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Did you serve aboard the USS Randolph? This aircraft carrier carried asbestos in nearly every compartment. Here is where it was, and who is responsible. The USS Randolph, hull number CV-15, was an aircraft carrier, built by Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co. and commissioned in 1944. She served through WWII Pacific Theater, and Cold War Atlantic and Mediterranean Fleet. Public naval references list this equipment aboard the USS Randolph, CV-15 — insulated and sealed with asbestos. Each shipyard overhaul and major repair meant asbestos insulation was torn out and replaced — peak-exposure work for the yard workers and the crew aboard. Exposure was worst in the engineering spaces, where the snipes worked — but asbestos lined the whole ship, so all hands were exposed. The companies that made the asbestos equipment aboard — not the Navy — are who asbestos claims are brought against. According to asbestos litigation records, the equipment aboard the USS Randolph from makers such as Babcock and Wilcox, Manning, Maxwell and Moore, BF Sturtevant, and Westinghouse allegedly contained asbestos. If you served aboard the USS Randolph and were later diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or another asbestos-related disease, you may have a legal claim against the companies that made the asbestos products used aboard your ship. This is educational information from an independent publisher — not a law firm — and is not legal advice.
USS Randolph (CV-15 / CVA-15 / CVS-15) was an Essex-class aircraft carrier commissioned 9 October 1944 — Pacific Theater WWII combat (Iwo Jima, Okinawa, Tokyo strikes), Korean War, recovery ship for the Mercury MA-7 (Aurora 7) and Gemini 10 space missions, and ASW service through 1969.
The 63-entry equipment manifest below is sourced from ship-specific BUSHIPS (Bureau of Ships) documentation identifying machinery and equipment installed aboard. Each entry is documented equipment with verified manufacturer attribution — primary-source material for asbestos-exposure case development by Navy veterans and surviving families.
Equipment Manifest
| Equipment | Manufacturer | Qty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main Boilers (8, Express type, air-encased divided furnace, integral separately-fired superheater & economizer) | Babcock & Wilcox | 8 | Hull-specific record: BuShips shipment letter 15 Nov 1943 (4 erected B&W boilers shipped to Newport News for CV-15); confirmed by 1947 Board of Inspection material report ('eight B&W Express... B&W Carolina burners') and the 1961 CVS15 General Information Book boiler table (8, Babcock & Wilcox Co., 615 lb). Numerous 1944-45 CV-15 messages address B&W economizer/superheater handhole asbestos sheet gaskets (Symbol 2150 / Flexitallic). |
| Main Propulsion Turbines (4 HP impulse + 4 LP reaction + 8 astern impulse), main reduction gears (double-reduction locked-train), main service condensers, main condensate pump turbine, astern throttle/control valves | Westinghouse Electric & Mfg. Co. | 4 | Hull-specific record: 1946 CV-15 machinery dispatches (HP/LP turbine carbon rings, astern control valves 'MANUFACTURED BY WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MFG CO SOUTH PHILA WORKS'; main reduction gear per Westinghouse plan 26-J-256/29-J-846); 1947 Material Inspection report ('four Westinghouse main turbines... Westinghouse service condenser'); 1961 CVS15 General Information Book turbine/reduction-gear tables (Westinghouse Electric & Mfg. Co.). |
| Main reduction gear second-reduction (slow-speed) pinion | The Falk Corporation | Hull-specific record: BuShips dispatch 25 Apr 1946 ('SECOND REDUCTION PINION RANDOLPH CV15 MANUFACTURED BY FALK in accordance with Westinghouse plan'); confirmed by CO Randolph No. 4 Main Reduction Gear letter citing 'Mr. Feilbach of the Falk Co., the gear manufacturers'. Falk manufactured pinions to Westinghouse design. | |
| Main feed pump turbines, main feed booster pump turbine, forced draft blowers (16), fire pump turbine | B.F. Sturtevant Co. | 16 | Hull-specific record: June 1945 fleet dispatches marked for USS Randolph (main feed pump turbine, main feed booster pump turbine, forced draft blowers, and fire pump turbine all 'MFG BY B F STURTEVANT'; parts order placed with B.F. Sturtevant, Hyde Park, Boston); confirmed by 1947 report ('sixteen Sturtevant' forced draft blowers; Sturtevant turbine drives on Worthington feed pumps). |
| Main distilling plants / triple-effect evaporators (two units of three evaporators each + one double-effect solo-shell) and sectional fin-type fuel-oil heaters (8) | Griscom-Russell Company | Hull-specific record: BuShips speedletter/telegrams Oct 1944 to Griscom-Russell Co. re internal flushing/spray pipe for the 40,000 & 20,000 GPD triple-effect distilling plants of CV9-class for CV15; confirmed by 1947 report ('three Griscom-Russell evaporators' per unit) and machinery work list item 93s ('Griscolme Russel Sectional (G) fin type' fuel-oil heaters). | |
| Main feed pumps, main feed booster pumps, fresh-water pumps, aviation-gasoline booster pumps, heavy-end aviation fuel pumps | Worthington | Hull-specific record: 1947 Board of Inspection material report pump inspection ('#2,#3,#5,#8 Main Feed Pumps Worthington 3-stage centrifugal, Sturtevant turbine drive'; '#4 Main Feed Booster Pump Worthington'); confirmed by 1961 CVS15 General Information Book BuShips pump table (Worthington fresh-water, aviation-gasoline booster and HEAF pumps). | |
| Emergency feed pumps, coil drain pumps, distiller circulating pumps, fire & flushing pumps | Warren (Warren Steam Pump Co.) | Hull-specific record: 1947 material report pump inspection ('#2,#4 Emergency Feed Pumps Warren'; '#2 Coil Drain Pump Warren'; '#2 Distiller Circulating Pump Warren'); confirmed by 1961 CVS15 General Information Book pump table (Warren turbine- and motor-driven fire & flushing pumps). | |
| Fuel-oil service pumps and fuel-oil booster pumps (vertical screw) | Quimby | Hull-specific record: 1947 Board of Inspection material report pump inspection ('#1,#3,#5 Fuel Oil Service Pumps Quimby vertical screw'; '#4 Fuel Oil Booster Pump Quimby vertical screw'). | |
| Fuel-oil booster & transfer pumps (rotary screw, motor- and turbine-driven) | DeLaval | Hull-specific record: 1961 CVS15 General Information Book BuShips pump table (F.O. booster & transfer, DeLaval rotary screw, 700 GPM at 150 psi, F.O. transfer pumproom / boiler-room holds). | |
| Fuel-oil tank-drain, diesel fuel-oil service, aviation lubricating-oil and port fuel-oil service pumps (rotary) | Northern (Northern Pump Co.) | Hull-specific record: 1961 CVS15 General Information Book BuShips pump table (Northern rotary/gear pumps for F.O. tank drain, diesel fuel-oil service, aviation lubricating oil and port fuel-oil service). | |
| Port cruising / fuel-oil service pumps (rotary piston, horizontal) | Waterbury Tool Company | 2 | Hull-specific record: BuShips shipment order 12 July 1946 for two rotary variable-delivery fuel-oil service pumps 'manufactured by Waterbury Tool Company' marked 'Port Fuel Oil Service Pump for CV15'; confirmed by 1961 CVS15 General Information Book pump table (Waterbury port cruising fuel-oil service pumps). |
| Priming / vacuum pumps (fresh-water priming, secondary-drainage priming, heavy-end aviation-fuel priming) | Nash (Nash Engineering Co.) | Hull-specific record: 1961 CVS15 General Information Book BuShips pump table (Nash motor-driven vacuum priming pumps for fresh-water, secondary-drainage and HEAF service). | |
| Main-drainage eductors (nine-inch jet pumps) | Schutte & Koerting | 9 | Hull-specific record: 1961 CVS15 General Information Book BuShips pump table (main drainage, nine 9-inch eductors/jet pumps, Schutte & Koerting, 1200 GPM, elevator machinery / pumprooms / boiler rooms). |
| Fresh-water booster pumps and emergency fire pump (diesel-driven) | Gardner-Denver | Hull-specific record: 1961 CVS15 General Information Book BuShips pump table (Gardner-Denver fresh-water booster pump, B-111T; and 1000-GPM diesel-driven emergency fire pump, diesel pumproom A-607Z). | |
| Emergency (diesel-driven centrifugal) pump | Dayton-Dowd | 2 | Hull-specific record: 1961 CVS15 General Information Book BuShips pump table (emergency, two diesel-driven centrifugal, Dayton-Dowd, 750 GPM at 145 psi, diesel F pumproom C-614-E). |
| Salt-water pumps for gasoline system | Weil (Weil Pump Co.) | 8 | Hull-specific record: 1961 CVS15 General Information Book BuShips pump table (salt water for gasoline system, eight motor-driven centrifugal, Weil, 600 GPM, gasoline pumprooms). |
| Aircraft gasoline fueling/defueling pumping units (duplex) | Blackmer | Hull-specific record: 1961 CVS15 General Information Book BuShips pump table (gasoline pumping units for aircraft fueling, duplex motor-driven, Blackmer; stations on flight deck, gallery deck, main deck). | |
| Gasoline pumps (aircraft gasoline transfer) | Buffalo Pumps Inc. | 4 | Hull-specific record: Norfolk Navy Yard dispatch (Apr 1946) requesting packing 'FOR USS RANDOLPH CV15... GASOLINE PUMPS MANUFACTURED BY BUFFALO PUMPS INC BUFFALO N Y' (4 pumps, dwg CA6505). |
| Aviation lubricating-oil hand pumps (oscillating quad-action) | Deming | Hull-specific record: 1961 CVS15 General Information Book BuShips pump table (aviation R.S. lube-oil hand pumps, Deming, gallery/flight-deck service stations). | |
| Hydraulic pumps (variable-delivery) for aircraft elevators | Vickers | Hull-specific record: 1947 Board of Inspection material report ('#2 Hydraulic Pump (#1 Elevator) Vickers, variable delivery'); machinery work list items 75s/97s ('two Vickers Variable Delivery Hydraulic Pumps' for #1 and #3 elevators). | |
| High- and medium-pressure air compressors (4-stage & 2-stage) and #1 auxiliary condensate pump | Ingersoll-Rand | Hull-specific record: Dec 1946 CV-15 engineer's work list ('cylinder liners for HP air compressor - Ingersoll Rand - Phillipsburg N.J.'); confirmed by 1947 material report air-compressor inspection (No.1/No.2 H.P. and M.P. 'Ingersoll-Rand'; #1 Auxiliary Condensate Pump 'Ingersoll-Rand'). | |
| Air compressors (tire-inflation 200-psi loop, 20 CFM) | Quincy Compressor Co. | Hull-specific record: SupShips Newport News Delivery Report Enclosure (F) and BuShips Alterations-Authorized letter (SHIPALT CV548A4) - tire-inflation compressors 'procured under contract NOBs-13325 from the Quincy Compressor Co.' and shipped to Newport News for CV-15. | |
| Cylindrical air/pressure tanks (independent 200-psi tire-inflation loop) | Scaife Co. | Hull-specific record: BuShips Alterations-Authorized letter 13 Apr 1945 (SHIPALT CV548A4) - 'cylindrical tanks were procured under contract NOBs-13461 from Scaife Co.' and shipped for CV-15. | |
| Inert gas producer / portable inertness analyzers and portable oxygen-transfer compressors | Walter Kidde & Co. | Hull-specific record: SupShips Newport News Delivery Report Enclosure (F) - inert gas producer, Walter Kidde & Co., Belleville N.J., Contract NObs-11751; and 1946 dispatch for 'two Walter Kidde Company portable motor-driven oxygen transfer compressors... for USS Randolph (CV 15)'. | |
| Refrigeration (Freon) compressors (four-cylinder) | Carrier | 3 | Hull-specific record: 1947 Board of Inspection material report refrigerating-plant section ('Three Carrier, four cylinder, Freon Compressor units with allied auxiliaries comprise this plant'). |
| Air-conditioning compressors | York | 9 | Hull-specific record: 1947 Board of Inspection material report refrigerating-plant section ('Nine York... Air Conditioning Compressors were also in satisfactory operating condition'). |
| Air-conditioning compressors | Frick | 2 | Hull-specific record: 1947 Board of Inspection material report refrigerating-plant section ('...two Frick Air Conditioning Compressors'). |
| High-pressure air separator strainer (catapult air system) | Walworth Co. | Hull-specific record: CV-15 job order (compressed-air supply to catapult machinery) enclosure noting the 3000-psi air-system strainer 'purchased from Walworths Co. NY, NY.' | |
| Catapult (Type H, Mark IV & V / H4B Mk. 4) | McKiernan-Terry Corp. | 2 | Hull-specific record: SupShips Newport News Delivery Report Enclosure (F) catapult section - 'Mr. Charles Bishop (McKiernan-Terry Corp. representative) advises SupShips' re catapult shortage material for CV-15; two H4B Mk.4 catapults confirmed in 1947 material report. |
| Superheater low-flow protective devices / boiler flow meters (all 8 boilers) | Bailey Meter Company | 8 | Hull-specific record: CO Randolph / Fleet Maintenance correspondence 1945 ('USS RANDOLPH (CV15) - Bailey Low Flow Superheater Protective Device'); confirmed by 1947 machinery work list item 9s ('Bailey Low Flow Meters on #1-8 boilers... (8) Bailey superheater protective devices'). |
| Steam pressure regulators (20; on 8 main feed pumps, 8 fuel-oil service pumps, 4 fire pumps) | Leslie Company | 20 | Hull-specific record: 1947 machinery work list item 86s ('Leslie Regulators, Main Feed Pumps (8), Fuel Oil Service Pumps (8), Fire Pumps (4)... build up... 20 Leslie Regulators'). |
| High-pressure steam traps (all 4 fire rooms) | Yarway | Hull-specific record: 1947 machinery work list item 95s ('Steam Traps, H.P. (Yarway in #1,2,3, and 4 Fire Rooms)... 3/4 and 1/2 inch H.P. Yarway traps'). | |
| Condenser-tube plastic inserts (main & auxiliary condensers) | John Crane Co. | Hull-specific record: CV-15 job orders (Serials 231/232) - install plastic inserts in Nos. 1-4 main and auxiliary condensers 'in accordance with John Crane installation booklet (Condenser Tube inserts for inlet ends, 2nd ed. Sept 1942).' | |
| Chain hoists (ratchet-lever, 15-ton, emergency-steering-gear space) | Yale & Towne Mfg. Co. | 2 | Hull-specific record: CV-15 job order (Emergency Steering Gear) - 'material ordered from Yale & Towne Mfg. Co., Phila. Pa.... Contract NObs-14525... Two (2) Chain Hoists, ratchet lever type, 15 ton capacity.' |
| Rudder-angle transmitter & indicator (emergency steering); target-designation bearing indicator | Henschel Corp. | Hull-specific record: SupShips Newport News Delivery Report Enclosure (F) - Rudder Angle Transmitter & Indicator (emergency steering gear), source Henschel Corp.; confirmed by 1947 electrical work list item 2e (target designation bearing indicator 'Henschell'). | |
| Emergency rudder-angle indicator mechanical equipment (circuit 3N) | Teleflex Inc. | Hull-specific record: BuShips Alterations-Authorized letter 13 Apr 1945 (SHIPALT CV670A16) - 'mechanical equipment was procured under contract NOBs-16813 from Teleflex Inc. and shipped to NYNOR 19 Oct 1944' for CV-15. | |
| Intercommunicating / engineer's announcing system intercoms (circuit 26 MC) | Executone, Inc. | 10 | Hull-specific record: SupShips Newport News Delivery Report Enclosure (F) - Intercommunicating Equipment, Executone Inc., Contract NXss-31446; confirmed by Alterations-Authorized SHIPALT CV708A24 ('10 intercoms circuit 26 MC procured under contract NXs-31446 from Executone'). |
| 250 KW A.C. diesel generator sets (diesel engine / set contractor) | Cooper-Bessemer Corp. | Hull-specific record: CO USS Randolph letter 20 May 1946 - '250 KW A.C. Diesel Generator Sets - Cooper Bessemer Corp., Contractor - General Electric Company, Supplier of the Generators - Replacement of Revolving Field Units.' | |
| Ship-service turbo-generators (4 x 1250 KW, 10-stage Curtis), generators for 250 KW diesel sets, ACB cycle timers, circuit breakers (AQB), 12"/24" searchlights, 5"/38 gun-mount power drives | General Electric Co. | Hull-specific record: 1947 material report ('four geared General Electric 10-stage Curtis turbines' / four 1250 KW GE generators); CV-15 job order (gyro-compass AQB circuit breaker 'purchased from General Electric Co., Richmond Va.'); Delivery Report Enclosure (F) searchlight 'General Electric Co., Schenectady, Contract NXss-4296'; CO Randolph letter (GE supplied the 250 KW generators); 1946 gunnery work item (GE 5"/38 mount power drive). | |
| 60 KW Diesel Generator Sets (Cleveland Diesel Division) | General Motors Corp. | 3 | Hull-specific record: SupShips Newport News Delivery Report Enclosure (F) - '60 KW Diesel Generator Sets - General Motors Corp., Cleveland, Ohio, Contract NOBs-11466' for CV-15; also listed in the 30 Sept 1944 Board of Inspection Dock Trial report. |
| Underwater / pit log system (circuit 'Y') and controlled-frequency unit | Bendix | Hull-specific record: 30 Sept 1944 Board of Inspection Dock Trial report ('Calibrate circuit Y Bendix Log System'; ship to notify contractor when Bendix representative desired aboard); confirmed by 1947 report ('Bendix Pit Log') and I.C. system section (Shipalt CV972K219 to replace the Bendix log). | |
| Underwater-log illumination kits and controlled-frequency unit | Pitometer Log Corp. | 4 | Hull-specific record: SupShips Newport News Delivery Report Enclosure (F) - 'Illumination Kits for Underwater Log - Contract NXss-3388, Pitometer Log Corp.' (4); confirmed by Dec 1946 engineer's work list (Pitometer Log Corp. to overhaul the Controlled Frequency Unit). |
| Dead-reckoning tracer (DRT) board | Arma Corporation | Hull-specific record: 30 Sept 1944 Board of Inspection Dock Trial report work item S24(39e) - 'Modify Arma dead reckoning tracer board... modification kits not available until Dec 1 1944' (CV-15). | |
| Synchro amplifiers (target-designation system) | Sperry Gyroscope Co. | Hull-specific record: 1946 Departure Report machinery work list Serial 229 (JO 7116) - target-designation system modification, 'install Sperry Synchro amplifiers as detailed in authorization letter' (CV-15). | |
| Wind intensity master transmitter (aerological) | Julian P. Friez Corp. | Hull-specific record: Dec 1946 CV-15 engineer's urgent-repairs work list - services of the Julian P. Friez Corp. requested to overhaul the Wind Intensity Master Transmitter. | |
| Electric hoists (main + radar-shop) | Robbins & Myers | 2 | Hull-specific record: SupShips Newport News Delivery Report Enclosure (G), unfurnished contractor material for CV-15 - Electric Hoist H392-172-35 and Electric Hoist for Radar Shop H392-172-36, Robbins & Myers. |
| Filters, alcohol system | Cuno Engineering | Hull-specific record: SupShips Newport News Delivery Report Enclosure (G), unfurnished contractor material for CV-15 - Filters/Alcohol System H392-235-124 and H392-275-249, Cuno Engineering. | |
| Spools, firemain & flushing (F & F) system | Manhattan Rubber | 10 | Hull-specific record: SupShips Newport News Delivery Report Enclosure (G) / CV-15 shortage list - Spools/F & F System H392-240-174, Manhattan Rubber (10 due). |
| Valves (tire-inflation loop; inert-gas system) | Foster Engineering | Hull-specific record: SupShips Newport News Delivery Report Enclosure (G), unfurnished contractor material for CV-15 - Valves/Tire Inflation Loop H392-275-219 and Valves/Inert Gas System H392-275-233, Foster Engineering. | |
| Relief valves for tire-inflation-system accumulators | Manning, Maxwell and Moore, Inc. | Hull-specific record: SupShips Newport News Delivery Report Enclosure (G) for CV-15 - 'Relief Valves for Accumulators of Tire Inflation System H392-275-256, Manning, Maxwell and Moore, Inc.' | |
| Bridge wing chairs | Heywood-Wakefield | Hull-specific record: SupShips Newport News Delivery Report Enclosure (G) / CV-15 shortage list - Bridge Wing Chairs H392-530-156, Heywood-Wakefield (shipped 10/6/44). | |
| Electric refrigerator | R.S. Montgomery | Hull-specific record: SupShips Newport News Delivery Report Enclosure (G) / CV-15 shortage list - Elec. Refrigerator H392-750-142, R.S. Montgomery. | |
| (Hydraulic) finger / lift trucks | Clark Equipment Co. | Hull-specific record: SupShips Newport News Delivery Report Enclosure (F) for CV-15 - finger/lift trucks, Clark Equipment Co., Battle Creek Mich., Contract NXss-39146 (short 2 sets spare parts). | |
| Garbage grinder | Lippman Engineering Works | Hull-specific record: SupShips Newport News Delivery Report Enclosure (F) for CV-15 - Garbage Grinder, Lippman Engineering Works, Milwaukee Wis., Contract Nos-90476. | |
| Airplane defueling pump / equipment | Lewis Shepard Sales Corp. | Hull-specific record: SupShips Newport News Delivery Report Enclosure (F) for CV-15 - airplane defueling equipment, Lewis Shepard Sales Corporation, Watertown Mass., Contract NXss-28014. | |
| Dental treatment equipment (air/water syringe, Bakelite holder) | Ritter Dental Mfg. Co. | Hull-specific record: SupShips Newport News Delivery Report Enclosure (F) damage note for CV-15 - broken Bakelite holder for dental air/water line, replacement requested from Ritter Dental Mfg. Co., N.Y. | |
| Training projector / slide equipment | IBM (International Business Machines) | Hull-specific record: SupShips Newport News Delivery Report Enclosure (F) for CV-15, Contract NObs-13486 (SOS letter Sept 19 1944 to IBM, New York re wooden slide holders). Partial reading of a truncated wide-format table; equipment identification tentative. | |
| Valves (Fulton Sylphon thermostatic/bellows type) | Fulton Sylphon Co. | Hull-specific record: CV-15 'C' supplies shortage list (10/10/44), GRP 45-18 LL 237 Valves - 'Contract placed with The Fulton Sylphon Co., Richmond, Va.' | |
| Relay test & adjusting set | Automatic Electric Sales Corp. | 1 | Hull-specific record: CV-15 shortage list (10/10/44) - Relay Test & Adjusting Set, 'Contract placed with Automatic Electric Sales Corp., Chicago, Ill.' |
| Valves | American Car & Foundry Co. | 2 | Hull-specific record: CV-15 'C' supplies shortage list (10/10/44) - Valves, 'Contract placed with the American Car & Foundry Co., New York.' Reading from a rotated low-quality shortage-list scan; vendor attribution tentative. |
| Valves (1" angle cocks, air escape) | Homestead Valve Mfg. Co. | 2 | Hull-specific record: CV-15 job-order parts requisition (Enclosure 3, Randolph CV-15) - '1" angle cock valves ordered from the Homestead Valve Mfg. Co., Coraopolis, Pa.' |
| Ball bearings (single-row radial) | Fafnir Bearing Co. | 3 | Hull-specific record: CV-15 job-order requisition (I.D. Ser 96194) - bearings 'similar to Fafnir Bearing No. 206' procured for a CV-15 job order. Named as a 'similar to' specification reference on a Randolph parts requisition. |
| Oil seals / gaskets (Victoroprene shaft oil seals) | Victor Mfg. & Gasket Co. | 6 | Hull-specific record: CV-15 job-order requisition (I.D. Ser 96194) - oil seals 'similar to Victoroprene, Victor Mfg. & Gasket Co., Victor No. 60333' for a Randolph job order. Named as a 'similar to' specification reference. |
| Relief valves (salt-water fire main, Model DDF/T) | Lonergan Company (J.E. Lonergan Co.) | Hull-specific record: NAVPUR NYK dispatch 29 May 1945 re a CV-15 valve requisition (3408) - references 'Lonergan Company Model DDF' relief valves for the salt-water fire main; ship asked to advise Lonergan model/figure numbers. | |
| Electrical outlet panel (radar/radio repair-shop workbench, panel E-235) | Cole Electric Co. | 1 | Hull-specific record: 1946 Departure Report electrical work list Serial 239 (JO 9104) - substitute one 'Cole Electric Co. outlet panel E-235' at the aviation radar/radio/ship-radio repair shop workbench (CV-15). |
| Auxiliary condensers (2,000 sq. ft.) | Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co. | Hull-specific record: 1947 Board of Inspection material report condenser section - 'the auxiliary condensers were manufactured by Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company.' NNS&DD was the CV-15 builder (construction authorized 9-9-40, launched 6-28-44, commissioned 10-9-44). | |
| Duplex gasoline filters and 5"/38 gun-training-gear purifier filters | Skinner | Hull-specific record: 1946 Departure Report Serial 12 ('Experimental Skinner Duplex Type Gasoline Filters' installed on CV-15, transferred from CV-39) and Ordnance Serial 27 (Ordalt 2005-A: eight Skinner purifier filters on the 5"/38 training gears). Manufacturer name given as 'Skinner' in the records. | |
| Sanitary/plumbing hopper bowl and elbow-operated medical faucet fixtures | Crane Co. | Hull-specific record: 30 Sept 1944 Board of Inspection Dock Trial report (replace sick-bay hopper bowl with one 'similar to Crane Company C-21-356') and CV-15 medical job orders (faucets 'similar to Crane No. 07412 fixture'). Named as replacement/'similar to' fixture references, not confirmed installed originals. | |
| Machine-shop lathe | Lodge & Shipley | 1 | Hull-specific record: 1947 Board of Inspection material report machine-tools section - '1 Lodge and Shipley... lathe' aboard CV-15 (machine shop). |
| Machine-shop lathes | South Bend | 2 | Hull-specific record: 1947 Board of Inspection material report machine-tools section - '2 South Bend lathes' aboard CV-15 (machine shop). |
| Machine-shop lathes | Reed-Prentice | 2 | Hull-specific record: 1947 Board of Inspection material report machine-tools section - '2 Reed Prentice... lathes' aboard CV-15 (machine shop). |
| Vertical milling machine | Milwaukee | 1 | Hull-specific record: 1947 Board of Inspection material report machine-tools section - 'the Milwaukee vertical milling machine' aboard CV-15 (machine shop). |
| Power hacksaw and drill press | Racine | Hull-specific record: 1947 Board of Inspection material report machine-tools section - 'the Racine power hack saw... and 1 Racine drill press' aboard CV-15 (machine shop). | |
| Radial drill | Cleveland | 1 | Hull-specific record: 1947 Board of Inspection material report machine-tools section - '1 Cleveland radial drill' aboard CV-15 (machine shop). |
| Radial drill | Morris | 1 | Hull-specific record: 1947 Board of Inspection material report machine-tools section - '1 Morris radial drill' aboard CV-15 (machine shop). |
| Tool grinder (machine shop) | Cincinnati (Cincinnati Milling Machine Co.) | 1 | Hull-specific record: 1947 Board of Inspection material report machine-tools section - '1 Cincinnati tool grinder' aboard CV-15 (machine shop). |
| Laundry equipment (washers, extractors, dryers, tumblers, cylinder ironer, presses) | Hoffman | Hull-specific record: 1947 material inspection hull work list item 9c - Hoffman laundry equipment aboard CV-15 with model/serial numbers (e.g., 30" Extractors Model 7030 Ser. 34235/34236/34237; 42"x84" Washer Ser. 34259; 16"x75" cylinder ironer). | |
| Laundry tumbler and presses | American Laundry Machinery Co. | Hull-specific record: 1947 material inspection hull work list item 9c - 'American Laundry Equipment: 36"x30" Small Tumbler Ser. 284M24157' and 'American Press Equipment' (Model 38 presses) aboard CV-15. | |
| Laundry hand-marking machines | National Marking Machine Co. | 2 | Hull-specific record: 1947 material inspection hull work list item 9c - two Model 15-C hand marking machines (Ser. 2337C/2335C) aboard CV-15, 'Mfg. by: The National Marking Machine Co., Cincinnati, Ohio' (installed March 1947). |
| Bakery dough machine | Triumph | 1 | Hull-specific record: 1947 material inspection hull work list item 96c / commissary section - 'Triumph' dough machine, serial 25033A, aboard CV-15. |
| Sewing machine (cobbler shop) | Singer | Hull-specific record: 1947 material inspection hull work list item 117c - 'Repair Singer Sewing Machine (for sewing on shoe uppers)' in the CV-15 cobbler shop. | |
| Stitching machine (cobbler shop) | Champion | Hull-specific record: 1947 material inspection hull work list item 117c - 'Champion Stitching machine (for stitching on soles)' in the CV-15 cobbler shop. | |
| Water meter (Type E) | Buffalo Meter Co. | 1 | Hull-specific record: 1947 machinery work list item 101s - 'Water Meter, Type E, Buffalo Meter Co., Ser. 1143968' aboard CV-15. |
| Water meter (1") | Worthington-Gamon Meter Co. | 1 | Hull-specific record: 1947 machinery work list item 103s - 'Water Meter, 1", Worthington Gamon Meter Co.' aboard CV-15 (name partly obscured in scan). |
Documented Asbestos Products — Litigation Record
The following manufacturers and products are specifically documented in publicly filed asbestos litigation involving USS Randolph (CV-15 / CVS-15):
Pumps — Warren Pumps and Griscom-Russell: The General Information Book (U) USS Randolph (CVS-15) — a published naval technical document preserved in the litigation corpus — includes a Pumps section that documents the pump installations aboard Randolph. Warren Pumps and Griscom-Russell distilling plant equipment are among the documented systems. Warren Pumps products contained asbestos gaskets and John Crane asbestos packing in pump glands requiring periodic replacement.
Propulsion — Westinghouse turbines and De Laval pumps: The 63-entry Randolph BUSHIPS equipment manifest includes Westinghouse low-pressure turbines and De Laval HEAF fuel oil service pumps — both manufacturers with extensive asbestos-insulation and gasket documentation in the Navy carrier litigation record.
Griscom-Russell distilling plant: A 40,000-gallon-per-day Griscom-Russell distilling plant is documented in the Randolph manifest. Griscom-Russell distilling plants are among the most frequently cited pieces of asbestos-bearing auxiliary equipment in Essex-class carrier litigation.
Essex-class shared documentation: As an Essex-class carrier with 25 years of service, Randolph shares class-wide documentation of 250+ tons of amosite and chrysotile thermal insulation, eight Babcock & Wilcox main boilers, Crane Co. steam valves, and Garlock gasket products — all with documented asbestos content.
Asbestos-Containing Materials Aboard Randolph
The standard asbestos-containing materials installed throughout U.S. Navy aircraft carriers of this era are documented to have included:
- Pipe lagging and thermal insulation on main steam, feed-water, fuel-oil, condensate, and saltwater piping throughout machinery spaces
- Boiler block insulation, refractory brick, and gun-blocks around the main boilers
- Asbestos gaskets and braided packing in valves, flanges, pumps, condensers, heat exchangers, and turbine glands
- Insulation jackets and removable lagging on main propulsion turbines, reduction gears, ship-service turbine generators, and forced-draft blowers
- Sheet asbestos and Marinite panels as fire-stops, bulkhead insulation, and overhead insulation
- Vinyl asbestos floor tile (VAT) in passageways, berthing, mess decks, and habitable compartments
- Asbestos rope, wick, and tape in gland-seal applications throughout the engineering plant
Sailors in Boilerman, Machinist’s Mate, Engineman, Electrician’s Mate, Hull Maintenance Technician, Damage Controlman, and other engineering ratings worked routinely in spaces where these materials were installed, maintained, ripped out, and replaced.
VA Benefits for Randolph Veterans
The Department of Veterans Affairs recognizes mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, and pleural disease as conditions that may be service-connected for Navy veterans with documented asbestos exposure. The Randolph equipment manifest is direct documentary evidence of the asbestos-containing materials her crew worked around throughout her service life.
Parallel claims against the asbestos bankruptcy trust funds established by the manufacturers of these products are also available, and do not reduce VA compensation.
Speak with an asbestos attorney with Navy veterans experience →
Equipment manifest derived from public-record BUSHIPS documentation specific to USS Randolph (CV-15). Manufacturer attribution links to documented asbestos-product histories on AsbestosIndex.com where available. Editorial review applied per site standards.
