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USS Illusive (MSO-448) and USS Conquest (MSO-488) off Sitra, Bahrain, on 26 December 1987 (6429495)Source: Wikimedia Commons — public domain (U.S. Navy photograph)
Service History
From the public Wikipedia / DANFS service-history record — source ›
USS Illusive (AM-448/MSO-448) was an Agile-class minesweeper launched in 1952 and commissioned in 1953, serving primarily on the U.S. West Coast and in Far Eastern waters during the Cold War. Between 1957 and 1964, she conducted multiple deployments to the western Pacific, participating in joint exercises with Japanese, Chinese Nationalist, and Southeast Asian navies. In 1965–1966, she supported Operation Market Time off the Vietnamese coast, performing patrol, replenishment, gunfire support, and hydrographic survey duties before returning to the U.S. for additional Cold War service; she was decommissioned in 1990 and scrapped in 1993.
Construction & Service Dates
Builder
Martinolich Shipbuilding Co., San Diego, California
Launched
1952-07-12
Commissioned
1953-11-14
Decommissioned
1990-03-30
Notable Tours / Service Eras
Cold War Far East operations 1957-1964
Vietnam War — Operation Market Time 1965-1966
Cold War Western Pacific 1963-1969
Home Ports & Forward Bases
Long Beach, California — home port
Sasebo, Japan — 1963
Subic Bay, Philippines — 1965
Sattahib, Thailand — 1961
Bangkok, Thailand — 1961
Saigon, South Vietnam — 1961
Drydock & Overhaul Periods
High Asbestos-Exposure Window
Long Beach shipyard· 1954-1955 extensive modifications
Long Beach yard· 1956-1957 engine replacement and engineering evaluation
Long Beach· 1964 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.
Final Disposition
scrapped — February 1993
USS Illusive (MSO-448) 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 Illusive (MSO-448) herself has not yet been published; this pattern reflects what was standard for vessels of this class.
Class Equipment Pattern
Equipment Manifest — USS Illusive (MSO-448). 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 Illusive (MSO-448), 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 Illusive
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.
Illusive MSO-448 — Frequently Asked Questions
Are Illusive MSO-448 veterans covered by Navy asbestos litigation records?
Yes. Illusive MSO-448 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 Illusive MSO-448 contained asbestos?
Asbestos-containing materials documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels of Illusive MSO-448'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 Illusive MSO-448?
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 Illusive MSO-448?
Documented equipment manufacturers aboard Illusive MSO-448 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 Illusive MSO-448 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. Illusive MSO-448 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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