If you are a veteran who served in Hawaii, or who was stationed at a Hawaii base or shipyard, you may have been exposed to asbestos during your service. Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, established in 1908 and still active, used asbestos-containing pipe insulation, boiler lagging, gaskets, and fireproofing extensively during ship and submarine repair from the 1940s through the 1970s. Oahu’s many long-operating Army and Air Force posts also date to the asbestos era. Veterans who served in Hawaii, and family members who lived on Hawaii installations, can still be affected by that exposure today.
Asbestos-related diseases such as mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis often take 10 to 50 years to appear. A veteran who served in Hawaii decades ago may receive a diagnosis only now. This page explains where Hawaii veterans were exposed and the compensation options available. There is no cost to speak with us about your service history.
Hawaii military installations with asbestos
Hawaii’s military footprint is dominated by the Navy at Pearl Harbor, the Pacific Fleet’s primary base and repair hub, with significant Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps presence on Oahu. The installations below appear in public records as having used asbestos-containing materials during the asbestos era. A dedicated page for each, with its history and the trust funds most relevant to it, is published as the directory expands.
| Installation | Branch | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam | Joint | Active | Naval Station Pearl Harbor merged with Hickam AFB in 2010; home of the Pacific Fleet. |
| Schofield Barracks | Army | Active | Established 1908 on Oahu; home of the 25th Infantry Division. |
| Wheeler Army Airfield | Army | Active | Established 1922 near Schofield Barracks. |
| Fort Shafter | Army | Active | Opened 1907; headquarters of U.S. Army Pacific. |
| Marine Corps Base Hawaii (Kaneohe Bay) | Marines | Active | Began as Naval Air Station Kaneohe Bay, commissioned 1941. |
| Naval Air Station Barbers Point | Navy | Closed | Commissioned 1942; closed 1999 under BRAC. |
Hawaii naval shipyards
Shipyards carried some of the heaviest asbestos exposure of any setting. Hawaii shipyards documented as using asbestos materials include:
| Shipyard | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard | Active | Established 1908; the largest ship-repair facility between the West Coast and the Far East; heavy asbestos use 1940s-1970s. |
Inclusion reflects documented use of asbestos materials at an installation. It does not establish that any individual was exposed. Exposure depends on a veteran’s job, location, and years of service.
Where Hawaii veterans were exposed
Hawaii veterans encountered asbestos in many of the same places as veterans elsewhere. Common exposure sources included:
- Boiler rooms and engine rooms aboard ships and at steam and heating plants
- Pipe insulation, gaskets, and valve packing on steam systems
- Shipyard and depot repair and overhaul work
- Aircraft maintenance at naval and air stations
- Building materials such as floor tile, fireproofing, and cement panels in older structures
- Vehicle brakes, clutches, and gaskets in motor pools
For more on shipboard exposure, see asbestos on Navy ships. For exposure across the services, see the military bases directory and Navy veteran asbestos exposure.
Who was exposed
Veterans in several roles faced higher asbestos exposure in Hawaii. These include machinist’s mates, boiler technicians, hull maintenance technicians, and enginemen who worked in ship engineering spaces; shipyard and depot workers; pipefitters and steamfitters; aircraft maintenance technicians; and construction and utility personnel who worked on base buildings. Family members who lived in base housing built during the asbestos era could also have had lower-level contact with aging materials.
Hawaii factors that can affect a claim
Hawaii has its own rules and resources that can matter for a veteran’s claim. A few points Hawaii veterans often ask about:
- Filing deadlines. Hawaii sets time limits for filing personal injury and wrongful death claims related to asbestos, and the timing can differ for a living claimant and for a family filing after a death. Because the rules are specific, it is worth confirming your situation early.
- VA medical care in Hawaii. The VA operates medical centers across Hawaii. A diagnosis and treatment record supports both VA and trust claims.
- State residence is not required. Many veterans were stationed in Hawaii but live elsewhere now. A claim is based on service history and diagnosis, not current residence.
Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard is one of only four public shipyards operated by the U.S. Navy and the largest ship-repair facility between the West Coast and the Far East. Hawaii filing rules are summarized here for general information and are confirmed for your specific situation during a case review.
Health conditions linked to asbestos exposure
Inhaling or swallowing asbestos fibers can cause mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the lungs or abdomen; lung cancer; asbestosis, a scarring of the lungs; and pleural plaques or thickening. These conditions commonly appear 10 to 50 years after first exposure, which is why veterans are still being diagnosed today.
Trust funds covering Hawaii veteran exposure
Many companies that supplied asbestos products to military installations and shipyards later filed for bankruptcy and set up trust funds. These trusts are separate from the VA, and a veteran can often pursue both a VA claim and one or more trust claims. The right trusts depend on which manufacturers’ products a veteran was around.
Manufacturers with strong ties to military and shipyard exposure include Babcock & Wilcox and Combustion Engineering for boilers, Owens Corning Fibreboard for Kaylo pipe and block insulation, Pittsburgh Corning for Unibestos pipe insulation, and Johns-Manville for cement panels, wallboard, and sprayed fireproofing used in base buildings.
Each trust publishes scheduled values that change over time, along with the percentage it currently pays. We confirm current figures against each trust’s published documents before they appear in your case review. For the full list, see the asbestos trust funds directory.
Compensation options for Hawaii veterans
A Hawaii veteran diagnosed with an asbestos-related illness may have more than one option. VA disability compensation is available when exposure is linked to qualifying service, and active cancers such as mesothelioma usually receive a high disability rating. A surviving spouse or dependent may qualify for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation. Asbestos trust claims can often proceed alongside a VA claim. See VA benefits for mesothelioma, how to file a VA claim, asbestos trust funds for veterans, and filing a VA claim and a trust claim together.
Get help with your claim
We help veterans and their families understand their compensation options. There is no cost to speak with us about your case.
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Frequently asked questions
Which Hawaii bases had asbestos?
Installations across Hawaii, including Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, are documented as having used asbestos-containing materials during the asbestos era. The list above is being expanded with a dedicated page for each.
I served in Hawaii decades ago. Can I still file a claim?
Yes. Asbestos diseases commonly appear 10 to 50 years after exposure, so a diagnosis long after service is common. Hawaii does set filing deadlines once a diagnosis is made, so it helps to confirm timing early.
Do I have to live in Hawaii to file based on Hawaii service?
No. A claim is based on your service history and diagnosis, not your current state of residence.
Can I receive VA benefits and an asbestos trust payment?
In many cases, yes. Trust funds are paid by the manufacturers’ trusts, not the VA, so the two are usually separate paths. A case review can confirm which options apply.
What if my family member died from mesothelioma after serving in Hawaii?
A surviving spouse or dependent may qualify for DIC and may be able to file trust claims. There is no cost to speak with us about whether these options apply.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearl_Harbor_Naval_Shipyard
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joint_Base_Pearl_Harbor%E2%80%93Hickam
- https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/asbestos/