The USS Theodore Roosevelt (SSBN-600) was a nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine that operated for the United States Navy for two decades. Like other vessels constructed during the Cold War era, the Theodore Roosevelt was built using extensive amounts of asbestos-containing materials for the purpose of protecting the craft and its crew. Years later, the dangers of asbestos were exposed as veterans and others who worked with or around it began being diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, and other serious diseases.
About the USS Theodore Roosevelt and the George Washington-class Fleet
The George Washington-class submarines, including the USS Theodore Roosevelt, were the Navy’s inaugural fleet of nuclear-powered strategic missile platforms. They featured advanced technology developed post-World War II, during the late 1950s. This vessel, named in honor of the 26th President of the United States, was constructed using parts that had originally been designated for building a Skipjack-class attack submarine to be named the Scamp, but it was modified so that it could carry strategic nuclear missiles that the United States believed it needed during its Cold War military buildup.[1]
Theodore Roosevelt and her sister ships measured 381 feet 8 inches overall, with a 33-foot beam and a draft of 28 feet 9 inches. When surfaced, she displaced 5,946 tons, increasing to 6,700 tons when submerged. The submarine operated with a crew of 139 personnel divided into alternating Blue and Gold crews working within severely restricted spaces. Propulsion came from an S5W pressurized water reactor made by Westinghouse that propelled her to surface speeds of 16 knots and submerged speeds exceeding 20 knots. Her strategic armament featured 16 Polaris ballistic missiles in vertical launch configuration, supplemented by six torpedo tubes forward.[1]
Construction History and Operational Service
The USS Theodore Roosevelt’s construction began in May of 1958, at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, using components initially intended for SSN-588. She was assigned the hull number SSBN-600 in November 1958 and launched in October 1959, with Mrs. Alice Roosevelt Longworth serving as sponsor. Commissioning occurred in February 1961 under Commanders William E. Sims (Blue Crew) and Oliver H. Perry Jr. (Gold Crew).[2]
After her commissioning, the Theodore Roosevelt left California to join the Atlantic Fleet. She became the first fleet ballistic missile submarine to traverse the Panama Canal in March 1961, and after weapon system testing at Cape Canaveral and post-commissioning work at Electric Boat Company in Groton, Connecticut, she proceeded to Charleston, South Carolina, for missile loading before beginning her inaugural deterrent patrol in July.
The submarine’s first deployment cycle operated from the Holy Loch facility in Scotland, where she completed 17 strategic patrols between 1961 and 1965. After undergoing an extensive overhaul at Electric Boat between July 1965 and January 1967, including reactor refueling and weapon system upgrades to accommodate Polaris A-3 missiles, she resumed patrol operations from Holy Loch.
Her second Scottish deployment proved brief, as she’d only completed four patrols before she ran aground off the western coast of Scotland in March 1968. After temporary repairs at Holy Loch, she returned to the United States for extensive restoration work at Electric Boat. This work was delayed by labor disputes and not completed until October 1968.
The Theodore Roosevelt resumed her Holy Loch operations in early 1969, conducting nine additional patrols before returning to the United States in July 1971 after completing her 31st career patrol. After crew consolidation and preparation, she underwent another extensive refueling overhaul that lasted from November 1971 through January 1974.[2]
Pacific Fleet Operations and Final Service
After her overhaul was completed, the submarine was reassigned to the Pacific Fleet, with Pearl Harbor her new home port. Departing Charleston in September 1974, she transited the Panama Canal, loaded missiles at Bangor, Washington, and arrived in Hawaii in November. Operating from the advanced base at Guam with support from USS Proteus (AS-19), Theodore Roosevelt conducted strategic patrols throughout the western Pacific from December 1974 until October 1978.
After completing her 46th and final deterrent patrol, the submarine arrived at Pearl Harbor, where crews were consolidated for her transition to training duties. From November 1978 through October 1979, she served as a training platform for anti-submarine warfare forces, making various port visits throughout Hawaii.
The submarine’s deactivation began in October 1979 when she left Pearl Harbor headed for the West Coast. She arrived at the newly established Trident Refit Facility at Bangor, Washington, and in December 1979, she became the first fleet ballistic missile submarine to offload A-3 missiles at the new facility, earning the distinction of being “First to do it last.” Her operational status ended at this point, and her crew was reduced to a 123-person deactivation team.
Decommissioning and Final Disposal
Formal deactivation procedures for the Theodore Roosevelt began in January 1980 at Submarine Base Bangor. The submarine was subsequently moved to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for drydocking alongside the USS Abraham Lincoln. Her nuclear reactor was defueled and her missile compartment dismantled in accordance with SALT treaty requirements. This process included having her forward and aft sections rejoined, thus eliminating the missile compartment.
A formal decommissioning ceremony took place in February 1981, after which the deactivation crew was disbanded. Shipyard personnel completed the remaining work by December 1982, and the Theodore Roosevelt was struck from the Naval Vessel Register and placed in floating storage.
The submarine’s reactor compartment was removed and prepared for disposal in 1988 following approval of an Environmental Impact Statement for permanent storage at the Hanford Federal Reservation in Washington. The reactor compartment was transported to Hanford and became the seventh unit placed in Burial Trench 94 in November 1989.
The remaining hull entered the Nuclear-Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program in 1993. Final dismantling and recycling operations concluded in March 1995, marking the end of Theodore Roosevelt’s existence.
The Navy’s Widespread Use of Asbestos
From the early 20th century forward, the U.S. Navy incorporated asbestos extensively throughout submarine construction, with peak usage occurring during World War II and continuing through the Cold War era. Naval leadership prized asbestos for its exceptional flame-retardant characteristics, outstanding insulation capabilities, and remarkable resistance to chemical degradation. These properties were deemed crucial for protecting warships in combat situations, and submarines received particularly heavy asbestos integration due to their vulnerability to catastrophic incidents.[3]
The use of asbestos in Navy submarines dates back to 1922, and the general use of the material in the United States followed a remarkable upward trajectory: During the Depression, annual use in the United States was 197 million pounds. By 1937, that number had more than tripled to 633 million, and it grew even more during World War II to almost 800 million pounds per year. The perceived threat of the Soviet Union and corresponding military rearmament increased American use to more than 1,400 million pounds per year, and it remained at that level until the mid-1970s, when its dangers were finally made public.[3] The USS Theodore Roosevelt was built and maintained during the height of naval asbestos utilization, and rather than selective application, its integration was mandated across the entire fleet.
By 1973, the Navy began limiting asbestos use in new construction and major vessel modifications, substantially eliminating it from all new installations by 1975. However, cost and productivity concerns led the Navy to leave the carcinogenic material in thousands of ships until other work needed to be done: Only during repairs or maintenance for other, more pressing purposes, was it removed.[4] That decision may have been extremely consequential for crew members who continued to be exposed to its deadly effects.
Asbestos Distribution Throughout the USS Theodore Roosevelt
Asbestos-containing materials could be found in virtually every compartment and system aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt. The Navy’s practice of requiring its inclusion in almost all structural components, as well as equipment manufacturers’ using the materials to insulate against head and flame, meant that even if crew members had been warned of its danger, they would have found it nearly impossible to avoid. Still, some areas were more contaminated than others by virtue of their function and the equipment they housed. They included:
- Propulsion and Engineering Spaces
- Ventilation and Life Support Systems
- Areas Where Spare Parts and Fire Prevention Equipment Were Stored or Used
Submarines are extremely confined spaces, and asbestos materials were incorporated into virtually every available compartment, creating an unavoidable hazard throughout the vessel. Living quarters and mess areas were constructed with asbestos in flooring materials, wall panels, ceiling components, paint, and protective coatings. The vessel’s electrical systems ran on cables, wiring, and control panels that were insulated with asbestos-containing material, and even the submarine’s safety equipment, including firefighting systems and protective apparatus, contained asbestos for protection against extreme heat and flames.
Personnel Exposed to Asbestos Hazards Aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt
Every sailor who served on the USS Theodore Roosevelt, and every shipyard worker involved in construction, upgrades, and maintenance faced potential asbestos exposure due to the presence of asbestos-containing materials throughout the vessel. The limited ventilation system recirculated contaminated air through every space where crew members served, causing microscopic asbestos particles to flow whenever they were disturbed by maintenance, equipment vibration, or normal shipboard operations. This dramatically increased the risk of asbestos-related disease for every crew member, but certain crew members faced even greater risk due to their responsibilities or posts:
- Engineering and technical personnel, including electricians and missile techs, worked directly with machinery and systems that were heavily insulated with asbestos materials. Their maintenance and repair tasks involved significant manipulation and damage to insulation that sent asbestos dust into the air.
- Electronics and nuclear specialists, including nuclear power specialists and reactor plant operators, encountered asbestos while operating and maintaining their specialized equipment. Their duties frequently involved disturbing asbestos-containing materials in power distribution networks and control equipment.
- Weapons and missile personnel worked in highly combustible areas where asbestos was integral to safety systems.
- Plumbers and pipefitters were responsible for much of the ship’s infrastructure. Their responsibilities often involved servicing pumps, valves, and other components containing, wrapped, or sprayed with asbestos materials.
Even if a crew member didn’t work in technical areas that were directly involved in operations, maintenance, or repair, they faced the potential for exposure from their crewmates’ contaminated clothing. There have been several cases where submarine crew members who worked in the laundry were diagnosed with mesothelioma from shaking out and laundering other sailors’ clothing. This type of exposure is much the same as the secondary exposure suffered by many housewives whose husbands were occupationally exposed to the carcinogen.
Health Risks Associated with Asbestos Exposure
Asbestos creates severe health dangers that can remain hidden for decades before developing into serious illnesses associated with exposure. Once its fibers are inhaled or ingested, they are nearly impossible for the body to expel, and can trigger inflammatory responses and cellular damage, leading to cancer and other life-threatening conditions.
Mesothelioma is the most dangerous of these illnesses. A rare and fatal condition that can form in several areas of the body, but most frequently in the lining of the pleural or peritoneal cavity, patients generally succumb to the disease within a year and a half of being diagnosed. It is notoriously resistant to traditional treatment, leaving doctors with little to offer most patients beyond care designed to improve quality of life.
Beyond mesothelioma, the most common asbestos-related illnesses diagnosed in veterans are lung cancer, asbestosis, and pleural conditions, including thickening, plaques, and effusions. Notably, the risks of mesothelioma and lung cancer both increase dramatically if asbestos exposure is combined with smoking, a habit that was prevalent at the same time that asbestos was being used the most.
Compensation and Benefits Available to USS Theodore Roosevelt Veterans
Many Navy veterans have been diagnosed with asbestos-related illnesses due to asbestos manufacturers’ failure to warn of the dangers posed by their products. If you served aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt and have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related condition, you have several options for both compensation and specialized medical care. Lawsuits filed over the years have uncovered long-hidden documents demonstrating these companies’ knowledge of the material’s danger, and that, along with the government’s recognition of asbestos presence aboard Navy submarines, has established strong opportunities for affected veterans to seek justice.
Veterans Administration Benefits
The Department of Veterans Affairs provides comprehensive benefits for veterans with service-connected asbestos-related conditions. Veterans diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, or asbestosis can file claims for disability compensation, specialized medical treatment, and additional benefits for their families. The VA recognizes mesothelioma as a service-connected condition for veterans exposed during military service, which expedites the claims process for those affected. Mesothelioma is classified as 100% disabling, which means compensation is at the maximum level and cases are at the highest priority.
Civil Litigation
Beyond VA benefits, veterans may be eligible to pursue legal action against manufacturers and suppliers of asbestos-containing products used aboard their vessels. While veterans can’t sue the Navy directly, they can file claims against the asbestos companies, and when successful, these lawsuits can result in substantial settlements or jury awards. Countless cases have been successfully resolved against companies that manufactured or distributed insulation, gaskets, valves, pumps, and other asbestos-containing materials found aboard submarines like the USS Theodore Roosevelt.
Asbestos Trust Funds
Asbestos trust funds are another source of financial support through which affected veterans can receive funds to cover medical costs and other expenses. These funds were largely established during bankruptcy proceedings as part of the reorganization or liquidation process, and were set up specifically to compensate victims of exposure to their products. Some of these funds were established with billions of dollars; much of that has already been distributed, but in total they still hold $30 billion for victims diagnosed in the future. Asbestos trust funds are one of the most time-efficient processes that asbestos victims can take advantage of.
Legal Guidance for USS Theodore Roosevelt Veterans Diagnosed with Mesothelioma
After being diagnosed, veterans with asbestos-related conditions should reach out to an experienced asbestos attorneyas soon as possible. These lawyers understand every aspect of the mesothelioma journey, and have expertise in everything from documenting naval service exposure to representing you in settlement negotiations to telling your story to a jury. Their specialized knowledge is the key to maximizing the compensation victims receive.
Statutes of limitations apply to personal injury claims, including those involving asbestos-related diseases, so affected veterans must seek legal guidance as soon as possible after diagnosis. Early action allows attorneys to begin gathering service records, medical documentation, and other evidence necessary to build a strong case. With proper legal representation, veterans who became ill after serving aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt can access the benefits and compensation they deserve.
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