USS Cod (SS-224) — Equipment Reference & Asbestos Exposure Record
Equipment reference and asbestos exposure record for USS Cod (SS-224). 2 machinery and manufacturer entries from the public Wikipedia article citing...
By Rights Watch Media Group LLC•June 6, 2026•1 min read
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Service History
From the public Wikipedia / DANFS service-history record — source ›
USS Cod (SS-224) was a Gato-class submarine commissioned in June 1943 that completed seven successful war patrols in the Pacific Theater between October 1943 and August 1945, sinking more than 12 enemy vessels totaling over 37,000 tons and damaging an additional 36,000 tons. She is credited with conducting the only international submarine-to-submarine rescue in history when she rescued the crew of the grounded Dutch submarine O-19 in July 1945. After decommissioning in 1946 and brief recommissioning for Cold War training (1951–1954), Cod was towed to Cleveland in 1959 to serve as a training vessel until 1971; she was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1986 and remains the only WWII U.S. Navy fleet submarine still intact in her original wartime configuration.
Construction & Service Dates
Builder
Electric Boat Company, Groton, Connecticut
Laid down
1942-07-21
Launched
1943-03-21
Commissioned
1943-06-21
Decommissioned
1946-06-22
Notable Tours / Service Eras
WWII Pacific Theater 1943-1945
Cold War Atlantic/NATO 1951-1954
Great Lakes Training 1959-1971
Combat Actions
South China Sea operations· 1943-10 first war patrol
South China Sea/Java/Halmahera campaign· 1944-02 sank merchantman and sampan
Sulu Sea/South China Sea campaign· 1944-05 sank destroyer Karukaya and cargo ship
Naval Submarine Base New London — homeport November 1945
Philadelphia Navy Yard — overhaul 1945-1946
St. John's, Newfoundland — Cold War patrol
Cleveland, Ohio — homeport 1959-1971
Drydock & Overhaul Periods
High Asbestos-Exposure Window
Fremantle, Australia· 1943-12 to 1944-01 refit
Fremantle, Australia· 1944-03 to 1944-04 refit
Mare Island Naval Shipyard· 1944-11 to 1945-03 overhaul
Guam· 1945-05 to 1945-06 refit
Philadelphia Navy Yard· 1945-11 to 1946-06 overhaul
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
30 August 1943 — fired upon by SS Alcoa Patriot in Caribbean; no damage or casualties
26 April 1945 — fire in aft torpedo room controlled; S1c Andrew G. Johnson drowned during hatch-freeing operations
9-10 July 1945 — rescued crew of grounded Dutch submarine O-19 and destroyed the vessel; only international submarine-to-submarine rescue in history
1 August 1945 — enemy aircraft strafed Cod; boarding party left behind, rescued by USS Blenny two days later
Final Disposition
Preserved as National Historic Landmark museum ship, Cleveland, Ohio
USS Cod (SS-224) is a documented U.S. Navy submarine. 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 Cod (SS-224). 2 machinery/equipment entries identified through ship-specific BUSHIPS documentation. Manufacturers in bold link to documented asbestos-product history on AsbestosIndex.com.
Equipment
Manufacturer
Qty
Notes
V16 diesel engine (Model 16-248)
General Motors Cleveland Diesel Engine Division
4
Main diesel engines per Wikipedia Construction section
Auxiliary diesel engine (Model 8-268)
General Motors Cleveland Diesel Engine Division
1
Auxiliary power per Wikipedia Construction section
Source: this equipment reference was extracted from public Wikipedia/DANFS records for USS Cod (SS-224). 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.
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 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.
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.
Cod SS-224 — Frequently Asked Questions
Are Cod SS-224 veterans covered by Navy asbestos litigation records?
Yes. Cod SS-224 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 Cod SS-224 contained asbestos?
Asbestos-containing materials documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels of Cod SS-224'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 Cod SS-224?
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 Cod SS-224?
Documented equipment manufacturers aboard Cod SS-224 include: General Motors Cleveland Diesel Engine Division. These manufacturers supplied boilers, turbines, pumps, valves, electrical equipment, and insulation systems through BUSHIPS contracts during the asbestos era.
Do Cod SS-224 veterans qualify for VA disability for mesothelioma?
Yes. Mesothelioma is recognized by the VA as service-connected for veterans with documented Navy service and qualifying asbestos exposure. Cod SS-224 veterans (or surviving family) typically file at VA.gov, by phone at 1-800-827-1000, or with assistance from a Veterans Service Officer through DAV, VFW, or American Legion. Civil claims against asbestos product manufacturers are separate from VA benefits — many veterans pursue both paths.
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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