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Did you serve aboard the USS Ulysses S. Grant? This submarine carried asbestos in nearly every compartment. Here is where it was, and who is responsible. The USS Ulysses S. Grant, hull number SSBN-631, was a submarine. Public naval references list this equipment aboard the USS Ulysses S. Grant, SSBN-631 — insulated and sealed with asbestos. 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 Ulysses S. Grant from makers such as Crane, Crane Co., Dura Metallic, and Flexitallic allegedly contained asbestos. If you served aboard the USS Ulysses S. Grant 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 Ulysses S. Grant (SSBN-631) is a documented U.S. Navy nuclear-powered ballistic-missile submarine 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 Ulysses S. Grant (SSBN-631). 9 machinery/equipment entries identified through ship-specific BUSHIPS documentation. Manufacturers in bold link to documented asbestos-product history on AsbestosIndex.com.
EquipmentManufacturerQtyNotes
GasketsFlexitallicInstalled aboard USS Ulysses S. Grant
GasketsGarlockInstalled aboard USS Ulysses S. Grant
GasketsCraneInstalled aboard USS Ulysses S. Grant
GasketsDura MetallicInstalled aboard USS Ulysses S. Grant
GasketsJohns ManvilleInstalled aboard USS Ulysses S. Grant
GasketsJohn CraneInstalled aboard USS Ulysses S. Grant
Preformed Packing (9 rings per set)Crane Co.1Part No. A-3480, P/N 1H-5330-00-576-4470, delivered June 25, 1976
Preformed Packing (1H-5330-00-576-4470, P/N A-3480)Crane Co.59 rings per set, shipped to USS Ulysses S. Grant (SSBN-631)
Preformed Packing (1H-533000-576-4470, P/N A-3480, 9 rings per set)Nuclear Products1Shipped to USS Ulysses S. Grant (SSBN-631) under contract N00104-76-V-A060

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.

Navy Ratings Most Exposed to Asbestos Aboard Ulysses S. Grant

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 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.