Asbestos exposure: a grave danger to United States Navy personnel

“My brother spent his whole career in the navy, uh, like, 20-25 years. He lived on ships most of the time and these ships…. were probably heavily laden with asbestos, covering, uh, plumbing and stuff. If you ever spent a night in one of the bunks, you know, the sleeping quarters, you’d probably be sleeping six inches away from an asbestos covered pipe.  And consequently, the material just flaked off, and you’d start breathing it in. So… that’s how my brother contracted mesothelioma. He had a very short life span after diagnosis. A year. Just one year…...”

Asbestos Exposure: A Grave Danger to United States Navy Personnel

Since asbestos was first introduced to the United States Navy in the 1930s, it has caused health problems such as mesothelioma, asbestos lung cancer and asbestosis for countless sailors and other Navy personnel.  Approximately “one third of the people in the United States who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, were exposed while serving in the Navy.” (PR Web) Since the symptoms of mesothelioma take between 20 -40 years to become apparent, navy personnel who were exposed to asbestos many years ago are only recently experiencing asbestos related injuries and illnesses.

The Navy was not oblivious to the health dangers posed by asbestos. In fact, the Navy’s Surgeon General issued a warning about the dangers of asbestos as far back as 1939, but it was of little consequence.  Efficient production and performance during periods of war was of paramount concern and asbestos was just the material to get the job done.

Asbestos was valued for its corrosion and fire proof properties, its flexibility and its versatility. Not only was asbestos ubiquitous on board naval ships, it could also be found in some of the nation’s most important Navy yards including the Long Beach Naval Yard (which was instrumental in fortifying the American efforts in World War II) and the historic Brooklyn Navy Yard.

Shortly after the inception of the firm in 1986, Weitz & Luxenberg represented former Brooklyn Navy Yard employees who developed malignant mesothelioma after being exposed to asbestos in the 1940s and 1950s. We secured $75 million on their behalf as compensation for their pain and suffering, as well as that of their family members. It was one of our landmark cases.

The Brooklyn Navy Yard: A Ground Zero for Asbestos Exposure

The history of the Brooklyn Navy Yard dates back to the 1780s, “when a parcel of land was purchased from the estate of an early –settler Dutch family.” (Brooklyn Navy Yard) It witnessed the construction of some of the most impressive maritime vessels including the USS Ohio (1800s) the USS Arizona (early 1900s) and the USS Missouri (1940s). Asbestos was used to insulate heat sensitive areas such as the engine and boiler rooms.  Since every area of the ship needed to be as fireproof as possible, asbestos could also be found in other chambers of the navy ships such as the sleeping quarters and the mess halls. Since naval ships were inundated from top to bottom with asbestos, exposure to the carcinogenwas inescapable.

The Brooklyn Navy Yard also “saw the building and launching of three aircraft super carriers: the USS Saratoga, the USS Constellation, and the USS Independence.” (Brooklyn Navy Yard) It required great ingenuity to build these highly complex and advanced vessels, but the asbestos used to construct them caused serious health problems for the “tens and thousands of men and women” (Brooklyn Navy Yard) who participated in their construction.

List of Navy Ship Types Which Contained Asbestos

The following ships were instrumental in shaping the rich history of the United States Navy, but the asbestos that they contained were equally devastating for those on board, as well as those who constructed them.

Aircraft carriers:  The aircraft carriers were maritime sites for aircraft takeoff and landing. It played an integral role in some of America’s most important wars, especially World War II.  Some of the Navy aircraft carriers were the USS John F. Kennedy, the USS Bosque and the USS Bunker.

Battleships:  Navy battleships were large in size and heavily equipped. The very first battleship was the HMS Dreadnaught, which was first launched in 1906.  During the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, several American battleships were badly damaged and then sunk.  Some of the Navy battleships included the USS Missouri and the USS Alabama.

Cargo Ships: Cargo ships were responsible for transporting equipment and goods from one naval port to another. They delivered supplies to American sailors and other military personnel during times of war.  Some of the cargo ships included the USS Mars and the USS Capricornus.

Medical Ships: Medical ships served as traveling hospitals for wounded and dying soldiers. The irony of course, is that everybody on board the ship, whether wounded or healthy, was exposed daily to an enemy they did not know existed: asbestos.  The earliest medical ship was the HMS Victory, built in the late 1700s.

Dock Landing Ships: Dock landing ships served as offshore sites for navy vessel repair.  Two dock landing ships, the USS Ashland and the USS Cabildo, were instrumental in patrolling open waters during World War II.

Destroyers: Destroyers were used to protect larger naval vessels from enemy attacks. They were small and quick enough to successfully dodge torpedoes, airstrikes or missiles.  Some of the destroyers which operated during World War II were the USS Higbee and the USS Abbot.

Fast Combat Ships: Fast Combat Ships were invented by Admiral Arleigh Burke during World War II. They served multiple purposes including oiling fleets and providing ammunition.  Two very important fast combat ships were the USS Sacramento, which navigated the waters of the Gulf of Tonkin and the USS Seattle.  All fast combat ships built before the 1980s were certainly inundated with asbestos.

Military Sealift Ships:  Military sealift vessels were crucial during naval operations because they provided vessels away at sea for extended periods with food, fuel and other equipment. They had the ability to navigate through even the most isolated regions of the world. The USS Denebola AF-5G was a military sealift vessel.

Weitz & Luxenberg: We Can Get Justice For You

Weitz & Luxenberg has been a leader in asbestos related litigation for over two decades. We have achieved more favorable verdicts and settlements for people just like you who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestos lung cancer or asbestosis following exposure to asbestos.  Our attorneys have the qualifications and experience necessary to get you the justice and compensation you deserve.

If you would like a free legal review of your mesothelioma case, please fill out the form on this page. All communication will be strictly confidential, and there is no fee unless we secure a monetary verdict or settlement for you.

Acknowledgements:

Brooklyn Navy Yard: http://www.brooklyn-navy-yard.com/brooklyn-navy-yard-history.html