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USS Kingfish;0823406Source: Wikimedia Commons — public domain (U.S. Navy photograph)
Service History
From the public Wikipedia / DANFS service-history record — source ›
USS Kingfish (SS-234) was a Gato-class submarine that conducted twelve war patrols in the Pacific Theater from September 1942 to August 1945, sinking 14 enemy ships totaling 48,866 tons. The vessel earned nine battle stars for World War II service, performing anti-shipping operations throughout the South China Sea, Philippines, Marianas, Bonins, and Japanese home waters. Kingfish was decommissioned on 9 March 1946, struck from the Navy List in 1960, and subsequently sold for scrap.
Construction & Service Dates
Builder
Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, Maine
Laid down
1941-08-29
Launched
1942-03-02
Commissioned
1942-05-20
Decommissioned
1946-03-09
Notable Tours / Service Eras
WWII Pacific Theater 1942-1945
Combat Actions
First War Patrol· 1942-09 Anti-shipping operations near Japan
Second War Patrol· 1942-11 South China Sea convoy attacks
Third War Patrol· 1943-02 Formosa passage commerce raiding
Fourth War Patrol· 1943-07 Babuyan Channel patrols
Fifth War Patrol· 1943-09 Mine-laying and special operations Borneo
Sixth War Patrol· 1943-12 South China Sea tanker attacks
Ninth War Patrol· 1944-10 Chichi Jima and Iwo Jima operations
Tenth War Patrol· 1945-01 Japanese home islands and lifeguard duties
Home Ports & Forward Bases
Pearl Harbor — forward base 1942-1945
Midway Atoll — patrol base 1942-1944
Fremantle, Australia — refit base 1943
Guam — patrol base 1944-1945
New London, Connecticut — home port 1942, 1945-1946
Drydock & Overhaul Periods
High Asbestos-Exposure Window
Mare Island Navy Yard· 1943 overhaul — battle damage repair and major reconstruction
Mare Island Navy Yard· 1944 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
23 March 1943 — severe depth charge attack; main induction piping damaged; crew prepared to abandon ship
Final Disposition
Scrapped — sold for scrap 6 October 1960 to Albert Heller
USS Kingfish (SS-234) 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 Kingfish (SS-234). 2 machinery/equipment entries identified through ship-specific BUSHIPS documentation. Manufacturers in bold link to documented asbestos-product history on AsbestosIndex.com.
Standard Gato-class submerged propulsion per Fleet-boat-propulsion-early-FM-4-E
Source: this equipment reference was extracted from public Wikipedia/DANFS records for USS Kingfish (SS-234). 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.
Navy Ratings Most Exposed to Asbestos Aboard Kingfish
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.
Kingfish SS-234 — Frequently Asked Questions
Are Kingfish SS-234 veterans covered by Navy asbestos litigation records?
Yes. Kingfish SS-234 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 Kingfish SS-234 contained asbestos?
Asbestos-containing materials documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels of Kingfish SS-234'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 Kingfish SS-234?
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 Kingfish SS-234?
Documented equipment manufacturers aboard Kingfish SS-234 include: Fairbanks-Morse, General Electric. These manufacturers supplied boilers, turbines, pumps, valves, electrical equipment, and insulation systems through BUSHIPS contracts during the asbestos era.
Do Kingfish SS-234 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. Kingfish SS-234 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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Navy veterans and civilian shipyard workers diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may have grounds for a civil claim against the asbestos product manufacturers whose materials were installed aboard. O'Brien Law Firm represents veterans and their families in the civil track at no upfront cost — separate from any VA disability benefits you may be eligible for.
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Maritime statute of limitations: 3 years from diagnosis (46 U.S.C. § 30106)
Runs in parallel with VA benefits — civil recovery does not reduce VA disability compensation
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