Asbestos Exposure on Ships:

USS AMERICA CV 66 AIRCRAFT

The USS America was the fifth United States Navy carrier to bear the name, and the last of the super carriers as of 2009. Ordered on the 25th of November 1960, construction on the fifth USS America started one year later, on the 9th of January 1961. Nick-named “The Big A”, the USS America had the homeport as the Norfolk shipyard, in Virginia. She was commissioned to active service on the 23rd of January 1965, and decommissioned on the 9th of August 1996. The ship was used as a target in an United States practice drill, that being the fate of the USS America.

Here are some of the main characteristics of the vessel, as she was built to meet:

  • Kitty Hawk class aircraft carrier
  • Weighed 83573 tons fully loaded
  • Almost 1050 feet in overall length
  • Propulsion was provided by eight boilers powering four steam turbines, producing over 280000 horse power
  • Maximum speed was 34 knots
  • 502 officers and 4684 men complemented the total crew number
  • The ship could carry 80 planes and 2 helicopters, but most of the time no helicopters were present
  • After the introduction of jet engines, the ship received 79 modern fighters on board

Asbestos on USS America has serious consequences

The aircraft carrier itself contained several types of asbestos materials, thus exposing its crew to the deadly minerals. Several people on board the USS America have been diagnosed with asbestos related diseases, but most of them were suffering from minor conditions. Tiny asbestos fibers were released and became air born from the damaged asbestos materials on board the ship. In that period, engineers and workers still didn’t know about the dangers of asbestos.

Have you been exposed to asbestos on USS America? Contact an attorney!

It is vital that all your legal rights are brought to your attention when it comes to asbestos related diseases. You may contact an asbestos attorney, which will evaluate your case. You can decide together whether or not you should act in court, and if you decide to do so, the specialized asbestos lawyer will handle all legal requirements, filing the claim in your name, and representing you in a court of law. Some form of compensation may be in order.

Please, feel free to contact an asbestos expert. We can answer any asbestos related questions you might have, and we do so accurately and completely free.