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USS New Mexico BB-40 1921Source: Wikimedia Commons — public domain (U.S. Navy photograph)
Service History
From the public Wikipedia / DANFS service-history record — source ›
USS New Mexico (BB-40), the lead ship of her class, served in the U.S. Navy from 1918 to 1946. After early service in the Atlantic, she became the first flagship of the Pacific Fleet and participated in extensive shore bombardment operations throughout the Pacific campaign from 1943 to 1945, earning six battle stars. Decommissioned in July 1946, she was sold for scrap and dismantled in Newark, New Jersey by July 1948.
Construction & Service Dates
Builder
New York Navy Yard
Laid down
1915-10-14
Launched
1917-04-23
Commissioned
1918-05-20
Decommissioned
1946-07-19
Notable Tours / Service Eras
Atlantic Fleet 1918-1919
Pacific Fleet 1919-1941
Atlantic Neutrality Patrols 1941-1942
WWII Pacific Theater 1942-1945
Combat Actions
Attu and Kiska operations· 1943 Shore bombardment
Tarawa· 1943 Shore bombardment
Marshall Islands· 1944 Shore bombardment
Mariana Islands· 1944 Shore bombardment
Palau Islands· 1944 Shore bombardment
Leyte· 1944 Shore bombardment
Luzon· 1945 Shore bombardment
Okinawa· 1945 Shore bombardment and defense
Home Ports & Forward Bases
San Pedro, California — Pacific Fleet flagship base 1919-1940
Pearl Harbor, Hawaii — homeport 1940-1941
Norfolk, Virginia — Atlantic Fleet base 1941
Boston, Massachusetts — arrival October 1945
Drydock & Overhaul Periods
High Asbestos-Exposure Window
Philadelphia Harbor Navy Yard· 1931-1933 overhaul and modernization
Puget Sound Navy Yard· 1942-08 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
10 December 1941 — accidentally rammed and sank U.S. freighter Oregon south of Nantucket Lightship
Multiple kamikaze attacks during Pacific campaign 1944-1945
Final Disposition
Scrapped in Newark, New Jersey — dismantling completed July 1948
USS New Mexico (BB-40) is a documented U.S. Navy battleship 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 New Mexico (BB-40). 5 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
Centrifugal Condensate Feed Booster and Distilling Plant Pump, Type CF 2 V Buffalo Close-Coupled Motor Driven Pump
USS NEW MEXICO listed on EES C-159-B Service qualification
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.
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 New Mexico
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.
New Mexico BB-40 — Frequently Asked Questions
Are New Mexico BB-40 veterans covered by Navy asbestos litigation records?
Yes. New Mexico BB-40 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 New Mexico BB-40 contained asbestos?
Asbestos-containing materials documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels of New Mexico BB-40'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 New Mexico BB-40?
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 New Mexico BB-40?
Documented equipment manufacturers aboard New Mexico BB-40 include: Allis-Chalmers Mfg. Co., Aurora Pump Division (New York Airbrake Co.), Buffalo Pumps Inc., Carver Pump Co., The Aldrich Pump Co.. These manufacturers supplied boilers, turbines, pumps, valves, electrical equipment, and insulation systems through BUSHIPS contracts during the asbestos era.
Do New Mexico BB-40 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. New Mexico BB-40 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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