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USS Constant (AM-427)Source: Wikimedia Commons — public domain (U.S. Navy photograph)
Service History
From the public Wikipedia / DANFS service-history record — source ›
USS Constant (AM-427/MSO-427) was an Agile-class minesweeper commissioned in 1954 and reclassified as an ocean minesweeper in 1955. She conducted minesweeping operations and amphibious exercises throughout the Pacific, including tours in Japanese waters, Taiwan, and Hong Kong during the Cold War, with later service as a Naval Reserve training vessel in the 1980s. Decommissioned in 1992, she was scrapped in 2001.
Construction & Service Dates
Builder
Fulton Shipyard, Antioch, California
Laid down
1951-08-16
Launched
1953-02-14
Commissioned
1954-09-08
Decommissioned
1992-09-30
Notable Tours / Service Eras
Pacific Theater 1956
Far East Operations 1958-1961
Cold War Pacific Fleet 1985
Home Ports & Forward Bases
Long Beach, California — home port 1954-1958, 1959-1960
Sasebo, Japan — forward base 1956, 1958
Yokosuka, Japan — operations base 1956, 1958-1959
Pearl Harbor, Hawaii — transit port 1956
San Diego, California — homeport mid-1980s
Drydock & Overhaul Periods
High Asbestos-Exposure Window
Long Beach or west coast facility· 1956-1958 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
Stood by at Taiwan from 2 September to 27 October 1958 during Quemoy Crisis
Final Disposition
scrapped 1 April 2001
USS Constant (MSO-427) is a aggressive-class ocean minesweeper in the U.S. asbestos litigation record. The equipment manifest below is a class-pattern reference assembled from manufacturer and machinery entries documented across 7 sister ships of the same class. Ship-specific BUSHIPS documentation for USS Constant (MSO-427) herself has not yet been published; this pattern reflects what was standard for vessels of this class.
Class Equipment Pattern
Equipment Manifest — USS Constant (MSO-427). 7 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
Boiler Auxiliary Cylotherm Type
US Radiator Corp.
Documented across 2 sister-ship records of the Aggressive-class ocean minesweeper
Diesel V Cylinder Engines
Packard Motors
Documented across 2 sister-ship records of the Aggressive-class ocean minesweeper
Fire Pump
Worthington Pump
Documented across 2 sister-ship records of the Aggressive-class ocean minesweeper
Main Distilling Apparatus
E B Badger & Sons Co.
Documented across 2 sister-ship records of the Aggressive-class ocean minesweeper
Documented across 2 sister-ship records of the Aggressive-class ocean minesweeper
Note: this manifest is a class-level pattern derived from sister-ship BUSHIPS records and public asbestos litigation documents. Individual ship-specific variations may exist. Where ship-specific documentation becomes available for USS Constant (MSO-427), this page will be updated to reflect her unique equipment profile.
AsbestosIndex™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.
Navy Ratings Most Exposed to Asbestos Aboard Constant
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.
Constant MSO-427 — Frequently Asked Questions
Are Constant MSO-427 veterans covered by Navy asbestos litigation records?
Yes. Constant MSO-427 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 Constant MSO-427 contained asbestos?
Asbestos-containing materials documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels of Constant MSO-427'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 Constant MSO-427?
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 Constant MSO-427?
Documented equipment manufacturers aboard Constant MSO-427 include: Carrier Co., E B Badger & Sons Co., Gardner Denver Co., Packard Motors, US Radiator Corp., Westinghouse, Worthington Pump. These manufacturers supplied boilers, turbines, pumps, valves, electrical equipment, and insulation systems through BUSHIPS contracts during the asbestos era.
Do Constant MSO-427 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. Constant MSO-427 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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