Asbestos was Used in the Construction of Many Naval Ships
“I always liked the Navy since I was a little kid. I remember going down to the Navy Yard in Philadelphia with my mother, when I was five or six years old….my mother told me that her brother had served on a destroyer during World War I, and I knew then that I wanted to serve in the Navy. …I graduated high school in 1944 and enlisted when I was seventeen. I served in a submarine at sea as a gunnery and torpedo officer, and I’m pretty sure that uh, while we were all on board, we were probably exposed to asbestos…”
Asbestos Was Used in the Construction of Many Naval Ships
Prior to the stringent regulations on asbestos use issued by the US Government in the 1970s, asbestos was used in number of different industries, including ship building. The ships that were most inundated with asbestos were those employed by the United States Navy.
The vessels utilized by the US Navy served a variety of important purposes during some the world’s most historic wars such as World War I, World War II and the Vietnam War. Some models, such as battleships and destroyers, actively participated in battle, others served as maritime hospitals tending to wounded and dying sailors, and still others were responsible for transporting food and equipment to sailors and other persons stranded at sea. Unfortunately, the sailors on board the ships as well as those who participated in their construction faced an adversary that could not be defeated by missiles and torpedoes: asbestos.
The Navy was not oblivious to the health dangers posed by asbestos. However, in the interest of efficient production and performance during periods of war, it was hesitant to seriously address the hazards. Asbestos was valued for its corrosion and fire proof properties and was ubiquitous in virtually every area of the naval ships, from the sleeping quarters, to the engine rooms, to the mess halls. It was also included in and around temperature sensitive areas such as engine and boiler rooms, and was used in the production of gaskets, deck covers, adhesives, felts and meters, among other gadgets and devices. For a sailor who spent weeks, months and sometimes years at a time on board a navy ship, his exposure to asbestos was inevitable.
Submarines and submarine bases were rife with asbestos
World War I was the very first war to introduce submarines, a maritime vessel which could “enter and operate effectively in waters that were inaccessible to surface ships.” (Sea Your History) Although the submarine revolutionized the way war was fought, those on board risked serious harm beyond the expected perils of the sea. Since there was no proper ventilation, there was no escape from asbestos or any of the other carcinogenic materials that the submarine contained.
Like Navy Yards and other industrial sites across the United States, submarine bases were contaminated with asbestos. One example was the New London Naval Submarine Base in Connecticut, one of the largest submarine bases in the world. It was originally used as a docking point for naval ships before becoming a submarine base in 1916. Not long after the conclusion of World War II, significant advances in submarine construction were made, including the birth of America’s first nuclear submarine, the USS Nautilus. Its “construction was made possible by a nuclear propulsion plant, developed by a group of scientists and engineers at the Naval Reactors Branch of the Atomic Energy Commission.” (USS Nautilus)
With the authorization of Congress (issued in July 1951) construction of the USS Nautilus began, and “after eighteen months of construction, it was launched on January 21st, 1954.” (The USS Nautilus) The launch, which took place at the New London Submarine Base, was met with much anticipation and fanfare. Eight months later, on September 30th, the USS Nautilus became the first commissioned nuclear powered ship in the United States Navy,” (USS Nautilus) and subsequently “shattered all submerged speed and distance records” (USS Nautilus) that had been previously set.
The New London Submarine Naval Base was not only a site for submarine construction and launch. Following World War I, it also served as a naval training and education facility. Thousands of Navy personnel were responsible for its maintenance and upkeep. Asbestos was used in the construction of buildings and various facilities on the base, which meant that even those who did not participate in submarine construction still risked asbestos exposure. Many years after their service concluded, many Navy personnel became sick with mesothelioma and other asbestos related diseases. It is estimated that “one third of the people in the United States” (PR Web) who are currently battling an asbestos related disease spent time in the Navy.
The New London Submarine Base was almost closed in August 2005, but was spared after it was found that it’s closing “would hurt current and future mission capabilities, as well as the readiness of the total U.S military.” (Aviation Week) In spite of the traces of asbestos which remain in some of its facilities, the New London Submarine Base remains in full operation to this day.
Some of the other submarines employed by the US Navy
USS Albacore SS-218: Commissioned during World War II in June 1942. It was awarded nine Battle Stars for its service and was destroyed in 1944.
USS Icefish SS-367: Launched in September 1943. Along with its sister submarine, the USS Drum, Icefish sunk 26,901 tons of enemy shipping. It was awarded four Battle Stars.
USS Hoe SS-258: A diesel fueled submarine. It was awarded seven Battle Stars for its service during World War II. It was 311 feet long and was powered by four diesel engines, two 126 cell batteries, two propellers and four high speed electric motors.
USS Runner SS-275: Constructed at the Portsmouth Naval Yard in Maine. It was a Gato-class submarine, one of the earliest designs developed by the Navy. Like many other submarines of its class, the Runner experienced a series of problems, including difficulty firing torpedoes. It was mysteriously lost at sea, possibly due to one of its many technical problems. It was officially removed from the Naval registry in 1943.
USS Aspro SS-309: A Balao- class submarine which was named after a species of fish. It earned seven battle stars for its World War II service.
USS Saw Fish SS-276: Launched in the summer of 1942. Because it was rushed into production so that it could participate in World War II, the Sawfish, much like the Runner, was plagued by a series of technical difficulties.
USS Quillback SS-424: A Tench-class submarine, constructed in late 1943. It was involved in the battle against the Japanese and destroyed several enemy ships. It was decommissioned after World War II and then commissioned against in 1953.
USS Mingo SS-261: Awarded five Battle Stars for its service during World War II. It was 311 feet long and could achieve 21 knots per hour above water, and 9 knots submerged. It was sunk in 1973.
USS Hardhead SS-365: Awarded six Battle Stars for World War II achievements. It could accommodate 81 sailors and a vast armament. It could remain submerged for 48 hours and could move above water at 20 knots per hour (9 while submerged). It was transferred to Greece in 1972 and served the Greek Navy for almost thirty years.
USS Blower SS-325: The Blowerpatrolled the Pacific Ocean during World War II and named for a fish which inhabited the Atlantic Ocean. It, along with other submarines of the Balao class, was directly responsible for keeping enemy vessels from controlling the Pacific Ocean. When the war concluded, the Blower was still in very good condition, but was unfortunately destroyed during a collision with a Swedish vessel in 1953.
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Acknowledgements:
USS Nautilus: http://www.ussnautilus.org/aboutus.shtml
Aviation Week:
http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_generic.jsp?channel=aerospacedaily&id=news/BRAC08255.xml&headline=BRAC%20Commission%20Rejects%20Closure%20Of%20New%20London%20Base
Sea Your History: http://www.seayourhistory.org.uk/component/option,com_rnm_themehomepage/Itemid,47/
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