USS Missouri (BB-63) was an Iowa-class battleship commissioned 11 June 1944 at the New York Naval Shipyard and decommissioned 31 March 1992 — the last battleship decommissioned by the U.S. Navy. “The Mighty Mo” served in the Pacific Theater of World War II, including the 2 September 1945 Japanese surrender ceremony in Tokyo Bay; the Korean War (1950–1953); and the Cold War reactivation (1986–1992) under the Reagan-era battleship modernization program. Her three eras of service — spanning nearly five decades — mean that the crew members who maintained her engineering plant, boilers, and habitability spaces across all three eras were exposed to the same asbestos-containing insulation, lagging, and building materials across different phases of deterioration.
Equipment Manifest
| Equipment | Manufacturer | Qty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Horizontal-Single End Suction Close Coupled One Stage Centrifugal Pump | Buffalo Pumps | File No. 288B, September 1958 | |
| Horizontal Single Suction Close Coupled One Stage Centrifugal Pump | Buffalo Pumps | File No. 289, July 1959 | |
| Four Inch Two Stage Class RR Pump | Buffalo Pumps | File No. 290, April 1960 | |
| Reactor Plant Bilge and Discharge Transfer Pump | Buffalo Pumps | File No. 332, July 2, 1959 | |
| Electronics Equipment Cooling System Pumps | Buffalo Pumps | NAVSHIPS 347-3741 | |
| Pump Centrifugal Horizontal Close-Coupled Navy Standard No.1 | Buffalo Pumps | File No. 393, September 1961 | |
| Catapult Brake Water Cooling System Pumps | Buffalo Pumps | March 24, 1961 | |
| Motor Driven Fresh Water Booster Pump | Buffalo Pumps | February 15, 1965 | |
| First Effect Evaporator Tube Nest Drain Pump | Buffalo Pumps | USS Missouri BB-63 specific | |
| Vertical Auxiliary Feed Booster Pump | Buffalo Pumps | USS Missouri BB-63 specific | |
| Vertical Main Feed Booster Pump | Buffalo Pumps | USS Missouri BB-63 specific | |
| Boilers | Babcock & Wilcox | 8 | USS Missouri BB-63 |
| Turbines | General Electric | USS Missouri BB-63 |
Asbestos-Containing Materials Aboard Missouri
Iowa-class battleships were constructed during the peak period of asbestos use in U.S. Navy shipbuilding. USS Missouri carried the same asbestos-saturated engineering plant as her sisters Iowa, New Jersey, and Wisconsin:
- Pipe lagging and thermal insulation on main steam, feed-water, fuel-oil, condensate, and saltwater piping throughout four main machinery spaces and auxiliary machinery rooms
- Boiler block insulation, refractory brick, and gun-blocks around the eight Babcock & Wilcox high-pressure boilers
- Turret-level fire-control insulation in main-battery turret enclosures (16"/50 caliber Mark 7 guns)
- Asbestos gaskets and braided packing in valves, flanges, pumps, condensers, heat exchangers, and turbine glands across the entire engineering plant
- Insulation jackets and removable lagging on main propulsion turbines, reduction gears, ship-service turbine generators, forced-draft blowers, and auxiliary equipment
- Sheet asbestos and Marinite panels as fire-stops, bulkhead insulation, and overhead insulation in damage-control zones
- Vinyl asbestos floor tile (VAT) in passageways, berthing, mess decks, wardroom, and bridge compartments
- Asbestos rope, wick, and tape in gland-seal applications throughout the engineering plant
VA Benefits for Missouri Veterans
The 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. The Missouri General Information Book, boiler room asbestos documentation, and NARA insulation records are direct evidentiary support for veterans’ VA claims.
Key documents for a Missouri veteran’s claim:
- DD-214 — confirming BB-63 assignment
- NARA muster rolls — for service periods not captured on the DD-214
- Diagnosis — mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, or pleural disease
Parallel claims against the asbestos bankruptcy trust funds established by the manufacturers of the products documented aboard Missouri are also available and do not reduce VA compensation.
Free, confidential case evaluation: Speak with O’Brien Law Firm — (314) 936-2956
All consultations are free. No fee unless a financial recovery is made on your behalf.
Equipment manifest derived from public-record BUSHIPS documentation and publicly filed asbestos litigation records specific to USS Missouri (BB-63). This does not constitute legal or medical advice.
