Asbestos on the USS Astoria may seem like history we don’t need to worry about today. Indeed, for the majority of the 20th century, asbestos in Navy ships was commonplace. Most vessels contained parts made with asbestos and the USS Astoria is no different. While the material was an excellent insulator and resistant to corrosion,…
The world now knows the health hazard to sailors posed by the USS America and asbestos. That knowledge, though, was in the future when the aircraft carrier the USS America (CVA-66, CV-66) was ordered for the U.S. Navy on November 25, 1960. Her keel was laid down at Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company…
The USS Antietam (CV-36) served the U.S. Navy over twenty years, starting at the end of World War II and continuing through the Korean War. But those who served or worked on the Antietam continue to face dangers today from asbestos exposure on the aircraft carrier, making service on or around the USS Antietam and…
The U.S. Navy stockpiled asbestos for shipbuilding and repair during World War II. Asbestos was prized for its resistance to heat, fire, water, and corrosion. When the U.S. entered the war in 1941 there were seven active fleet carriers. The U.S. Navy had 25 active carriers by the end of 1944, including the USS Franklin,…
Work on or around naval vessels in the 20th century included exposure to asbestos, and USS Amberjack service personnel and workers are no exception. The submarine had a short but proud history, but survivors who worked on the vessel—and their families—are at risk of developing asbestos-related diseases due to exposure to asbestos on the Amberjack….