Veterans Information
Military History of Asbestos Usage
Asbestos has been used by people for thousands of years, it was given its name by the ancient Greeks who also recognized that the material damaged lungs of slaves who wove it into cloth. Due to the heat and fire resistant properties of asbestos, it was used in a wide variety of products, from caulk and insulation to cigarette filters and toasters. Asbestos was so popular at one time, it was used by every division of the U.S. military. As a result, many of our nation’s greatest heroes have suffered from asbestos-related illnesses such as asbestosis and Mesothelioma.
Men and women were exposed to the invisible fibers while serving on Navy ships and in shipyards, working in our industries and factories, or building our homes and cities. Other than those personally affected and their families, most people are still not aware of the hazards of asbestos or the extent of its use in our homes, schools, offices and vehicles.
Even though there was evidence that asbestos posed severe health hazards, it took a long time to establish scientific proof, partly because such proof would be very damaging to a great number of influential corporations. It became well-known to its manufacturers in the 1930’s that asbestos exposure could lead to Mesothelioma, but initially it was difficult for people and specifically asbestos manufacturers to believe that such a useful and safe looking material mined from earth could be so dangerous. Asbestos industries even paid for the studies that would hopefully demonstrate that asbestos was safe; but the conclusion of their scientists was exactly the opposite: They proved conclusively that asbestos is hazardous and caused cancer in laboratory test animals. It was soon shown that asbestos causes cancer in humans as well. Certainly, this finding was quite inconvenient to the rapidly growing asbestos industry, which had been enjoying great success and huge profits by selling its product for use in pipe-fittings, insulation, cements, gaskets, brake linings and more.
Disproportionate amounts of asbestos-containing products were handled by veterans and used widely by our military service men and women through the 1980’s. Unfortunately, because of this exposure many veterans who have served our country are at particular risk of developing Mesothelioma. The use of asbestos products decreased as the hazards of asbestos exposure became more widely accepted, but we still haven’t cleaned up all of remaining asbestos containing materials that were so readily used though most of the century. In fact, asbestos is still present in almost all old buildings, including public schools.
The military started using asbestos-laden products on Navy ships in World War II. Between the 1930s and the 1970s, the military used thousands of tons of asbestos in almost all construction works, maintenance, and renovations. Additionally, all means of transportation, such as ships, tanks, automobiles, and aircraft, contained asbestos. The Army and Air Force utilized asbestos in brake and clutch pads on vehicles such as jeeps, tanks, and aircraft as well as electric wiring insulation. Military housing and other buildings on military bases were almost without exception fitted with asbestos-containing building materials like floor coverings, drywall, insulation and plumbing equipment.
Those primarily at risk of developing Mesothelioma are the Navy veterans who built and maintained warships. Products containing asbestos were always used in these ships, especially in their pipe-fittings and boilers. Disturbed by cargo movement, constant vibrations or simply corrosion over time, invisible airborne asbestos fibers were discharged and easily inhaled by anyone aboard.
There is yet another group of veterans at extreme risk of asbestos exposure – those who worked in or near renovations and demolitions. These men and women were exposed to asbestos and inhaled asbestos dust during the removal of insulation materials and the demolition of structures built when asbestos had been a popular building material.
It is particularly devastating that these veterans generally suffer the consequences of asbestos exposure 20 or more years after leaving the military service. If you or someone you love served in our military and was diagnosed with Mesothelioma, it is important that you know that this was no accident. The manufacturers of asbestos knew the consequences of exposure when their products were sold to our military, at great profit, to be handled by our servicemen and women.
