USS Macon is documented in the public U.S. Navy asbestos litigation record. A verified equipment manifest with 7 machinery and manufacturer entries is published on her ship-specific page: Macon CA-132 Equipment Manifest ›.
The standard asbestos-containing materials documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels of this era, the Navy ratings most exposed during normal duty, and the VA presumptive-benefits framework are listed below.
Baltimore-Class heavy cruiser — Class Background
Ship-specific service history is not available for this vessel in public records. The class-level information below applies to all ships in her class. Source: Wikipedia — Baltimore-Class heavy cruiser
The Baltimore-class heavy cruisers comprised 14 ships completed between 1943 and 1947, making them the most numerous heavy cruiser class in U.S. Navy history and the first designed without London Naval Treaty limitations. Armed with nine 8-inch guns and secondary 5-inch armament, they served primarily as anti-aircraft escorts for carrier task forces and in naval gunfire support roles during World War II and Korea. Four ships were converted into guided missile cruisers in the 1950s, representing some of the world's first operational missile cruisers, while the remaining unmodified vessels were gradually decommissioned and scrapped between 1954 and 1991.
Class Overview
- Total Ships in Class
- 17
- Construction Era
- 1940-1947
- Service Era
- 1943-1991
Class Mission & Role
Fast, heavily-armed heavy cruisers designed to provide anti-aircraft protection for fast aircraft carrier battle groups and conduct naval gunfire support for amphibious operations.
Primary Builders
- Bethlehem Steel (Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts)
- New York Shipbuilding (Camden, New Jersey)
- Philadelphia Naval Shipyard (Philadelphia)
Class Combat Operations
- World War II Pacific Theater
- World War II European Theater
- Korean War
- Vietnam War
Veterans who served in engineering, hull maintenance, or damage control ratings aboard this vessel during the asbestos era may qualify based on the documented Navy-wide construction material standards.
Free, confidential case evaluation: Speak with O’Brien Law Firm — (314) 936-2956
Documented asbestos records derived from publicly filed asbestos litigation addressing Navy vessels of this construction era. This does not constitute legal or medical advice.
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 Macon
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:
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.
VA Claims Guide on This Site › Compare: VA vs. Civil Lawsuit
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.
