Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, established in 1942 on Whidbey Island in Puget Sound, Washington, developed from a WWII patrol aviation base into the Navy’s primary West Coast electronic attack aviation installation. The station operated P-2 Neptune and P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft for Pacific ASW operations throughout the Cold War before transitioning to the electronic attack mission with the EA-6B Prowler and subsequently the EA-18G Growler. NAS Whidbey Island is home to the Navy’s electronic attack wing and remains operationally active. The station’s facilities were established during WWII using wartime military construction and expanded during the Cold War using military construction materials that incorporated asbestos-containing products in the hangars, maintenance facilities, and support infrastructure.

WWII and Cold War Facility Construction and Asbestos

NAS Whidbey Island’s construction incorporated asbestos throughout:

  • WWII-era patrol aviation hangars — the hangars and maintenance facilities at NAS Whidbey Island built during the 1942–1945 WWII expansion used wartime military construction with asbestos-containing roofing products, asbestos floor tile in hangar areas, and asbestos pipe insulation in the hangar mechanical systems. Aviation maintenance ratings performing P-2 Neptune and early P-3 Orion maintenance in these WWII-era hangars accumulated asbestos exposure from the hangar construction
  • Electronic warfare and attack squadron facilities — the hangars and maintenance shops supporting VA-128 (the EA-6B Prowler training squadron) and electronic attack squadron operations at NAS Whidbey Island used Cold War military construction with asbestos-containing building materials in the facility construction. Electronic warfare squadron maintenance ratings working in these facilities accumulated asbestos background exposure from the Cold War-era facility construction
  • Cold War radar and electronics test facilities — the electronics maintenance and test facilities at NAS Whidbey Island supporting electronic warfare squadron avionics maintenance used Cold War military construction with asbestos-containing building materials

Barracks and Support Facilities

NAS Whidbey Island residential and support construction incorporated asbestos:

  • Barracks and family housing — WWII-era and Cold War barracks and family housing at NAS Whidbey Island used military construction with asbestos-containing floor tile, ceiling products, and pipe insulation in the residential facility mechanical systems

VA Claims for NAS Whidbey Island Veterans

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