The USS Casimir Pulaski (SSBN-633) was a submarine that played a vital role in U.S. undersea nuclear deterrent capabilities through three decades of the Cold War. From 1964 through 1994, she was part of the Navy’s ballistic missile submarine fleet, completing 88 strategic deterrent patrols while carrying multiple generations of nuclear missiles. Unfortunately, like all submarines of her generation, the USS Casimir Pulaski was constructed with significant amounts of asbestos-containing materials that exposed the team that built her, the maintenance workers that kept her operational, and her crew members to toxic fibers that put them at risk for mesothelioma and other devastating illnesses.
The USS Casimir Pulaski’s Namesake
The submarine’s name honored Kazimierz Pułaski (Casimir Pulaski in English). Born in Poland in 1745, his membership in a league co-founded by his father to resist Russian domination of Poland helped him develop exceptional skills in cavalry tactics and guerrilla warfare as a young man. He was recruited by the Marquis de Lafayette and Benjamin Franklin for service in America’s Revolutionary War, and served as a volunteer with George Washington’s forces. Congress commissioned him as a brigadier general after a counterattack he led enabled Washington’s safe withdrawal at the Battle of Brandywine.[1]
He was deployed to South Carolina in 1779, then moved to Augusta, Georgia, where he joined the Savannah assault. During that battle, he was severely wounded and died shortly afterward. In 2009, President Barack Obama signed a congressional resolution granting Pulaski honorary American citizenship.
James Madison-Class Submarine Design
The USS Casimir Pulaski belonged to the James Madison class of nuclear-powered fleet ballistic missile submarines, a ten-boat series representing a significant improvement over the predecessor Lafayette-class design. Authorized by President Kennedy in July 1961, the modifications specifically accommodated the Polaris A-3 missile system while incorporating critical safety enhancements following the tragic loss of the USS Thresher in April 1963.[2]
Ships in the James Madison class measured 425 feet in length with a 33-foot beam and 32-foot draft. Their displacement increased to 7,320 tons at the surface and 8,240 tons while submerged, reflecting enhanced equipment and reinforced construction standards. The submarines could exceed 20 knots underwater and dive beyond 400 feet as a result of the strengthened hull designs developed after the Thresher disaster.
The submarines’ propulsion came from a single Westinghouse S5W pressurized water reactor producing 15,000 shaft horsepower that drove geared turbines connected to a seven-bladed propeller. Each vessel carried a complement of 147 personnel—15 officers and 132 enlisted sailors that were organized into alternating Blue and Gold crews that maximized operational availability.
The James Madison-class vessels’ primary armament consisted of 16 vertical steam-ejection tubes capable of launching Polaris, Poseidon, or Trident missiles, depending on the individual ship’s configuration. These were supplemented by four Mark 65 torpedo tubes firing Mark 48 multi-purpose torpedoes. The Mark 48 torpedoes featured wire guidance or autonomous active/passive tracking with a range exceeding 23 miles, dive capability beyond 3,000 feet, and a 650-pound warhead.
The History of the USS Casimir Pulaski
Construction and Initial Operations
Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation laid the keel for SSBN-633 at Groton, Connecticut, in January 1963. The submarine was launched in February 1964, with Mary Louise Gronouski—wife of America’s first Polish-American cabinet member, Postmaster General John A. Gronouski—serving as sponsor.[1]
Commissioned in August 1964, Captain Robert L.J. Long commanded the Pulaski’s Blue Crew while Commander Thomas B. Brittain, Jr. led the Gold Crew. The USS Casimir Pulaski embarked both crews and departed Electric Boat for a three-month shakedown cruise to the waters off Cape Kennedy (Cape Canaveral), Florida. During this evaluation period, the submarine successfully test-fired multiple UGM-27 Polaris ballistic missiles. She completed shakedown operations in December 1964 and returned to Groton.
The submarine then proceeded to the Polaris Missile Facility Atlantic at Naval Weapons Station Charleston, South Carolina, for final weapons loadout. Assigned to Submarine Squadron Sixteen, she steamed to Naval Station Rota, Spain, and began her first deterrent patrol later that month.
Poseidon Conversion and Atlantic Deployment
Following completion of 20 deterrent patrols, the USS Casimir Pulaski returned to Electric Boat in January 1970 for nuclear refueling and a comprehensive overhaul. During this yard period, workers retrofitted the submarine to carry the more advanced UGM-73 Poseidon ballistic missile system. She was then reassigned to Submarine Squadron Fourteen and departed the shipyard in April 1971, headed for Holy Loch, Scotland.
In June of that year, while moored at Holy Loch, the vessel received installation of the first Integrated Data Acquisition System (IDAS) M-35 set. During Demonstration and Shakedown Operations in early July, her Blue Crew successfully launched a Poseidon missile. The Gold Crew achieved its own successful launch in August, then the submarine returned to operational status, beginning her next patrol in October.
In March of 1973, the USS Casimir Pulaski temporarily interrupted her patrol schedule to launch four Poseidon missiles during the weapon system’s sixth operational test. This demonstrated the submarine’s crucial role in validating new strategic capabilities.
Recognition and Continued Excellence
In July 1974, Submarine Squadron Fourteen awarded the USS Casimir Pulaski the first Battle Efficiency “E” award ever presented to a ballistic missile submarine in recognition of her exceptional operational performance. Later that year, she completed her 50th strategic deterrent patrol, marking a significant service milestone.
Trident I Modernization
The USS Casimir Pulaski entered Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Company for overhaul in late 1980. Beyond routine maintenance and nuclear refueling, the submarine underwent extensive modifications to accommodate the UGM-96 Trident I ballistic missile system. She proceeded to her new homeport at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Georgia, in late 1982, then during post-overhaul testing, the Gold Crew successfully launched a Trident I missile in April 1983. The submarine resumed fleet operations with her next deterrent patrol commencing in June of that year.
In June 1985, the USS Casimir Pulaski successfully test-fired four Trident I missiles at the Atlantic Test Range off Cape Canaveral, Florida. In October, the submarine’s Gold Crew received the Arleigh Burke Fleet Trophy for demonstrating the greatest improvement in battle efficiency during Fiscal Year 1985. A year later, the submarine earned a Meritorious Unit Commendation for service from January 1985 through October 1986.
Final Years of Distinguished Service
The final years of the 1980s were particularly notable for the USS Casimir Pulaski. From April through May 1989, the submarine participated in LANTCOOPEX 1-89 operations off Cape Canaveral, Florida. Following the exercise’s conclusion, both crews received Letters of Commendation from Secretary of the Navy Henry L. Garrett III. That fall, Submarine Squadron 16 awarded the submarine another Battle Efficiency “E” award. In November, the Blue Crew received the Humanitarian Service Medal for their response efforts following Hurricane Hugo, which caused catastrophic damage throughout the Caribbean and southeastern United States.
Decommissioning and Disposal
In May 1993, the USS Casimir Pulaski completed her 88th and final deterrent patrol, concluding nearly thirty years of strategic service. She returned to Kings Bay in July, combined her Blue and Gold crews, and transferred to the Pacific Fleet for inactivation. The Navy decommissioned the USS Casimir Pulaski and struck her from the Naval Vessel Register in March 1994. Disposal through the Ship and Submarine Recycling Program at Puget Sound Naval Shipyardin Bremerton, Washington, was completed in October 1994.
Asbestos Contamination Throughout the USS Casimir Pulaski
As was true of almost every submarine built between the 1930s and 1980s, the USS Casimir Pulaski’s entire structure was built using extensive quantities of asbestos-containing materials. During this period, military construction standards appropriately emphasized fire prevention and thermal protection, and before its devastating health consequences were widely known, asbestos seemed an ideal solution. The hazardous mineral was integrated into virtually every major system and structure aboard the submarine.
Distribution of Asbestos Materials Throughout the Submarine
The submarine’s nuclear reactor compartment and propulsion spaces were just two of the shipboard locations that contained massive concentrations of asbestos. Contaminated insulation surrounded steam piping, reactor shielding, and machinery foundations, as well as engine room components, including turbine assemblies. Auxiliary equipment was wrapped with asbestos thermal barriers, and gaskets, valve packings, and flexible insulation blankets contained dangerous levels of asbestos as well.
In the crew’s sleeping quarters, dining facilities, work and recreational spaces, asbestos-contaminated deck tiles, bulkhead coverings, and overhead insulation. Electrical systems spanning the entire submarine utilized asbestos-wrapped wiring and control panel components. Emergency firefighting equipment and damage control supplies incorporated asbestos for enhanced fire resistance.
With all this asbestos present throughout the vessel, the ventilation and air handling systems were a primary pathway for the fiber to be spread throughout the ship. Routine maintenance, equipment deterioration, or accidental damage would release fibers, and then these systems would distribute the microscopic asbestos particles throughout the submarine’s sealed atmosphere, affecting personnel in areas distant from the original contamination source.
Exposure Risks for USS Casimir Pulaski Personnel
Every one of the thousands of crew members who served aboard the USS Casimir Pulaski during her 30-year service life faced potential asbestos exposure, and the same was true of those who built and serviced the vessel. The submarine’s confined spaces and shared atmospheric systems meant that any disturbance of asbestos materials could affect personnel. While everybody onboard was vulnerable to exposure, certain ratings and specialties faced heightened risks due to their direct engagement with contaminated systems.
High-risk positions included:
- Reactor and propulsion plant operators
- Electrical and electronics maintenance technicians
- Missile system maintenance personnel
- Hull technicians
- Damage control specialists
- Weapons systems handlers
While these individuals were in the greatest danger, even those who didn’t handle asbestos-containing materials at all could be exposed through the ship’s ventilation system, contact with affected surfaces, or exposure to fibers carried on the clothing and equipment of their shipmates who worked in the high-risk areas.
Physical Consequences of Asbestos Exposure
Asbestos has a fibrous mineral structure that makes it exceptionally flexible and strong. This is what made it so useful to so many industries for so many years. Unfortunately, these same characteristics are what make the material extraordinarily dangerous. When asbestos-containing materials are disturbed, deteriorate, or go through normal wear and tear, they often release thousands of invisible microscopic, needle-shaped particles that are easily inhaled or swallowed. If these become lodged in body tissues, they can cause chronic inflammation, cellular mutations, and ultimately severe disease.
Mesothelioma is the most lethal condition related to asbestos exposure. This aggressive malignancy attacks protective membranes lining the cavities that hold the lungs, heart, or abdominal organs. Typically manifesting 20-50 years after initial exposure, its symptoms include persistent chest pain, progressive breathing difficulty, fluid accumulation around organs, and systemic weakness. Most patients survive less than two years from diagnosis.
Additional asbestos-related diseases include:
- Lung cancer, which dramatically increases risk among veterans who used tobacco products
- Asbestosis, which causes irreversible lung tissue scarring and progressive respiratory impairment
- Pleural diseases, including thickening, calcified plaques, and fluid accumulations that restrict breathing capacity and often signal future cancer development
Compensation Resources for USS Casimir Pulaski Veterans Affected by Asbestos
Veterans who served aboard the USS Casimir Pulaski and who subsequently develop asbestos-related illnesses have access to multiple sources of financial assistance and medical support. These include:
- Veterans Affairs Medical Benefits and Disability Compensation
The Department of Veterans Affairs recognizes asbestos-related diseases as service-connected conditions for military personnel exposed during their service period. Veterans diagnosed with mesothelioma or related conditions can file disability claims for monthly compensation payments, specialized medical treatment, and survivor benefits for family members. Mesothelioma receives automatic classification as a 100% disabling condition, ensuring expedited claim processing and maximum benefit levels.
- Civil Litigation Against Equipment Manufacturers
While federal law prevents veterans from suing the Navy or Department of Defense for their exposure, those who’ve served the country retain full legal rights to pursue civil claims against the private corporations that manufactured or supplied asbestos-containing equipment used aboard naval vessels. Evidence revealed over decades of litigation has demonstrated that many of these manufacturers, distributors, and suppliers had full knowledge of the health hazards posed by asbestos. Despite this, they prioritized corporate profits over worker safety and continued selling their contaminated products to the military without providing adequate safety warnings.
Thousands of veterans and their survivors have won substantial legal victories against these companies, with juries awarding significant damages for medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering. Many cases conclude with negotiated settlements providing compensation without protracted trial proceedings.
- Asbestos Bankruptcy Trust Claims
Overwhelmed by thousands of asbestos injury lawsuits, numerous manufacturers have filed for bankruptcy protection and established court-ordered compensation trusts for victims. These funds currently hold over $30 billion in assets and have distributed billions in claims over recent decades. While trust fund payments generally provide less compensation than successful lawsuits, they offer faster resolution and reduced legal complexity.
Legal Representation for Affected Veterans
Veterans confronting asbestos-related disease diagnoses should promptly consult with a specialized mesothelioma attorney with experience in military exposure cases. These legal professionals understand the intricacies of establishing service connections for VA claims, identifying responsible manufacturers based on military service records and work history, and pursuing maximum financial recovery through all available sources of compensation.
One final note: Legal claims must be filed within specific time periods established by state statutes of limitations. These deadlines are based on the time that the presence of mesothelioma is established, and that makes it essential that you take action as soon as possible after being diagnosed. With experienced legal counsel, affected veterans can hold negligent asbestos companies accountable for their failure to warn and secure the financial resources necessary for your medical care and your family’s financial security.
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