USS A.W. Brewster (APD-148) was a Crosley-class high-speed transport — a converted destroyer-escort configured to deliver UDT (underwater demolition team) and SEAL-precursor units to shore. Commissioned in 1945, she served the Navy through the close of WWII and into the early postwar period, with engineering plant configured for sustained high-speed transit and shore-party support operations.
The 8-entry equipment manifest below is sourced from ship-specific BUSHIPS (Bureau of Ships) documentation identifying machinery and equipment installed aboard. Each entry is documented equipment with verified manufacturer attribution — primary-source material for asbestos-exposure case development by Navy veterans and surviving families.
Equipment Manifest
| Equipment | Manufacturer | Qty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boilers | Babcock & Wilcox | Normal rating of 45,000 lbs of steam per hour each at 450 psi and 750° | |
| Combustion Control | Bailey | Controlled at 450 psi and 750° | |
| Feed water pump | Terry Turbine | 2 | Turbine driven Ingersoll centrifugal pump |
| Forced draft blower | Clarage | 2 | Driving warm air from between inner and outer stack; 60 HP variable speed motor |
| Turbines | Curtis | 2 | 3000 BHP, 5500 RPM impulse reaction turbines |
| Evaporators | Foster-Wheeler | 3 | High pressure evaporators; two 20,000 gpd capacity, one 4000 gpd capacity |
| Motor generator | Crocker-Wheeler | 1 | 75 kW 230/120 volt motor generator in engine room |
| DC generators | Worthington turbine | 3 | 400 kW 240 volt DC generators; 440 psi 740° steam |
Asbestos-Containing Materials Aboard A.W. Brewster
The standard asbestos-containing materials installed throughout U.S. Navy high-speed transports of this era are documented to have included:
- Pipe lagging and thermal insulation on main steam, feed-water, fuel-oil, condensate, and saltwater piping throughout machinery spaces
- Boiler block insulation, refractory brick, and gun-blocks around the main boilers
- Asbestos gaskets and braided packing in valves, flanges, pumps, condensers, heat exchangers, and turbine glands
- Insulation jackets and removable lagging on main propulsion turbines, reduction gears, ship-service turbine generators, and forced-draft blowers
- Sheet asbestos and Marinite panels as fire-stops, bulkhead insulation, and overhead insulation
- Vinyl asbestos floor tile (VAT) in passageways, berthing, mess decks, and habitable compartments
- Asbestos rope, wick, and tape in gland-seal applications throughout the engineering plant
Sailors in Boilerman, Machinist’s Mate, Engineman, Electrician’s Mate, Hull Maintenance Technician, Damage Controlman, and other engineering ratings worked routinely in spaces where these materials were installed, maintained, ripped out, and replaced.
VA Benefits for A.W. Brewster Veterans
The 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. The A.W. Brewster equipment manifest is direct documentary evidence of the asbestos-containing materials her crew worked around throughout her service life.
Parallel claims against the asbestos bankruptcy trust funds established by the manufacturers of these products are also available, and do not reduce VA compensation.
Speak with an asbestos attorney with Navy veterans experience →
Equipment manifest derived from public-record BUSHIPS documentation specific to USS A.W. Brewster (APD-148). Manufacturer attribution links to documented asbestos-product histories on AsbestosIndex.com where available. Editorial review applied per site standards.
Crosley-Class high-speed transport — 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 — Crosley-Class high-speed transport
Crosley-class high-speed transports were amphibious transport ships that served in the United States Navy during World War II, with some vessels remaining in commission through the Korean War and Vietnam War. Most ships in the class were converted from Rudderow-class destroyer escorts during construction, with the exception of USS Bray (APD-139). Following World War II, several ships were transferred to foreign navies including Mexico, South Korea, Taiwan, and Colombia, with ARC Cordoba (formerly USS Ruchamkin) surviving as a museum ship in Colombia.
Class Overview
- Service Era
- World War II through Vietnam War
Class Mission & Role
High-speed transport ships that served as amphibious transports for the United States Navy during World War II and beyond.
Class Combat Operations
- World War II
- Korean War
- Vietnam War
Asbestos Materials in this Class
The article does not document specific asbestos use in Crosley-class ships. However, standard pre-1980 U.S. Navy construction included asbestos in pipe lagging, boiler insulation, gaskets, and habitability spaces.
