The USS Alexander Hamilton (SSBN-617) was a Lafayette-class ballistic missile submarine that operated from 1963 to 1993. While she boasted cutting-edge technology that defended America for three decades, the extensive incorporation of asbestos materials throughout her construction posed severe health hazards for the estimated 2,800 sailors who served aboard. These veterans now face increased risk of developing mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, and other fatal conditions associated with asbestos exposure.
About the USS Alexander Hamilton and the Lafayette-Class Submarines
The USS Alexander Hamilton (SSBN-617) honored Alexander Hamilton, one of America’s founding fathers and the nation’s first Secretary of the Treasury. Hamilton was the architect of America’s financial policy and integral to our constitutional government.[1]
Lafayette-class submarines like the Alexander Hamilton were engineered on lessons learned from their predecessors, the Ethan Allen-class vessels. She and her sister ships stretched 425 feet in length with a 33-foot beam. They displaced 7,310 tons surfaced and 8,260 tons submerged, and operated with alternating Blue and Gold crew configurations of 15 officers and 130 enlisted personnel. Their nuclear propulsion systems featured S5W Westinghouse reactors that powered geared turbines that produced 15,000 shaft horsepower, achieving speeds of 20+ knots surfaced and 16 knots submerged. The submarines’ strategic armament consisted of 16 ballistic missile launch tubes and four forward torpedo tubes, and they had operational depth capabilities exceeding standard limits.[2]
Construction Timeline and Service History
Electric Boat Division, General Dynamics Corporation, laid the Alexander Hamilton’s keel in July 1961 and launched her in August 1962. She was commissioned in June 1963 under Commander Norman B. Bessac, commanding the Blue Crew, and Commander Benjamin F. Sherman, Jr., commanding the Gold Crew.[1]
After her commissioning, the submarine conducted dual shakedown cruises through October 1963, so that both crew rotations could participate. After post-shakedown modifications in early 1964, she left the East Coast in March 1964 for her initial operational deployment to Rota, Spain, where she joined Submarine Squadron 16 in maintaining America’s strategic deterrent presence in European waters.
In January 1965, the Alexander Hamilton transferred to Submarine Squadron 14 and relocated to Holy Loch, Scotland. That facility became her primary operating base until June 1967, when she returned to Charleston, South Carolina, and then proceeded to New London, Connecticut, for her first major overhaul and nuclear refueling at Electric Boat. After extensive trials and training, she resumed operations in November 1968, redeploying to Rota, Spain, to begin four years of strategic patrols as part of Submarine Squadron 16. After her 31st deterrent patrol, she returned to Charleston in November 1972 and had her second major overhaul in January 1973 at Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company, which included nuclear refueling and a conversion that updated her armament capability to Poseidon missiles. It took over two years to complete the build and the extensive post-overhaul testing, so it wasn’t until 1975 that she resumed deterrent patrols in early 1976. She completed patrols 32 and 33 before returning to Holy Loch, Scotland, in May 1976 for her next operational phase.
The submarine continued strategic patrols from Holy Loch through the late 1970s, with patrol 36 including visits to Port Canaveral, Florida, and New London, Connecticut, before concluding at Charleston in March 1977. This tempo continued through 1979, with patrols alternating between Holy Loch and Charleston. She ended her 46th deterrent patrol at Charleston in December.
Strategic deterrent operations from Holy Loch continued through 1986. Originally scheduled for decommissioning under SALT II treaty compliance, the grounding of the USS Nathanael Greene (SSBN-636) forced the Navy to keep the Alexander Hamilton in active service, putting her on emergency maintenance availability and having her serve as a training platform at Charleston during the summer of 1986. In August of that year, the submarine was assigned to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for her final refueling overhaul.
Pacific Operations and Final Service
The Alexander Hamilton’s final 32-month overhaul ended in July 1989. After successful sea trials and crew division ceremonies, the submarine left Bangor, Washington, in July 1989 to return to the Atlantic. In August, she began rigorous training, including a successful Poseidon C-3 missile launch in September. From 1990 to 1991, the submarine completed her final strategic deterrent patrols, including successful tactical readiness examinations and operations from various East Coast ports. Her 73rd and final strategic patrol concluded in April 1991, marking the end of her deterrent mission career.
After a strategic missile offload at Charleston and an operational reactor safeguards examination at New London, the crews consolidated under a single command in May 1991. The submarine then conducted special operations, including midshipmen training and multinational antisubmarine warfare exercises, before heading to her final homeport at Bangor, Washington, arriving in August 1991. The following year was her last in operation, with the ship providing target services for other submarines and surface vessels while supporting critical CNO projects. By May 1992, she had achieved a record 1,002 dives, more than any other SSBN at that time. Her final surfacing occurred on May 2, 1992.
The Alexander Hamilton’s deactivation ceremony took place in August 1992, with her original commanding officer serving as guest speaker. She was decommissioned in February 1993, at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, concluding nearly 30 years of distinguished service as one of the celebrated “41 for Freedom” fleet ballistic missile submarines.
The Navy’s Use of Asbestos
Before, during, and after the Cold War period, when the USS Alexander Hamilton sailed, the United States Navy incorporated massive quantities of asbestos materials across its entire fleet. Submarine construction accounted for a significant portion of this usage because of the extreme operational environments the vessels encountered. Submarines demanded extra protection against fire and thermal failures, and asbestos answered this need with outstanding heat resistance, insulating abilities, and strength, so the military mandated its use throughout all submarine systems. The rapidly mounting medical evidence that linked asbestos to deadly respiratory diseases and cancers was purposely hidden from the military by the companies that held its construction contracts, and this allowed continued usage until the information became public in the 1970s.
Recognizing the Dangers of Asbestos
By 1973, asbestos hazards became undeniable. The Navy finally became aware of and acknowledged these risks. In response, it began restricting asbestos use in new construction and major overhauls, and by 1975, new installations had been largely eliminated. However, existing asbestos remained undisturbed in thousands of vessels.[3]
The fleet-wide contamination created massive logistical problems for the Navy, which implemented comprehensive control protocols, including detailed material surveys, specialized training for personnel encountering asbestos during repairs, and strict handling procedures. Still, complete removal was deemed impractical. After assessing the enormous scope of the problem, the Navy opted for containment, encapsulation, and careful monitoring until all of the affected vessels could be retired. The number of Navy veterans and shipyard workers exposed to asbestos after this decision was made remains unknown.
Asbestos Contamination Throughout the USS Alexander Hamilton
The USS Alexander Hamilton contained asbestos materials in virtually every compartment and system. Military construction standards mandated asbestos-containing products wherever thermal protection, fire resistance, or insulation was required, resulting in widespread distribution throughout the submarine.
Engineering and Propulsion Areas
The submarine’s reactor compartment, engine rooms, and auxiliary machinery spaces had asbestos insulation in their walls to shield equipment and personnel from extreme temperatures, and steam lines, exhaust systems, and propulsion equipment were either wrapped in or coated with asbestos. Thermal blankets and protective gear contained the mineral to provide protection from hot surfaces, and valves, joints, and sealing components were built with asbestos gaskets to prevent system failures and maintain operational integrity.
Crew Quarters and Workspaces
Asbestos was found in the crew’s sleeping quarters, dining areas, and workspaces within flooring materials, bulkhead panels, overhead components, and protective coatings. Electrical distribution systems depended heavily on asbestos-containing wire insulation, conduit materials, and switchboard components, while emergency response equipment, including fire suppression systems and protective devices, incorporated asbestos fibers for high-temperature protection.
Life Support and Ventilation Systems
In vessels that spent extended periods underwater, ventilation systems were crucial. When asbestos was used extensively in submarines’ sealed environments, the air systems circulated asbestos particles that were released during routine maintenance and from the systems’ own contaminated components. Standard supplies, repair materials, and adhesive compounds contained significant concentrations of the mineral’s fibers, and the submarines’ weapon systems relied on asbestos for thermal and fire protection in missile compartments.
Personnel Exposed to Asbestos Hazards Aboard the USS Alexander Hamilton
Every sailor who served on the USS Alexander Hamilton and every shipyard worker involved in her many overhaul and maintenance sessions faced potential asbestos exposure due to the pervasive presence of asbestos-containing materials throughout the vessel. The submarine’s confined spaces and circulation of contaminated air created unique exposure risks that all crew members faced, but certain specialties encountered even greater danger because of their specific duties and work locations. These included:
- Engine room personnel
- Reactor operators
- Electrical technicians
- Missile system specialists
- Electronics technicians
- Maintenance personnel handling asbestos removal
- Weapons specialists
Even crew members not directly involved in handling or working near asbestos faced exposure, as those who did this work walked through the vessel covered with the deadly fibers in their hair and skin and on their clothing. Asbestos fibers disturbed in one location could easily migrate throughout the entire vessel, potentially affecting every person aboard.
Asbestos-Related Health Consequences
Asbestos diseases tend to remain dormant until decades after the mineral is inhaled or ingested, with some not manifesting for fifty to sixty years. Mesothelioma is the deadliest of all the asbestos-related diseases, and veterans make up roughly one-third of all Americans diagnosed with the rare illness. Patients diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma typically survive only 12 to 21 months following diagnosis, while peritoneal mesothelioma patients can live somewhat longer. This aggressive cancer attacks the mesothelium, a protective membrane that surrounds internal organs and prevents them from adhering to one another. Symptoms include chest pain, breathing difficulties, persistent cough, and abdominal swelling.
Beyond mesothelioma, asbestos exposure dramatically increases lung cancer risk. Asbestos-related lung cancer generally doesn’t develop until 15 to 35 years after exposure and generally presents with symptoms similar to other lung cancer types, including chronic cough, chest pain, and respiratory problems. Risk increases substantially when asbestos exposure combines with cigarette smoking.
Asbestosis is a chronic lung condition where asbestos exposure causes inflammation followed by progressive scarring of lung tissue. Over time, it leads to worsening breathing difficulties, a persistent cough, and significant chest pain.
Pleural plaques, pleural effusions, and diffuse pleural thickening are all debilitating asbestos-linked conditions affecting quality of life. These conditions, which are often harbingers of future mesothelioma or lung cancer diagnoses, impact the lung lining, creating breathing difficulties and pain.
Benefits and Legal Options for USS Alexander Hamilton Veterans
Many of the Navy veterans who served aboard the USS Alexander Hamilton and similar submarines have been diagnosed with mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. Their illnesses have been blamed on asbestos manufacturers’ failure to warn of the material’s dangers. While an asbestos-related diagnosis is overwhelming, those affected have multiple options for support and compensation. The Department of Veterans Affairs recognizes the impact of military asbestos exposure and provides disability benefits and specialized medical treatment. Additionally, many veterans have successfully pursued justice against asbestos manufacturers and suppliers responsible for their exposure, resulting in billions of dollars in verdicts and settlements.
Department of Veterans Affairs Support
The Department of Veterans Affairs offers 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 family members. The VA recognizes mesothelioma as a service-connected condition for veterans exposed during military service and expedites the claims process for affected individuals. Mesothelioma’s classification as 100% disabling ensures maximum compensation eligibility.
Civil Litigation
Beyond VA benefits, veterans often remain eligible to pursue legal action against the manufacturers and distributors of asbestos-containing products used aboard their vessels, as well as in civilian applications where they may have been exposed. While veterans can’t sue the Navy or federal government directly, they can reference contamination within their service environments while seeking compensation from private companies.
If successful, litigation can provide funds to cover medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and other damages. Thousands of juries have decided against companies that manufactured insulation, seals, valves, pumps, and other asbestos-containing materials found aboard submarines like the USS Alexander Hamilton, ordering them to pay millions to individual victims for the damages they’ve suffered.
Asbestos Trust Funds
Asbestos compensation trusts represent another important source of financial support for affected veterans. While these funds don’t typically distribute amounts that are as high as what can be won through successful litigation, they offer an alternative to lengthy and demanding legal proceedings. Established specifically to compensate victims diagnosed with asbestos-related illnesses decades after exposure, these trusts have paid billions in claims and still hold approximately $30 billion for future victims.
Legal Support for USS Alexander Hamilton Veterans with Mesothelioma Diagnoses
Veterans diagnosed with mesothelioma or other asbestos-related conditions should consult with qualified asbestos attorneys as soon as possible following diagnosis. These specialized legal professionals focus on assisting victims who’ve experienced either occupational exposure, military exposure, or both. They understand the unique challenges of documenting naval service exposure and linking it to a diagnosis, and possess extensive resources to identify all potentially liable parties and available compensation sources based on the individual’s work and service history. Beyond developing and implementing comprehensive legal strategies, they assist with preparing and filing VA claims to minimize the burden on affected veterans and their families while maximizing available compensation.
It’s important that veterans diagnosed with mesothelioma don’t take too much time before taking action. Government-imposed statutes of limitations apply to personal injury claims, including those involving asbestos-related diseases, so affected veterans who want to learn more about pursuing legal action need to contact legal counsel as soon as possible after diagnosis. Doing so gives your mesothelioma attorney the time they need to begin gathering service records, medical documentation, and other evidence necessary for building a strong case on your behalf. With proper legal representation, veterans who were sickened after serving aboard the USS Alexander Hamilton can access the benefits and compensation they deserve.
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