I'm doing some research for a cancer related law suit and need some information on WWII LSTs.  At question here is the cause of the cancer and whether or not there could have been external factors, such as asbestos.  Does anyone know if asbestos was used to insulate these "vehicles"?  Any information at all on the ships will be much appreciated.  No idea where/when exactly he served, all we know is he spent quite a bit of time around LSTs.

Asbestos was used a an insulator in homes, electricial wire, and many other products untill the early 70's. Was it used in LST's most likely. Can I tell you for sure? No.
Here is a link for the LST we have here at home. My home town built more LST's then anyother cornfield ship yard.
http://web.courierpress.com/LST/
They are a grand lady, This one was no built in Evansville In. but it was the only one we could find for a memorial to those who worked the Evansville Ship yards.
As far as your reseach sorry you will have to do it yourself.

Quoted: I'm doing some research for a cancer related law suit and need some information on WWII LSTs.  At question here is the cause of the cancer and whether or not there could have been external factors, such as asbestos.  Does anyone know if asbestos was used to insulate these "vehicles"?  Any information at all on the ships will be much appreciated.  No idea where/when exactly he served, all we know is he spent quite a bit of time around LSTs.

Mmmmm, sorry, I don't think I'd help you if I could. Sounds like a BS lawsuit. I understand the pain and expense cancer sufferers go through...but seaking to sue the gov/industry/shipbuilders for insulating piping with the best insulation for the job at the time seems like crap to me.

Also, while I understand the problems with asbestos, I also think people getting cancer from it also depends a lot upon the person. My Grandmother worked at the Johns Mannville asbestos factory for years when she was young. Lived to 82, and she didn't have a speck of cancer when she died from a brain anuerism.....

Next thing the lawyers will be suing bullet manufactures because their product kills people....

Lawsuits are not the answer to everything, but don't tell that to lawyers....

Asbestos is a great insulator.  Compressed asbestos in the form of gaskets and piping insulation was often used in steam and internal combustion exhaust systems and other places in the engineering plant of Navy ships.  It was also used in the deck tiling throughout the ship.

All United States Navy ships built until about 1980 were full of asbestos.  The first ships reported to be asbestos free were the Spruance class destroyers.  In fact, they were not.   During their mid-life overhauls, asbestos insulation was found around the waste heat boilers that were used with the gas turbine generator sets.  This material was removed during that overhaul.

I have been exposed to asbestos and am on the monitoring program.  Asbestos is not a hazard to man IF it is not crushed, scraped, chopped, ground, or otherwise aerosolized.  Only asbestos dust is hazardous.  Typically, the worst incidents were when the sailors and yard workers ripped out the piping insulation.  That stuff is a fine powdery clay-like material when cut and ripped out.  In that form it is extremely dangerous to unprotected people.

If your client was a member of the "rip-out" crew aboard ship, or worked in a shipyard tearing out the piping and machinery systems of the old ships, before the current Navy safety and OSHA regulations were put in place, then he/she was likely exposed to asbestos.

I recommend you contact the Veteran's Administration for more info.