Asbestos started becoming widely used in the mid-1800s during the industrial revolution. Its use multiplied even further during World War II for an increasing number of different purposes, including a variety of commercial products, such as textiles, insulation, flooring, shingles and cement.

A particular heavy user of asbestos was, in fact, the US government — specifically the US military. United States military institutions heavily incorporated the use of asbestos products, especially the US Navy, which had used them aboard nearly all of their battleships. During World War II, the US Navy built warships by the hundreds in an effort to serve the needs of the war.

Asbestos Use by the Navy

Asbestos, a naturally occurring mineral, had many important properties and characteristics that made it an effective choice by the US Navy. Not only was asbestos extremely fireproof, it also was highly resilient to extreme temperatures. To top it all off, asbestos was also extremely cheap and economical, thus further encouraging is usage.

As a result, the US Navy used asbestos extensively in boiler rooms and engine rooms that were deep below deck, areas that typically lacked proper ventilation. Also, because these boiler room and engine rooms were relatively small and confined spaces, the Navy officers and sailors that spent hours upon hours in those rooms were constantly exposed to asbestos and breathing in the dust and debris. Even areas outside of the engineering spaces, such as navigation rooms, eating areas and sleeping areas also frequently contained asbestos.

Navy Mesothelioma Sufferers

People who have served in the US Navy or naval personnel who worked in ship yards and ship boiler rooms, as a result of the high level of usage of asbestos in those environments, now have a higher frequency of developing asbestos-related diseases such as mesothelioma.

Navy Mesothelioma Research

Mount Sinai School of Medicine, in a study it conducted, found that 86% of of ship yard workers with a long history of experience developed asbestos-related lung diseases. Additionally, it is a tragic fact that more than 30% of mesothelioma cancer victims in the United States had had their exposure to asbestos while serving in the military, particularly in the Navy.