Naval Air Facility Midway Island — located on Sand Island and Eastern Island of Midway Atoll in the central North Pacific — served as a critical US naval forward base throughout WWII and the Cold War. Midway Atoll was the site of the pivotal Battle of Midway from June 4–7, 1942, in which Navy and Marine aviation inflicted catastrophic losses on the Imperial Japanese Navy’s carrier force. Following the battle, Midway was developed into a major forward naval air facility supporting central Pacific operations. The facility operated continuously through the Cold War as a refueling stop for transpacific military aircraft and as a forward submarine and ASW patrol facility before closing in 1993. WWII-era and postwar construction at Midway used asbestos-containing building materials throughout the hangars, barracks, and support facility buildings where Navy personnel were stationed.

WWII Construction and Battle of Midway Era Asbestos

The pre-WWII and wartime construction at Midway incorporated asbestos throughout:

  • Pre-war and wartime hangar construction — the patrol aircraft hangars and aviation support buildings at Midway used pre-war and early WWII military construction with asbestos-containing roofing, asbestos insulation board, and asbestos-containing construction products in the hangar and aviation support facility buildings. Marine and Navy aviation personnel defending Midway and supporting the base in the years following the battle worked in these asbestos-containing aviation maintenance facilities
  • Submarine and surface ship support facilities — the submarine refueling and surface vessel support facilities at Midway Island used WWII-era construction with asbestos-insulated steam and mechanical systems in the ship support buildings and pier area support facilities
  • Barracks and support buildings — the enlisted barracks and administrative buildings on Sand Island at Midway Atoll used WWII military construction with asbestos floor tile, asbestos ceiling products, and asbestos-containing pipe insulation in the residential and support facility building stock

Cold War Forward Station Operations

Midway’s Cold War role as a refueling stop and forward patrol station continued the asbestos exposure period:

  • Transient aircraft support facilities — the refueling and transient aircraft maintenance facilities supporting transpacific military aircraft operations at Midway during the Cold War used military construction with asbestos-containing materials in the aviation support facility building stock, with transient crews and permanent party personnel accumulating exposure from the facility construction during stopovers and extended duty assignments

VA Claims for Naval Air Facility Midway Veterans

VA evaluates asbestos-related disability claims on a case-by-case basis. Veterans generally need evidence of in-service asbestos exposure, a current asbestos-related diagnosis, and a medical link between them. Navy and Marine Corps personnel who served at Naval Air Facility Midway Island during any period from its WWII establishment through its 1993 closure and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.