USS Saratoga (CV-60) — Equipment Manifest & Asbestos Exposure Record

Documented equipment manifest and asbestos exposure record for USS Saratoga (CV-60), a Forrestal-class aircraft carrier in service 1956–1994. 80...

By Rights Watch Media Group LLC •June 6, 2026 • 7 min read

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Hull

CV-60

Class

Forrestal-class aircraft carrier

Commissioned

1956

Decommissioned

1994

Documented Service History

Shipyard, deployment, and service events for this vessel documented in the public record — court filings, the ship’s deck logs, or the crew’s own cruise book (each entry cites its source). Dry-dockings, overhauls, and yard periods were when asbestos insulation was torn out and replaced, the peak-exposure work for the crew and yard workers aboard.

1958
Mediterranean deployment · Mayport, USA — Documented port calls: Mayport, USA, Gibraltar, Naples, Italy, Sorrento, Italy, Pompeii, Italy, Rome, Italy, Barcelona, Spain, Genoa, Italy, Venice, Italy… (per the ship's 1958 cruise book).
1963
Mediterranean deployment · Marseille — Documented port calls: Marseille, Rome, Pompeii, Cannes, France, Naples, Italy, Venice, Italy, Palermo, Italy, Genoa, Italy, Paris, France… (per the ship's 1963 cruise book).

Derived from publicly filed asbestos-litigation records, ship’s deck logs, and the crew’s own cruise books. Historical service events; this does not constitute legal or medical advice.

⚙ View Equipment Manifest Documented BUSHIPS machinery & manufacturers aboard Saratoga CV-60 ↓ All Ship Manifests ›

MusterLog™ 0

Service History

From the public Wikipedia / DANFS service-history record — source ›

USS Saratoga (CV-60), commissioned in 1956, was a Forrestal-class supercarrier that spent most of her career deployed with the Mediterranean-based Sixth Fleet. She participated in the Vietnam War and Operation Desert Storm, earning one battle star for her service. Decommissioned in 1994 and stored at Newport, Rhode Island, she was ultimately scrapped beginning in 2014.

Construction & Service Dates

Builder: New York Naval Shipyard, Brooklyn, New York
Laid down: 1952-12-16
Launched: 1955-10-08
Commissioned: 1956-04-14
Decommissioned: 1994

Notable Tours / Service Eras

Mediterranean deployments 1958-1967
Vietnam War 1972-1973
Cold War Mediterranean/Atlantic operations 1957-1990
Operation Desert Storm 1991

Combat Actions

Vietnam War combat operations · 1972-1973
carrier air operations
Operation Desert Storm · 1991
carrier strike force

Home Ports & Forward Bases

Naval Station Mayport, Florida — home port 1957-1994
Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia — forward operations base
Subic Bay, Philippines — Western Pacific deployment base

Drydock & Overhaul Periods High Asbestos-Exposure Window

New York Naval Shipyard · 1956-1957
post-commissioning yard work and shakedown
Norfolk Naval Shipyard · 1957
repairs
Philadelphia Naval Shipyard · 1968
overhaul and modernization
unspecified · 1964
extensive shipyard period

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

24-25 May 1960 collision with German freighter Bernd Leonhardt off North Carolina
23 January 1961 machinery space fire — 7 killed
June-December 1967 medical support for USS Liberty attack survivors during Arab-Israeli War
Early December 1967 Atlantic storm damage to flight deck and catwalks
Near collision with cruiser Little Rock during 1967 Mediterranean deployment

Final Disposition

scrapped — completed early 2019 at Brownsville, Texas

Read the video transcript

Did you serve aboard the USS Saratoga? This aircraft carrier carried asbestos in nearly every compartment. Here is where it was, and who is responsible. The USS Saratoga, hull number CV-60, was an aircraft carrier, built by New York Naval Shipyard and commissioned in 1956. She served through Mediterranean deployments, Vietnam War, and Cold War Mediterranean and Atlantic operations. Public naval references list this equipment aboard the USS Saratoga, CV-60 — 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 Saratoga from makers such as Babcock and Wilcox, Worthington, DeLaval, and GE allegedly contained asbestos. If you served aboard the USS Saratoga 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 Saratoga (CV-60) was a Forrestal-class supercarrier commissioned 14 April 1956 and serving the U.S. Navy through 20 August 1994 — 38 years of continuous service spanning the height of the Cold War, the Cuban Missile Crisis, Vietnam War, Lebanon, the 1985 Achille Lauro hijacking response, and Operation Desert Storm. The 80-entry equipment manifest below is sourced from the 30 April 1956 Machinery & Hull Data Synopsis Report — primary-source BUSHIPS documentation of the machinery installed during her construction at New York Naval Shipyard.

Equipment Manifest

Equipment Manifest — USS Saratoga (CV-60). 38 machinery/equipment entries identified through ship-specific BUSHIPS documentation. Manufacturers in bold link to documented asbestos-product history on AsbestosIndex.com.

Equipment	Manufacturer	Notes
Main Feed Booster Pumps	Worthington	Hull-specific record: USS Saratoga (CVA-60) 'Machinery History' exhibit (Archon v. Crane Co.); pump systems
Reserve Feed Transfer & Emergency Feed Booster Pumps	Worthington	Hull-specific record: USS Saratoga (CVA-60) 'Machinery History' exhibit (Archon v. Crane Co.); pump systems
Vacuum Priming Pumps	Nash Engineering	Hull-specific record: USS Saratoga (CVA-60) 'Machinery History' exhibit (Archon v. Crane Co.); pump systems
Main Circulating Pump	Warren / Westinghouse	Hull-specific record: USS Saratoga (CVA-60) 'Machinery History' exhibit (Archon v. Crane Co.); pump systems
Main Condensate Pumps	Worthington	Hull-specific record: USS Saratoga (CVA-60) 'Machinery History' exhibit (Archon v. Crane Co.); pump systems
Auxiliary Circulating Pumps	Worthington	Hull-specific record: USS Saratoga (CVA-60) 'Machinery History' exhibit (Archon v. Crane Co.); pump systems
Auxiliary Condensate Pumps	Warren Pumps	Hull-specific record: USS Saratoga (CVA-60) 'Machinery History' exhibit (Archon v. Crane Co.); pump systems
Low Pressure Steam Drain Transfer Pumps	Worthington	Hull-specific record: USS Saratoga (CVA-60) 'Machinery History' exhibit (Archon v. Crane Co.); pump systems
Fuel Oil Service Pumps	DeLaval	Hull-specific record: USS Saratoga (CVA-60) 'Machinery History' exhibit (Archon v. Crane Co.); pump systems
Port Use Fuel Oil Service Pumps	DeLaval	Hull-specific record: USS Saratoga (CVA-60) 'Machinery History' exhibit (Archon v. Crane Co.); pump systems
Fuel Oil Transfer Pumps	DeLaval	Hull-specific record: USS Saratoga (CVA-60) 'Machinery History' exhibit (Archon v. Crane Co.); pump systems
Fuel Oil Tank Stripping Pumps	Sier-Bath Gear & Pump	Hull-specific record: USS Saratoga (CVA-60) 'Machinery History' exhibit (Archon v. Crane Co.); pump systems
Main Lubricating Oil Service Pumps	DeLaval	Hull-specific record: USS Saratoga (CVA-60) 'Machinery History' exhibit (Archon v. Crane Co.); pump systems
Main Thrust Bearing Lubricating Oil Pumps	Philadelphia Gear Works	Hull-specific record: USS Saratoga (CVA-60) 'Machinery History' exhibit (Archon v. Crane Co.); pump systems
Diesel Fuel Oil Transfer Pumps	DeLaval	Hull-specific record: USS Saratoga (CVA-60) 'Machinery History' exhibit (Archon v. Crane Co.); pump systems
Distiller Distillate & Coil Drain Pumps	Worthington	Hull-specific record: USS Saratoga (CVA-60) 'Machinery History' exhibit (Archon v. Crane Co.); pump systems
Evaporator Feed Pumps	Worthington	Hull-specific record: USS Saratoga (CVA-60) 'Machinery History' exhibit (Archon v. Crane Co.); pump systems
Fire Pumps	Allis-Chalmers / Worthington	Hull-specific record: USS Saratoga (CVA-60) 'Machinery History' exhibit (Archon v. Crane Co.); pump systems
Fire Fighting Foam Booster Pumps	Worthington	Hull-specific record: USS Saratoga (CVA-60) 'Machinery History' exhibit (Archon v. Crane Co.); pump systems
Oily Bilge & Fuel Oil Tank Stripping Pumps	Worthington	Hull-specific record: USS Saratoga (CVA-60) 'Machinery History' exhibit (Archon v. Crane Co.); pump systems
Fresh Water Pumps	Worthington	Hull-specific record: USS Saratoga (CVA-60) 'Machinery History' exhibit (Archon v. Crane Co.); pump systems
Fresh Water Booster Pumps	Walter H. Eagan	Hull-specific record: USS Saratoga (CVA-60) 'Machinery History' exhibit (Archon v. Crane Co.); pump systems
Chilled Drinking Water Pumps	Worthington	Hull-specific record: USS Saratoga (CVA-60) 'Machinery History' exhibit (Archon v. Crane Co.); pump systems
Hot Water Circulating Pumps	Worthington	Hull-specific record: USS Saratoga (CVA-60) 'Machinery History' exhibit (Archon v. Crane Co.); pump systems
Emergency Diesel S.W. Booster Pumps	Worthington	Hull-specific record: USS Saratoga (CVA-60) 'Machinery History' exhibit (Archon v. Crane Co.); pump systems
Auxiliary Machinery Cooling Water Pumps	Worthington	Hull-specific record: USS Saratoga (CVA-60) 'Machinery History' exhibit (Archon v. Crane Co.); pump systems
Air Conditioning Cooling S.W. Pumps	Worthington	Hull-specific record: USS Saratoga (CVA-60) 'Machinery History' exhibit (Archon v. Crane Co.); pump systems
Fresh Water Drain Collecting Tank Pumps	Walter H. Eagan	Hull-specific record: USS Saratoga (CVA-60) 'Machinery History' exhibit (Archon v. Crane Co.); pump systems
Contaminated Drain Pumps	Worthington	Hull-specific record: USS Saratoga (CVA-60) 'Machinery History' exhibit (Archon v. Crane Co.); pump systems
Refrigeration Condenser Circulating Pumps	Worthington	Hull-specific record: USS Saratoga (CVA-60) 'Machinery History' exhibit (Archon v. Crane Co.); pump systems
Air Conditioning Chilled Water Cooling Pumps	Allis-Chalmers	Hull-specific record: USS Saratoga (CVA-60) 'Machinery History' exhibit (Archon v. Crane Co.); pump systems
Steering Gear Hydraulic Pumps	Vickers	Hull-specific record: USS Saratoga (CVA-60) 'Machinery History' exhibit (Archon v. Crane Co.); pump systems
Forged-steel gate, globe & check valves and steam traps	Velan	Hull-specific record: Velan US Navy Reference List documents Velan forged-steel valves and steam traps as standard equipment across the Forrestal-class carriers (CV-59 Forrestal, CV-60 Saratoga, CV-61 Ranger, CV-62 Independence) and on Enterprise (CVN-65), Nimitz (CVN-68) and Eisenhower (CVN-69).
Main boilers	Babcock & Wilcox	Hull-specific record: Main Propulsion Plants machinery record, USS Saratoga (CVA-60).
Propulsion turbines & main reduction gears	Westinghouse	Hull-specific record: Main Propulsion Plants machinery record, USS Saratoga (CVA-60).
1000 KW diesel-driven generator set (steam turbine)	DeLaval	Hull-specific record: Main Propulsion Plants machinery record, USS Saratoga (CVA-60).
Main thrust-bearing lube-oil service pumps	Sier-Bath Gear & Pump	Hull-specific record: Main Propulsion Plants machinery record, USS Saratoga (CVA-60).
Marine surface condensers, air ejectors & anchor windlass	C.H. Wheeler	Hull-specific record: C.H. Wheeler documented as condenser/ejector/windlass supplier for USS Saratoga (CVA-60).

Documented Asbestos Products — Litigation Record

The following products are specifically documented in publicly filed asbestos litigation involving USS Saratoga (CV-60):

Pumps: Approximately 12 motor-driven hot water circulating pumps identified aboard Saratoga, circulating water at 135–150 degrees Fahrenheit; testimony establishes these pumps “would have been insulated” due to hot water service, indicating asbestos-containing pipe insulation on associated systems.

Specifications: Gaskets and packing “called out for asbestos gasket and packing” per shipboard technical specifications, with spiral-wound gaskets also referenced.

As a Forrestal-class sister ship to USS Independence (CV-62), USS Ranger (CV-61), and USS Forrestal (CV-59), Saratoga shares class-wide documentation of amosite thermal insulation (250–325 tons per carrier), Crane Co. valves, Foster Wheeler boilers, Hardie-Tynes forced draft blowers, and Westinghouse main propulsion turbines — all with asbestos-containing insulation, gaskets, and packing.

Asbestos-Containing Materials Aboard Saratoga

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 Saratoga 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 Saratoga 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 Saratoga (CV-60). Manufacturer attribution links to documented asbestos-product histories on AsbestosIndex.com where available. Editorial review applied per site standards.

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.

Pipe Covering & Block Insulation Thermal insulation applied to steam lines, valves, and equipment in engine rooms and fire rooms Marine Products Insulation, gaskets, and packing products specified for naval and commercial marine applications Boilers & Steam Equipment Boiler manufacturers and insulation products — central to the fire room exposure pathway Gaskets & Packing Sheet and ring gaskets used throughout piping flanges, valve bonnets, and pump housings Electrical Products Wire insulation, switchgear arc chutes, and panel liners used throughout electrical spaces Full Product Index Search all 200+ manufacturers and 1,500+ documented asbestos products on AsbestosIndex™

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.

Boiler Room Sailor stands watch in the aft machinery room of USS Iwo Jima. (35298984822) Source: Wikimedia Commons (public domain)

Drydock Overhaul USS Newport News (CA-148) in drydock at the Norfolk Navy Yard 1965 Source: Wikimedia Commons (public domain)

Engine Room Flickr - Official U.S. Navy Imagery - USS Sterett Sailor takes equipment readings in ship's engine room. Source: Wikimedia Commons (public domain)

Engineering Watch USS Bataan Stands Full Female Engineering Watch Team (8442031) Source: Wikimedia Commons (public domain)

US Navy 061108-N-6652A-037 U.S. Navy Aviation Machinist's Mate 3rd Class Roy Hernandez, left, and Aviation Machinist's Mate Airman Jerry … — Machinist Mate US Navy 061108-N-6652A-037 U.S. Navy Aviation Machinist's Mate 3rd Class Roy Hernandez, left, and Aviation Machinist's Mate Airman Jerry Rivera work on a rotor … Source: Wikimedia Commons (public domain)

Navy Fireroom Fireroom aboard USS Rochester (CA-124), in 1955 Source: Wikimedia Commons (public domain)

US Navy 080208-N-6538W-019 Civilian yard workers from Puget Sound Naval Shipyard perform maintenance on the bow catapults of the … — Shipyard Worker US Navy 080208-N-6538W-019 Civilian yard workers from Puget Sound Naval Shipyard perform maintenance on the bow catapults of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier … Source: Wikimedia Commons (public domain)

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.

Saratoga CV-60 — Frequently Asked Questions

Are Saratoga CV-60 veterans covered by Navy asbestos litigation records?

Yes. Saratoga CV-60 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 Saratoga CV-60 contained asbestos?

Asbestos-containing materials documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels of Saratoga CV-60'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 Saratoga CV-60?

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 Saratoga CV-60?

Documented equipment manufacturers aboard Saratoga CV-60 include: Allis-Chalmers, Allis-Chalmers / Worthington, Babcock & Wilcox, C.H. Wheeler, DeLaval, Nash Engineering, Philadelphia Gear Works. These manufacturers supplied boilers, turbines, pumps, valves, electrical equipment, and insulation systems through BUSHIPS contracts during the asbestos era.

Do Saratoga CV-60 veterans qualify for VA disability for mesothelioma?

Potentially. VA evaluates asbestos-related disability claims individually. Saratoga CV-60 veterans generally need medical records showing the current disease, service records supporting in-service asbestos exposure, and a doctor's statement connecting the two. Veterans may file at VA.gov, call 1-800-827-1000, or seek free help from an accredited Veterans Service Organization such as DAV, VFW, or the American Legion.

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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