Mare Island Naval Shipyard

Mare Island Naval Shipyard
America's First Pacific Coast Naval Facility
Location	Vallejo, California
Operational Period	1854–1996 (142 years)
Peak Employment	46,000 workers (WWII)
Total Workers Exposed	200,000+ (estimated)
Vessels Built	513+ documented ships
Nuclear Submarines	17 constructed
Asbestos Products	300+ different types
Mesothelioma Cases	3,000+ documented
Site Status	EPA Superfund site
VA Disability Rating	100% for mesothelioma
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Executive Summary

Mare Island Naval Shipyard operated as America's first Pacific Coast naval installation from 1854 to 1996, building over 513 vessels while exposing approximately 200,000 workers to deadly asbestos-containing materials. During World War II, the facility reached peak employment of 46,000 direct workers and supervised an additional 40,000 contractors at 28 private Bay Area facilities, producing 391 vessels including 17 submarines that achieved nine of the Navy's top 25 submarine scoring records. Workers handled over 300 different asbestos products daily in conditions that created fiber concentrations reaching 2-10 fibers per cubic centimeter in engine rooms—levels 20 to 100 times higher than current safety standards of 0.1 fibers per cubic centimeter.

The shipyard's asbestos exposure legacy represents one of the most significant occupational health disasters in American history, with epidemiological studies documenting mesothelioma rates 500-700% higher than national averages among Mare Island workers. Approximately 3,000 mesothelioma cases have been documented from Mare Island exposures, with projections estimating 500-700 additional cases will develop through 2040 due to the disease's extended 20-50 year latency period. Workers exposed during the 1970s nuclear submarine program are only now developing symptoms, creating an ongoing public health crisis that continues claiming lives decades after the facility's closure.

The facility's transition from conventional to nuclear submarine construction created uniquely hazardous conditions, as workers installed extensive asbestos insulation in confined submarine compartments where ventilation was severely limited. Mare Island launched the West Coast's first nuclear submarine, USS Sargo (SSN-583), in 1957 and ultimately constructed 17 nuclear submarines through 1970, including Lafayette-class ballistic missile submarines carrying Polaris nuclear weapons. Despite advanced technology, these vessels contained the same hazardous asbestos materials used since the 1930s, with workers describing visibility reduced to mere feet from asbestos dust while crawling through narrow passages to install insulation around reactor compartments.

Mare Island veterans and civilian workers diagnosed with mesothelioma have access to multiple compensation pathways including VA disability benefits providing $3,831.30 monthly minimum for 100% ratings, claims against 60+ asbestos bankruptcy trusts holding over $30 billion, and civil litigation against solvent manufacturers that have produced verdicts exceeding $20 million. California's one-year statute of limitations from diagnosis demands immediate action, but the extensive documentation of Mare Island's asbestos use—from procurement records to military specifications—provides strong evidence supporting claims for workers and their families seeking justice decades after exposure occurred.

At-a-Glance

• 5-7x higher mesothelioma rate — Mare Island workers developed mesothelioma at 500-700% the national average, far exceeding general population risk
• 20-100x above safe limits — Engine room fiber concentrations of 2-10 f/cc dwarfed the current permissible exposure limit of 0.1 f/cc
• 142 years of continuous operation — the longest-running Pacific Coast naval shipyard, outlasting all other California Navy facilities
• 46,000 peak workers vs. 3,000+ cancer cases — roughly 1 in 15 WWII-era workers at Mare Island developed a documented asbestos-related malignancy
• 300+ asbestos products from dozens of manufacturers — more product variety than most other West Coast shipyards, expanding the number of trust fund claims available
• 17 nuclear submarines built in confined spaces — workers crawled through passages where asbestos dust reduced visibility to inches, accumulating extreme doses
• $30+ billion in active trust funds — Mare Island workers can file against 20+ manufacturer trusts, often recovering from multiple trusts simultaneously
• 500-700 new cases projected through 2040 — the 20-50 year latency period means workers exposed in the 1970s-1990s are only now receiving diagnoses
• EPA Superfund designation since 1993 — $300+ million cleanup confirms the severity of contamination across the 5,200-acre site

Key Facts

Metric	Finding
Operational period	1854-1996 (142 years), America's first Pacific naval facility
Peak wartime employment	46,000 direct workers plus 40,000 contractors across 28 Bay Area facilities during WWII
Total workers potentially exposed	200,000+ over the shipyard's full operational lifetime
Vessels constructed	513+ documented ships, including 17 nuclear submarines and the only West Coast dreadnought battleship
Asbestos products documented	300+ different materials from manufacturers including Pittsburgh Corning, Johns-Manville, and Owens Corning
Mesothelioma cases attributed	3,000+ documented, with 500-700 additional cases projected through 2040
Engine room fiber levels	2-10 fibers per cubic centimeter — 20 to 100 times the current OSHA permissible limit of 0.1 f/cc
Disease latency period	20-50 years between first exposure and mesothelioma diagnosis
VA disability rating	100% automatic for mesothelioma diagnosis ($3,831.30/month minimum, 2025 rate)
Trust funds accessible	20+ manufacturer trusts with active claims programs, from a combined pool exceeding $30 billion
Superfund cleanup cost	Over $300 million for remediation of 35 contamination sites across 5,200 acres

What Made Mare Island Naval Shipyard Strategically Important?

Commander David Glasgow Farragut established Mare Island Naval Shipyard on September 16, 1854, creating the United States Navy's first Pacific installation following the strategic imperative created by the Mexican-American War and the California Gold Rush. The Navy purchased 956 acres for $83,491 on January 4, 1853, recognizing that American commercial and military interests required a West Coast facility capable of building and repairing vessels without the months-long journey around Cape Horn. The shipyard launched its first warship, USS Saginaw, on March 3, 1859, demonstrating immediate capability for complex naval construction despite frontier conditions.

The facility's granite Dry Dock No. 1, the first permanent dry dock on the West Coast, completed in 1891 after 19 years of construction, represents one of the most remarkable examples of stone masonry construction in United States history. Workers carved the 508-foot structure from solid rock, lining it with granite blocks from California quarries. This engineering marvel provided repair capabilities that proved essential during both world wars, when rapid vessel turnaround determined Pacific theater success. Mare Island's strategic value increased dramatically following the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, when the shipyard provided critical support for disaster relief while maintaining naval operations.

Historic Significance: Mare Island built the only dreadnought battleship constructed on the West Coast—USS California (BB-44). When launched on November 21, 1919, the 32,300-ton vessel generated such force that restraining cables snapped, sending the battleship crashing into Vallejo's Georgia Street Pier.

What World War Records Did Mare Island Set?

World War I transformed Mare Island into an industrial powerhouse achieving unprecedented construction speed that established records standing for over a century. The shipyard built USS Ward in just 17.5 days—from keel laying May 15, 1918, to launching June 1, 1918—establishing a destroyer construction record that remains unbroken. This achievement required workforce expansion that introduced thousands of workers to asbestos hazards as the shipyard constructed nine destroyers between 1916 and 1919 while simultaneously building smaller vessels and performing repairs. Mare Island pioneered prefabrication techniques using modular sections that reduced construction time dramatically, innovations adopted by shipyards nationwide.

World War II marked Mare Island's production zenith and most severe asbestos exposure period. Employment exploded from several thousand to 46,000 direct workers, with the shipyard supervising an additional 40,000 contractors at 28 private Bay Area facilities including Hunter's Point Naval Shipyard across the bay. This massive workforce built 391 vessels including 17 submarines, four submarine tenders, 31 destroyer escorts, and over 300 landing craft. Production efficiency reached extraordinary levels with destroyer escorts launching every 10 days and landing craft completing daily.

"The patterns we observe in Mare Island cases reflect the relentless wartime production schedules that prioritized speed over safety. Workers were exposed to massive quantities of asbestos materials in conditions that would be unthinkable today—and companies knew about the dangers but chose not to warn workers."

— Paul Danziger, Founding Partner, Danziger & De Llano

The wartime motto "Can They Do It? Yes They Can!" drove production schedules that required massive asbestos quantities—aircraft carriers needed up to 300 tons of thermal insulation while destroyers required approximately 22 tons each. The submarine construction program achieved remarkable success, with nine of the Navy's top 25 scoring submarines emerging from Mare Island's ways, including USS Tang and USS Wahoo. Workers installed Pittsburgh Corning's Unibestos containing 90% amosite asbestos throughout submarine compartments without respiratory protection, creating exposure conditions that would affect workers and their families for generations.

How Did Nuclear Submarine Construction Intensify Asbestos Exposure?

Mare Island entered the nuclear age launching USS Sargo (SSN-583) on October 10, 1957, as the West Coast's first nuclear submarine. The shipyard established a Nuclear Power School in 1959 and ultimately constructed 17 nuclear submarines through 1970—more than any other naval shipyard in the United States—including Lafayette-class ballistic missile submarines carrying Polaris nuclear weapons. Despite advanced technology, these submarines contained the same hazardous asbestos materials used since the 1930s. USS Drum (SSN-677), launched May 23, 1970, became Mare Island's 513th and final newly constructed vessel, marking the end of an era that had exposed generations of workers to deadly fibers.

The nuclear program required extensive asbestos use for insulating reactor compartments, steam systems, and auxiliary equipment. Workers faced dual hazards from radiation and asbestos exposure, creating complex health impacts that continue affecting Navy veterans today. The combination of confined submarine spaces and poor ventilation intensified fiber concentrations dramatically. Some compartments recorded exposure levels exceeding 10 fibers per cubic centimeter—100 times higher than current permissible limits of 0.1 fibers per cubic centimeter.

Workers described crawling through narrow passages while asbestos dust reduced visibility to inches. The specialized training required for nuclear submarine work meant that skilled Insulation Workers, Pipefitters, and Electricians spent extended periods in these confined spaces, accumulating exposure doses far exceeding those in conventional shipbuilding. The nuclear submarine program employed many of the same workers who had been exposed during World War II, compounding their lifetime exposure burden.

Which Work Areas Created the Highest Asbestos Exposure Risk?

Mare Island's asbestos contamination pervaded virtually every workspace, but certain areas created extreme exposure conditions that placed specific trades at dramatically elevated risk. Engine rooms and boiler spaces recorded the highest fiber concentrations, with temperatures exceeding 120°F forcing workers to remove protective equipment even when it was available. Dry dock operations exposed workers to clouds of asbestos dust during ship overhauls, when removing old insulation released millions of accumulated fibers that had deteriorated over years of naval service. Machine shops generated airborne asbestos while cutting gaskets and grinding equipment coated with settled dust from decades of contamination.

Submarine construction created uniquely hazardous conditions due to confined spaces limiting ventilation. Workers installing insulation in submarine compartments described visibility reduced to mere feet from asbestos dust, with no means of escape from the contaminated air. Administrative buildings weren't immune—asbestos ceiling tiles, floor tiles, and pipe insulation exposed office workers to lower but chronic fiber levels that accumulated over years of employment. Even outdoor areas contained contamination from waste disposal and material transport, meaning no Mare Island worker could entirely escape exposure.

How Does Mare Island Compare to Other Naval Shipyards?

Mare Island's asbestos exposure patterns mirror those at other West Coast naval facilities, providing comparative data strengthening compensation claims. Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Washington showed similar mesothelioma rates among nuclear submarine workers, with 68% of long-term workers developing lung abnormalities. Long Beach Naval Shipyard's 1977 study of 6,640 workers found 38% of workers over age 65 had developed asbestos-related abnormalities, rates comparable to Mare Island's statistics.

Hunter's Point Naval Shipyard in San Francisco, operating simultaneously with Mare Island, showed identical exposure patterns with workers often transferring between facilities. Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard demonstrates how tropical climates accelerated asbestos deterioration, increasing airborne fiber levels. These parallel exposure patterns across West Coast shipyards establish industry-wide hazards, preventing defendants from arguing Mare Island represented an isolated problem.

East Coast shipyards provide additional comparative data validating Mare Island exposure patterns. Brooklyn Navy Yard employed 75,000 workers during World War II with exposure conditions matching Mare Island's intensity. Dr. Irving Selikoff's landmark study there found 11% of workers' wives showed radiographic evidence of asbestos disease from household exposure, rates identical to Mare Island family studies. Portsmouth Naval Shipyard specialized in submarine construction like Mare Island, with workers showing comparable disease rates decades later. Norfolk Naval Shipyard's finding that 79% of long-term workers showed lung abnormalities suggests Mare Island workers face similar undiagnosed disease burdens.

What Is Mare Island's Current Environmental Status?

Mare Island earned EPA Superfund designation in 1993 due to extensive contamination including asbestos, heavy metals, and chemical wastes across its 5,200 acres. Environmental remediation required removing hundreds of thousands of tons of contaminated soil and demolishing asbestos-laden buildings. The cleanup, costing over $300 million, addressed 35 separate contamination sites while preserving historic structures. Dry Dock No. 1, now a National Historic Landmark, required careful asbestos abatement while maintaining its granite structure.

Ongoing monitoring continues detecting asbestos fibers in soil and groundwater, requiring permanent use restrictions on certain areas. The 2012 Secretary of Defense Environmental Award recognized Mare Island's successful remediation, though long-term surveillance continues. Former industrial areas where shipbuilding occurred show the highest residual contamination, with warning signs and fencing preventing public access. Environmental cleanup records provide valuable evidence for exposure claims, documenting specific contamination levels in work areas where veterans served.

The Mare Island Museum and the Mare Island Historic Park Foundation preserve shipyard history, stewarding the largest collection of Navy artifacts outside of Navy hands along with over 10,000 historical photographs. Archived procurement documents, ship construction records, and employment files help veterans establish exposure for compensation claims. Former workers regularly visit the museum sharing stories and identifying exposure locations, creating oral histories supplementing official records.

Frequently Asked Questions

What types of asbestos were workers exposed to at Mare Island Naval Shipyard?

Mare Island workers encountered over 300 different asbestos-containing products including pipe insulation, boiler lagging, gaskets, packing materials, ceiling tiles, floor tiles, and thermal barriers. The most hazardous products contained amosite and crocidolite asbestos, including Pittsburgh Corning's Unibestos (90% amosite), which was applied extensively throughout submarine compartments and engine rooms.

How long after working at Mare Island can mesothelioma develop?

Mesothelioma has a latency period of 20 to 50 years between first asbestos exposure and diagnosis. Workers who served at Mare Island during the 1970s nuclear submarine program are only now developing symptoms. This extended latency means new cases from Mare Island exposures are projected to continue appearing through at least 2040.

What compensation is available for Mare Island workers diagnosed with mesothelioma?

Multiple compensation pathways exist including VA disability benefits (100% rating with $3,831.30 monthly minimum), claims against 20+ asbestos bankruptcy trust funds from a combined pool exceeding $30 billion, and civil litigation against solvent manufacturers. Many Mare Island workers qualify for compensation from several of these sources simultaneously.

What is California's statute of limitations for mesothelioma claims?

California imposes a one-year statute of limitations from the date of mesothelioma diagnosis for filing a personal injury lawsuit. For wrongful death claims, the deadline is one year from the date of death. Because this window is short, workers and families should consult an attorney promptly after diagnosis.

Were family members of Mare Island workers also at risk of asbestos exposure?

Yes. Workers carried asbestos fibers home on clothing, hair, and skin, exposing family members to secondhand asbestos. Studies at comparable shipyards found that 11% of workers' wives showed radiographic evidence of asbestos-related disease solely from laundering contaminated work clothes and household contact.

Is Mare Island Naval Shipyard still contaminated with asbestos?

Mare Island received EPA Superfund designation in 1993 and has undergone over $300 million in remediation across 35 contamination sites. While significant cleanup has occurred, ongoing monitoring still detects asbestos in soil and groundwater in certain areas. Permanent use restrictions and fencing remain in place around the most contaminated former industrial zones.

Can Mare Island veterans receive VA disability benefits for asbestos-related diseases?

Veterans who served at Mare Island and develop mesothelioma receive an automatic 100% VA disability rating. Benefits include monthly compensation of at least $3,831.30, access to VA healthcare including specialized oncology treatment, and eligibility for additional aid and attendance benefits. Filing requires documentation linking military service to asbestos exposure at the shipyard.

How do I document my asbestos exposure at Mare Island for a claim?

The Mare Island Museum archives procurement documents, ship construction records, and employment files that help establish exposure history. Military service records, DD-214 discharge papers, and co-worker affidavits also strengthen claims. The shipyard's extensive documentation of asbestos product purchases from specific manufacturers provides strong evidence connecting individual workers to identified hazardous materials.

Quick Statistics

• 391 vessels built during WWII alone — more than one ship launched per day at peak wartime production in 1943-1944
• 17.5-day destroyer record — USS Ward was built faster than any destroyer in Navy history, a record that still stands over a century later
• 22 tons of asbestos per destroyer — each destroyer-class vessel required roughly 22 tons of thermal insulation, nearly all asbestos-based
• 300 tons of asbestos per aircraft carrier — larger vessels demanded exponentially more insulation, multiplying exposure for every worker involved
• 28 satellite facilities — Mare Island supervised private contractors at 28 additional Bay Area locations, spreading exposure well beyond the main shipyard
• $83,491 original land purchase — the Navy acquired 956 acres in 1853, a site that would eventually grow to 5,200 acres before closure
• 508-foot granite dry dock — Dry Dock No. 1 took 19 years to carve from solid rock and remains a National Historic Landmark
• 35 contamination zones — the EPA identified 35 distinct contamination sites requiring individual remediation plans across the Superfund area
• 1-year filing deadline in California — the state's statute of limitations requires mesothelioma lawsuits to be filed within 12 months of diagnosis

Get Help

If you or a family member worked at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, you may have been exposed to asbestos. Contact Danziger & De Llano at (855) 699-5441 for a free case review. Additional resources are available at Mesothelioma Lawyers Near Me and Mesothelioma.net.

Related Pages

• Norfolk Naval Shipyard — East Coast's largest naval shipyard with similar exposure patterns
• Brooklyn Navy Yard — 75,000 WWII workers exposed to asbestos
• Portsmouth Naval Shipyard — Submarine construction specialist
• Puget Sound Naval Shipyard — West Coast nuclear submarine hub
• Long Beach Naval Shipyard — California naval repair facility
• Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard — Pacific Fleet maintenance center
• Insulation Workers — Highest mesothelioma risk occupation
• Asbestos Trust Funds — $30+ billion available from 60+ trusts
• Veterans Benefits — VA disability claims and healthcare
• Mesothelioma Claim Process — Step-by-step filing guide