs
New York Navy Yard· 1917-08 to 1917-09 repairs
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
27-30 September 1917 — grounded on Block Island; refloated after three days with tugboat assistance
Final Disposition
Museum ship — permanent home Galveston, Texas (under restoration as of June 2025)
Read the video transcript
Did you serve aboard the USS Texas? This battleship carried asbestos in nearly every compartment. Here is where it was, and who is responsible. The USS Texas, hull number BB-35, was a battleship, built by Newport News Shipbuilding and commissioned in 1914. She served through Mexican Waters, World War I Atlantic, and Interwar Fleet Operationss-s. Public naval references list this equipment aboard the USS Texas, BB-35 — 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 Texas from makers such as Babcock and Wilcox, and Bureau Express allegedly contained asbestos. If you served aboard the USS Texas 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 Texas (BB-35) is a documented U.S. Navy battleship. The equipment reference below was extracted from the publicly-available Wikipedia article on this vessel, which cites the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS) — the U.S. Navy’s official ship-history publication maintained by the Naval History and Heritage Command.
Equipment Reference
Equipment Manifest — USS Texas (BB-35). 2 machinery/equipment entries identified through ship-specific BUSHIPS documentation. Manufacturers in bold link to documented asbestos-product history on AsbestosIndex.com.
Source: this equipment reference was extracted from public Wikipedia/DANFS records for USS Texas (BB-35). These are secondary-source records — not primary BUSHIPS design documents. For litigation purposes, this data is a starting point; a ship-specific BUSHIPS Material Inspection Report or commissioning book would provide gold-standard verification.
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.
Navy Ratings Most Exposed to Asbestos Aboard Texas
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:
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.
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.
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.
Texas BB-35 — Frequently Asked Questions
Are Texas BB-35 veterans covered by Navy asbestos litigation records?
Yes. Texas BB-35 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 Texas BB-35 contained asbestos?
Asbestos-containing materials documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels of Texas BB-35'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 Texas BB-35?
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 Texas BB-35?
Documented equipment manufacturers aboard Texas BB-35 include: Babcock & Wilcox, Bureau Express. These manufacturers supplied boilers, turbines, pumps, valves, electrical equipment, and insulation systems through BUSHIPS contracts during the asbestos era.
Do Texas BB-35 veterans qualify for VA disability for mesothelioma?
Potentially. VA evaluates asbestos-related disability claims individually. Texas BB-35 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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