USS Sacramento (AOE-1), the lead ship of the Sacramento class fast combat support ships, was commissioned in March 1964 and served in the Pacific Fleet. Sacramento represented a major advance in underway replenishment capability as the Navy’s first one-stop shopping replenishment ship, combining fuel, ammunition, dry cargo, and refrigerated stores in a single fast hull capable of keeping pace with carrier battle groups. Sacramento provided replenishment support to carrier battle groups throughout the Pacific and Vietnam War era. Sacramento’s steam propulsion plant drove steam turbines capable of 26-knot speeds to keep pace with the carriers she supported. Commissioned in 1964, Sacramento incorporated asbestos-containing boiler insulation, steam pipe insulation, turbine insulation, and hull construction materials consistent with the mid-1960s construction period.

USS Sacramento Steam Plant and Construction Asbestos

Sacramento’s large steam propulsion plant and hull construction incorporated asbestos throughout:

  • Boiler insulation — Sacramento’s boilers were insulated with asbestos-containing boiler casing insulation consistent with mid-1960s construction specifications. The large engineering department required to operate Sacramento’s high-speed steam plant accumulated asbestos exposure through her Pacific Fleet service
  • High-pressure steam pipe insulation — the steam mains and extensive auxiliary steam piping throughout Sacramento’s engineering spaces incorporated asbestos-containing pipe insulation consistent with mid-1960s naval construction specifications
  • Propulsion turbine insulation — Sacramento’s main propulsion turbines incorporated asbestos-containing turbine casing insulation consistent with mid-1960s specifications
  • Cargo and working spaces — Sacramento’s ammunition magazines, fuel transfer stations, dry cargo holds, and crew berthing areas were constructed using hull construction materials of the mid-1960s building period incorporating asbestos-containing materials throughout

VA Claims for USS Sacramento Veterans

VA evaluates asbestos-related disability claims on a case-by-case basis. Veterans generally need evidence of in-service asbestos exposure, a current asbestos-related diagnosis, and a medical link between them. Machinist’s Mates, Boilermen, Storekeeper ratings, and crew members who served aboard USS Sacramento and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.

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 Sacramento

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.