Puget Sound Naval Shipyard Asbestos Exposure

What to Know About Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Asbestos Exposure

Puget Sound Naval Shipyard is one of the oldest naval facilities in the country. This massive naval yard has serviced thousands of Navy ships since its founding in 1891.

However, from the 1930s to the early 1980s, all U.S. Navy ships were built with components that contained asbestos. This put Puget Sound shipyard workers at a high risk of asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma later in life.

Asbestos-containing materials like pipes, boilers, electrical systems, and insulation were used throughout the shipyard. In fact, more than 1 in 5 Puget Sound Naval Shipyard workers who served as pipe coverers and insulators had signs of asbestos-related lung abnormalities, according to a study by the U.S. Navy.

Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Asbestos Use Quick Facts

Also known as: Bremerton Naval Yard, Puget Sound Navy Yard
Ships serviced: Cruisers, destroyers, destroyer escorts, and more
Health risks: Mesothelioma, lung cancer, and other asbestos-related illnesses
Who is at risk: Navy veterans, shipyard workers, civilians, and family members

Help is available if you or someone you love worked at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and later developed mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease. You may qualify for military benefits, low-cost treatments, and financial compensation for any expenses.

Get a Free Veterans Packet now to learn more about the resources available to you and your family.

How Was Asbestos Used in Puget Sound Naval Shipyard

Asbestos use was widespread across the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard complex. The mineral's heat-resistant properties made it ideal for ship construction.

Common sources of Puget Sound Naval Shipyard asbestos exposure included:

Boiler and engine rooms: Lined with asbestos insulation to withstand extreme heat
Building materials: Roofing, wall panels, and fireproofing products in yard buildings
Dry dock areas: Exposed workers to dust during ship repairs and retrofits
Gaskets and seals: Used in valves, pumps, and other ship machinery
Pipe systems: Coverings and wraps contained asbestos fibers
Protective clothing: Gloves, aprons, and welding blankets made with asbestos

Building, repairing, or demolishing Navy ships with asbestos could send dust flying into the air. Shipyard workers and Navy veterans didn't know it at the time, but breathing in or swallowing this dust could put them at risk of mesothelioma and other illnesses 10 to 50 years later.

List of Ships Built or Repaired at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard

Puget Sound Naval Shipyard has built and serviced hundreds of vessels over its history that contained asbestos. This is because government mandates required the use of asbestos on all Navy ships built before the early 1980s.

Ships built or repaired at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard include:

Aircraft carriers: Many major aircraft carriers used during World War II and beyond were constructed at this shipyard, including the USS Essex (CVA-9), USS Kearsarge (CVA-33), USS Hancock (CVA-19), and Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVA-42).
Cruisers: The USS Reeves (DLG-24), USS Louisville (CA-28), and USS Astoria (CA-34) were among the many cruisers built at Puget Sound.
Destroyers: These included the USS Halford (DD-480), USS Leutze (DD-481), USS Howorth (DD-592), USS Killen (DD-593), and USS Hart (DD-594), among many more.
Destroyer escorts: The USS Greiner (DE-37), USS Wyman (DE-38), USS Lovering (DE-39), and USS Donaldson (DE-44) were just a few of many destroyer escorts constructed here.
Other ships: Many more vessels were built or serviced at Puget Sound, including seaplane tenders, submarine tenders, submarines, and amphibious assault ships.

Puget Sound’s employment rate peaked during World War II with over 32,500 shipyard workers, and tens of thousands were employed there through the early 1980s. Any of these workers could have risked exposure to asbestos during this time.

Call (877) 450-8973 to explore benefits, health care, and financial compensation options if you developed mesothelioma and worked at Puget Sound Navy Shipyard.

High-Risk Puget Sound Naval Shipyard Asbestos Exposure Jobs

There is no safe level of asbestos exposure, so anyone who came into contact with this substance at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard could be at risk of mesothelioma today. With that said, some shipyard workers were at a greater risk than others.

A 1970 report from the U.S. Navy found that 21% of pipe coverers and insulators at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard had pulmonary issues that were directly related to asbestos exposure.

Other high-risk asbestos occupations at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard included:

Boilermakers
Dry dock laborers
Electricians
Machinists
Maintenance crews
Painters
Pipefitters
Sheet metal workers
Ship repair technicians
Welders

The U.S. military took steps to renovate existing ships during the early 1980s once the risks of asbestos became fully understood. However, there was no way to reverse the health risks for the tens of thousands who had already suffered long-term exposure at Puget Sound and at shipyards across the country.

Mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases take 10-50 years to form, so those exposed decades ago could still be in danger of mesothelioma today.

Compensation for Puget Sound Naval Shipyard Asbestos Exposure

If you or someone you love developed mesothelioma after serving at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, it’s important to know about the benefits and compensation options available to you.

VA benefits and compensation from lawsuits and trust fund claims can help ease some of the financial burdens that come after a mesothelioma diagnosis.

VA Benefits for Mesothelioma

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers a wide range of benefits to veterans with mesothelioma. Affected veterans almost always receive a 100% disability rating, which means they’re entitled to the highest monthly payouts available.

Mesothelioma VA benefits include:

Disability compensation worth $4,158.17 a month as of 2026
Free or inexpensive mesothelioma treatment through VA health care
Additional resources for surviving family members

We can assist you or a veteran that you love in accessing your VA benefits, or maximizing them, after a mesothelioma diagnosis.

Puget Sound Naval Shipyard Asbestos Exposure Lawsuits

Veterans, civilians, and family members may qualify to file mesothelioma lawsuits and pursue compensation from manufacturers of asbestos-containing products.

The average mesothelioma lawsuit awards $1 million or more, with no legal action being taken against any military branches or the government.

Our legal partners have recovered millions in Washington mesothelioma payouts, such as:

$40 million for a U.S. Navy veteran
$1.53 million for a U.S. Navy boiler tender
$2.28 million for a U.S. Army veteran

Get a free case review now to find out if we can file a mesothelioma lawsuit on your behalf to seek the compensation you deserve.

Asbestos Trust Funds

You may be able to access compensation from asbestos trust funds. These trusts contain over $30 billion today, and asbestos victims can receive payouts without going to court.

Asbestos trust funds can be complicated if you go it alone. Our legal team can help determine which trusts you qualify for, file claims on your behalf, and seek additional compensation at the same time.

Help for Puget Sound Naval Shipyard Asbestos Exposure Victims

Puget Sound Naval Shipyard asbestos exposure put hundreds of thousands of veterans and shipyard workers in danger of mesothelioma. If you or someone you love has been diagnosed, it can feel overwhelming — but we’re here to make the journey easier.

The Mesothelioma Veterans Center has patient advocates, U.S. veterans, and VA-accredited attorneys on staff who stand ready to connect you with the resources you need.

Work with us to access:

Any and all mesothelioma VA benefits
Key treatments and doctors
Legal compensation

Get a Free Veterans Packet now or call (877) 450-8973 to explore your options and find out how we may be able to help you or someone you love.

Puget Sound Naval Shipyard Asbestos Exposure FAQs

Did the USS Puget Sound have asbestos?

Yes, the USS Puget Sound (AD-38) had asbestos-containing materials aboard. This vessel was a destroyer tender built at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in the mid-1960s, a time when the Navy required asbestos-containing materials to be used aboard all its ships.

As a result, shipyard workers who helped construct this vessel, as well as any Navy service members stationed aboard, could be at risk of mesothelioma today. This is particularly true if they worked with or around asbestos materials as part of their job duties, such as boilermaking.

What ships were built at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard?

Hundreds of ships were built at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. This included aircraft carriers like the USS Essex (CVA-9) and Midway (CVA- 41) to cruisers like the USS Reeves (DLG-24) and destroyers such as the USS Leutze (DD-481).

Other vessels, including submarines (SSN-590) like the USS Sculpin, underwent major refurbishments at Puget Sound.

However, any shipyard workers who helped build and repair vessels prior to the early 1980s risked exposure to a highly toxic material called asbestos. Asbestos can trigger cancers like mesothelioma 10 to 50 years or more after exposure.

Contact us today if you or someone you love was a shipyard worker at Puget Sound and has mesothelioma or another illness. We can help you explore your medical and financial options after a diagnosis.

How do you prove asbestos exposure?

Asbestos is the only known cause of mesothelioma, so if you have been diagnosed, you were exposed.

To prove you were exposed to asbestos at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, you may need employment or military service records, a doctor’s note confirming your mesothelioma diagnosis, and, in some cases, testimony from other employees.

Our partner mesothelioma lawyers can gather this information on your behalf to build a claim that proves why you deserve compensation for your mesothelioma diagnosis.

What was the toxic exposure on Navy ships?

Asbestos was a highly toxic substance that put service members stationed on Navy ships and shipyard workers at risk of serious illnesses like mesothelioma. All U.S. Navy ships relied on asbestos, including the thousands built at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, before the early 1980s.

As a result, Navy veterans and Puget Sound shipyard workers could have developed mesothelioma or other serious illnesses as a result.