Naval Air Station Lemoore, located in the San Joaquin Valley of central California near the city of Lemoore, serves as the United States Navy’s and Marine Corps’ Pacific Fleet Master Jet Base for carrier strike fighter aviation, homeporting the Pacific Fleet’s F/A-18 Hornet and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet carrier strike fighter and electronic attack squadrons. NAS Lemoore was established in 1961 specifically to support the transition from early jet aircraft to the high-performance fighter-attack aircraft of the Cold War carrier air wing, and grew into the primary West Coast tactical aviation base. Lemoore’s location in the Central Valley of California — away from populated coastal areas — provided large-area warning and practice airspace for carrier strike fighter training. The station’s Cold War construction and subsequent expansions incorporated asbestos-containing building materials throughout its strike fighter maintenance hangars, jet engine maintenance and test facilities, weapons loading facilities, and residential support buildings. Naval personnel stationed at NAS Lemoore — aviation maintenance ratings, aircrews, and support personnel — accumulated background asbestos exposure from the station’s Cold War construction throughout their Lemoore duty assignments.

NAS Lemoore Facility Asbestos

Naval Air Station Lemoore’s construction incorporated asbestos throughout:

  • F/A-18 and A-7 strike fighter maintenance hangars — the aircraft maintenance hangars at NAS Lemoore used for maintaining A-7 Corsair II and F/A-18 Hornet strike fighter aircraft were constructed using Cold War military hangar construction specifications incorporating asbestos-containing materials in the hangar construction. Aviation maintenance ratings performing strike fighter maintenance in Lemoore hangars accumulated background asbestos exposure from the hangar construction materials
  • Jet engine maintenance and test facilities — the jet engine maintenance shops and test cell facilities at NAS Lemoore where F404 and other turbofan engines were maintained and tested were constructed using Cold War military construction specifications incorporating asbestos-containing building materials. Aviation Machinist’s Mates working in Lemoore engine shops accumulated background asbestos exposure from facility construction and from turbine engine thermal insulation
  • Fleet replacement squadron training facilities — the fleet readiness squadron training facilities, simulator buildings, and tactics training spaces at NAS Lemoore where aircrews transitioned to new aircraft types incorporated asbestos-containing construction materials consistent with their Cold War construction periods
  • Residential and support facilities — the officer and enlisted quarters, mess facilities, and support buildings at NAS Lemoore incorporated asbestos-containing construction materials consistent with their Cold War construction specifications

VA Claims for NAS Lemoore Veterans

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