Asbestos
Asbestos Industry Companies Job Sites All Job Sites Aluminum Plants Chemical Plants Oil Refineries Power Plants Shipyards Steel Mills Products Occupations Unions Asbestos Diseases Asbestos Legislation Asbestos Removal Asbestos Contractors
Mesothelioma Mesothelioma Treatment News About ELSS Exposed at

The Bronx
Workers and residents in the Bronx may have been exposed to asbestos at construction sites, in factories, and in the New York mass transit system.

Brooklyn Navy Shipyard
Shipyard workers assigned to ships during construction and overhauls at Brooklyn Navy Yard were exposed to asbestos.

In and Around New York City

Enter your information to receive a comprehensive mesothelioma packet free of charge at your doorstep within 24 hours.

First Name:

Last Name:

Address:

City:

ST:

Zip:

Home Phone:

Work Phone:

Cell Phone:

Email Address:

Have you or someone you know been diagnosed with mesothelioma?

Yes   No

Asbestos | Asbestos Industry

Job Sites > Shipyards

The Mare Island Naval Shipyard

Originally known as Naval Magazine, NSY Mare Island, the shipyard was established by the Navy in 1854. Mare Island is approximately 60 miles from Sacramento and about 30 miles Northeast of San Francisco. With 996 buildings and 10.5 million square feet of space, this enormous shipyard featured 3 finger piers, 2 athletic fields, 3 swimming pools, 9 tennis courts, riding stables, 20 ship berths, 4 dry docks, 2 shipbuilding ways, medical clinic, 3 fire stations, and 416 housing units. These facilities sprawled over the bustling 4,351-acre shipyard grounds. The main purpose of the shipyard was to refuel, maintain, and overhaul ships, provide logistical support for ships and service craft, and provide support to other naval operations.

In September of 1854, construction of the navy yard facilities on Mare Island began under the direction of Comdr. David G. Farragut. Over the course of 140 plus years, the Mare Island Naval Shipyard built 512 ships and repaired many more. The paddle-wheeled gunboat Saginaw was Mare Island's first ship and launched in 1859. The island's last ship was the nuclear submarine U.S.S. Drum and launched in 1970 at the time of the Vietnam War.

The Mare Island Naval Shipyard's history is very rich indeed and includes the service and maintenance of warships that fought in all the major wars beginning with the Civil War. During WWII, Mare Island kept up its pace building 17 submarines, 4 subtenders, 31 destroyer escorts, 33 small craft, and over 300 landing craft. In the 1960s the USS Sargo became the first of many nuclear Submarines that would be built at the shipyard. The U.S.S. Drum, launched in 1970, and proved to be the last ship that was built at Mare Island.

After over 140 years of operations, Mare Island's operational closure was completed in 1996. Countless hazardous waste materials had been left behind by the shipyard's repair and construction activities including contaminants from asbestos to polychlorinated biphenyl contaminated fluids.

Sources:
  • Coletta, Paulo. Ed. United states Navy and Marine Corps Bases, Domestic. London: Greenwood Press, 1985. pp. 592-594.
  • Mare Island Naval Shipyard
If you were exposed to asbestos at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, please contact us.