Log every ship, shipyard, or base where you served — build a personal asbestos-exposure record for VA claims and civil litigation.
Your MusterLog is empty.
Use the gold button on any ship, shipyard, or base page to log a duty station.
Service History
From the public Wikipedia / DANFS service-history record — source ›
USS Tigrone (SS-419), a Tench-class submarine, was laid down in May 1944 and commissioned in October of that year. She completed three war patrols in the Pacific Theater from March to August 1945, conducting lifeguard operations, engaging enemy aircraft and vessels, and performing bombardment missions; she rescued a total of 58 aviators across her patrols and claimed to have conducted the final naval bombardment of World War II on 13 August 1945. Decommissioned in March 1946, she was reclassified as a radar picket submarine (SSR-419) in 1948 and recommissioned in November 1948.
Construction & Service Dates
Builder
Portsmouth Navy Yard
Laid down
1944-05-08
Launched
1944-07-20
Commissioned
1944-10-25
Decommissioned
1946-03-30
Notable Tours / Service Eras
WWII Pacific Theater 1945
Combat Actions
First War Patrol — South China Sea lifeguard and bombardment· 1945-03 to 1945-04 Lifeguard duties; bombardment of Pratas Reef and Batan Island
Second War Patrol — Philippine Sea lifeguard operations· 1945-05 to 1945-07 Lifeguard duties; engagement with Japanese lugger
Third War Patrol — Final bombardment off Japan· 1945-07 to 1945-08 Lifeguard duties; bombardment of Mikomoto Island (13 August 1945)
Home Ports & Forward Bases
Pearl Harbor — training and patrol preparation, February 1945
Iwo Jima — lifeguard operations base, May–June 1945
Tokyo Bay — occupation operations, August–September 1945
New London — homeport, October 1945 and post-war reserve
Drydock & Overhaul Periods
High Asbestos-Exposure Window
Portsmouth Navy Yard· 1948-06 conversion to radar picket submarine (SSR-419)
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 March 1945 — USS Seahorse (sister submarine) mistakenly strafed and bombed by B-24 Liberator in Tigrone's task group
29 March 1945 — Tigrone bombed by enemy aircraft over forward battery compartment in South China Sea; no damage sustained
5 April 1945 — Tigrone evaded bomb dropped by high-flying Japanese aircraft
8 April 1945 — Tigrone evaded enemy submarine torpedo, passing 60 yards to port; rigged for silent running over two hours
27 May 1945 — Tigrone engaged Japanese lugger; three crewmen injured by heavy seas during gunfire exchange
May–June 1945 — Second patrol: Tigrone rescued 30 aviators during lifeguard operations, including five from downed Navy bomber and 16 from PBY Catalina
13 August 1945 — Tigrone bombarded Mikomoto Island with 11 hits on radio station and lighthouse; claimed as final bombardment of WWII
Final Disposition
Recommissioned 1 November 1948 as radar picket submarine (SSR-419)
USS Tigrone (SS-419) 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 Tigrone (SS-419). 2 machinery/equipment entries identified through ship-specific BUSHIPS documentation. Manufacturers in bold link to documented asbestos-product history on AsbestosIndex.com.
Fleet-boat-propulsion-late-FM-2-GE template per Wikipedia DANFS infobox
Source: this equipment reference was extracted from public Wikipedia/DANFS records for USS Tigrone (SS-419). 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 Tigrone
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.
Tigrone SS-419 — Frequently Asked Questions
Are Tigrone SS-419 veterans covered by Navy asbestos litigation records?
Yes. Tigrone SS-419 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 Tigrone SS-419 contained asbestos?
Asbestos-containing materials documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels of Tigrone SS-419'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 Tigrone SS-419?
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 Tigrone SS-419?
Documented equipment manufacturers aboard Tigrone SS-419 include: Fairbanks-Morse, General Electric. These manufacturers supplied boilers, turbines, pumps, valves, electrical equipment, and insulation systems through BUSHIPS contracts during the asbestos era.
Do Tigrone SS-419 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. Tigrone SS-419 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
Connect With a Navy Asbestos & Mesothelioma Attorney
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.
Free case evaluation — no obligation to hire
No attorney fee unless we make a financial recovery
Civil claims against asbestos manufacturers & bankruptcy trust funds
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
Thank you. Your inquiry has been submitted. An attorney will be in touch shortly.
Attorney Advertising. This website is published by Rights Watch Media Group LLC, an independent media organization, and is not a law firm. Visiting this site or submitting this form does not create an attorney-client relationship. O'Brien Law Firm is a licensed MO law firm. Free consultations are offered at no obligation. Legal representation is provided on a contingency basis — there is no charge unless a financial recovery is made on your behalf. Individual results vary; past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Inquiries submitted to navyshipexposure.com are routed directly and exclusively to O'Brien Law Firm. Rights Watch Media Group LLC is an independent publisher and is not a lawyer referral service. We do not sell or share inquiries with other firms.
