Naval Air Station Alameda, established in 1940 on a man-made island in San Francisco Bay adjacent to the city of Alameda, California, served as a major West Coast naval aviation installation throughout WWII and the Cold War. NAS Alameda homeported Pacific Fleet aircraft carriers — including USS Hornet (CV-12), USS Coral Sea (CV-43), and USS Enterprise (CVN-65) — and their carrier air wings, serving as the homeport from which Pacific Fleet carriers deployed to WESTPAC operations including Korean War, Vietnam War, and Cold War operational deployments. The station hosted carrier air wing maintenance, including Heavy Attack Wing ONE (VAH-1) and Attack Carrier Wing squadrons, with extensive aircraft maintenance and overhaul operations in the station’s large hangars. NAS Alameda’s WWII-era construction expanded rapidly during the war using wartime military construction materials that incorporated asbestos-containing products throughout the hangars, industrial maintenance facilities, and support buildings.

WWII-Era and Cold War Facility Construction and Asbestos

NAS Alameda’s construction incorporated asbestos throughout:

  • WWII-era carrier aviation hangars — the large carrier aircraft hangars at NAS Alameda built during the 1940–1943 WWII construction expansion used wartime military construction with asbestos-containing roofing materials, asbestos floor tile in the hangar deck areas, and asbestos pipe insulation in the hangar mechanical systems. Carrier air wing aviation maintenance ratings and squadron personnel working in these WWII-era hangars during homeport periods and pre-deployment work-ups accumulated asbestos exposure from the hangar construction
  • Aviation industrial maintenance facilities — the aircraft intermediate maintenance department (AIMD) facilities, engine test cells, and aviation overhaul shops at NAS Alameda where carrier air wing aircraft and components received maintenance used Cold War military construction with asbestos-containing building materials in the maintenance facility construction
  • Cold War carrier support facilities — Cold War-era carrier support facilities and pier facilities at NAS Alameda used military construction with asbestos floor tile, asbestos ceiling products, and asbestos pipe insulation in the carrier support facility mechanical systems

Carrier Homeport Operations and Asbestos

NAS Alameda’s carrier homeport function created unique asbestos exposure patterns:

  • Carrier crew and air wing personnel ashore — aircraft carrier crew members and carrier air wing personnel based at NAS Alameda during homeport periods between Pacific deployments worked in the station’s asbestos-containing hangars and support facilities during the aircraft maintenance, training, and readiness activities conducted during homeport periods

VA Claims for NAS Alameda Veterans

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure at naval air stations. Navy personnel who served at NAS Alameda and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.