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Did you serve aboard the USS Tarawa? This aircraft carrier carried asbestos in nearly every compartment. Here is where it was, and who is responsible. The USS Tarawa, hull number CV-40, was an aircraft carrier, built by Norfolk Naval Shipyard and commissioned in 1945. She served through Far East deployment, Atlantic Fleet operations, and Korean War era (Atlantic replacement carrier). Public naval references list this equipment aboard the USS Tarawa, CV-40 — 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 Tarawa from makers such as Warren, and Aqua-Chem allegedly contained asbestos. If you served aboard the USS Tarawa 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 Tarawa (CV-40) was an Essex-class aircraft carrier commissioned 8 August 1945, serving through post-World War II operations and the Korean War era before being decommissioned 8 May 1960. Her service life falls entirely within the peak period of asbestos use in U.S. naval ship construction.
The equipment manifest below is drawn from ship-specific BUSHIPS documentation and publicly filed asbestos litigation records.
Equipment Manifest
| Equipment | Manufacturer | Qty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main Boilers (incl. superheaters & economizers) | Babcock & Wilcox | 8 | Hull-specific record: BuShips procurement — B&W main boilers for USS Tarawa (CV-40) under Contract NObs-784; invoices C-148-K (6 Mar 1944), C-1100 (16 Mar 1944), H-2299-H (31 Aug 1944), and '4 Erected Boilers on CV-40' shipment speedletters ENS-29/A2-11 (Jun-Jul 1944). Shore-based spare economizer elements shipped by B&W on NObs-784 as component CV32-56-A (Naval Speedletter CV40(651), 16 Feb 1945). 8 boilers confirmed by InSurv Material Inspection Report Ser 536P45 (Aug 1947) §10 and General Information Book IB-CVS40-1. |
| Deaerating feedwater heaters | Elliott Co. | 2 | Hull-specific record: Contract NXS-17512; BuShips speedletter File CV901/S56(512), 24 Jun 1944; shipment notice '2 feedwater heaters for CV40 shipped, car PRR-439007, Govt B/L N6151084.' CV-40 Machinery Synopsis also lists Elliott Co. deaerating feed tank & vent condensers. |
| High-pressure air separator (3000 psi) | Harrisburg Steel Corp. | 1 | Hull-specific record: Shipment confirmation, Supply Officer NSD Mechanicsburg → Norfolk Navy Yard, File CV40/S49(648), Feb 1945 — '1 3000 psi high pressure air separator as mfd. by Harrisburg Steel Corp… marked For CV40.' |
| Boiler safety valves & parts | Manning, Maxwell & Moore Inc. | Hull-specific record: Contract N4073-64505; BuShips teletype File CV40/S51(651), 15 Oct 1945, 'MARK FOR USS TARAWA (CV40)'; reconfirmed 21 Jan 1946 (order PND-484035-H1, Bridgeport CT); 2½" safety-valve spares on the CV-40 Bureau-Furnished Commissioning Shortage List. | |
| Main lube-oil / service-pump turbine drivers | Terry Steam Turbine Co. | Hull-specific record: Contract NXSS-32256; requisition S.R.66175-M, USS Tarawa CV-40, Engineering Project Order 1510 (priority per CNO ltr 1 Mar 1945); Terry spares on the CV-40 commissioning shortage list; CV-40 Machinery Synopsis lists Terry as lube-oil / fuel-oil service-pump turbine driver. | |
| Main propulsion turbines (cross-compound, 150,000 SHP) | Westinghouse Electric & Mfg. Co. | 4 | Hull-specific record: Contract NObs-769; InSurv Preliminary Acceptance report Ser 102P45, File CV40/S8(256-S), 17 Jan 1946 §2. Confirmed by InSurv Material Inspection Reports Ser 536P45 (1947) §2 and Ser 1390P45 (1950) Sec V-1, and General Information Book IB-CVS40-1. |
| Main reduction gears (double-reduction, double-helical) | Westinghouse Electric & Mfg. Co. | 4 | Hull-specific record: InSurv Material Inspection Report Ser 1390P45 (28 Aug 1950) Sec V-9; InSurv Ser 536P45 (1947) §3 ('manufactured by the Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Co.'); General Information Book IB-CVS40-1. |
| Main condensers (14,750 sq ft each) | Westinghouse | 4 | Hull-specific record: InSurv Material Inspection Report Ser 1390P45 (1950) Sec V-12 item 6; CV-40 Machinery Synopsis condenser data. (Main air ejector, gland-exhaust condenser and main lube-oil cooler also Westinghouse per Synopsis.) |
| Auxiliary condensers (2,000 sq ft each) | Norfolk Navy Yard (Navy-yard built) | 4 | Hull-specific record: InSurv Material Inspection Report Ser 1390P45 (1950) Sec V-12 item 6 — auxiliary condensers Navy-yard manufactured (government yard, not a commercial vendor). |
| Auxiliary & distilling-plant air ejectors | C.H. Wheeler Mfg. Co. | Hull-specific record: CV-40 Machinery Synopsis — auxiliary air ejector and distilling-plant air ejectors, C.H. Wheeler Mfg. Co. (Synopsis of Machinery & Hull Data naming USS CV-40). | |
| Ship's-service turbo-generators (1250 KW) | Westinghouse | 4 | Hull-specific record: Norfolk Departure Report Ser 6104 (per W.E.&M. Co. Dwg 25-J-488); InSurv Ser 536P45 (1947) Electrical §2 and Ser 1390P45 (1950) Sec VI-2; NavShipYd Norfolk dispatch re replacement lube-oil pump gears '…for 1250 KW turbo generator for TARAWA (CV40)'; General Information Book IB-CVS40-1. |
| Emergency diesel-generator engines (Type FSN/FSW-6, 375 BHP) | Cooper-Bessemer Corp. | 2 | Hull-specific record: InSurv Ser 536P45 (1947) Engineering p.53 and Ser 1390P45 (1950) Sec V-19 item 21; General Information Book IB-CVS40-1 (Emergency Diesel Generators). Diesel-generator L.O. cooler radiator also Cooper-Bessemer per CV-40 Machinery Synopsis. |
| Emergency diesel-generator ends (250 KW, Type ATI) | General Electric Co. | 2 | Hull-specific record: InSurv Ser 536P45 (1947) Electrical §2 (GE 250 KW generators driven by Cooper-Bessemer diesels); General Information Book IB-CVS40-1. |
| 60 KW diesel generators (generator ends on GM diesels) | Delco (generator) / General Motors (diesel) | 3 | Hull-specific record: CV-40 Machinery Synopsis generator data (p.155) — 60 KW diesel generators, Delco generator ends on General Motors diesels. |
| Forced-draft blowers (vertical propeller fan) | B.F. Sturtevant Co. | 16 | Hull-specific record: InSurv Ser 536P45 (1947) Engineering §12 and Ser 1390P45 (1950) Sec V-17 item 12; CV-40 Machinery Synopsis; General Information Book IB-CVS40-1. Main feed-booster and fire-&-flushing pump turbines also Sturtevant per Synopsis. |
| Distilling plants / evaporators (triple-effect 40,000 GPD + emergency) | The Griscom-Russell Co. | 6 | Hull-specific record: InSurv Ser 536P45 (1947) Engineering §15 and Ser 1390P45 (1950) Sec V-17 item 15 (six triple-effect + one emergency double-effect); CV-40 Machinery Synopsis. Griscom-Russell also supplied the CV-40 fuel-oil heaters (Synopsis). |
| High-pressure air compressors (4-stage, 3000 psi) | Ingersoll-Rand | 2 | Hull-specific record: InSurv Ser 536P45 (1947) Engineering §9 and Ser 1390P45 (1950) Sec V-15 item 9; 4th-stage cylinder liner machined by Ingersoll-Rand under BuShips procurement Contract N1945-15977-1 (Aug 1951); CV-40 Machinery Synopsis. |
| Medium-pressure air compressors (2-stage) | Ingersoll-Rand | 3 | Hull-specific record: InSurv Material Inspection Report Ser 1390P45 (1950) Sec V-15 item 9; CV-40 Machinery Synopsis (p.145). |
| Low-pressure air compressors (2-stage) | Quincy | 2 | Hull-specific record: InSurv Material Inspection Report Ser 1390P45 (1950) Sec V-15 item 9. |
| Main & auxiliary condensate pumps | Ingersoll-Rand | Hull-specific record: CV-40 Machinery Synopsis (pp.136-137) — main condensate pumps (turbine & motor driven) and auxiliary condensate pump, Ingersoll-Rand. | |
| Cold-storage refrigeration compressors (7-ton Freon) | Carrier Corp. | 3 | Hull-specific record: InSurv Ser 536P45 (1947) Engineering §16 ('manufactured by Carrier Corporation of Syracuse, New York') and Ser 1390P45 (1950) Sec V-18 item 16; CV-40 Machinery Synopsis. |
| Air-conditioning refrigeration compressors (Freon) | York Corp. | 7 | Hull-specific record: InSurv Material Inspection Report Ser 1390P45 (1950) Sec V-18 item 16; CV-40 Machinery Synopsis (York Ice Machine / York Corp., Wagner motors). |
| Air-conditioning / process-water refrigeration compressors (Freon) | Frick Co. | 2 | Hull-specific record: InSurv Material Inspection Report Ser 1390P45 (1950) Sec V-18 item 16; CV-40 Machinery Synopsis (process-water & photo refrigeration, Frick). |
| Air-conditioning refrigeration compressor (Freon) | General Electric | 1 | Hull-specific record: InSurv Material Inspection Report Ser 1390P45 (1950) Sec V-18 item 16. |
| Ship's-service-stores refrigeration | Lang-Sherman | Hull-specific record: CV-40 Machinery Synopsis refrigerating-plant data (p.150). | |
| Gyro compasses (Mk VIII Mod 3A) & gun-director gyro-stabilizer M-G | Arma Corp. | 2 | Hull-specific record: InSurv Ser 536P45 (1947) Navigation §6 / Electrical §16 and Ser 1390P45 (1950) Sec VI-8 (serials #63273/#63274); CV-40 Machinery Synopsis (main-battery gun-director gyro-stabilizer M-G, Arma). |
| Underwater / pitometer log system | Bendix | Hull-specific record: Norfolk Departure Report Ser MI 6a; InSurv Ser 102P45 (1946) work-list item 6e ('Bendix log system, circuit Y') and Ser 536P45 (1947) Navigation §8/§14; SHIPALT CV972A Bendix Master speed indicator (Job Order 18-141-6522). | |
| Radar / synchro / electronic amplifiers | Bendix | 2 | Hull-specific record: InSurv Ser 536P45 (1947) Communications ('two Bendix radar amplifiers') and Ser 1390P45 (1950) synchro amplifiers (SHIPALT CV76); San Francisco NSY overhaul Job Order 78-141-6716 ('overhaul two (2) Bendix Amplifiers'). |
| Wind-indicating system master transmitter | Friez (Bendix-Friez) | Hull-specific record: InSurv Material Inspection Report Ser 1390P45 (1950) BuShips-Electrical desirable-repair item 11e. | |
| Anchor windlass (Hyde type) | Hyde Windlass Co. | Hull-specific record: InSurv Ser 536P45 (1947) Hull Auxiliaries §7c. | |
| Firemain / flushing reducing valves | Crane Co. | Hull-specific record: InSurv Ser 536P45 (1947), Flushing system p.20 ('Atlas and Crane reducing valves'). | |
| Firemain / flushing reducing valves | Atlas | Hull-specific record: InSurv Ser 536P45 (1947), Flushing system p.20 ('Atlas and Crane reducing valves'). | |
| Flushometer valves | Sloan | Hull-specific record: InSurv Ser 536P45 (1947), Flushing system p.20 ('Sloane Marine' flushometers). | |
| Emergency fire pumps (centrifugal) & fresh-water booster pumps | Gardner-Denver | 2 | Hull-specific record: InSurv Ser 536P45 (1947) Engineering §21 (two diesel-driven emergency fire pumps); CV-40 Machinery Synopsis; fresh-water booster pumps (Gardner-Denver, ser. 264193/264914) in General Information Book IB-CVS40-1. |
| Diesel engines driving emergency fire pumps (Model 6LD468) | Buda | 2 | Hull-specific record: InSurv Ser 536P45 (1947) Engineering §21; CV-40 Machinery Synopsis (p.146). |
| Ship's-service motor-generators (75 KW) & radio M-G sets | Westinghouse | 2 | Hull-specific record: InSurv Ser 536P45 (1947) Electrical p.55 (two 75 KW MG sets); CV-40 Machinery Synopsis (TBK/TBM radio M-G sets, Westinghouse). |
| Degaussing motor-generator sets | Hanson-Van Winkle-Munning | 2 | Hull-specific record: InSurv Ser 536P45 (1947) Electrical p.55; CV-40 Machinery Synopsis degaussing M-G data. |
| Motion-picture projectors (35-mm Type A) & amplifiers | RCA | 2 | Hull-specific record: InSurv Ser 536P45 (1947) Electrical §17. |
| Sound motion-picture amplifier | Ampro | Hull-specific record: InSurv Material Inspection Report Ser 1390P45 (1950) BuShips-Electrical desirable-repair item 17e ('Ampro Sound Motion Picture Amplifier'). | |
| Shaft-revolution master transmitters (Type IX) | Pitometer Log Corp. | 4 | Hull-specific record: InSurv Ser 536P45 (1947) BuShips-Electrical work list XIV-30. |
| Intercommunication units | Executone | Hull-specific record: InSurv Ser 536P45 (1947) work list XIV-32 (power transformers for 'Executone' inter-communication units). | |
| Radio receiver / sender | Hallicrafters | Hull-specific record: InSurv Ser 536P45 (1947), CIC radio equipment. | |
| Electric motor spare parts | American Electric Motor Co. | Hull-specific record: Ltr File CV40/L8-2, Serial 709, USS Tarawa (CV-40), 15 Jul 1947, 'Spare Parts for Electric Motor Manufactured by the American Electric Motor Co.' | |
| Electric ammunition-handling winches | Lake Shore Engineering Co. | 2 | Hull-specific record: Departure Report Sec. II (Hull), Serial 1707, ShipAlt 932A57 — 'Electric winches will be furnished by BuShips under contract with Lake Shore Engineering Co.'; auth BuShips ltr CV/S20(5812), 5 Jun 1946. |
| Electric transfer-at-sea / cargo winch | Master Electric Co. | Hull-specific record: SHIPALT CV964A (Transfer Mat'l at Sea), Job Order 18-141-5506 / Ser. 96 — electric winches furnished by BuShips under Contract Note 23576 and NObs-25505 with Master Electric Co. | |
| Boiler flow meters, superheat temperature gages & alarms | Bailey Meter Co. | Hull-specific record: Norfolk Departure Report Ser MI 5a; InSurv Ser 102P45 (1946) work-list items 2s/5s; InSurv Ser 1390P45 (1950); San Francisco NSY overhaul Job Order 78-141-6902 ('Bailey Flow Meters – repairs', 8 meters + 8 transmitters). | |
| Boiler superheater low-steam-flow / protective indicators | Yarnall-Waring Co. | 4 | Hull-specific record: Naval Speedletter, Contract NObs-50657, Ser 651-1471 & 651-1465, 14 Dec 1950 (ShipAlt CV40-172), superheater low-steam-flow indicators (4 + spares); InSurv Ser 1390P45 (1950) alteration item 30 (Yarnall-Waring type protection to be installed). |
| Impulse steam traps | Yarway | Hull-specific record: San Francisco NSY overhaul Job Order 78-141-4806 ('repair approx. 175 ½" and 1" Yarway impulse steam traps'); NY NSY Departure Report work requests 4835 & 0415 (38 Yarway steam traps). | |
| Boiler superheater differential-pressure indicator system | Yarway | 8 | Hull-specific record: NY Naval Shipyard Departure Report, Machinery alteration ShipAlt CV64K172 — remove Bailey indicators, 'install Yarway Type indicator system on all eight (8) boilers.' |
| Strainers (Macomb type) | Macomb | Hull-specific record: InSurv Ser 536P45 (1947) Engineering §13; San Francisco NSY overhaul Job Order 78-141-4803 ('provide sixty-nine (69) strainer baskets for Macomb strainers'). | |
| Strainers (Rockwell type) | Rockwell | Hull-specific record: InSurv work-list item 23.9c (Rockwell strainer handles), USS Tarawa (CV-40) [medium-confidence scan reading]. | |
| Fuel-oil / lube-oil / FO booster service pumps (screw type) | Quimby | Hull-specific record: Norfolk Departure Report Ser 5502 ('Quimby Fuel Oil Service Pump', corroborated by Norfolk NSY ltr CV40/L9-3(1-246)(1), 17 Oct 1947); Shipment Order 60583 (12 Mar 1946) of two 3¼" FO service pumps to CO USS Tarawa (invoice F-557636); InSurv work-list item 20s ('each Quimby pump'); CV-40 Machinery Synopsis (lube-oil / FO service, booster & transfer pumps, Quimby). | |
| Cruising fuel-oil service pumps (Size 7020, ser. 661 & 662) | Northern Pump Co. (Northern Ordnance, Inc.) | 2 | Hull-specific record: ShipAlt CV931A shipment record, San Francisco NSY — 'Cruising fuel oil service pumps mfg. by Northern Ordnance, Inc.' for USS Tarawa (CV40); NavShips 347-0773; BuShips Code 550 ltr CV-40(550) Ser 550-69 (Jan 1948); Philadelphia shipment order 94680 / invoice 66762. Northern also supplied CV-40 diesel FO service and FO tank-drain pumps (Machinery Synopsis). |
| Motor controllers for cruising FO pumps (440V AC) | Westinghouse | Hull-specific record: BuShips dispatch 161810Z Sept 1947, ShipAlt CV931 — 'controllers 440 volts AC 7.5 max HP Westinghouse Dwg 37-J-372' assembled with the CV-40 cruising FO pumps (SO 94680/94681). | |
| Motor controller / starter (440V AC, size 2) | Cutler-Hammer | Hull-specific record: Shipment record Serial SFB 665-4503-47a, 12 Jun 1947, USS Tarawa (CV40), ShipAlt CV982A (Electronics Shop), Cat. Nr. 6962204. | |
| AEW video generator (Type CAEV-60A) & test set | General Electric Co. | Hull-specific record: BuShips dispatch re ShipAlt CV982 (AEW installation) for USS Tarawa (CV40), Nov 1947 — 'material located at General Electric Company Syracuse New York'; GE ltr 1 Aug 1947. | |
| Feed / fresh-water / airplane-gasoline / drainage pumps (centrifugal) | Worthington | Hull-specific record: General Information Book IB-CVS40-1 — fresh-water pumps (4, ser. 1118793/118790/1118811/1118794), water-turbine-driven airplane-gasoline pumps (2, ser. 1118837/1118858; BuShips Naval Speedletter CV40(695) Ser 690-7047, Aug 1952), secondary drainage pump (1, ser. 1118820); main feed & aux feed booster pumps (Worthington) in CV-40 Machinery Synopsis. | |
| Fresh-water priming pumps (vacuum) | Nash | 2 | Hull-specific record: General Information Book IB-CVS40-1, List of Pumps (fresh-water priming pumps, ser. 198977/198978, Nash). |
| Hot fresh-water circulating & airplane-gasoline pumps (centrifugal); ventilating blowers | Buffalo (Buffalo Forge Co. / Buffalo Pumps Inc.) | Hull-specific record: General Information Book IB-CVS40-1 — hot fresh-water circulating pumps (6) and 500-GPM airplane-gasoline pumps (2, ser. 143912/143913); CV-40 Machinery Synopsis evaporator-plant pumps (Buffalo Pumps Inc.); ventilating blowers (Buffalo Forge Co.) in Revised Machinery Index Ser 690-9289. | |
| Rotary hand airplane-gasoline pumps | Douglas | 2 | Hull-specific record: General Information Book IB-CVS40-1, List of Pumps (rotary hand pump, Douglas, plan 399380). |
| Portable submersible drainage / bilge pumps | Sawyer Electric Co. | 15 | Hull-specific record: General Information Book IB-CVS40-1, List of Pumps (portable motor-driven submersible pumps, ser. 50129-50142 et al., Sawyer Electric Co.). |
| Portable fire pumps (gasoline-engine, 500 GPM) | Johnson Motors | 3 | Hull-specific record: General Information Book IB-CVS40-1, List of Pumps (500-GPM portable fire pumps, Johnson Motors). |
| Portable fire / utility pumps (gasoline-engine, 60 GPM) | Pacific Marine Supply Co. | 3 | Hull-specific record: General Information Book IB-CVS40-1, List of Pumps (60-GPM portable fire/utility pumps, Pacific Marine Supply Co.). |
| Emergency feed / auxiliary / bilge / distiller pumps (reciprocating & centrifugal) | Warren (Warren Steam Pump Co.) | Hull-specific record: CV-40 Machinery Synopsis (emergency feed, aux condensate circulating, L.P. drain, aux machinery cooling, evaporator-feed/distiller, bilge and refrigerating circulating-water pumps, Warren); bilge-pump spares on the CV-40 contractor-furnished commissioning shortage list; pantry hot-water circulating pumps (Warren) in General Information Book IB-CVS40-1. | |
| Ventilating blowers | American Blower Corp. | Hull-specific record: Revised Machinery Index, USS Tarawa (CV-40), Enclosure (1) to BuShips ltr Ser 690-9289 (ventilating blowers, American Blower Corp.). | |
| Ventilating blowers | La Del Conveyor & Mfg. Co. | Hull-specific record: Revised Machinery Index, USS Tarawa (CV-40), Enclosure (1) to BuShips ltr Ser 690-9289 (ventilating blowers, La Del Conveyor & Mfg. Co.). | |
| Turbine & propeller thrust bearings | Kingsbury | Hull-specific record: CV-40 Machinery Synopsis, thrust-bearing data (HP turbine, LP turbine & propeller thrust bearings, Kingsbury) — Synopsis names USS CV-40 (sister hulls CV-38/39 used Howarth bearings). | |
| Lube-oil & diesel fuel-oil purifiers | De Laval | 2 | Hull-specific record: CV-40 Machinery Synopsis, purifier data (p.143) — lube-oil purifier (2) and diesel FO purifier, De Laval. |
| Drainage-system water-jet eductor | Schutte & Koerting Co. | Hull-specific record: CV-40 Machinery Synopsis, drainage-system data (p.138) — water-jet eductor, Schutte & Koerting Co. | |
| Diesel-generator cooling-water booster pump | Weinman | Hull-specific record: CV-40 Machinery Synopsis (p.143) — diesel-generator cooling-water booster pump (CV33-40 & 45), Weinman. | |
| I.C. motor-generator | Electro Dynamic Co. | 1 | Hull-specific record: CV-40 Machinery Synopsis, motor-generator data (p.156) — I.C. motor-generator, Electro Dynamic Co. |
| Telephone-talking motor-generator | Electric Products Co. | 1 | Hull-specific record: CV-40 Machinery Synopsis (p.159). |
| Telephone-ringing & gyro-compass motor-generators | Holtzer-Cabot Co. | 4 | Hull-specific record: CV-40 Machinery Synopsis (p.159/164) — telephone-ringing (2) and gyro-compass (4) motor-generators, Holtzer-Cabot Co. |
| Bomb-sight test motor-generator | Electric Specialty Co. | 1 | Hull-specific record: CV-40 Machinery Synopsis (p.158). |
| Portable arc welders, searchlights (36"/24"/12") & radio M-G sets (TAJ) | General Electric | Hull-specific record: CV-40 Machinery Synopsis — four portable arc welders (p.157), searchlights (p.165) and TAJ radio M-G sets (p.161); San Francisco NSY overhaul Job Order 78-141-9201 ('test and repair one G.E. welding machine'); Mark 56 GFCS serviced by GE field engineers (NY NSY ltr 200:evl CV40/S71, 5 May 1951). | |
| Fog-foam proportioner / high-capacity fire-pump system | Hale Fire Pump Co. | Hull-specific record: InSurv Ser 1390P45 (1950) alteration item 37 — high-capacity fog-foam fire-pump system returned to Hale Fire Pump Co., Conshohocken PA. | |
| Motor generator Model 204-F (aviation electronics shop) | Onan | 1 | Hull-specific record: InSurv Ser 1390P45 (1950) approved-alterations list, ShipAlt CV-2/121, Enclosure (3) Hull — Onan Model 204-F motor generator. |
| Catapult hydraulic pump (Model DR-15035 Mod. 1) | Oilgear | 1 | Hull-specific record: InSurv Ser 1390P45 (1950) BuAer urgent-repairs item 4a — 'Replace Oil Gear Hydraulic Pump DR-15035 Mod. 1' (port catapult, No. 3 position). |
| Dehumidification machines (Lectro-Dryer Size 55-505, mothball) | Pittsburgh Lectrodryer Corp. | 8 | Hull-specific record: USS Tarawa (CV-40) 1949 Inactivation Report (New York Naval Shipyard), J.O. 52-588-0904, Proj. Order 24705, 'Installation of Dehumidification Systems for Zones 1-8' (eight 'Lectro-Dryer' Size 55-505 machines); restated in InSurv Ser 1390P45 II-3 and inactivation report Ser 555-05 (21 Mar 1950). |
| Temporary space / hangar heaters | Modine Mfg. Co. | 6 | Hull-specific record: CV-40 Inactivation Report J.O. 3901 (install/maintain six Modine heaters); NY NSY Departure Report Hull alteration ShipAlt CV137K242 — 'Modine heaters ordered on Contract NObs-46584' (six hangar-heating heaters). |
| Laundry driers | Hoffman | Hull-specific record: InSurv Ser 102P45 (1946) work-list item 85c ('provide sufficient insulation on laundry driers. (Hoffman)'); CV-40 'Desirable Repairs' Hull item 11 (Enclosure 2, Ser 555-05). | |
| Fuel-oil / lube-oil pressure regulators & governor valves | Leslie Co. | 9 | Hull-specific record: CV-40 'Desirable Repairs' Engineering item 24 (nine Leslie lube-oil-pump regulators); San Francisco NSY overhaul Job Order 78-141-4816 (eight ¾" Leslie fuel-oil pressure regulators); Norfolk Departure Report Ser 4501 (1" Leslie governor valve, main lube-oil pump); CO Tarawa ltr CV-40/4:CCF:rk S48 Ser 388, 11 Jun 1952 (Leslie governors). |
| Generator air coolers (Model H.E. 103-25) | Harrison Radiator Division | 4 | Hull-specific record: CV-40 'Desirable Repairs' Engineering item 168 (four generator air coolers, Harrison Radiator Division); cooler / core-assembly spares on the CV-40 contractor-furnished commissioning shortage list. |
| Pump spares (governor / motor rotor) | The Deming Co. | Hull-specific record: CV-40 contractor-furnished commissioning shortage list (Deming Co. pump spares) [medium-confidence scan reading]. | |
| Propellers (variable-pitch manganese-bronze, 4-blade) | Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co. | 4 | Hull-specific record: General Information Book IB-CVS40-1, Propellers (four variable-pitch solid manganese-bronze propellers). |
| Power-distribution transformers | Westinghouse | 33 | Hull-specific record: BuShips ltr to CO NY Naval Shipyard, GV40(512) Ser 512-1018, 28 Dec 1950 (ShipAlt CV40-21A5) — 33 power-distribution transformers under Contract NObs-53192. |
| Flight-deck seam caulking compound | Thiokol | 400 | Hull-specific record: BuShips message CFN Code 533, 16 Jul 1952 (ShipAlt 276) — 400 gallons flight-deck seam caulking compound, Thiokol. |
| Gun-port seal, 5"/38 twin mount Mk 32-13 | Garlock | Hull-specific record: NY Naval Shipyard Departure Report, Ordalt 2669 Change #1 — existing Garlock gun-port seal being replaced (5"/38 twin mount). (Appears lowercase in the scan; recorded as the Garlock brand.) | |
| Mk 37 director control-panel fasteners (quarter-turn) | Dzus | Hull-specific record: NY Naval Shipyard Departure Report, Ordalt 2841 — spiral-cam quarter-turn Dzus fasteners (Mk 37 director control panel; OCR renders 'Dsus'). | |
| Gasoline-system gas meters & strainers | Granco | Hull-specific record: NY Naval Shipyard ltr 300:jsp CV40/S15, 24 Apr 1951 — 'Granco' gas meters and strainers installed on the CV-40 aviation-gasoline system. | |
| Bomb-elevator control-circuit transformer | Otis Elevator | Hull-specific record: InSurv Ser 102P45 (1946) work-list item 3e — control-circuit transformer, 'Otis Elevator is installing activity.' | |
| Battery-shop jars / buckets (hard rubber) | American Hard Rubber Co. | Hull-specific record: CV-40 contractor-furnished commissioning shortage list — hard-rubber battery jars/buckets, American Hard Rubber Co. |
Documented Asbestos Products — Litigation Record
The following manufacturers and equipment are documented in Bureau of Ships records and publicly filed asbestos litigation involving USS Tarawa (CV-40):
Shared installation — Tarawa and Lake Champlain: Bureau of Ships alteration records document equipment installed on both USS Tarawa and USS Lake Champlain — establishing that these two Essex-class vessels received common equipment packages during the same modification period. This cross-ship documentation supports class-wide attribution of asbestos-containing insulation and sealing materials.
Pumps — Warren and Aqua-Chem: Warren bilge pumps and Aqua-Chem shell-and-tube heat exchangers are documented in the Tarawa equipment manifest. Warren Pumps products contained asbestos gaskets and packing; Aqua-Chem heat exchangers used compressed asbestos sheet gaskets at tube-bundle flanges.
Bureau of Ships alteration records (1948): Bureau of Ships alteration correspondence from October 1948 documents equipment modifications to USS Tarawa (CV-40), establishing a primary-source record of changes to the engineering plant that may have involved asbestos-containing materials.
Essex-class shared documentation: As an Essex-class carrier built during the same construction period as Bon Homme Richard, Oriskany, and Kearsarge, Tarawa shares class-wide documentation of 250+ tons of amosite and chrysotile thermal insulation, eight Babcock & Wilcox main boilers, Griscom-Russell distilling plants, De Laval oil purifiers, and Crane Co. steam valves — all with documented asbestos insulation, gaskets, and packing.
Asbestos-Containing Materials Aboard Tarawa
The standard asbestos-containing materials installed throughout U.S. Navy carriers of this era 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 eight 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, and auxiliary machinery
- 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
Sailors in Boilerman, Machinist’s Mate, Engineman, Electrician’s Mate, and other engineering ratings worked routinely in spaces where these materials were installed, maintained, and replaced.
VA Benefits for Tarawa 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.
Parallel claims against the asbestos bankruptcy trust funds established by manufacturers including Babcock & Wilcox and Warren Pumps 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 and publicly filed asbestos litigation specific to USS Tarawa (CV-40). Editorial review applied per site standards.
