The Navy, Asbestos Exposure, and Mesothelioma Cancer
The impressive technological advances made by the Navy since its organization have not been without cost. The useful properties of asbestos made it a valuable commodity for manufacturers of steam engines and shipbuilders. The new technology required the use of fire and high temperatures, therefore asbestos was used in industrial quantities when railroads and steamships came of age in the Industrial Revolution. Asbestos was used in various parts of steam engines, including the boiler, gaskets, and pipers. There was even string made of asbestos; this was often used to stop minor steam leaks in train and ship whistle valves and pipe work. Asbestos, however, is extremely dangerous, and sailors were put into harm’s way on a daily basis before the Navy stopped using it.
If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or any other illness related to asbestos, you may be eligible for substantial compensation. There is currently over $30 billion in asbestos trust funds, set up for those who are victims to asbestos-related diseases. Use our free Asbestos Attorney Locator Tool today to find a leading mesothelioma attorney in your area.
The Perils of Asbestos in the Navy
For much of the modern Navy’s history, asbestos was closely linked to the safety of almost every ship in the fleet. From the early ironclads and steam frigates of the Civil War to the aircraft carriers built during World War II and most of the Cold War, most ships bearing the USS prefix before their names contained tons of asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) to protect them and their crews from the fatal effects of shipboard fires or explosions.
This desire to make Navy ships safe from fire and high temperatures was laudable. Unfortunately, not many people at the time were aware that asbestos was a deadly carcinogen. Either through ignorance or as a result of deliberate deception by the asbestos industry, the Navy’s ship construction division ordered the use of ACMs in most naval construction.
The Navy’s use of asbestos and ACMs peaked between 1939 and the early 1970s. This period coincided with the fleet’s massive expansion as a result of American participation in World War II. From 1939, the year the war began in Europe, till 1945, the U.S. built 124,000 ships of all types. Most were merchant ships needed to haul supplies and troops overseas, but many vessels were warships.
During the war, the Navy built 10 battleships, 27 aircraft carriers,110 escort carriers, 211 submarines, and 907 cruisers, destroyers and escort vessels. All of these vessels carried combustible fuel and an assortment of munitions. As a consequence, the Bureau of Ships required the use of ACMs in almost every part of each vessel as a safety measure.
This excessive use of asbestos proved disastrous. Many of the 3,380,817 men and women who served in the Navy were exposed to the dangerous minerals for long periods of time. Thousands of civilian shipyard workers in Maine, California, Virginia and Washington State handled ACMs while building or repairing naval vessels. Many of these sailors and workers later developed asbestos-related illnesses and died. Every year, 3,000 new cases are diagnosed on average.
The Legacy of Asbestos Use by the U.S. Navy
As the years and decades passed, doctors noticed an increase in the number of patients afflicted with lung cancer, asbestosis, and mesothelioma. Most of these patients were former World War II era sailors or shipyard workers now in their 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s.
Also, because Navy ships have service lives that range between 20-50 years, many sailors and Marines who served after World War II were also exposed to asbestos. The Bureau of Ships and its latter-day counterparts, Naval Ship Systems Command and Naval Sea Systems Command continued purchasing and using asbestos asbestos until the late 1970’s.
Since the U.S. banned most commercial use of asbestos in recent years, the Navy has carried out various cleanup programs to limit sailors’ exposure on older ships still in service. Ships’ commanders are responsible for implementing asbestos safety training. They are also required to treat every ship launched before 1980 as though it contained friable asbestos in insulation material. The maintenance of an emergency asbestos response team is also mandatory.
Todd Shipyards Lawsuit
Todd Shipyards was one of the major suppliers of naval ships during much of the 20th Century.
In its many years of operations under the Todd brand name, the company built, repaired, or renovated hundreds of ships. Todd and its modern counterpart Vigor Shipyards have worked on many civilian contracts. Todd also received lucrative contracts from the U.S. Navy, Coast Guard, and Royal Australian Navy. Using production techniques designed by Henry Kaiser, Todd shipyards were turning out oil tankers at a rate of one ship every four-and-a-half days during World War II.
The negative effects of all this shipbuilding activity have resulted in many asbestos lawsuits against Todd Shipyards. Before Vigor purchased the company in 2010, the directors reported to the Securities and Exchange Commision (SEC) that 565 plaintiffs had filed 490 asbestos complaints. The company also told the SEC that it was defending against 194 medical claims, including 10 related to asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma.
Several former employees of Todd facilities at the Brooklyn Navy Yard and Los Angeles filed claims alleging that asbestos exposure had caused their illnesses. Todd/Vigor defended their past use of asbestos in court, forcing the plaintiffs to go to the U.S. Court of Appeals. The shipbuilder lost several cases and had to pay the victims. Before Vigor took over the company, Todd Shipyards told the SEC that it had a bodily injury fund of over $3 million to cover the payouts.
Examples of Naval Shipyards and Air Stations Associated with Asbestos Use
California Navy Shipyard
San Diego Naval Shipyard
Bender Shipbuilding
Washington Navy Yard
Pensacola Naval Air Stations
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard
Ingalls Shipbuilding
Brooklyn Navy Yard
Albina Shipyard
Bethlehem Steel Shipyard
Norfolk Naval Shipyard
Houston Shipyards
Todd Shipyards
Pearl Harbor Naval Yard
ADDSCO Shipyard
Penn Shipbuilding
Willamette Shipyard
Newport Naval Yard
Swan Island Shipyard
The impressive technological advances made by the Navy since its organization have not been without cost. The useful properties of asbestos made it a valuable commodity for manufacturers of steam engines and shipbuilders. The new technology required the use of fire and high temperatures, therefore asbestos was used in industrial quantities when railroads and steamships came of age in the Industrial Revolution. Asbestos was used in various parts of steam engines, including the boiler, gaskets, and pipers. There was even string made of asbestos; this was often used to stop minor steam leaks in train and ship whistle valves and pipe work. Asbestos, however, is extremely dangerous, and sailors were put into harm’s way on a daily basis before the Navy stopped using it.
If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or any other illness related to asbestos, you may be eligible for substantial compensation. There is currently over $30 billion in asbestos trust funds, set up for those who are victims to asbestos-related diseases. Use our free Asbestos Attorney Locator Tool today to find a leading mesothelioma attorney in your area.
The Perils of Asbestos in the Navy
For much of the modern Navy’s history, asbestos was closely linked to the safety of almost every ship in the fleet. From the early ironclads and steam frigates of the Civil War to the aircraft carriers built during World War II and most of the Cold War, most ships bearing the USS prefix before their names contained tons of asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) to protect them and their crews from the fatal effects of shipboard fires or explosions.
This desire to make Navy ships safe from fire and high temperatures was laudable. Unfortunately, not many people at the time were aware that asbestos was a deadly carcinogen. Either through ignorance or as a result of deliberate deception by the asbestos industry, the Navy’s ship construction division ordered the use of ACMs in most naval construction.
The Navy’s use of asbestos and ACMs peaked between 1939 and the early 1970s. This period coincided with the fleet’s massive expansion as a result of American participation in World War II. From 1939, the year the war began in Europe, till 1945, the U.S. built 124,000 ships of all types. Most were merchant ships needed to haul supplies and troops overseas, but many vessels were warships.
During the war, the Navy built 10 battleships, 27 aircraft carriers,110 escort carriers, 211 submarines, and 907 cruisers, destroyers and escort vessels. All of these vessels carried combustible fuel and an assortment of munitions. As a consequence, the Bureau of Ships required the use of ACMs in almost every part of each vessel as a safety measure.
This excessive use of asbestos proved disastrous. Many of the 3,380,817 men and women who served in the Navy were exposed to the dangerous minerals for long periods of time. Thousands of civilian shipyard workers in Maine, California, Virginia and Washington State handled ACMs while building or repairing naval vessels. Many of these sailors and workers later developed asbestos-related illnesses and died. Every year, 3,000 new cases are diagnosed on average.
The Legacy of Asbestos Use by the U.S. Navy
As the years and decades passed, doctors noticed an increase in the number of patients afflicted with lung cancer, asbestosis, and mesothelioma. Most of these patients were former World War II era sailors or shipyard workers now in their 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s.
Also, because Navy ships have service lives that range between 20-50 years, many sailors and Marines who served after World War II were also exposed to asbestos. The Bureau of Ships and its latter-day counterparts, Naval Ship Systems Command and Naval Sea Systems Command continued purchasing and using asbestos asbestos until the late 1970’s.
Since the U.S. banned most commercial use of asbestos in recent years, the Navy has carried out various cleanup programs to limit sailors’ exposure on older ships still in service. Ships’ commanders are responsible for implementing asbestos safety training. They are also required to treat every ship launched before 1980 as though it contained friable asbestos in insulation material. The maintenance of an emergency asbestos response team is also mandatory.
Todd Shipyards Lawsuit
Todd Shipyards was one of the major suppliers of naval ships during much of the 20th Century.
In its many years of operations under the Todd brand name, the company built, repaired, or renovated hundreds of ships. Todd and its modern counterpart Vigor Shipyards have worked on many civilian contracts. Todd also received lucrative contracts from the U.S. Navy, Coast Guard, and Royal Australian Navy. Using production techniques designed by Henry Kaiser, Todd shipyards were turning out oil tankers at a rate of one ship every four-and-a-half days during World War II.
The negative effects of all this shipbuilding activity have resulted in many asbestos lawsuits against Todd Shipyards. Before Vigor purchased the company in 2010, the directors reported to the Securities and Exchange Commision (SEC) that 565 plaintiffs had filed 490 asbestos complaints. The company also told the SEC that it was defending against 194 medical claims, including 10 related to asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma.
Several former employees of Todd facilities at the Brooklyn Navy Yard and Los Angeles filed claims alleging that asbestos exposure had caused their illnesses. Todd/Vigor defended their past use of asbestos in court, forcing the plaintiffs to go to the U.S. Court of Appeals. The shipbuilder lost several cases and had to pay the victims. Before Vigor took over the company, Todd Shipyards told the SEC that it had a bodily injury fund of over $3 million to cover the payouts.
Examples of Naval Shipyards and Air Stations Associated with Asbestos Use
California Navy Shipyard
San Diego Naval Shipyard
Bender Shipbuilding
Washington Navy Yard
Pensacola Naval Air Stations
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard
Ingalls Shipbuilding
Brooklyn Navy Yard
Albina Shipyard
Bethlehem Steel Shipyard
Norfolk Naval Shipyard
Houston Shipyards
Todd Shipyards
Pearl Harbor Naval Yard
ADDSCO Shipyard
Penn Shipbuilding
Willamette Shipyard
Newport Naval Yard
Swan Island Shipyard
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