If you are a veteran who served in Pennsylvania, or who was stationed at a Pennsylvania base or shipyard, you may have been exposed to asbestos during your service. Pennsylvania’s exposure profile centers on the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, where decades of building, repairing, and overhauling asbestos-insulated warships created widespread occupational exposure. The state also hosted major Army depots and logistics installations built during the asbestos era. Veterans who served in Pennsylvania, and family members who lived on Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania decades ago may receive a diagnosis only now. This page explains where Pennsylvania veterans were exposed and the compensation options available. There is no cost to speak with us about your service history.
Pennsylvania military installations with asbestos
Navy and Army shipyard, depot, and logistics work dominated Pennsylvania’s military-asbestos exposure, with shipbuilding at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard the single largest source. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Letterkenny Army Depot | Army | Active | Chambersburg-area depot; vehicle, missile, and ground-equipment maintenance. |
| Tobyhanna Army Depot | Army | Active | Electronics and C4ISR repair depot in the Poconos. |
| Carlisle Barracks | Army | Active | One of the oldest Army posts; home of the U.S. Army War College. |
| Naval Support Activity Mechanicsburg | Navy | Active | Navy logistics and supply-system support near Harrisburg. |
| Naval Support Activity Philadelphia | Navy | Active | Defense Logistics Agency and Navy logistics functions in Philadelphia. |
| Fort Indiantown Gap | Joint | Active | Pennsylvania National Guard training center and headquarters. |
Pennsylvania naval shipyards
Shipyards carried some of the heaviest asbestos exposure of any setting. Pennsylvania shipyards documented as using asbestos materials include:
| Shipyard | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia Naval Shipyard | Closed | Federal Navy yard from 1801; built and overhauled asbestos-insulated warships including USS New Jersey; closed September 1996. |
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 Pennsylvania veterans were exposed
Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania. 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.
Pennsylvania factors that can affect a claim
Pennsylvania has its own rules and resources that can matter for a veteran’s claim. A few points Pennsylvania veterans often ask about:
- Filing deadlines. Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania. The VA operates medical centers across Pennsylvania. A diagnosis and treatment record supports both VA and trust claims.
- State residence is not required. Many veterans were stationed in Pennsylvania but live elsewhere now. A claim is based on service history and diagnosis, not current residence.
The Philadelphia Naval Shipyard employed roughly 40,000 workers during World War II and built 53 ships while repairing 574, work that relied heavily on asbestos insulation. Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania veterans
A Pennsylvania 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.
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Frequently asked questions
Which Pennsylvania bases had asbestos?
Installations across Pennsylvania, including Letterkenny Army Depot, 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 Pennsylvania 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. Pennsylvania does set filing deadlines once a diagnosis is made, so it helps to confirm timing early.
Do I have to live in Pennsylvania to file based on Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania?
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/Philadelphia_Naval_Shipyard
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tobyhanna_Army_Depot
- https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/asbestos/