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Naval Station San Diego

Naval Station San Diego

Naval Station San Diego Naval Station San Diego — the 32nd Street base — is the principal homeport of the Pacific Fleet's surface ships. Decades of shipboard maintenance, dockside repair, and shore-facility operations exposed thousands of sailors and civilian workers to asbestos, with the heaviest exposure coming from rip-out and overhaul work on aging ships.

Last verified: 2026-06-28
Medical review
Dr. Marcelo C. DaSilva Medically reviewed by , Senior Medical Reviewer Reviewed the clinical content for accuracy. Independent, compensation-disclosed medical reviewer.
Legal & editorial
Written by Paul Danziger, J.D. · Edited by Rod De Llano, J.D. · Legally reviewed by Michelle Whitman (affiliated firm)
Editorial Policy & Advisory Board
Location
San Diego, CA
Industry
Military Installation
Exposure Era
1940s–1980s
Primary Asbestos Products
Block & blanket pipe and boiler insulation aboard ships, Gaskets and valve packing, Asbestos cloth, rope, and tape, Pier and shore-facility insulation, Building floor tiles and ceiling materials, Sprayed fireproofing and refractory cement
Job Categories at Risk
Navy sailors, Ship repair and overhaul workers, Boiler Technicians (BT), Machinist's Mates (MM), Hull Maintenance Technicians (HT), Pipefitters, Insulators (laggers), Dockside maintenance crews, Electricians, Shore-facility maintenance staff

History & Asbestos Use

Naval Station San Diego has served as a major fleet base since World War I and expanded dramatically during World War II. Hundreds of ships homeported and docked at the station underwent maintenance and repair using asbestos-containing insulation, gaskets, and packing. Shore facilities — piers, warehouses, administrative buildings, and housing — were built with asbestos products as well. Asbestos remained in routine use throughout fleet operations until federal exposure limits tightened in the late 1970s, and the station remains one of the Navy's largest installations today.

Exposure Details

Sailors performed routine maintenance aboard ships that contained asbestos throughout their piping, boilers, and machinery, and the heaviest exposure came from repair and overhaul work performed pierside: removing deteriorated asbestos lagging from pipes, boilers, and steam systems before new material went in. Tearing out aged, friable asbestos releases far more airborne fiber than installing it new, and much of this happened in confined engine rooms and below-deck spaces with poor ventilation, where dust concentrated. Boiler technicians, machinist's mates, pipefitters, and insulators handled the material directly, while electricians and shore-facility crews in the same compartments — and personnel in pre-1980 buildings with asbestos tile and pipe insulation — breathed the same dust. Fibers also rode home on work clothes, exposing families.

Workers at Risk

The following job categories at Naval Station San Diego had the highest risk of asbestos exposure:

  • Navy sailors
  • Ship repair and overhaul workers
  • Boiler Technicians (BT)
  • Machinist's Mates (MM)
  • Hull Maintenance Technicians (HT)
  • Pipefitters
  • Insulators (laggers)
  • Dockside maintenance crews
  • Electricians
  • Shore-facility maintenance staff

Health Effects

Veterans and civilian workers from Naval Station San Diego have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, and asbestosis. The high volume of ship maintenance and repair work created sustained exposure for dockside and shipboard personnel over many years of service. Because these diseases typically appear 20 to 50 years after first exposure, sailors and workers from the peak asbestos years are still being diagnosed today, and family members exposed to take-home fiber have developed mesothelioma as well. A diagnosis is not the worker's fault: the manufacturers that supplied asbestos for Navy use knew the hazards, and many have since funded trust funds to compensate those harmed.

Health information is based on established medical research on asbestos exposure. Asbestos is classified as a known human carcinogen by the National Cancer Institute, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Consult a physician for medical advice specific to your situation.

Compensation May Be Available

Workers exposed to asbestos at Naval Station San Diego may be entitled to compensation through asbestos trust funds, personal injury lawsuits, or veterans benefits. Mesothelioma patients and their families have recovered billions in compensation from companies that manufactured or used asbestos products.

2 asbestos trust funds have been identified as potentially related to exposure at this site. Many mesothelioma patients qualify to file claims with multiple trusts simultaneously.

Find Out If You Qualify

Were You Exposed to Asbestos at Naval Station San Diego?

Workers who were employed at Naval Station San Diego between 1940s–1980s may have been exposed to asbestos-containing materials. If you've been diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, or asbestosis, you may have legal options including trust fund claims and lawsuits.

Speak with an Attorney — Free Request a Free Case Evaluation

Related Asbestos Trust Funds

Workers exposed to asbestos at Naval Station San Diego may be eligible to file claims with the following trust funds:

Related Exposure Sites

Military

Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton

Oceanside, CA
Military

Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam

Honolulu, HI
Military

Naval Station Norfolk

Norfolk, VA

Treatment Centers in California

If you were exposed to asbestos at Naval Station San Diego and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, these specialized treatment centers in California may be able to help.

UCSF Medical Center

UCSF Medical Center

San Francisco, CA

Comprehensive Cancer Center
View Full Profile
UCLA Medical Center

UCLA Medical Center

Los Angeles, CA

Comprehensive Cancer Center
View Full Profile
Stanford Medicine (Stanford Cancer Institute)

Stanford Medicine (Stanford Cancer Institute)

Stanford, CA

Comprehensive Cancer Center
View Full Profile
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

Los Angeles, CA

View Full Profile
West Los Angeles VA Medical Center

West Los Angeles VA Medical Center

Los Angeles, CA

View Full Profile

Browse all treatment centers →

Frequently Asked Questions

Was asbestos used at Naval Station San Diego?

Yes. Virtually all Navy ships built before the mid-1970s contained asbestos in insulation, gaskets, and packing, and ships homeported and repaired at Naval Station San Diego exposed sailors and workers during routine operations and maintenance. Shore facilities built before 1980 also contained asbestos floor tiles, ceiling materials, and pipe insulation.

What asbestos products were used at Naval Station San Diego?

Block and blanket insulation on shipboard pipes and boilers; gaskets and valve packing; asbestos cloth, rope, and tape; pier and shore-facility insulation; building floor tiles and ceiling materials; and sprayed fireproofing. Insulators and repair crews handled the raw material, but the dust exposed every trade working nearby.

Which jobs or ratings at Naval Station San Diego had the highest asbestos exposure?

Boiler Technicians, Machinist's Mates, Hull Maintenance Technicians, pipefitters, and insulators had the heaviest exposure, especially during overhaul and rip-out work, but dockside maintenance crews, electricians, and shore-facility staff in the same confined engine and boiler rooms were also exposed.

Why was ship repair at San Diego especially hazardous for asbestos?

Repairing and overhauling a ship means tearing out old, deteriorated asbestos insulation before new material goes in — and removing aged, friable asbestos releases far more airborne fiber than installing it new. At San Diego that rip-out happened in tight, poorly ventilated engine and boiler rooms, so fiber concentrated and exposed everyone working there.

Could family members of San Diego Navy personnel be exposed to asbestos?

Yes. Fibers settled on workers' clothing, hair, and tools and were carried home, where spouses and children could inhale them while greeting workers or laundering uniforms. This take-home (secondary) exposure has caused mesothelioma in family members who never set foot on the base.

How long after serving at Naval Station San Diego can mesothelioma appear?

Mesothelioma and other asbestos diseases usually develop 20 to 50 years after first exposure, which is why sailors and civilian workers who served at San Diego decades ago — and even their family members — are still being diagnosed today.

Can Naval Station San Diego veterans, workers, or families file an asbestos claim?

Often, yes. Veterans and civilian workers diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, or asbestosis — and the families of those who have died — may be eligible for compensation through VA disability benefits, asbestos trust funds, and claims against the manufacturers whose products were used aboard Navy ships and at shore facilities. Eligibility and deadlines depend on the diagnosis and state, so a no-cost review by a mesothelioma attorney is worthwhile.

Get a Free Case Evaluation

If you or a loved one worked at Naval Station San Diego and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, or asbestosis, our attorneys can help you explore your legal options. There is no cost, no pressure, and no obligation.

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Nationwide Representation Licensed to handle mesothelioma cases in all 50 states from our Houston office.
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Sources:

  • Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Pacific Records — accessed 2026-06-28
  • California Air Resources Board — accessed 2026-06-28
  • VA San Diego Healthcare System Reports — accessed 2026-06-28
← All Exposure Sites in California ← All Exposure Sites
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