The USS Tuscaloosa (CA-37) was a New Orleans-class cruiser laid down on September 3, 1931, and launched on November 15, 1933. It was commissioned on August 17, the following year under Capt. John N. Ferguson’s command as CA-37 and served in the U.S. Navy for 12 years until it was decommissioned on February 13, 1946. During its activities, the ship carried a complement of 766 people on board and had its main missions in Mexico, San Diego, Hawaii, Peru, Panama, Pearl Harbor, Alaska, Pensacola, Miami, Guadalcanal, Noumea, the Solomons, and Shanghai. Despite having knowledge that asbestos could cause a wide array of illnesses, a number of companies continued to manufacture, sell, and design asbestos products until the 1980s. Because of this, service members who experienced exposure to asbestos and incurred a disease while in the U.S. Navy may be eligible for compensation through a benefits program developed by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. If you believe you were exposed to asbestos while serving aboard the USS Tuscaloosa (CA-37), you may file a claim for disability benefits. These benefits are available in the form of VA health care and compensation.
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