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Service History
From the public Wikipedia / DANFS service-history record — source ›
USS Steamer Bay (CVE-87) was a Casablanca-class escort carrier commissioned in April 1944 and saw significant service during the final year of World War II in the Pacific. She participated in major amphibious operations including the Invasions of Lingayen Gulf and Iwo Jima and the Battle of Okinawa, providing carrier air support and close air support for Marine and Army operations. After the Japanese surrender, she served in Operation Magic Carpet repatriating U.S. servicemen before being decommissioned in January 1947 and eventually sold for scrap in 1959.
Construction & Service Dates
Builder
Kaiser Shipbuilding Company, Vancouver, Washington
Laid down
1943-12-04
Launched
1944-02-26
Commissioned
1944-04-04
Decommissioned
1947-01
Notable Tours / Service Eras
WWII Pacific Theater 1944-1945
Operation Magic Carpet 1945-1946
Combat Actions
Invasion of Lingayen Gulf· 1945-01 carrier air support
Invasion of Iwo Jima· 1945-02 carrier air support and close air support
Battle of Okinawa· 1945-04 carrier air support and close air support
Home Ports & Forward Bases
San Diego — departure/arrival point
Espiritu Santo — 30 May 1944
Majuro — 1 August 1944
Pearl Harbor — multiple visits for repairs and supplies
Seeadler Harbor, Manus Island — 21 August 1944
San Pedro Bay, Leyte — 12 March 1945
Apra Harbor, Guam — repairs and rest
Ulithi — staging area
Tacoma, Washington — Pacific Reserve Fleet
Drydock & Overhaul Periods
High Asbestos-Exposure Window
Unknown· 1944-11-15 to 1944-12-05 repairs and training
Apra Harbor, Guam· 1945-05-26 to 1945-06-10 repairs and rest
Unknown· 1945-08 dry dock (repairs completed at Japanese surrender)
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 January 1945 — sister ship Ommaney Bay sunk by kamikaze during Lingayen Gulf operations
5 January 1945 — sister ships Manila Bay and Savo Island damaged by kamikazes; Steamer Bay narrowly missed by kamikaze near stern
3 April 1945 — sailor cast overboard when railing broke during Okinawa operations; body not recovered
Final Disposition
sold for scrapping in August 1959
USS Steamer Bay 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 Steamer Bay. 2 machinery/equipment entries identified through ship-specific BUSHIPS documentation. Manufacturers in bold link to documented asbestos-product history on AsbestosIndex.com.
per Wikipedia infobox; raised 285 psi steam at 577°F
Skinner Unaflow Reciprocating Steam Engines
Skinner
2
per Wikipedia infobox; delivered 9000 hp
Source: this equipment reference was extracted from public Wikipedia/DANFS records for USS Steamer Bay. 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 Steamer Bay
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.
Steamer Bay — Frequently Asked Questions
Are Steamer Bay veterans covered by Navy asbestos litigation records?
Yes. Steamer Bay 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 Steamer Bay contained asbestos?
Asbestos-containing materials documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels of Steamer Bay'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 Steamer Bay?
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 Steamer Bay?
Documented equipment manufacturers aboard Steamer Bay include: Babcock & Wilcox, Skinner. These manufacturers supplied boilers, turbines, pumps, valves, electrical equipment, and insulation systems through BUSHIPS contracts during the asbestos era.
Do Steamer Bay 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. Steamer Bay 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.
Sponsored Legal Resource — Attorney Advertising
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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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