The USS Nathan Hale (SSBN-623) was a Lafayette-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine that protected American interests during the Cold War, from 1963 to 1986. Though technologically advanced, the submarine was built a decade before the Navy learned of the dangers of asbestos, and the material was found throughout the submarine’s structure and equipment. Veterans who served on this vessel and shipyard workers who worked on her are at risk for mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, and other serious illnesses linked to asbestos.
The Lafayette-Class Submarine Program
The Lafayette-class submarines represented a crucial component of America’s Cold War nuclear deterrent strategy. They were part of the Navy’s “41 for Freedom” program that gave the United States significant underwater nuclear strike capability. The USS Nathan Hale (SSBN-623) was the sixth submarine out of the nine constructed in this influential class.[1]
This class of submarines was impressively large, stretching 425 feet in length with a beam measuring 33 feet across. They displaced approximately 7,250 tons when surfaced and 8,250 tons when submerged. Each vessel carried a complement of 143 personnel divided into alternating Blue and Gold crews to maximize operational time at sea. Power came from a single S5W Westinghouse nuclear reactor that enabled surface speeds exceeding 20 knots and underwater operations surpassing 25 knots. The submarine’s primary strategic capability centered around 16 vertical launch tubes designed for Polaris ballistic missiles, as well as four forward torpedo tubes for defense.[1]
The Lafayette-class submarines were among the last Navy vessels to be built with significant asbestos incorporation. They were phased out and replaced by the Trident-carrying Ohio-class vessels.
About the USS Nathan Hale
The Ship’s Historical Namesake
The USS Nathan Hale (SSBN-623) honored the memory of Nathan Hale, an American patriot and spy during the Revolutionary War. Born in 1755, Hale is remembered for volunteering for dangerous intelligence missions behind enemy lines. He was executed by British forces in 1776, and his final words, “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country,” are taught to school children across the country as an example of courage and commitment to independence.[2]
Construction and Service History
The USS Nathan Hale was constructed at the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut. Her keel was laid in October 1961, and she was launched in January 1963, with sponsorship by Mrs. George W. Anderson, Jr. The vessel entered service in November 1963, the day after President John F. Kennedy was killed, under the command of Commander Joseph W. Russell, leading the Blue Crew, and Commander Samuel S. Ellis commanding the Gold Crew.
After completing shakedown operations and missile system testing in Atlantic waters, Nathan Hale was assigned to Submarine Squadron 16 and sent to her home port at Charleston, South Carolina, in May 1964. Her operational career was dedicated to a strategic deterrent role through regular patrols as part of America’s nuclear triad.
Initially equipped with Polaris A-3 ballistic missiles, the Nathan Hale underwent significant modernization during the 1970s. In June 1975, she completed conversion to accommodate the advanced Poseidon C-3 missile system at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, becoming the 25th submarine to receive this upgraded capability. The conversion process required 24.5 months to complete.
Following this modernization, the Nathan Hale successfully demonstrated her new capabilities through multiple missile launches. In September 1975, her Blue Crew conducted successful Poseidon launches during demonstration operations. The vessel continued proving her operational readiness through follow-on operational tests, including four-missile launches in January 1977, May 1978, October 1983, and March 1985.[2]
The submarine was deployed throughout the Mediterranean, Atlantic, and Pacific regions. After her transfer to the Pacific Fleet, the Nathan Hale operated from Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and Guam, completing 69 deterrent patrols across both ocean areas by April 1986.[2]
The USS Nathan Hale was deactivated while still commissioned in May 1986 and formally decommissioned in November of that year after 23 years of service. The vessel was removed from the Naval Vessel Register in January 1987 and processed through the Nuclear-Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program at Bremerton, Washington.
The Navy’s Tragic Reliance on Asbestos Materials
From the years before World War II through the mid-1970s, Navy leadership prioritized protecting its personnel and equipment from the harsh maritime environment and potential combat threats. This led to extensive use of asbestos-containing materials, especially onboard submarines. Among all the vessels in the Navy fleet, submarines received the most intensive application of asbestos due to their unique operating requirements, confined spaces, and need for exceptional fire resistance, thermal insulation, and structural integrity in extreme underwater conditions.
Though the material met the goal of protecting against flame, heat, and corrosion, the safety it provided created devastating long-term consequences as crew members later developed asbestos-related illnesses. Though the companies that provided the asbestos products were aware of the link between the mineral and fatal respiratory diseases and cancer, it took decades for the information to reach the military.
By 1973, Naval administration began implementing restrictions on its use in new construction and major refurbishment projects, but with legacy asbestos integrated throughout the entire fleet, leadership concluded that complete removal wasn’t financially or logistically feasible. Instead, the Navy implemented containment strategies, encapsulation procedures, comprehensive worker education programs for those who might encounter asbestos during maintenance operations, and rigorous hazardous material monitoring protocols. These procedures remained in effect until all affected vessels could be permanently retired.[3]
Where Was Asbestos Used on the USS Nathan Hale?
Naval construction requirements and military specifications mandated asbestos-containing products in virtually every location where thermal control, fire prevention, or insulation was necessary, resulting in the USS Nathan Hale containing toxic materials in nearly every compartment and system. The highest concentration areas included:
Propulsion and Engineering Spaces
Machinery and personnel in nuclear reactor compartments, engineering rooms, and auxiliary equipment spaces were all protected from heat and fire by asbestos-containing materials, and so were the equipment’s components, the vessel’s steam pipes, and exhaust networks. Parts that were subjected to high levels of friction were both made and sealed with asbestos, and frequently required replacement, scraping off old asbestos, or both.
Living Quarters, Work Areas, Electrical Infrastructure, and Safety Systems
Flooring, ceiling tiles, wall panels, and protective coatings throughout the ship contained asbestos, and that included sleeping areas and food service facilities. The ship’s electrical system was made up of asbestos-containing wire insulation, conduit components, and control system elements, while its control equipment and safety apparatus also included the material for protection against extreme temperatures and flames.
Air Circulation Networks
Ventilation systems are critical to submarines, but in the Nathan Hale’s asbestos-contaminated setting, they both provided air and constantly recirculated any asbestos particles released during routine maintenance procedures, as well as fibers that arose from asbestos-containing components of the systems themselves.
Who Was Most at Risk for Asbestos Exposure on the USS Nathan Hale?
Every sailor who served aboard the USS Nathan Hale and every shipyard technician involved in maintenance and repair operations faced the risk of exposure. Despite the submarine’s substantial size, interior spaces were cramped, and air circulation was poor. This environment intensified the likelihood of inhaling asbestos dust, and increased the chance that crew members would develop asbestos-related conditions years later.
Crew members facing the greatest exposure dangers included those working directly with the material or working in the areas with the highest material concentrations, but even crew members whose job duties didn’t expose them to heavily-contaminated materials or surroundings were at risk from their shipmates’ contaminated clothing, the submarine’s air circulation system, and the presence of asbestos materials in shared living and working environments. Invisible asbestos fibers disturbed in one location would rise into the air and float there for hours, readily transported or blown throughout the vessel.
Health Impacts of Asbestos Exposure
Diseases that develop after exposure to asbestos are unique in many ways. They often develop silently within the body for years after the tiny fibers were inhaled or ingested, slowly triggering cell mutations and inflammation that eventually result in malignancies and other debilitating illnesses.
Mesothelioma is the most dangerous of all the asbestos-related diseases. Always considered terminal, it is also very rare, affecting approximately 3,500 Americans each year, with Navy veterans representing a disproportionate share of those affected. Once diagnosed, the prognosis is quite poor. Few of those diagnosed with the pleural type of the disease, which appears in the cavity that holds the lungs, live longer than two years, and many succumb much sooner than that. Medical advancements have provided more time for those with peritoneal mesothelioma, which forms in the lining of the cavity that holds the abdominal organs.
In addition to mesothelioma, asbestos exposure also dramatically elevates the chance of lung cancer, especially in those who smoked cigarettes, as well as asbestosis, pleural plaques, pleural effusions, and widespread pleural thickening. Each of these diseases is debilitating and significantly compromises quality of life.
Are You a Veteran Who Served on the USS Nathan Hale?
It is a sad irony that so many Navy veterans who survived America’s wars were put at risk of a deadly disease by the material that was meant to protect them. If you served on the USS Nathan Hale or any other Navy vessel and you’ve been diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related illness, it’s understandable to feel overwhelmed and hopeless, but the Department of Veterans Affairs offers support and compensation for veterans exposed to asbestos during their service, and the American legal system has proven to be an effective way to get justice from the asbestos companies that failed to protect or warn you against exposure.
Department of Veterans Affairs Support
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides comprehensive assistance for veterans with service-connected asbestos-related conditions. Veterans diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, or asbestosis can submit claims for disability benefits, specialized medical care, and additional support for their families. Mesothelioma is classified as 100% disabling, ensuring both maximum compensation and expedited claim processing.
Legal Proceedings
Beyond benefits available through the VA, veterans can frequently pursue civil lawsuits against manufacturers and suppliers of asbestos-containing products that were used aboard their vessels and in civilian environments. Successful litigation can yield substantial settlements or jury awards to compensate for medical costs, lost earnings, pain and suffering, and other damages.
During the past four decades, hundreds of thousands of victims have initiated personal injury claims, and their surviving family members have filed wrongful death lawsuits. Both legal actions have resulted in jury verdicts ordering payment from the companies that made insulation, seals, valves, pumps, and other asbestos-containing materials found aboard submarines like the USS Nathan Hale.
Asbestos Trust Funds
Asbestos trust funds are another noteworthy source of financial assistance for affected veterans. While these funds generally don’t provide the same level of compensation that successful litigation does, they offer an attractive alternative to spending time in court. The funds were established specifically to compensate victims diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases and have the advantage of paying quickly and in a much less adversarial process. These trusts have distributed billions of dollars in claims and still hold an estimated $30 billion for future victims.
Help and Resources for USS Nathan Hale Veterans Diagnosed with Mesothelioma
Veterans diagnosed with mesothelioma or other asbestos-related conditions should consult with a qualified asbestos lawyer as soon as possible following diagnosis so they can begin helping you immediately. There is a tremendous amount of research and submission of documents involved in getting you the help you need, from documenting naval service exposure so you can begin receiving military benefits, and identifying all the companies whose asbestos-containing products you were exposed to.
An attorney who specializes in mesothelioma cases has extensive resources that document the outcomes of previous claims, and they will use them to make sure that all the responsible companies are identified and you can receive the maximum compensation. Experienced asbestos attorneys know how devastating a mesothelioma diagnosis can be, and their objective is to minimize the burden on you and your family while maximizing the compensation you receive.
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