The USS Von Steuben (SSBN-632) was part of America’s submarine-launched ballistic missile fleet, which served over three decades of Cold War tensions. From 1964 to 1994, this nuclear submarine played a vital role, maintaining strategic deterrence as part of the Navy’s “41 for Freedom” program. Like all vessels of her era, the Von Steuben’s construction made use of extensive amounts of asbestos-containing materials, creating serious health risks for shipyard workers and submariners who served aboard her throughout her operational lifetime.
The James Madison-Class Fleet Ballistic Missile Submarines
The USS Von Steuben was one of five James Madison-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines that offered improved submarine-launched ballistic missile capabilities. Building upon its predecessor, the successful Lafayette-class design, these submarines featured critical enhancements that enabled them to fire ever-more sophisticated missile systems throughout their service careers.[”1”]
The defining characteristic of the James Madison class was its enlarged missile compartment design, featuring ballistic missile tubes whose engineering had been refined so that they could accept larger, more capable weapons systems as technology advanced. Their adaptable architecture allowed seamless transitions from initial Polaris A-2 armament to the improved Poseidon C-3 system, and ultimately to the powerful Trident I missiles.
James Madison-class vessels like the USS Von Steuben stretched 425 feet in overall length with a 33-foot beam, displacing roughly 7,280 tons when surfaced and 8,250 tons when submerged. These submarines had advanced ballast control systems built in that enabled precise underwater positioning during missile launches. Power came from a Westinghouse S5W pressurized water reactor that drove steam to turbines that propelled the vessel with 15,000 shaft horsepower, which delivered surface speeds over 20 knots and submerged velocities of more than 25 knots. It could reach an operational depth of 1,300 feet, and its standard complement included 110 crew members organized into alternating Blue and Gold crews, which maximized productivity and efficiency.
The submarine’s primary armament consisted of 16 vertically mounted ballistic missile launch tubes and four forward-positioned 21-inch torpedo tubes. This weapons suite could accommodate various missile configurations throughout the submarine’s service life, while the torpedo armament could deploy Mk-48 ADCAP torpedoes, legacy Mk-14/16 weapons, Mk-37 anti-submarine torpedoes, and nuclear-tipped Mk-45 torpedoes.
About the USS Von Steuben (SSBN-632)
The Submarine’s Namesake
The USS Von Steuben was the second Navy vessel named to honor the legacy of disciplined military excellence that characterized her historical namesake. Baron Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben was a Prussian military officer who volunteered to come to America to serve as Inspector General of the Continental Army. He played a leading role in the American Revolution, as he served as George Washington’s chief of staff and is credited with instilling discipline that transformed the Continental Army.[2]
Construction and Initial Operations
Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company in Virginia began the construction of the USS Von Steuben in September 1962. The submarine’s launch took place in October 1963, with Mrs. Fred Korth serving as her sponsor. The vessel’s commissioning took place in September 1964 under the dual command structure of Commander John P. Wise (Blue Crew) and Commander Jeffrey C. Metzel (Gold Crew).[3]
After commissioning, the submarine completed comprehensive shakedown operations and anti-submarine warfare training with both crew rotations during late 1964. The Gold Crew recorded its first successful Polaris missile launch on the Atlantic test range in December, followed by the Blue Crew’s inaugural missile firing in early 1965 off Cape Canaveral.
Operational Career and Strategic Deterrent Missions
After completing initial training and evaluations at Newport News, the Von Steuben proceeded to her first operational assignment with Submarine Squadron 18 at Charleston, South Carolina, in March 1965. The submarine immediately began her primary mission, highly classified strategic deterrent patrols, providing a mobile launch platform for nuclear-armed Polaris missiles to deter potential trouble.
Due to operational security requirements, the Von Steuben’s patrol activities and routes are still classified, but available records indicate that she completed over 30 strategic deterrent patrols at a rate of four to five annually throughout her career. These extended underwater deployments were typical of America’s sea-based nuclear deterrent strategy during the Cold War.
Mediterranean Deployments and Incident Response
In early 1968, following her eleventh patrol, the Von Steuben transferred to Submarine Squadron 16 and operated from the Spanish base at Rota until mid-1969. During this Mediterranean assignment, she played an important stabilizing role during regional conflicts, including deployments during the 1967 Six-Day War between Israel and Arab nations, where her presence helped prevent an escalation of hostilities.
In August 1968, the Von Steuben was submerged approximately 40 miles off Spain’s southern coast when it collided with a merchant tanker that was under tow. The submarine’s sonar operators couldn’t detect the vessel because its engines were off, and this led to the Von Steuben becoming tangled with the tow cable. She lost both depth control and steering, and emergency ballast tank procedures made the situation worse, as it caused collision damage to the submarine’s sail and superstructure. Following temporary repairs at Rota, the vessel made her way to Electric Boat Division facilities in Groton, Connecticut, for comprehensive restoration before resuming patrol operations.[4]
Poseidon Missile System Upgrade
The Von Steuben underwent her most significant modernization during a 16-month overhaul period that was completed in November 1970. This extensive retrofit modified her missile compartment to accommodate the Poseidon C-3 ballistic missile system, which featured multiple reentry vehicles and improved accuracy compared to earlier Polaris weapons.
The newly-equipped vessel confirmed her upgraded capabilities in early 1971 through successful Demonstration and Shakedown Operations, including submerged launches of her first and second Poseidon missiles in February and March under escort by USS William C. Lawe (DD-763). The submarine returned to Charleston in May 1971 to resume strategic deterrent patrols with the new missile system.
Extended Refit and Trident I Conversion
After years of successful Poseidon operations, the Von Steuben was chosen for another major weapons system upgrade in the early 1980s to carry the advanced Trident I (C4) ballistic missiles. This conversion, shared with eleven other James Madison and Benjamin Franklin-class submarines, introduced three-stage missiles with significantly extended range and improved inertial guidance systems, matching the abilities of the early Ohio-class submarines.[”4”]
The submarine underwent an Extended Refit Period at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard between March and May 1978. Afterward, she continued conducting strategic deterrent patrols with Trident I missiles through the early 1990s, adapting as Cold War dynamics and strategic requirements changed.
Final Service and Recognition
Throughout her distinguished career, the USS Von Steuben earned numerous awards acknowledging her exceptional performance and the proficiency of her crew. The submarine received the Navy Unit Commendation for outstanding performance during a challenging deterrent patrol in 1968, and earned multiple Battle Efficiency “E” awards that recognized her as the most efficient vessel in her squadron.
After nearly three decades of service, the USS Von Steuben was decommissioned in February 1994 and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register. Her disposal through the Nuclear-Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program at Bremerton, Washington, began in October 2000 and was complete in October 2001.
How Was Asbestos Used on the USS Von Steuben?
Like virtually every naval submarine built for the U.S. Navy during the mid-20th century, the USS Von Steuben’s construction incorporated substantial quantities of asbestos-containing materials. Military specifications prioritized fire resistance and thermal protection for both crew and physical assets, and it was decades before the Navy became aware of asbestos toxicity, so the mineral seemed to be ideal for the challenges of submarine applications. As a result, the hazardous material was integrated throughout nearly every system and compartment aboard the vessel, including:
Propulsion and Reactor Spaces
Any area that generated or conducted heat, including the nuclear reactor compartment, engine rooms, and auxiliary machinery spaces, contained extensive asbestos insulation applications. Steam pipes, reactor components, and exhaust systems were routinely wrapped or coated with asbestos materials to prevent thermal damage and personnel burns, while flexible thermal blankets provided additional protection. Critical equipment subjected to mechanical stress and friction, including valves, gaskets, and sealing components, used asbestos-contaminated materials to keep them operating smoothly.
Living Areas, Electrical Infrastructure, and Safety Equipment
Crew berthing areas, mess facilities, and workspaces all contained asbestos in deck tiles, bulkhead panels, and ceiling installations. The submarine’s electrical distribution system relied on asbestos-insulated cabling throughout, while electrical control panels contained asbestos-bearing components. Firefighting equipment and emergency response gearincorporated asbestos for enhanced fire resistance capabilities.
Ventilation and Life Support Systems
One of the most critical aspects of the submarine’s infrastructure was the system that supplied and recirculated breathable air in the sealed underwater environment, but this lifesaving system also created asbestos exposure risks. Any asbestos particles released during maintenance activities or from deteriorating insulation materials streamed through the system and were constantly recirculated, making inhalation a very real risk. The mineral was so ubiquitous that it was found in such disparate areas as repair equipment compartments and weapons systems, both of which needed thermal protection.
Asbestos Exposure Risks to USS Von Steuben Crew Members
Personnel who served aboard the USS Von Steuben—whether submariners on deterrent patrols or maintenance crews whose duties centered on performing overhauls and repairs—faced a significant risk of inhaling asbestos fibers. The vessel’s confined spaces and shared ventilation systems meant that any disturbance of asbestos-containing materials could potentially distribute microscopic particles throughout the submarine.
While all personnel aboard the vessel faced exposure risks, certain duties involved heightened danger due to regular, direct contact with asbestos-contaminated systems.
The highest risk positions included:
- Nuclear reactor and propulsion plant operators
- Electrical and electronics maintenance technicians
- Ballistic missile system specialists
- Personnel performing insulation removal or replacement
- Weapons and ordnance handling specialists
Though these positions were at elevated risks because of their specific duties, even crew members without direct asbestos handling responsibilities could be exposed through contaminated air circulation, surfaces, or even the clothing worn by their shipmates.
Understanding Asbestos’s Health Hazards
Asbestos has an extremely fibrous composition. While this has the advantage of providing flexibility and strength, it also makes the material vulnerable to fragmentation. When disturbed, handled, or degraded through age or use, it releases microscopic, invisible particles into the air where they can be inhaled or ingested. Their structure is needle-like, making it all too easy for them to become embedded within the body’s tissues and cells, causing inflammation, cellular mutations, and, over time, fatal diseases.
Of all the diseases linked to asbestos exposure, mesothelioma is the most devastating. This aggressive cancer grows in the protective lining surrounding the lungs, abdomen, or heart, then doesn’t manifest for decades after initial exposure. Symptoms include chest constriction, fluid accumulation, breathing difficulties, and severe pain. Life expectancytypically remains under two years following diagnosis.
Additional serious asbestos-related conditions include:
- Asbestos-related lung cancer, with risks compounded by smoking
- Asbestosis, involving progressive and debilitating lung tissue scarring
- Pleural disorders, including plaques, effusions, and thickening, which significantly affect respiratory function and often indicate future malignancies
What Can Affected Veterans of the USS Von Steuben Do?
Numerous Navy veterans who served on submarines like the USS Von Steuben have been diagnosed with devastating illnesses. Fortunately, there are several resources available for financial and medical assistance, including:
Veterans Affairs (VA) Benefits
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs acknowledges asbestos-related diseases as being service-related conditions for veterans exposed during military service. Those diagnosed with mesothelioma or related illnesses can file claims for monthly disability compensation, specialized medical care, and survivor benefits. The VA designates mesothelioma as a 100% disabling condition, meaning claims receive expedited processing and maximum benefit payments.
Legal Actions Against Manufacturers
The U.S. government is immune from legal action by veterans exposed to asbestos while serving, but there are other avenues for legal action. Afflicted individuals can file claims against the companies that manufactured or supplied the asbestos products used aboard the vessel. Substantial evidence has been uncovered over the years, much of it revealing that manufacturers had been informed about asbestos dangers well before or while they were selling equipment to the military and shipbuilders, but still chose to conceal this information so they could continue earning profits.
Veterans and others who have pursued this route have successfully gotten both accountability and compensation from these companies, as their personal injury lawsuits have resulted in jury findings of liability for negligence and the failure to provide adequate warnings, and many of the awards assigned by these juries reach into the millions in damages. These funds are meant to cover medical expenses, lost earnings, and pain and suffering. Many claims never end up in court, with all parties agreeing to out-of-court settlement agreements instead.
Asbestos Trust Funds
Confronted with thousands of claims and escalating liabilities, numerous asbestos manufacturers filed for bankruptcy and, as part of their reorganizations, were mandated to establish trust funds for victim compensation. These trusts have distributed billions over recent decades and maintain over $30 billion in current available funds. While trust fund payments generally provide less compensation than lawsuit settlements or jury awards, they offer faster, less confrontational alternatives.
Legal Assistance for USS Von Steuben Veterans with Mesothelioma
Veterans and others confronting diagnoses of mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases will get the answers they need by consulting with knowledgeable and experienced asbestos attorneys. These legal professionals have dedicated years to assisting asbestos exposure victims, mastering the intricacies of filing VA claims, finding the links between military service exposure and illness, identifying all responsible parties based on service and employment history, and securing financial compensation.
Time restrictions called statutes of limitations control the amount of time victims of personal injury have to file legal claims, and those deadlines are based on when a victim gets a diagnosis. This makes fast action essential. With guidance from a mesothelioma attorney, veterans diagnosed with asbestos-related conditions can hold negligent companies responsible and obtain necessary resources for treatment and financial security.
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