Naval Air Station Pensacola Asbestos Exposure

What to Know About Naval Air Station Pensacola & Asbestos Exposure

Naval Air Station Pensacola is widely known as the “Cradle of Naval Aviation.” Founded in 1826, the installation first served as a Navy shipyard before focusing on the use of aircraft to support military operations in 1914.

Since that time, the station has trained military aviators while supporting aircraft maintenance, technical education, and military readiness.

However, for much of the base’s history, it relied heavily on asbestos-containing materials to help resist heat and improve durability. Service members and civilians didn’t realize it at the time, but if they were exposed to asbestos, they could develop illnesses like mesothelioma and lung cancer.

Mesothelioma & Naval Air Station Pensacola Quick Facts

Also known as: Pensacola Navy Yard
Ships serviced: Aircraft carriers & other support vessels
Health risks: Mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, and other diseases
Asbestos use timelines: 1930s to early 1980s
Who is at risk: Navy veterans, Marine Corps veterans, shipyard workers, and civilians

If you or somebody you love served at Naval Air Station Pensacola long ago and is now facing mesothelioma, you may qualify for VA benefits, treatments, and compensation. Request our Free Veterans Packet now to find out about all the resources available to you.

How Was Asbestos Used in Naval Air Station Pensacola?

Like other military bases and shipyards, Naval Air Station Pensacola relied on asbestos aboard ships, planes, and buildings because it resisted heat and fire.

In fact, the U.S. government required asbestos in all military vessels because of the perceived benefits.

Asbestos-containing materials used at the station included:

Barracks
Boilers
Electrical wiring
Engine rooms
Floor tiles
Gaskets
Insulation
Pumps
Roofing materials
Steam pipes
Valves

Did you know?

Naval Air Station Pensacola is considered a Superfund site by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) due to toxic contamination. Asbestos and other harmful materials like benzene, lead, and zinc polluted the soil and groundwater. Cleanup is still ongoing.

Repairing, replacing, or removing these materials could release asbestos dust into the air. Navy and Air Force personnel breathed in stray asbestos fibers without realizing the long-term health risks.

List of Ships Built or Serviced at Naval Air Station Pensacola

Naval Air Station Pensacola primarily served as a base for training flight crews, with other shipyards handling the brunt of construction and repair work that the military required.

As a result, the most significant vessels moored at Naval Air Station Pensacola were aircraft carriers, where cadets and naval aviators were trained in takeoff and landing.

Aircraft carriers stationed at Naval Air Station Pensacola included:

USS Antietam (CVS-36)
USS Cabot (CVL-28)
USS Langley (CV-1)
USS Monterey (CVL-26)
USS Lexington (CV-16)
USS Ranger (CV-4)
USS Saipan (CVL-48)
USS Wright (CVL-49)

Over 28,000 naval aviators were trained at Naval Air Station Pensacola during World War II alone. However, those who served aboard aircraft carriers mentioned above risked daily exposure to asbestos-containing materials.

Aircraft carriers, and virtually all other Navy ships, relied on asbestos-containing materials for decades as part of government mandates. Working aboard the vessels, which were often cramped, meant it was easy to disturb asbestos fibers and suffer exposure.

You may still have been exposed to asbestos even if your ship isn’t listed above. Call (877) 450-8973 for help determining your exposure and if you’re eligible for mesothelioma VA benefits and other key resources.

List of Military Planes Built or Serviced at Naval Air Station Pensacola

It wasn’t just Navy ships like aircraft carriers that relied on asbestos. U.S. Navy and Air Force planes contained asbestos components like heat shields, insulation, wiring, and gaskets for decades.

As a result, naval aviators, flight crews, and aircraft mechanics could have come into contact with asbestos on an everyday basis at Naval Air Station Pensacola.

Just a few Naval Air Station Pensacola planes that used asbestos included:

Boeing-Stearman Model 75
Douglas A-4 Skyhawk
McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II
Grumman F-6 Hellcat
Grumman F-9 Cougar
Grumman F-11 Tiger
Naval Aircraft Factory N3N

If you or someone you love developed mesothelioma after serving at Naval Air Station Pensacola, it wasn’t your fault.

Manufacturers hid the health risks of asbestos from the U.S. military for decades, and there’s no way to lower the odds of getting sick after exposure.

High-Risk Asbestos Occupations at Naval Air Station Pensacola

Workers who maintained planes or ships at Naval Air Station Pensacola risked exposure to asbestos for years before the dangers became widely recognized.

In many cases, simply working near maintenance or repair projects was enough to increase the dangers of asbestos exposure. However, those with the highest risk involved handling asbestos-containing materials every day at Naval Air Station Pensacola.

Those at a high risk of asbestos exposure included:

Aircraft mechanics
Aviation machinists
Boilermakers
Construction crews
Electricians
Maintenance workers
Pipefitters
Plumbers
Shipyard workers
Welders

Even if asbestos wasn’t part of your job description, you may have worked alongside crews repairing boilers, replacing insulation, or maintaining mechanical systems, putting you in danger.

Additionally, you risked secondary asbestos exposure if a loved one worked at Naval Air Station Pensacola. This could have occurred if family members came home with asbestos fibers on their skin, tools, or clothing.

Naval Air Station Pensacola Mesothelioma Claims

Those diagnosed with mesothelioma after serving at Pensacola Naval Shipyard may qualify for compensation and other resources to make life easier.

Mesothelioma VA benefits, legal claims, and asbestos trust funds can all provide financial security for veterans with this cancer as well as their loved ones. Learn more about each of these options below.

VA Benefits for Mesothelioma

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers a wide range of benefits to veterans with mesothelioma. The VA considers mesothelioma to be a 100% disability, granting veterans the highest monthly payouts and the lowest health care copays.

VA benefits for mesothelioma include:

Disability compensation worth $4,158.17 per month
Inexpensive or free VA health care
Additional resources for surviving loved ones

Major Jonathan Nelson (Ret) is our on-staff VA-accredited attorney. He can help veterans with mesothelioma like you file claims for free. Get started with his help now.

Pensacola Naval Air Station Mesothelioma Lawsuits

A mesothelioma lawsuit allows U.S. veterans and families to recover compensation from manufacturers of asbestos-containing products. The average mesothelioma lawsuit pays out $1 million, with some receiving even more.

The Mesothelioma Veterans Center has dedicated legal partners who can walk you through the lawsuit process. The military and government aren’t sued.

We've secured high payouts for other Florida veterans:

$6.74 million to a U.S. Army veteran
$2.53 million to a U.S. Navy veteran
$1.43 million to a U.S. Marine Corps veteran
$3.61 million to a U.S. Air Force veteran
$5.82 million to a U.S. Navy veteran

Get a free case review now to learn if you or a U.S. veteran you love qualifies to file an asbestos lawsuit.

Asbestos Trust Funds

Many manufacturers of asbestos containing products filed for bankruptcy to avoid lawsuits. In return, they were forced to set aside billions of dollars in trust funds to pay those who were harmed. There's more than $30 billion available in asbestos trust funds today.

Experienced mesothelioma law firms in our network can help you recover compensation from different trusts depending on which products you were exposed to. You can still recover VA benefits and lawsuit compensation at the same time.

Get Help After Naval Air Station Pensacola Asbestos Exposure

U.S. veterans didn’t deserve to develop mesothelioma after serving at Naval Air Station Pensacola. Yet every year, veterans and families across the country are impacted by this serious cancer and other asbestos-related diseases.

The Mesothelioma Veterans Center is proud to support veterans and families in navigating a diagnosis and getting the benefits they deserve.

We’re ready to help with:

Accessing VA benefits
Exploring medical options
Recovering compensation
Supporting your family

Get a Free Veterans Packet or call (877) 450-8973 now to explore your options with our assistance.

Naval Air Station Pensacola & Mesothelioma FAQs

Were Navy veterans exposed to asbestos?

Yes, many U.S. Navy veterans risked exposure to asbestos if they served between the 1930s and early 1980s. This is because the military mandated the use of asbestos aboard all Navy ships for fireproofing and insulation.

For example, many aircraft carriers that were stationed at Naval Air Station Pensacola to help with flight training used tons of asbestos. Navy personnel stationed aboard these ships ran a high risk of exposure, especially if they worked with insulation, boilers, or engines.

Navy veterans could have also come in contact with asbestos used on military bases, vehicles, and planes, depending on when they served and their military duties.

How do I know if I was exposed to asbestos in the Navy?

You may have come in contact with asbestos-containing materials while working with Navy equipment, or construction materials and now have mesothelioma. There’s no other cause of mesothelioma besides asbestos.

If you aren't sure about how you may have been exposed to asbestos at Naval Air Station Pensacola, we're here to help.

Our team can investigate your military service records and compare with a warehouse’s worth of information about the asbestos industry to determine which products put you at risk. Call (877) 450-8973 now to get started.

What happened at Pensacola Navy Base?

Naval Air Station Pensacola served as a flight training hub for decades, with over 28,000 World War II pilots having learned to fly there. The base has continued to serve as a major training ground for the Navy to this day.

However, between the 1930s and early 1980s, many who served at this base risked exposure to asbestos containing materials used in Navy aircraft carriers and military planes. This could lead to mesothelioma, a life-threatening cancer, decades later.

How do you prove asbestos exposure in the military?

You can prove that military asbestos exposure occurred by collecting records related to the jobs you held and the products you came in contact with.

For example, some of those with the highest risk of exposure at Naval Air Station Pensacola worked with boiler components, engine liners, heat shields, and insulation.

Major Nelson can help pinpoint how you may have been exposed to asbestos at Naval Air Station Pensacola so you can get the benefits you deserve. Get started right now.

Was asbestos only used at Pensacola Naval Air Station?

No. All military branches relied on asbestos before the dangers were fully understood.

Asbestos was found:

Aboard Navy ships
At yards involved in shipbuilding and vessel repairs
At military bases
In vehicles and planes

Installations such as the Washington Navy Yard and Puget Sound Naval Shipyard are among the many locations where shipyard workers, service members, and civilian employees were exposed to asbestos-containing materials.