The USS Curtiss (AV-4) was a seaplane tender that survived the attack on Pearl Harbor and went on to support operations in World War II, supported post-war amphibious and scientific exercises, and participated in atomic, meteorologic, and ice reconnaissance through the late 1950s. Like many other U.S. Navy ships built during the run-up to World War II, hundreds of the Curtiss’ parts and components contained asbestos, putting many of the veterans who repaired and maintained her, as well as those who served onboard, at risk for mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases.
About Seaplane Tenders
The USS Curtiss was the first of its kind: a Naval seaplane tender designed specifically to support seaplane operations. Though previous versions of the seaplane tenders were used during World War I, those were converted from cargo ships, where the Curtiss and subsequent vessels in its class were built for this exclusive purpose.[1]
The seaplane tenders were designed to allow them to refuel, rearm, and repair seaplanes. Their large decks held the planes as well as maintenance shops, and each was equipped with three large cranes that lowered the seaplanes into the water, lifted them out of the water after landing, and moved them for repairs. The starboard crane was later removed to accommodate weaponry.
The seaplane tenders provided significant advantages for the U.S. Navy, particularly at the start of World War II, when the Washington Treaty prohibited the development of more bases in the western Pacific from which reconnaissance aircraft could take off and land. The boats were used as mobile bases for that purpose and for maintaining aircraft.[2]
In this capacity, the U.S. Navy’s seaplane tenders were considered the “eyes of the fleet” in World War II’s earliest phases. Their usefulness to America’s military made them prime targets for Japanese bombers, and the Curtiss was struck multiple times. She earned seven battle stars for her service in World War II.[3]
About the USS Curtiss (AV-4)
The Curtiss was one of two Curtiss-class seaplane tenders built by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation of Camden, New Jersey. Laid down in 1938, it was launched in April 1940, sponsored by Mrs. H.S. Wheeler, and commissioned in November 1940. The ship was named for Glenn Hammond Curtiss, an aviation pioneer who set numerous aeronautical records and designed several types of planes, including the first aircraft to cross the Atlantic in 1919.[4]
The Curtiss was 527 feet long and displaced 13,475 tons when carrying a full load. Its top speed was 19.7 knots and it had a range of 12,000 nautical miles, powered by four Babcock & Wilcox boilers and two geared turbines. Her original armament of four 5-inch 38-caliber guns, three quad 40 mm Bofors guns, and two twin 40 mm Bofors guns was upgraded with two more twin 40 mm Bofors guns and twelve single 20 mm Oerlikon cannons.[4]
Service and Deployment History
The USS Curtiss originally operated out of Norfolk and the Caribbean, where she conducted training and participated in fleet exercises before sailing to Pearl Harbor in 1941. While there, she patrolled the area, supported patrol bomber squadrons, and transported aviators, aircrew, and cargo to reinforce the garrison on Wake Island.[4]
On December 7th, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, and the Curtiss prepared to get underway, firing at enemy aircraft and a submarine periscope. The submarine returned fire, but missed, hitting a dock at Pearl City. Minutes later, a Japanese midget submarine surfaced, having sustained damage from Curtiss’ gunfire. When it dove again, the USS Monaghan (DD-354) neutralized it with depth charges. USS Curtiss continued fighting aerial attackers, hitting an enemy plane that crashed into her No. 1 crane and ignited. Moments later, she downed another aircraft, then engaged a dive bomber that successfully bombed her, striking near her damaged crane and exploding below deck. Despite suffering 19 fatalities and many injuries, her crew extinguished multiple fires and carried out emergency repairs.[4]
Weeks later, the ship sailed to San Diego for permanent repairs and upgrades, then returned to Pearl Harbor to ferry personnel and supplies to bases in Samoa, Suva, and Nouméa. In June, she left to support seaplane operations, destroyer repairs, and supply missions in the Solomons campaign. After another overhaul in San Francisco, she returned to the Pacific where she served as flagship for Commander Air, Central Pacific, at various bases, including Funafuti, Tarawa, Kwajalein, Eniwetok, Saipan, and Guam between November 1943 and February 1945. In June 1945 in Okinawa, she came under a kamikaze attack that caused significant damage, killing 35 crew members and wounding 21. Effective damage control kept her afloat, and she returned to the west coast for repairs.[4]
After the war, the Curtiss operated in the Formosa Strait, ferrying personnel, and visiting Tsingtao, China, until March 1947. She returned to the West Coast for alterations to support scientific equipment storage recommended by the Atomic Energy Commission, then participated in fleet and training exercises off California until 1949, including amphibious operations in Alaskan waters to evaluate cold-weather equipment.
During the Korean War, the Curtiss supported patrol squadrons over Korea from Japanese bases. Afterward, she returned to San Francisco for more modifications to serve as a scientific base, and in 1951, she supported Operation Greenhouse at Eniwetok, followed by Operation Ivy in 1952 and Operation Castle in 1954, which included the first hydrogen bomb test.[4]
In late 1954, Curtiss was retrofitted with a helicopter deck and participated in large-scale amphibious exercises. For the next few years, she supported Operation Redwing, Operation Deep Freeze II, and the International Geophysical Year program, carrying personnel and supplies to Antarctica. She was decommissioned in 1957, and placed in reserve, then transferred to the Maritime Administration in 1962. She was eventually sold for scrap in 1967 and stricken from the Navy List in 1973.
How Was Asbestos Used on the USS Curtiss?
Like many other U.S. Navy ships, the USS Curtiss was built using asbestos. Not only was the material readily available and inexpensive, it had a well-earned reputation for its ability to insulate and fireproof, as well as to add strength. As a result, the military required its use in as many applications as possible.[5]
The heaviest use of asbestos in Navy vessels was generally in the ships’ boilers, turbines, and other heat-generating equipment, as well as the pipe insulation that ran throughout the ships. But for those who served onboard seaplane tenders, there were additional risks that came from the seaplanes and other aircraft that the ship was supporting.
The parts, components, equipment, and supplies onboard the USS Curtiss that contained asbestos included:
- Boilers
- Turbines
- Pumps
- Valves
- Gaskets and packing
- Insulation
- Safety gear
- Firefighting clothing and gear
- Adhesives
- Deck matting
- Flooring material
Who Was at Risk of Exposure to Asbestos aboard the USS Curtiss?
The USS Curtiss carried a contingency of 1,195 officers and men, and with asbestos used so extensively on the ship as well as on the seaplanes that it served, almost everybody onboard faced the possibility of inhaling or ingesting asbestos fibers. The individuals who were at greatest risk included:
- Boiler and engine room workers: Ships’ boilers were heavily insulated with asbestos and so were the engine rooms and boilers that contained the equipment. These workers also wore protective gear that contained asbestos.
- Pipefitters: Pipes were also insulated with asbestos, and pipefitters were put at risk during repairs or replacements involving pipe insulation, as well as from working with asbestos-containing gaskets and valves.
- Aircraft mechanics: The Curtiss provided repairs and maintenance of seaplanes as well as other aircraft in the area where it operated, and aircraft mechanics onboard the ship were exposed to asbestos-containing parts on those planes.
Any Navy veteran who served onboard the USS Curtiss, as well as any repair or maintenance personnel who performed repairs or upgrades on the ship, is at risk for exposure to asbestos or asbestos-containing materials. Edwin Estenson died of malignant mesothelioma after having served onboard the ship, where he was exposed to asbestos-containing pipe insulation.
Compensation and Benefits for USS Curtiss Veterans
Navy veterans who served on the USS Curtiss, and those who worked in shipyards doing repairs or upgrades, may have been exposed to asbestos. Even if you feel healthy now, you could still be at risk for asbestos-related illnesses. Diseases like mesothelioma often have a long latency period, with symptoms sometimes not appearing until 50 to 60 years after exposure.
Veterans diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases due to asbestos exposure during their military service are entitled to seek compensation through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Filing a claim can provide access to:
- Comprehensive medical coverage
- Treatment at VA medical centers or specialized cancer facilities
- Disability compensation, with mesothelioma rated as 100% disabling under VA guidelines.
Beyond the benefits available through the VA, veterans can pursue compensation directly from the asbestos companies that supplied the military with asbestos-contaminated materials. Many of these companies were aware of the dangers of asbestos but used the material anyway, without providing any warning, and thousands of veterans have successfully filed personal injury lawsuits, accusing them of negligence, product liability, and other violations of their rights. These claims have resulted in substantial jury awards and out-of-court settlements, and many of the companies forced into bankruptcy due to their liabilities were required to establish asbestos trust funds specifically to compensate victims of asbestos exposure.
An experienced mesothelioma lawyer can provide you with expert legal guidance, including identifying the specific companies responsible for your asbestos exposure and assisting with filing VA benefit claims, as well as helping you seek compensation through legal claims or asbestos trust funds. Be sure to contact these legal professionals as soon as possible after your diagnosis to ensure that your rights are preserved: there are time limits imposed on filing personal injury claims, and it’s important to know what the statute of limitations for your state and circumstances are so that you can proceed accordingly.
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