U.S. Navy battleships have historically played a strategic role during wartime and were used in both offensive and defensive roles. Unfortunately, many U.S. Navy veterans who served on these heavily armed warships were unknowingly exposed to asbestos throughout their tour of duty. Tens of thousands of people may have been exposed to these harmful materials during their time aboard one of the dozens of battleships. For example, the USS Alabama alone held as many as 2,300 passengers at a time during war.
Several areas of these battleships, such as the engine and boiler rooms, were constructed with asbestos to make them fireproof. Repair or maintenance work in these areas often resulted in the creation of airborne asbestos dust. Anyone breathing in concentrated amounts of asbestos over a prolonged period of time, like Navy veterans who served on U.S. battleships, is at risk of developing mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases even decades after exposure.
