⚓ CV-16 — Essex CV-9
USS Lexington — Asbestos Exposure
USS Lexington (CV-16) — nicknamed 'The Blue Ghost' by Tokyo Rose after Japan repeatedly reported her sunk — served from 1943 to 1991, making her the longest-serving aircraft carrier in U.S. Navy history at the time of her decommissioning. Named in honor of USS Lexington (CV-2), lost at the Battle of the Coral Sea in 1942, the new Lexington earned 11 battle stars in WWII. She is preserved in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Service History
Lexington commissioned February 17, 1943 and deployed to the Pacific. She participated in raids throughout the Central Pacific, the invasion of the Marianas, and major carrier battles. Tokyo Rose repeatedly claimed to have sunk her — earning her the nickname 'The Blue Ghost' because the Japanese could never seem to keep her down. Post-WWII she became a training carrier, serving generations of U.S. Navy aviators until her decommissioning in 1991. She logged more carrier landings than any other ship in history. She opened as a museum in Corpus Christi in 1992.
Asbestos Exposure Aboard USS Lexington
Lexington was built at Bethlehem Steel's Quincy shipyard — a commercial yard with documented asbestos exposure for its workers. Her Essex-class engineering plant used asbestos pipe lagging, boiler block insulation, and gaskets throughout. During her 48-year active service life, she was overhauled at multiple naval shipyards (including Long Beach and Puget Sound), accumulating additional asbestos exposures with each refit.
For a full list of asbestos locations and at-risk ratings for the Essex CV-9, see the Essex CV-9 class page.
VA Benefits & Legal Options
Veterans who served in engineering ratings aboard USS Lexington and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, pleural plaques, or asbestos-related lung cancer may be eligible for:
- VA disability compensation — Monthly benefit. Requires a diagnosis, evidence of shipboard service, and a nexus between the two. No specific product identification required.
- Asbestos trust fund claims — Lump-sum payments from manufacturers' bankruptcy trusts. Requires identifying specific products used aboard. Multiple trusts may apply.
These two paths are not mutually exclusive. Many veterans pursue both.
Full claim guidance for Aircraft Carriers › Free Legal Review ›
Asbestos.cam is an informational resource, not a law firm. The above is general information, not legal advice. Consult a qualified attorney for guidance on your specific situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Lexington served as a training carrier for many years. Were training crews exposed to asbestos?
Yes. Naval aviators in carrier qualification training were not engineering crew, but the ship's permanent engineering crew maintained the same asbestos-insulated boiler rooms and machinery spaces throughout her operational life. Permanently assigned engineering ratings who served extended tours aboard Lexington — even during her training carrier years — were exposed to asbestos.
Did You Serve Aboard USS Lexington?
If you or a family member served aboard USS Lexington, you may have been exposed to asbestos. Sharing your service information is completely voluntary and may help build the historical record of shipboard exposure — information that can be valuable in VA disability and asbestos trust fund claims.
What we do with your information: Your submission goes into a private moderation queue. We will never publish your name, contact details, or diagnosis information publicly. The only information that may appear publicly is an anonymized count of verified veterans who have reported serving on this ship. We will not sell, rent, or share your information with third parties except as necessary to respond to your specific request. You may request deletion of your information at any time.
To request that your information be removed: Data Removal Request ›