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Service History
From the public Wikipedia / DANFS service-history record — source ›
USS San Diego (AFS-6) was a Mars-class combat stores ship that served the U.S. Atlantic Fleet from her commissioning in May 1969 through August 1993. The vessel conducted multiple deployments to the Mediterranean in support of the Sixth Fleet, made numerous port calls across southern Europe and the Aegean, and provided logistics support to aircraft carrier task groups. After transfer to Military Sealift Command in 1993, she continued service under civilian crew as USNS San Diego until being laid up in 1997 and subsequently scrapped in 2006.
Construction & Service Dates
Builder
National Steel and Shipbuilding Company
Laid down
1967-03-11
Launched
1968-04-13
Commissioned
1969-05-24
Decommissioned
1993-08-11
Notable Tours / Service Eras
Mediterranean deployment 1969-1970
Mediterranean deployment 1971
Mediterranean deployment 1972-1973
Mediterranean deployment 1973-1974
Mediterranean deployments 1974-1976
Mediterranean deployment 1976-1977
Atlantic Fleet operations 1969-1993
Home Ports & Forward Bases
Norfolk, Virginia — home port 1969-1993
Rota, Spain — on-station 1972-1973
Naples, Italy
Palma de Mallorca, Spain
Athens, Greece
La Maddalena, Corsica
Souda Bay, Crete
Drydock & Overhaul Periods
High Asbestos-Exposure Window
Jonathan Corp.· 1989 phased maintenance availability (8 February to 16 March)
Sustain (AFDM-7)· 1989 repairs (30 March to 10 April)
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
17 January 1989 collision with submarine USS Norfolk (SSN-714) in Thimble Shoal channel — minor damage, no injuries
October 1976 two CH-46D helicopters from HC-6 lost at sea during separate night Vertical Replenishment accidents
Final Disposition
scrapped 2006
USS San Diego (AFS-6) is a documented U.S. Navy vessel. 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 San Diego (AFS-6). 2 machinery/equipment entries identified through ship-specific BUSHIPS documentation. Manufacturers in bold link to documented asbestos-product history on AsbestosIndex.com.
Single shaft turbine per Wikipedia infobox propulsion
Source: this equipment reference was extracted from public Wikipedia/DANFS records for USS San Diego (AFS-6). 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 San Diego
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.
San Diego AFS-6 — Frequently Asked Questions
Are San Diego AFS-6 veterans covered by Navy asbestos litigation records?
Yes. San Diego AFS-6 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 San Diego AFS-6 contained asbestos?
Asbestos-containing materials documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels of San Diego AFS-6'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 San Diego AFS-6?
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 San Diego AFS-6?
Documented equipment manufacturers aboard San Diego AFS-6 include: Babcock & Wilcox, De Laval. These manufacturers supplied boilers, turbines, pumps, valves, electrical equipment, and insulation systems through BUSHIPS contracts during the asbestos era.
Do San Diego AFS-6 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. San Diego AFS-6 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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Navy veterans and civilian shipyard workers diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may have grounds for a civil claim against the asbestos product manufacturers whose materials were installed aboard. O'Brien Law Firm represents veterans and their families in the civil track at no upfront cost — separate from any VA disability benefits you may be eligible for.
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Maritime statute of limitations: 3 years from diagnosis (46 U.S.C. § 30106)
Runs in parallel with VA benefits — civil recovery does not reduce VA disability compensation
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