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Service History
From the public Wikipedia / DANFS service-history record — source ›
USS Portland (CA-33) was the lead ship of the Portland-class cruiser and first U.S. Navy vessel named for Portland, Maine. Commissioned in 1933, she served extensively during World War II in the Pacific Theater, participating in major engagements from the Coral Sea through Okinawa and earning 16 battle stars. Following the war, she accepted Japanese surrender in the Caroline Islands, transported troops home, and was decommissioned in 1946 and scrapped by 1962.
Construction & Service Dates
Builder
Bethlehem Steel, Quincy Shipyard
Laid down
1930-02-17
Launched
1932-05-21
Commissioned
1933-02-23
Decommissioned
1946
Notable Tours / Service Eras
Interwar peacetime cruises 1933-1941
WWII Pacific Theater 1942-1945
Post-WWII occupation and repatriation 1945-1946
Combat Actions
Battle of the Coral Sea· 1942-05 screened carrier Yorktown; rescued Lexington survivors
Battle of Midway· 1942-06 screened carrier Yorktown; rescued survivors
Naval Battle of Guadalcanal· 1942-11 support operations; torpedoed and heavily damaged
Battle of Leyte Gulf· 1944-10 engaged Japanese ships in Battle of Surigao Strait
Battle of Okinawa· 1945 fire support for landing operations
Home Ports & Forward Bases
San Diego, California — home port operations
Boston, Massachusetts — departure point April 1933
Sydney, Australia — repair facility 1942-1943
San Diego, California — repair facility 1943
Drydock & Overhaul Periods
High Asbestos-Exposure Window
Sydney, Australia· 1942-1943 damage repair from torpedo
San Diego, California· 1943 damage repair and modernization
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
4 April 1933 — first Navy vessel to respond to airship Akron crash; coordinated search and rescue
November 1942 — torpedoed during Naval Battle of Guadalcanal; heavy damage requiring six months repair
Final Disposition
scrapped by 1962
USS Portland (CA-33) 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 Portland (CA-33). 2 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
Yarrow boilers
Yarrow
8
per Wikipedia infobox characteristics (as built)
Parsons reduction steam turbines
Parsons
4
per Wikipedia infobox characteristics (as built)
Source: this equipment reference was extracted from public Wikipedia/DANFS records for USS Portland (CA-33). 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 Portland
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.
Portland CA-33 — Frequently Asked Questions
Are Portland CA-33 veterans covered by Navy asbestos litigation records?
Yes. Portland CA-33 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 Portland CA-33 contained asbestos?
Asbestos-containing materials documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels of Portland CA-33'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 Portland CA-33?
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 Portland CA-33?
Documented equipment manufacturers aboard Portland CA-33 include: Parsons, Yarrow. These manufacturers supplied boilers, turbines, pumps, valves, electrical equipment, and insulation systems through BUSHIPS contracts during the asbestos era.
Do Portland CA-33 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. Portland CA-33 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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