Asbestos on Battleships

Q: Was asbestos used on ships?

Yes. Almost every U.S. Navy ship in service between the 1930s and early 1980s, including 36 battleships, had asbestos aboard. Notable battleships that used asbestos included: USS Iowa USS Maryland USS Massachusetts USS Pennsylvania Anyone exposed to asbestos on battleships could develop mesothelioma or other dangerous diseases 10-50 years later.

Q: How did the U.S. Navy use asbestos on battleships?

Asbestos was used in almost every U.S. battleship due to government mandates to keep them well-insulated. Asbestos insulation, piping, gaskets, and valves were found throughout battleships. Call (877) 450-8973 if you developed mesothelioma after serving on a battleship. We can help you access VA benefits and other top resources.

Asbestos on Battleships Explained

Battleships were once an important part of the U.S. Navy's fleet up through World War II, helping in many major battles.

Thousands of Navy personnel served aboard battleships in the mid-20th century — and much of these ships were built with asbestos. Asbestos was a highly durable material, but it's known as a cancer-causing substance today.

Those who served aboard U.S. battleships that used asbestos could develop:

Mesothelioma
Asbestosis
Lung cancer
Other asbestos-related diseases

Fortunately, veterans who developed mesothelioma can pursue benefits from the VA and compensation from makers of asbestos-based products. Get a Free Veterans Packet to see if you qualify.

List of Battleships With Asbestos

At least 36 U.S. battleships and hundreds of other Navy ships are known to have used asbestos.

Battleships built with asbestos included:

USS Alabama (BB-60)
USS Arizona (BB-39)
USS Arkansas (BB-33)
USS California (BB-44)
USS Colorado (BB-45)
USS Indiana (BB-58)
USS Iowa (BB-61)
USS Maryland (BB-46)
USS Massachusetts (BB-59)
USS Missouri (BB-63)
USS Nevada (BB-36)
USS New Hampshire (BB-70)
USS New Jersey (BB-62)
USS North Carolina (BB-55)
USS Pennsylvania (BB-38)
USS South Dakota (BB-57)
USS Washington (BB-56)
USS Wisconsin (BB-64)

Have You Served Aboard Any of These Battleships?File a VA Claim Now

According to reports by the U.S. Navy, the four Iowa-class ships — the USS Iowa, New Jersey, Missouri, and Wisconsin — had nearly 500 tons of heat insulation per ship, which likely contained asbestos.

Asbestos Exposure Risks on Battleships

Anyone who lived, worked, or served on battleships was in danger of asbestos exposure. Due to government mandates, nearly every U.S. Navy vessel relied on asbestos for decades, including battleships.

Areas of the ship that commonly used asbestos included the boiler rooms and engine rooms. Asbestos covered the boilers and the equipment used in the engine rooms.

Any time these parts were overhauled or built, asbestos was released and became airborne, where it could have been inhaled or ingested.

Asbestos-Containing Products on Battleships

One of the most notable asbestos-containing products used aboard battleships was insulation.

Insulation helped fireproof ships, but it could break down in damp conditions, sending asbestos fibers into the air.

Other asbestos products on battleships included:

Adhesives
Boilers
Gaskets
Paint
Pipes
Valves

After 10-50 years, Navy veterans exposed to asbestos on battleships could develop asbestosis, lung cancer, or mesothelioma.

Did you or a loved one get sick after using asbestos-based products on a ship? Get a Free Veterans Packet to see if you qualify for VA benefits.

Shipyards & Asbestos Exposure

It was not only the sailors themselves who were exposed to asbestos — people who worked on battleships and other vessels in Naval shipyards were also exposed to asbestos when replacing damaged areas of insulation or putting in new insulation.

It's believed that 4.5 million people were exposed to asbestos in shipyards during World War II — a time period when battleships were widely used by the U.S. Navy.

Get a Free Veterans Packet now if you have mesothelioma after serving on a U.S. Navy battleship or working in a shipyard. You may qualify for military benefits, help finding treatments, and compensation.

History of Asbestos on Battleships

Battleships were built to last. Because they were made from steel armor plating and used asbestos for insulation and fireproofing, they could withstand enemy attacks.

However, Navy personnel aboard battleships had no idea that asbestos products were dangerous. Manufacturers of these products hid the risks for decades from service members and the general public — making billions of dollars in the process.

Did you know?

The U.S. Navy actually mandated the use of asbestos on battleships and other Navy vessels due to the perceived benefits — and because the risks weren't fully understood by anyone except greedy companies.

Battleships relied on asbestos-containing products through World War II and beyond. It wasn't until the early 1980s that major renovation efforts began to remove asbestos from battleships and other Navy vessels.

By that time, far too many Navy service members had already been exposed to asbestos, putting them at risk of developing mesothelioma 10-50 years later.

Compensation & Resources for Veterans Harmed by Asbestos on Battleships

There are many resources for veterans who developed mesothelioma from being exposed to asbestos on battleships. Learn about top mesothelioma compensation options and other helpful resources below.

Mesothelioma VA Benefits

Veterans with mesothelioma can pursue a wide range of VA benefits following a diagnosis.

Top mesothelioma VA benefits include:

Disability compensation worth $4,158.17 a month
Free or low-cost medical care from top cancer doctors
Survivor benefits for loved ones

The VA typically provides the highest monthly payouts and lowest health care premiums to mesothelioma veterans since this cancer is considered a total disability.

Get help filing for or increasing your VA benefits to 100% by working with our team.

Mesothelioma Lawsuits

Veterans with mesothelioma can file asbestos lawsuits to pursue compensation from private manufacturers with no action taken against the military or government.

The average mesothelioma lawsuit awards $1 million, with payouts varying by case.

The Mesothelioma Veterans Center’s legal partners have secured millions of dollars for U.S. Navy veterans who served on battleships and later developed mesothelioma.

Recent asbestos battleship settlements we’ve secured include:

$1.59 million to an Iowa veteran who was a gunner’s mate on the USS Alabama
$1.57 million to a Florida veteran who was a naval operator on the USS Wyoming
$1.55 million to an Illinois veteran who served as a quartermaster on the USS Mt. Olympus and USS Wyoming
$1.23 million for a Wisconsin Navy veteran who worked on the USS New Jersey and other vessels in shipyards
$1.1 million to an Ohio machinist mate who worked on the USS Wisconsin

Call (877) 450-8973 to learn if you may qualify to file an asbestos lawsuit and secure compensation.

Asbestos Trust Funds

It might be possible to get compensation by filing claims with asbestos trust funds. These trusts were set up by manufacturers of asbestos-containing products that filed for bankruptcy protection to avoid lawsuits.

There are dozens of asbestos trust funds active today with over $30 billion available in total.

You or a U.S. veteran with mesothelioma who you love may qualify to file claims with several trusts, depending on which products you were exposed to.

Help for Veterans With Mesothelioma After Serving on Battleships

Anyone who served on U.S. battleships or other Navy vessels could have been exposed to asbestos fibers, even those who did not directly handle the products.

As a result of this exposure, roughly 1,000 veterans develop mesothelioma each year, with many more suffering from other asbestos-related illnesses.

The Mesothelioma Veterans Center stands ready to help eligible veterans and loved ones receive the benefits, treatments, and compensation they deserve after a diagnosis.

If you developed mesothelioma after serving on a battleship, get a Free Veterans Packet today to see all the ways we can assist you.

Asbestos on Battleships FAQs

Was asbestos used on ships?

Yes. Almost every U.S. Navy ship in service between the 1930s and early 1980s, including 36 battleships, had asbestos aboard.

Notable battleships that used asbestos included:

USS Iowa
USS Maryland
USS Massachusetts
USS Pennsylvania

Anyone exposed to asbestos on battleships could develop mesothelioma or other dangerous diseases 10-50 years later.

How did the U.S. Navy use asbestos on battleships?

Asbestos was used in almost every U.S. battleship due to government mandates to keep them well-insulated.

Asbestos insulation, piping, gaskets, and valves were found throughout battleships.

Call (877) 450-8973 if you developed mesothelioma after serving on a battleship. We can help you access VA benefits and other top resources.

Why did the U.S. Navy use asbestos on battleships if it was dangerous?

The risks of asbestos exposure weren't known by most people who served in the U.S. Navy until millions had already been exposed.

The manufacturers of asbestos-containing products concealed the dangers from service members and the general public. These manufacturers knew asbestos was harmful but never said a word.

Instead, they focused on the benefits of asbestos, allowing millions of Navy personnel and shipyard workers to be put in danger.

When did the Navy stop using asbestos on ships?

The Navy stopped using asbestos to build new ships in the early 1980s and renovated most of its existing fleet to keep sailors safe.

Only a handful of U.S. battleships were still in service by the time these renovations began.

Still, millions of Navy personnel had already been exposed to asbestos on battleships and other Navy vessels by this point.

Get a Free Veterans Packet to learn about medical, financial, and military benefits available if you are a Navy veteran with mesothelioma.

Is asbestos still used on ships?

No, the vast majority of military ships don't use asbestos today, including battleships.

With that said, if you served on a battleship prior to the early 1980s, you could've been exposed to asbestos.

You also could still be at risk of mesothelioma today since this cancer forms 10-50 years or more after asbestos exposure.

When did they stop using asbestos in Navy ships?

The U.S. Navy largely stopped using battleships after World War II because they weren't cost-effective, according to the National Interest.

Aircraft carriers were much more favored over battleships since they had more attack power.

Unfortunately, both battleships and aircraft carriers often contained asbestos, meaning anyone aboard these vessels could be in danger of mesothelioma today.