By the Gulf War (1990–91), the Navy had been phasing asbestos out of new construction for over a decade — but much of the fleet was not new. Many ships that deployed to Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm were built in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s and still carried their original asbestos insulation. Gulf War Navy veterans who served aboard these older vessels — or who performed maintenance and overhaul work — were exposed to asbestos, even though the war came at the end of the asbestos era.

Why Asbestos Was Still Present

  • Older ships still in service. Battleships reactivated in the 1980s (built in WWII), older carriers, and many destroyers, cruisers, and support ships in the Gulf War fleet were decades old and asbestos-insulated.
  • Legacy insulation in place. Even where the Navy had begun removing asbestos, large amounts of original insulation, gaskets, and packing remained aboard older ships.
  • Maintenance and overhaul. Repair, overhaul, and abatement work aboard aging ships disturbed asbestos that was still in place.

Who Was Exposed

Engineering personnel aboard older steam-powered ships had the most direct exposure, along with hull technicians and repair personnel who cut into legacy insulation and systems. Sailors serving on ships undergoing overhaul faced additional exposure.

Younger Veterans, Latency Still Coming

Gulf War veterans are relatively young, and asbestos disease takes 20 to 50 years to develop — so the wave of diagnoses in this cohort is still building. Documenting service aboard older, asbestos-era ships now is important for future claims.

VA and Trust-Fund Claims

Gulf War Navy veterans with mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, or pleural disease may qualify for VA benefits — with no filing deadline — and may separately pursue asbestos trust-fund and civil claims against the manufacturers. See VA claims and trust funds.

If you or a family member was diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or another asbestos-related disease and was exposed to asbestos while serving aboard a Navy ship during the Gulf War, you may be entitled to VA benefits and compensation through asbestos trust funds and civil litigation.

(314) 237-6461 — Free Case Evaluation

Documented asbestos records are drawn from publicly filed U.S. Navy asbestos litigation and public records. This does not constitute legal or medical advice.