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Service History
From the public Wikipedia / DANFS service-history record — source ›
USS Pensacola (CA-24) was a heavy cruiser that served in the U.S. Navy from 1930 to 1945, transitioning from light-cruiser to heavy-cruiser classification in 1931 under naval treaty provisions. She saw extensive Pacific Fleet operations during World War II, earning 13 battle stars through participation in major engagements including the Battles of Midway, Santa Cruz Islands, Guadalcanal, and Tassafaronga, where she sustained serious torpedo damage. Though damaged severely in November 1942, her crew's superior damage control enabled her survival and continued service through the remainder of the war.
Construction & Service Dates
Builder
New York Navy Yard
Laid down
1926-10-27
Launched
1929-04-25
Commissioned
1930-02-06
Decommissioned
1945
Notable Tours / Service Eras
Inter-war Pacific Fleet 1935-1939
WWII Pacific Theater 1941-1945
Combat Actions
Bougainville Island air defense· 1942-02 anti-aircraft support
Battle of Midway· 1942-06 carrier screen and damage control
Battle of Santa Cruz Islands· 1942-10 carrier screen and air defense
Naval Battle of Guadalcanal· 1942-11 carrier screen
Battle of Tassafaronga· 1942-11 cruiser formation, torpedo damage
Home Ports & Forward Bases
San Diego — home port 1935-1939
Pearl Harbor — base 1939-1941
Brisbane — transit 1941
Nouméa — forward base 1942
Espiritu Santo — forward base 1942-1943
Drydock & Overhaul Periods
High Asbestos-Exposure Window
Vestal· 1942 emergency repairs
Espiritu Santo· 1942 emergency repairs
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
30 November 1942 Battle of Tassafaronga — torpedo hit below mainmast, 125 killed, extensive fire damage
USS Pensacola (CA-24) is a documented U.S. Navy heavy cruiser. 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 Pensacola (CA-24). 3 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
White-Forster boilers
White-Forster
12
per Wikipedia infobox, as built
Parsons reduction steam turbines
Parsons
4
per Wikipedia infobox, as built
CXAM radar
RCA Corporation
1
installed 1940, one of six ships to receive
Source: this equipment reference was extracted from public Wikipedia/DANFS records for USS Pensacola (CA-24). 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 Pensacola
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.
Pensacola CA-24 — Frequently Asked Questions
Are Pensacola CA-24 veterans covered by Navy asbestos litigation records?
Yes. Pensacola CA-24 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 Pensacola CA-24 contained asbestos?
Asbestos-containing materials documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels of Pensacola CA-24'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 Pensacola CA-24?
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 Pensacola CA-24?
Documented equipment manufacturers aboard Pensacola CA-24 include: Parsons, RCA Corporation, White-Forster. These manufacturers supplied boilers, turbines, pumps, valves, electrical equipment, and insulation systems through BUSHIPS contracts during the asbestos era.
Do Pensacola CA-24 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. Pensacola CA-24 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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