USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) — Equipment Reference & Asbestos Exposure Record
Equipment reference and asbestos exposure record for USS Pennsylvania (BB-38). 4 machinery and manufacturer entries from the public Wikipedia article...
By Rights Watch Media Group LLC•June 6, 2026•1 min read
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Service History
From the public Wikipedia / DANFS service-history record — source ›
USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) was laid down in 1913 at Newport News and commissioned in 1916 as the lead ship of the Pennsylvania-class battleships. She served as flagship of the Atlantic and Battle Fleets during the 1920s and 1930s before participating in multiple Pacific amphibious operations during World War II, including the Marshall Islands, Marianas, Palau, and Philippines campaigns. After surviving the Pearl Harbor attack and the Battle of Okinawa (where she was torpedoed), Pennsylvania was allocated to the Operation Crossroads nuclear tests in 1946 and subsequently scuttled in February 1948.
Construction & Service Dates
Builder
Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company
Laid down
1913-10-27
Launched
1915-03-16
Commissioned
1916-06-12
Notable Tours / Service Eras
Atlantic Fleet 1916-1921
Battle Fleet / Pacific Fleet 1921-1941
WWII Pacific Theater 1942-1945
Operation Crossroads 1946
Combat Actions
Attack on Pearl Harbor· 1941-12 In drydock; suffered minor damage
Aleutian Islands Campaign· 1943-06 Gunfire support
Battle of Makin· 1943-11 Gunfire support
Kwajalein and Eniwetok landings· 1944-01 Gunfire support
Saipan, Guam, Peleliu, Angaur campaigns· 1944 Gunfire support
Battle of Surigao Strait· 1944-10 Unable to locate target due to inadequate radar
Battle of Okinawa· 1945-04 Torpedoed and badly damaged; withdrew
Home Ports & Forward Bases
San Pedro, California — home port 1920s-1930s
Pearl Harbor, Hawaii — present 1941
Kwajalein Atoll — post-war study site 1946-1947
Drydock & Overhaul Periods
High Asbestos-Exposure Window
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
7 December 1941 — present in drydock during Pearl Harbor attack; protected from torpedoes
April 1945 — torpedoed by Japanese torpedo bomber during Battle of Okinawa; badly damaged
Final Disposition
Scuttled in deep water off Kwajalein Atoll — February 1948
USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) is a documented U.S. Navy battleship. 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 Pennsylvania (BB-38). 4 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
Steam turbines
Curtis
4
Direct-drive Curtis steam turbine sets, per Wikipedia infobox
1931 modernization configuration, per Wikipedia infobox
Source: this equipment reference was extracted from public Wikipedia/DANFS records for USS Pennsylvania (BB-38). 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 Pennsylvania
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.
Pennsylvania BB-38 — Frequently Asked Questions
Are Pennsylvania BB-38 veterans covered by Navy asbestos litigation records?
Yes. Pennsylvania BB-38 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 Pennsylvania BB-38 contained asbestos?
Asbestos-containing materials documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels of Pennsylvania BB-38'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 Pennsylvania BB-38?
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 Pennsylvania BB-38?
Documented equipment manufacturers aboard Pennsylvania BB-38 include: Babcock & Wilcox, Bureau, Curtis, Westinghouse. These manufacturers supplied boilers, turbines, pumps, valves, electrical equipment, and insulation systems through BUSHIPS contracts during the asbestos era.
Do Pennsylvania BB-38 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. Pennsylvania BB-38 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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