Naval Base San Diego, located on San Diego Bay in San Diego, California — historically known as Naval Station San Diego at 32nd Street — is the largest Navy installation on the West Coast and the homeport of more US Navy ships than any other installation in the world. The base serves as the primary homeport for Pacific Fleet surface combatants — cruisers, destroyers, frigates, amphibious ships, and auxiliary vessels — providing pier facilities, maintenance support, training facilities, and logistics support for the Pacific Fleet surface force. Naval Base San Diego was established in 1919 and underwent massive expansion during World War II and the Cold War, with the WWII and Cold War construction using military construction materials that incorporated asbestos-containing building materials throughout the extensive pier facilities, ship maintenance buildings, enlisted barracks, administrative offices, and support structures built during the station’s decades of expansion. Ship’s company personnel homeported at San Diego and shore support ratings assigned to San Diego-based commands accumulated background asbestos exposure from the asbestos-containing construction of the base facilities throughout their San Diego naval service.

WWII-Era and Cold War Facility Asbestos

Naval Base San Diego’s extensive facilities incorporated asbestos throughout:

  • Pier-side maintenance and support facilities — the waterfront maintenance buildings, ship support structures, and pier-side covered working areas at Naval Base San Diego were constructed using Cold War military construction specifications with asbestos-containing building materials in the waterfront facility construction. Ship’s company personnel and shore support ratings working in San Diego pier-side maintenance facilities accumulated background asbestos exposure from the waterfront facility construction throughout their San Diego assignments
  • Enlisted barracks and residential facilities — the enlisted barracks at Naval Base San Diego constructed during the WWII expansion and Cold War base development used military construction specifications with asbestos-containing floor tile, ceiling materials, and pipe insulation in the barracks construction. Navy ship’s company and shore duty personnel living in San Diego barracks accumulated background asbestos exposure from the residential facility construction during their assignments
  • Ship repair and industrial facilities — the ship repair shops, machine shops, and industrial maintenance facilities at Naval Base San Diego supporting homeported surface combatants were constructed with asbestos-containing building materials in the shop and maintenance facility construction

Surface Combatant Homeport Asbestos

San Diego’s role as the Pacific Fleet’s primary homeport created additional asbestos pathways:

  • Steam-powered destroyer and cruiser engineering — the steam-powered destroyers, destroyer escorts, and cruisers homeported at Naval Base San Diego throughout the Cold War incorporated asbestos-containing steam plant insulation and interior construction materials. Engineering ratings serving aboard San Diego-homeported surface combatants accumulated engineering plant asbestos exposure from the asbestos-insulated steam propulsion plants in addition to shore-side facility background exposure
  • Amphibious ship and auxiliary engineering — the amphibious ships and auxiliary vessels homeported at San Diego — LSTs, LKAs, AOs, AEs — incorporated asbestos-containing steam plant and interior construction materials consistent with their WWII and Cold War construction periods. Personnel serving aboard San Diego-homeported auxiliary and amphibious vessels accumulated asbestos exposure from the vessel construction in addition to shore facility background exposure

VA Claims for Naval Base San Diego Veterans

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