USS Ponce (LPD-15) — Equipment Reference & Asbestos Exposure Record
Equipment reference and asbestos exposure record for USS Ponce (LPD-15). 3 machinery and manufacturer entries from the public Wikipedia article citing...
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 Ponce (LPD-15) was an Austin-class amphibious transport dock that served in the U.S. Navy from 1971 to 2017, spending most of her 46-year career based at Norfolk, Virginia and operating throughout the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. She participated in Operation Desert Shield/Storm, Balkans peacekeeping operations, the 2003 Iraq invasion, and the 2011 Libyan Civil War, completing 27 deployments. In her final years, Ponce was converted into a testbed for the Afloat Forward Staging Base concept and served as a platform for experimental systems including laser weapons and Army attack helicopters before decommissioning in October 2017.
Construction & Service Dates
Builder
Lockheed Shipbuilding and Construction Company, Seattle, Washington
Laid down
1966-10-31
Launched
1970-05-20
Commissioned
1971-07-10
Decommissioned
2017-10
Notable Tours / Service Eras
Cold War Atlantic Fleet and Mediterranean 1971-1990
Operation Desert Shield/Storm 1990-1991
Balkans peacekeeping operations 1993-1996
Global War on Terrorism 2001-2005
2011 Libyan Civil War support
Home Ports & Forward Bases
Norfolk, Virginia — home port 1971-2017
Portsmouth, England
Beirut, Lebanon
Monrovia, Liberia
Black Sea operations — Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine
Manama, Bahrain
Umm Qasr, Iraq
Jebel Ali, United Arab Emirates
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Drydock & Overhaul Periods
High Asbestos-Exposure Window
Philadelphia Naval Shipyard· 1992 maintenance availability
Philadelphia· 1984 stern gate repair
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
2 February 1982 — collision with USS Fort Snelling during towing exercise, minor damage to port side
14 February 1984 — stern gate damaged and lost while loading assault craft near Morehead City, North Carolina
19 August 2005 — in Gulf of Aqaba during Katyusha rocket attack on USS Kearsarge and USS Ashland
23 April 2011 — commanding and executive officers relieved due to hazing inquiry and leadership failures
Final Disposition
Decommissioned October 2017
USS Ponce (LPD-15) is a documented U.S. Navy amphibious transport dock. 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 Ponce (LPD-15). 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
Phalanx CIWS
General Dynamics
2
20mm Close-In Weapon System per Wikipedia infobox armament
M242 Bushmaster Mk 38 Mod 2
Bushmaster
2
25mm gun mounts per Wikipedia infobox armament
Laser Weapon System
Northrop Grumman
1
Installed during AFSB conversion per Wikipedia infobox and article text
Source: this equipment reference was extracted from public Wikipedia/DANFS records for USS Ponce (LPD-15). 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 Ponce
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.
Ponce LPD-15 — Frequently Asked Questions
Are Ponce LPD-15 veterans covered by Navy asbestos litigation records?
Yes. Ponce LPD-15 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 Ponce LPD-15 contained asbestos?
Asbestos-containing materials documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels of Ponce LPD-15'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 Ponce LPD-15?
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 Ponce LPD-15?
Documented equipment manufacturers aboard Ponce LPD-15 include: Bushmaster, General Dynamics, Northrop Grumman. These manufacturers supplied boilers, turbines, pumps, valves, electrical equipment, and insulation systems through BUSHIPS contracts during the asbestos era.
Do Ponce LPD-15 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. Ponce LPD-15 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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Runs in parallel with VA benefits — civil recovery does not reduce VA disability compensation
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