Asbestos Exposure on Ships:

USS TENNESSEE BB 43 BATTLESHIP

The USS Tennessee, the third ship to be named in honor of the 16th US state, was the lead ship in her class. The ship was ordered on the 28th of December 1915, under sponsorship from Miss Helen Lenore Roberts, daughter of Tennessee governor Albert H. Roberts.

Construction on the USS Tennessee started on the 14th of May 1917, and the vessel was launched on the 30th of April 1919. USS Tennessee was commissioned to active service in the Pacific Fleet of the United States Navy on the 3rd of June 1920. During her service in the northern Pacific Fleet in the Second World War, the USS Tennessee was awarded ten battle stars. The awards were received under the command of Captain Richard H. Leigh in command. The ship was present at Pearl Harbor during the attack and required minor repairs after being struck by two Japanese armor piercing bombs. The ship was built with the following characteristics:

  • Tennessee class battleship
  • Weighed almost 41000 tons after refit
  • 624 feet in length
  • Top speed of 21 knots
  • At a cruise speed of 12 knots, the USS Tennessee had a range of 12000 nautical miles
  • Total crew of 57 officers and 1026 men and women
  • Impressive armament arsenal for a ship her size

The USS Tennessee ended up being sold for scrap, after her decommissioning in 1947.

Asbestos USS Tennessee caused disease

The crew members and officers on board the USS Tennessee were exposed to a fairly high amount of asbestos on a regular basis. This is mostly due to the fact that asbestos materials used to fireproof and insulate the ship were damaged accidentally and thus were able to release airborne asbestos fibers.

The people who worked on building, maintaining and upgrading the USS Tennessee were also exposed to asbestos during their work. There are a number of asbestos related diseases that could have appeared after exposure.

Have you been exposed to asbestos on board the USS Tennessee? Contact an attorney!

Make sure that if you are a former crew of the USS Tennessee, you contact a specialized mesothelioma lawyer and have him or her evaluate your case. If the lawyer decides you should act legally against the US government, he or she will require legal and medical documents and bills to prove to the jury that you are suffering from an asbestos related disease as a result of exposure on board a United States Navy Fleet battleship.

Please feel free to contact an asbestos expert. We provide with free information regarding asbestos related issues.