Naval Air Station Barbers Point, located on the southwest coast of Oahu in Hawaii near the entrance to Pearl Harbor, served as the Pacific Fleet’s primary shore-based patrol aviation and maritime reconnaissance hub from its WWII-era establishment until the base’s closure in 1999 as part of the post-Cold War BRAC realignment. NAS Barbers Point housed Pacific Fleet VP (patrol) squadrons, fleet logistics squadrons, and served as the administrative headquarters for Pacific Fleet patrol aviation wings throughout the Cold War. The station’s WWII-era construction created asbestos exposure pathways for personnel assigned to the installation.

WWII-Era Construction and Asbestos

NAS Barbers Point was established in 1942 following the Pearl Harbor attack and the station’s building complex reflects WWII-era military construction:

  • WWII-era aircraft hangars — the primary aircraft maintenance hangars at Barbers Point were built in 1942-1944 with structural steel and asbestos-containing construction materials consistent with wartime military construction. Spray-on asbestos fireproofing on structural steel in the hangar overhead and asbestos insulation in hangar mechanical systems contributed to the ambient environment for aviation maintenance personnel working in these hangars
  • WWII-era barracks, mess halls, and support buildings — the original station support infrastructure built in 1942-1945 used asbestos-containing floor tile, ceiling tile, and building mechanical system insulation throughout WWII-era construction
  • Base utility and steam systems — steam heating and utility distribution serving older Barbers Point buildings used asbestos-insulated piping in the base heating plant distribution system

Patrol Aircraft Maintenance Environment

Aviation maintenance ratings at Barbers Point maintained P-2 Neptune and later P-3 Orion patrol aircraft operating from the station:

  • P-2 Neptune engine maintenance — the P-2 Neptune’s Wright R-3350 radial engines used asbestos-containing gaskets and insulation materials in exhaust system and engine accessory components maintained by Aviation Machinist’s Mates at Barbers Point
  • P-3 Orion maintenance — P-3 Orion aircraft transitioning through Barbers Point for intermediate and depot maintenance used asbestos insulation in engine hot sections and fire zones in earlier-production aircraft, worked by aviation maintenance ratings in the WWII-era hangars

Pacific Fleet Patrol Wing Operations

NAS Barbers Point served as the headquarters for Pacific Fleet patrol aviation wings throughout the Cold War, with large administrative and command staffs assigned to the station’s facilities.

VA Claims for NAS Barbers Point Veterans

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure at naval aviation installations. Veterans who served at NAS Barbers Point in WWII-era base buildings or performed aircraft maintenance in the station’s older hangars and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.