USS Oriskany (CV-34) — Equipment Manifest & Asbestos Exposure Record

USS Oriskany (CV-34) 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

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 Exposure Record

Propulsion plant and insulation

USS Oriskany (CV-34) was an Essex-class carrier built 1944/1945–1950.

Valves

and Leslie Controls as principal valve manufacturers aboard Oriskany:

• Crane Co. — steam valves supplied to the Navy during World War II and incorporated into Oriskany’s steam-propulsion system; deponents describe valve maintenance (removing flanges and valve internals) as a routine source of gasket and insulation exposure
• Leslie Controls — steam reducing valve for the firemain, boiler controls, and steam reducers; a 644 psi–350 psi reducer documented as a specific Leslie product aboard the ship

Work activities generating asbestos exposure

• Scraping insulation off equipment with a chisel, knife, or wire brush
• Re-packing valves and pumps
• Removing insulation during repair/maintenance — producing “a lot of dust”

Documented crew (ratings and officers)

• Lieutenant (Main Engine Junior Officer, then Boiler Division Officer) — supervised equipment repairs in the engine and boiler rooms; developed mesothelioma and died in 2005 at age 62; the case reached the appellate level against a valve manufacturer, with the appellate court reversing a trial court judgment
• Engineering crew member — worked in Oriskany’s boiler and engine rooms; co-worker testimony describes valve repacking and insulation removal

Service periods documented in litigation

• June 1965 – August 1966 — service period connected to the mesothelioma diagnosis documented in publicly filed litigation
• 1966–1968 — dry dock repair work following the October 26, 1966 flight-deck fire that killed 44 crew members; Oriskany repaired at Hunter’s Point, CA naval shipyard; workers involved in the post-fire repair were exposed to asbestos during insulation removal and replacement

Litigation outcome

An appellate decision arising from USS Oriskany asbestos litigation (referencing John Crane, Inc. v. Scribner, 369 Md. 369, 800 A.2d 727 (2002)) is a significant precedent in Navy valve asbestos litigation; the appellate court reversed a trial judgment, with further proceedings on officer-status and gasket-work issues.

Veterans who served aboard USS Oriskany (CV-34): Service in the engineering spaces, boiler rooms, or engine rooms — or work during the 1966–1968 post-fire repairs at Hunter’s Point — may support a VA asbestos claim, a civil lawsuit, or trust fund recovery.

Free, confidential case evaluation: Speak with O’Brien Law Firm — (314) 936-2956

All consultations are free. No fee unless a financial recovery is made on your behalf.

References to equipment, asbestos products, and litigation history 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.

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.