⚓ Accessing Navy Ship Deck Logs

To Prove Asbestos Exposure: Using Historical Records to Verify Service Conditions

For U.S. Navy veterans diagnosed with mesothelioma, ship deck logs serve as powerful evidence to confirm asbestos exposure during service. These daily records, maintained by the ship’s officers, detail the ship’s activities, maintenance work, and locations — often identifying repairs or operations involving asbestos materials in boiler rooms, engine compartments, and living quarters.

📞 Need help locating your ship’s deck logs? Call 800.291.0963 for free guidance on obtaining and using them for your VA or trust-fund claim.

🧭 Step 1 – What Navy Deck Logs Are

Deck logs are the ship’s official, daily journal. They record critical operational details and routine maintenance performed by crew members.

Typical deck log entries include:

• ⚙️ Maintenance or repairs involving boilers, turbines, or insulation.

• 💨 Shipyard overhauls or refitting projects.

• ⚓ Ports visited and dates of dry dock operations.

• 🧱 Notes on fires, leaks, or insulation replacements.

Goal: Use deck logs to confirm service periods and events that likely exposed you to asbestos.

📁 Step 2 – Why Deck Logs Matter for Mesothelioma Claims

Because asbestos use aboard Navy ships was extensive, deck logs provide valuable context showing where and when exposure occurred.

They can help:

• ⚓ Verify shipboard locations and maintenance activities.

• 🧾 Corroborate your personal service records (DD-214, duty logs).

• 🏗️ Establish evidence of asbestos repairs or insulation work.

• 💬 Strengthen both VA disability and asbestos trust-fund claims.

Goal: Strengthen your case with verified historical documentation from your assigned vessel.

🏗️ Step 3 – Where to Find Navy Ship Deck Logs

Deck logs are stored and managed by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) and Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC).

How to request:

1. 🧾 Visit www.archives.gov/research/military/logbooks/navy.

2. ⚙️ Submit a request including your ship’s name, hull number, and service dates.

3. 💬 Specify the months or years you served aboard.

4. 🕊️ Choose digital copies or physical reproductions.

Goal: Obtain the correct ship records for your specific period of service.

💼 Step 4 – How to Use Deck Logs as Exposure Evidence

When matched with your personnel file, deck logs can directly support your asbestos claim.

Effective uses:

• 🧱 Match maintenance or dry-dock entries to known asbestos activities.

• ⚓ Prove you were aboard during insulation removal or boiler overhauls.

• 💬 Support shipyard repair exposure at places like Norfolk, Bremerton, or Long Beach.

• 🧾 Provide date-specific evidence of asbestos exposure events.

Goal: Connect logged maintenance or refitting dates to your confirmed service assignments.

🩺 Step 5 – Ships Known for Heavy Asbestos Use

Certain ship types contained the highest concentrations of asbestos materials.

High-risk categories:

• ⚙️ Aircraft carriers and destroyers with extensive pipe insulation.

• ⚓ Submarines with confined steam systems.

• 🧱 Battleships and cruisers with asbestos in gun turrets and boiler rooms.

• 💨 Auxiliary and repair vessels with continuous insulation handling.

Goal: Use ship type and deck logs together to demonstrate high asbestos exposure probability.

⚖️ Step 6 – Combining Deck Logs With Other Navy Evidence

Deck logs work best when paired with multiple records confirming shipboard exposure.

Combine with:

• 🧾 DD-214 and duty assignment records.

• ⚙️ Ship repair or overhaul documentation.

• 💬 Witness or “buddy” statements from shipmates.

• 🏗️ Navy Bureau of Ships maintenance manuals.

Goal: Present a complete evidence package proving exposure aboard your assigned vessel.

🧱 Step 7 – Key Locations Linked to Shipboard Asbestos Exposure

Navy deck logs often reference repair locations at major asbestos shipyards.

Common exposure sites:

• ⚓ Norfolk Naval Shipyard (VA).

• ⚓ Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (WA).

• ⚓ Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard (HI).

• ⚓ Long Beach Naval Shipyard (CA).

• ⚓ Philadelphia Naval Shipyard (PA).

Goal: Tie shipyard visits or maintenance entries in the logs to verified asbestos exposure environments.

🧠 Step 8 – If Your Ship’s Logs Are Missing or Incomplete

Some older ship logs may be missing or not yet digitized.

Alternative solutions:

• 🧾 Use ship repair histories from the Naval Vessel Register.

• 💬 Obtain statements from former crewmates or officers.

• ⚙️ Request related records from the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) or Bureau of Ships (BuShips).

• 🕊️ Search Navy historical archives for ship blueprints listing asbestos materials.

Goal: Reconstruct service exposure using secondary historical sources if logs are incomplete.

🌈 Step 9 – How Deck Logs Support Trust-Fund and Legal Claims

Attorneys use deck logs to verify product manufacturer responsibility.

Examples:

• ⚙️ Logs referencing specific boiler or turbine replacements identify asbestos product brands.

• 🧾 Cross-reference ship repair periods with known suppliers (John Crane, Garlock, Owens Corning).

• 🏦 Use verified maintenance periods to match asbestos trust-fund eligibility criteria.

Goal: Strengthen both VA and civil claims with verifiable exposure records.

💬 Step 10 – Filing Assistance and Documentation Help

Next steps:

• 🧭 Locate your ship’s logs through the National Archives.

• ⚙️ Gather personnel and medical documentation.

• 🧾 Highlight asbestos-related repair events for claim inclusion.

• 📞 Call 800.291.0963 for free assistance compiling your deck log evidence.

Goal: Ensure every document and record supports your asbestos exposure timeline.

🤝 Where to Get Help

Our advocates assist Navy veterans and their families in obtaining and interpreting ship deck logs to support asbestos claims.

📞 Call 800.291.0963 to get step-by-step guidance on securing deck log documentation for your claim.

🧭 Summary

Navy ship deck logs are vital for confirming asbestos exposure events and ship maintenance activities tied to mesothelioma claims. By combining deck logs with your personnel file and medical records, you can build an irrefutable link between your service and your diagnosis — ensuring you receive full compensation and recognition for your sacrifice.

Your service wrote the log of our freedom — let those same records secure your justice.
800.291.0963