USS Canberra is documented in the public U.S. Navy asbestos litigation record. A verified equipment manifest with 7 machinery and manufacturer entries is published on her ship-specific page: Canberra CA-70 Equipment Manifest ›.

The standard asbestos-containing materials documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels of this era, the Navy ratings most exposed during normal duty, and the VA presumptive-benefits framework are listed below.

Baltimore-Class heavy cruiser — Class Background

Ship-specific service history is not available for this vessel in public records. The class-level information below applies to all ships in her class. Source: Wikipedia — Baltimore-Class heavy cruiser

The Baltimore-class heavy cruisers comprised 14 ships completed between 1943 and 1947, making them the most numerous heavy cruiser class in U.S. Navy history and the first designed without London Naval Treaty limitations. Armed with nine 8-inch guns and secondary 5-inch armament, they served primarily as anti-aircraft escorts for carrier task forces and in naval gunfire support roles during World War II and Korea. Four ships were converted into guided missile cruisers in the 1950s, representing some of the world's first operational missile cruisers, while the remaining unmodified vessels were gradually decommissioned and scrapped between 1954 and 1991.

Class Overview

Total Ships in Class
17
Construction Era
1940-1947
Service Era
1943-1991

Class Mission & Role

Fast, heavily-armed heavy cruisers designed to provide anti-aircraft protection for fast aircraft carrier battle groups and conduct naval gunfire support for amphibious operations.

Primary Builders

  • Bethlehem Steel (Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts)
  • New York Shipbuilding (Camden, New Jersey)
  • Philadelphia Naval Shipyard (Philadelphia)

Class Combat Operations

  • World War II Pacific Theater
  • World War II European Theater
  • Korean War
  • Vietnam War
Product & Manufacturer Reference

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 Canberra

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.