Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard & Asbestos

What to Know About Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard & Asbestos Exposure

Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard was the site of the infamous 1941 bombing that launched the U.S. into World War II. The attack killed 2,341 American service members, as noted by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), but many more were put in mortal danger if they were exposed to asbestos at Pearl Harbor.

Pearl Harbor, like many other Navy shipyards of its time, used a wide range of asbestos-containing materials to build structures and ensure vessels were “fit to fight”. Service members didn’t realize that exposure to asbestos could cause cancers like mesothelioma 10-50 years later.

As a result, veterans stationed at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard during World War II and beyond could be at risk of mesothelioma today.

Quick Facts About Asbestos in Pearl Harbor Shipyard

Location: Honolulu, Hawaii
Ships serviced: Battleships, cruisers, destroyers, and more
Health risks: Mesothelioma, lung cancer, and other asbestos-related diseases
Time periods of asbestos use: 1930s to the early 1980s
Who is at risk: Navy veterans, shipyard workers, and loved ones

We can help veterans with mesothelioma and their loved ones after a diagnosis.

Get a Free Mesothelioma Kit to see all the resources available to you.

How Was Asbestos Used at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard?

Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard was built with asbestos-containing products, and prior to the early 1980s, virtually all Navy ships stationed there also used this material.

Asbestos-containing products were used in:

Boilers and engines: Naval vessels stationed at Pearl Harbor often had high concentrations of asbestos in the boiler and engine rooms to keep them working at high temperatures.
Concrete and floor tiles: Concrete mixtures and multiple aspects of flooring and roofing may have relied on asbestos.
Dry docks: These allow ship repairs to be done ashore. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) noted that the soil around Pearl Harbor’s Dry Dock 3 was polluted with asbestos.
Insulation materials: Asbestos was used in the insulation of pipes and electrical wiring, as well as in walls and ceilings.
Safety equipment and protective clothing: Due to its heat and fire resistance, asbestos provided protection in gloves, overalls, coats, and more.

Shipyard workers doing repairs at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard could have been exposed to asbestos on an everyday basis — increasing their odds of developing mesothelioma later in life.

Due to the extensive contamination of asbestos and other pollutants, the EPA designated Pearl Harbor Naval Complex as a Superfund site. The EPA notes there isn’t a significant threat to human health at this time, but cleanup efforts are still ongoing.

List of Ships at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard

Virtually any U.S. Navy ship built prior to the early 1980s used asbestos-containing materials due to government mandates. As a result, hundreds of ships that were serviced or stationed at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard could have put service members at risk of exposure.

Just a few ships that used asbestos at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard included:

Battleships: On December 7, 1941, the USS Arizona (BB-39), USS Oklahoma (BB-37), USS California (BB-44), and USS West Virginia (BB-48) were either sunk or fully destroyed by the Japanese. Others like the USS Nevada (BB-36), USS Tennessee (BB-43), USS Maryland (BB-46), and the USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) helped fight back and rescue survivors. All of these battleships and more contained asbestos.
Cruisers: The USS New Orleans (CA-32), USS San Francisco (CA-38), USS Raleigh (CL-7), and USS Honolulu (CL-48) were among the many cruisers present at Pearl Harbor that once used asbestos.
Destroyers: Notable destroyers stationed at Pearl Harbor included the USS Allen (DD-66), USS Dale (DD-353), USS Cummings (DD-365), and USS Henley (DD-391).
Other ships: Submarines like the USS Cachalot (SSN-170) and USS Tautog (SSN-199), minesweepers like the USS Bobolink (AM-20) and USS Vireo (AM-52), and a wide range of other vessels likely relied on asbestos-containing materials.

U.S. Navy veteran Frank Curre witnessed the devastation of Pearl Harbor firsthand while serving on the USS Tennessee. The attacks released asbestos fibers and other toxins from damaged ships, contributing to his mesothelioma diagnosis later in life.

“What happened on that day is tattooed on your soul. There's no way I can forget that. I wish to God I could.”

— Frank Curre, U.S. Navy veteran with mesothelioma

The vessels listed above make up only a small sample — if you served on a U.S. Naval ship stationed at Pearl Harbor before the early 1980s, you may have been exposed to asbestos.

Call (877) 450-8973 to explore benefits, treatments, and compensation that you may be eligible for if you have mesothelioma and served at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard.

Jobs at Risk of Asbestos Exposure at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard

Anyone who served as a shipyard worker at Pearl Harbor Navy Shipyard between the 1930s and early 1980s risked exposure to asbestos fibers, including civilians and veterans.

However, some were exposed to asbestos on a regular basis for long periods of time depending on the jobs they held at the Navy yard.

High-risk asbestos exposure jobs at Pearl Harbor included:

Boiler tenders: Worked with and around boilers that frequently used asbestos
Dry dock repairmen: Performed ship repairs and submarine maintenance and would be exposed to asbestos during construction, vessel modernization, and industrial operations
Electricians: Wires, insulation, panels, and other electrical components may have used asbestos
Engine room workers: Worked with asbestos-containing materials like insulation
Pipefitters: Encountered asbestos while working on pipes insulated or coated with asbestos
Welders: Exposed both through the work they performed and protective gear meant to keep them safe from high heat
Others: Commanding officers, project managers, and those supervising work with asbestos-containing materials could have all risked exposure.

Thousands of U.S. Navy veterans risked exposure to asbestos at Pearl Harbor Navy Shipyard. In fact, a cohort of nearly 6,900 men at risk of asbestos-related cancers following work at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard was established in the late 1970s.

Family members of Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard workers were also in danger due to secondhand asbestos exposure. This occurred when shipyard workers returned home with fibers stuck to their clothing, hair, and skin.

Benefits and Compensation for Pearl Harbor Shipyard Asbestos Victims

Former veterans and civilians who developed mesothelioma after serving at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard may be entitled to benefits and compensation to help cover their expenses.

Learn about the benefits that you may qualify for and see how our team can help you access them below.

VA Benefits for Mesothelioma

U.S. veterans with mesothelioma may be eligible to receive a wide range of benefits offered by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Key mesothelioma VA benefits include:

Disability compensation worth over $4,158.17 a month as of 2026
Free or low-cost cancer treatments available through the VA health care system
Other resources for surviving family members and loved ones

The VA considers mesothelioma to be a 100% disability, meaning veterans get the highest monthly payouts and have the lowest health care premiums.

We can help you or a loved one file for mesothelioma VA benefits or maximize them.

Pearl Harbor Mesothelioma Lawsuits

It’s possible for veterans and civilians to file mesothelioma lawsuits if they developed this cancer after serving at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard.

The average mesothelioma lawsuit awards $1 million or more. No legal action is taken against any military branch or the government. Rather, these lawsuits demand compensation from manufacturers of asbestos-containing products, which hid the health risks for decades.

Get a free case review to learn if we can help you or a veteran you love file a mesothelioma lawsuit to pursue compensation.

Pearl Harbor Shipyard Asbestos Trust Funds

Many asbestos companies filed for bankruptcy once the risks became public knowledge but were forced to set up trust funds if they wanted to stay in business. Asbestos trust funds contain over $30 billion today.

Our team may be able to file trust fund claims on your behalf in addition to VA benefits and lawsuits. It’s possible to get a payout from multiple trusts depending on which products you were exposed to.

Help for Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard Workers With Mesothelioma

U.S. veterans and civilians who worked at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard didn’t deserve to be put at risk of mesothelioma and other life-threatening cancers.

Yet since manufacturers of asbestos-containing products hid the health concerns, many former shipyard workers and service members continue to get sick every year.

The Mesothelioma Veterans Center stands ready to assist veterans, family members, and civilians harmed by asbestos.

Work with our team to:

File for or maximize your VA benefits
Find top treatments for mesothelioma
Pursue financial compensation to cover expens

Get a Free Mesothelioma Kit now or call (877) 450-8973 to find out if we may be able to help you or someone you love.

Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard & Asbestos Exposure FAQs

What do they do at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard?

Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard has helped to build, maintain, and repair vessels to support America’s interests in Hawaii and throughout the Indo-Pacific region.

However, between the 1930s and early 1980s, Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and the vast majority of surface ships and submarines stationed there used asbestos-containing components.

This meant that shipyard workers and Navy veterans were put at risk of mesothelioma and other cancers.

Many of those who worked at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard or served aboard ships are now developing mesothelioma decades after being exposed to asbestos.

How many people work at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard?

Thousands of Navy service members and civilians have worked at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard — and many of them were exposed to a cancer-causing substance called asbestos while working there.

Asbestos was used everywhere at Pearl Harbor, including the dry docks, buildings, and the ships themselves. Exposure put workers in danger of developing mesothelioma 10-50 years later.

Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard employs over 5,000 civilians and 500 active duty military personnel today. Those currently working there are not at a significant risk of asbestos exposure, but older veterans continue to be diagnosed with asbestos-related illnesses every year.

What are the benefits of working at the Pearl Harbor Navy shipyard?

U.S. veterans who served at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and later developed mesothelioma may be entitled to a wide range of VA benefits.

Notable mesothelioma VA benefits include payouts worth $4,158.17 a month, free or inexpensive health care, and resources for family members.

Call (877) 450-8973 now for help accessing VA benefits if you or a loved one is a veteran fighting mesothelioma.

What is the average settlement for asbestos exposure?

The average settlement for asbestos lawsuits is between $1 million and $1.4 million, though this can vary widely.

Settlement amounts depend on the type of asbestos-related disease, the severity of the illness, and how and where the asbestos exposure occurred.

A mesothelioma lawyer in our network may be able to help you file a lawsuit if you or a veteran you love served at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and later developed this cancer. The military and government aren’t sued, and you can still get VA benefits.