USS Silversides (SS-236) — Equipment Reference & Asbestos Exposure Record
Equipment reference and asbestos exposure record for USS Silversides (SS-236). 3 machinery and manufacturer entries from the public Wikipedia article...
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 Silversides (SS-236) was a Gato-class submarine and one of the most successful U.S. Navy submarines in the Pacific Theater of World War II, with 23 confirmed sinkings totaling over 90,000 long tons of enemy shipping across twelve war patrols between April 1942 and February 1945. She received a Presidential Unit Citation for cumulative action over four patrols and earned twelve battle stars. The vessel now serves as a museum ship in Muskegon, Michigan, and is designated a National Historic Landmark.
Construction & Service Dates
Builder
Mare Island Navy Yard
Laid down
1940-11-04
Launched
1941-08-26
Commissioned
1941-12-15
Notable Tours / Service Eras
WWII Pacific Theater 1942-1945
Combat Actions
First war patrol — Kii Suido area· 1942-04 Sank/damaged multiple cargo vessels
Second war patrol — Kii Suido area· 1942-07 Sank transport and passenger/cargo ship
Third war patrol — Caroline Islands· 1942-09 Damaged cargo ship, engaged destroyer
Fourth war patrol — New Ireland/Truk area· 1942-12 Sank oil tanker Toei Maru and three cargo ships
Fifth war patrol — Solomon Islands· 1943-05 Laid minefield, sank cargo ship Hide Maru
Seventh war patrol — Solomon Islands to New Guinea· 1943-10 Sank four cargo/passenger vessels
Eighth war patrol — Palau Islands· 1943-12 Sank three cargo ships in convoy action
Tenth war patrol — Marianas Islands· 1944-05 Sank six enemy vessels over 14,000 tons
Eleventh war patrol — Kyūshū, Japan· 1944-09 Aided rescue of damaged sister submarine Salmon
Home Ports & Forward Bases
Pearl Harbor — forward base 1942-1944
Brisbane, Australia — patrol base 1942-1943
Fremantle, Australia — patrol base 1944
Mare Island Navy Yard — overhaul base 1944
Drydock & Overhaul Periods
High Asbestos-Exposure Window
Pearl Harbor· 1942-01 major overhaul
Brisbane· 1943-07 refit
Pearl Harbor· 1943-11 refit
Mare Island Navy Yard· 1944-06 overhaul
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
10 May 1942 — Torpedoman's Mate Third Class Mike Harbin killed in action during engagement with Japanese guard boat
17 May 1942 — Periscope entangled in Japanese fishnet; submarine continued attack while flying Japanese flag
22-23 December 1942 — Emergency appendectomy performed by Pharmacist's Mate First Class Thomas Moore at sea using improvised tools
23 December 1942 — Severe depth charge attack and aerial bombing; bow planes damaged and locked at full dive
Final Disposition
Museum ship — Muskegon, Michigan; National Historic Landmark
USS Silversides (SS-236) is a documented U.S. Navy submarine. 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 Silversides (SS-236). 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
Diesel engines (Fleet boat early FM 4-E configuration)
FM (Fairbanks-Morse)
4
Per {{Fleet-boat-propulsion-early-FM-4-E}} template in Wikipedia infobox characteristics section for USS Silversides (SS-236)
Standard Gato-class configuration per Fleet-boat-propulsion-early-FM-4-E specification
Batteries
Exide
252
Standard Gato-class 126-cell battery configuration (2 × 126 cells)
Source: this equipment reference was extracted from public Wikipedia/DANFS records for USS Silversides (SS-236). 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 Silversides
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.
Silversides SS-236 — Frequently Asked Questions
Are Silversides SS-236 veterans covered by Navy asbestos litigation records?
Yes. Silversides SS-236 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 Silversides SS-236 contained asbestos?
Asbestos-containing materials documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels of Silversides SS-236'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 Silversides SS-236?
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 Silversides SS-236?
Documented equipment manufacturers aboard Silversides SS-236 include: Exide, FM (Fairbanks-Morse), General Electric. These manufacturers supplied boilers, turbines, pumps, valves, electrical equipment, and insulation systems through BUSHIPS contracts during the asbestos era.
Do Silversides SS-236 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. Silversides SS-236 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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