USS Hornet (CV-12) is a documented U.S. Navy aircraft carrier with asbestos-exposure evidence in the public litigation record. The equipment manifest below was assembled from depositions, expert reports, and manufacturer interrogatory responses filed in U.S. asbestos litigation that reference equipment installed aboard this vessel.

Equipment Manifest

Equipment Manifest — USS Hornet (CV-12). 6 machinery/equipment entries identified through ship-specific BUSHIPS documentation. Manufacturers in bold link to documented asbestos-product history on AsbestosIndex.com.
EquipmentManufacturerQtyNotes
PipeCertaineed CorporationPipe products listed in USS Hornet (CV-12) manifest
Fire PumpsWarrenInstalled aboard USS Hornet; repaired these pumps and replaced insulation
Bilge PumpsWarrenInstalled aboard USS Hornet; repaired these pumps and replaced insulation
Feed PumpsWarrenInstalled aboard USS Hornet; repaired these pumps
bilge pumpWarren PumpsWork performed on bilge pump and pumps aboard USS Hornet
Fire Retardant LinoleumCongoleum Nairn, Inc.40 yards (600 sq ft) for barber shop installation; fire resistant cement included

Note: this manifest is derived from public asbestos litigation records (depositions, expert reports, manufacturer interrogatories) rather than primary BUSHIPS construction documents. Entries reflect what has been documented or alleged in publicly filed legal records.

Documented Asbestos Evidence

Deposition testimony (Captain Francis Burger, April 2, 2010) confirms USS Hornet (CV-12) is Essex class. Burger testified that insulation was present “throughout the fire rooms in the WASP” — a sister Essex-class carrier — and that this insulation “would have contained asbestos.” As an Essex-class carrier, Hornet shares the class-wide asbestos documentation established across her sister ships:

  • Over 250 tons (380,000 lbs per expert Mangold’s analysis) of amosite asbestos thermal insulation per Essex-class carrier
  • Amosite asbestos throughout piping and machinery insulation; chrysotile asbestos in naval wire and cable
  • Babcock & Wilcox boilers (contract NObs 784, Essex-class standard)
  • Crane Co. auxiliary steam valves with asbestos-containing gaskets and packing
  • Griscom-Russell distillers; De Laval oil purifiers; Terry Steam turbine drives (fuel oil service pumps)
  • Insulation removal during shipyard repairs and overhauls produced the largest amount of insulation dust across Essex-class vessels

Hornet’s service history — including museum/display use at Alameda, California — and her role in the Apollo 11 and Apollo 12 recovery missions bring additional significance to sailors who served during her 1943–1970 active career.

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References reflect what has been alleged or documented in publicly filed asbestos litigation. This does not constitute a finding of fact or liability. This site does not provide legal or medical advice.

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 Hornet

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.