Military

Naval Submarine Base New London

Naval Submarine Base New London Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Connecticut, is the Navy's first and primary submarine base for the Atlantic Fleet. Submarines maintained and overhauled at the base contained extensive asbestos insulation, and the cramped compartments of a submarine concentrated that exposure more than almost any other workplace.

Last verified: 2026-06-28

Medical review

Medically reviewed by Dr. Marcelo C. DaSilva, MD, FACS, FICS, 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) Attorney Advertising — Danziger & De Llano, LLP, 440 Louisiana St., Suite 1212, Houston, TX. Contacting this site does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Editorial Policy & Advisory Board

Location: Groton, CT
Industry: Military Installation
Exposure Era: 1940s–1980s
Primary Asbestos Products: Block & blanket pipe and boiler insulation, Submarine pipe and bulkhead lagging, Gaskets and valve packing, Asbestos cloth, rope, and tape, Engine-room and torpedo-room insulation, Building insulation and floor tiles in shore facilities
Job Categories at Risk: Submarine crew members, Submarine overhaul and maintenance technicians, Pipe insulators (laggers), Pipefitters, Machinist's Mates (MM), Hull Maintenance Technicians (HT), Electricians, Boiler and engine technicians, Shipyard repair workers, Shore-facility maintenance staff

History & Asbestos Use

Established in 1868, Sub Base New London is the Navy's oldest and primary submarine base. Submarines from World War II through the Cold War were maintained and overhauled with asbestos insulation throughout their pressure hulls, engine rooms, and pipe systems, and the adjacent Electric Boat shipyard used asbestos extensively as well. The material stayed in routine use aboard submarines until federal exposure limits tightened in the late 1970s. The confined interior of a submarine concentrated airborne asbestos fiber to extremely high levels during maintenance and repair operations.

Exposure Details

Two things made exposure at Groton severe: submarine work and overhaul work. Submarines pack machinery and piping into extremely tight compartments, so crews and maintenance technicians lived and worked shoulder-to-shoulder with asbestos lagging on pipes, bulkheads, and machinery, in confined spaces with little ventilation where fiber built up to very high levels. Overhaul work added rip-out exposure — removing deteriorated asbestos insulation from around engine rooms, steam systems, and torpedo rooms before new material went in, which releases far more airborne fiber than installing it new. Insulators, pipefitters, machinist's mates, and electricians working in the same compartments breathed the same dust, and fibers carried home on work clothes exposed families as well.

Workers at Risk

The following job categories at Naval Submarine Base New London had the highest risk of asbestos exposure:

Submarine crew members
Submarine overhaul and maintenance technicians
Pipe insulators (laggers)
Pipefitters
Machinist's Mates (MM)
Hull Maintenance Technicians (HT)
Electricians
Boiler and engine technicians
Shipyard repair workers
Shore-facility maintenance staff

Health Effects

Submariners and submarine maintenance workers face among the highest rates of mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, and asbestosis of any military population. The confined, poorly ventilated spaces inside submarines concentrated asbestos fiber to levels far exceeding safe limits. Because these diseases typically appear 20 to 50 years after first exposure, many veterans do not develop symptoms until decades after their service, 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 Submarine Base New London 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.

3 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 Submarine Base New London?

Workers who were employed at Naval Submarine Base New London 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 Submarine Base New London may be eligible to file claims with the following trust funds:

Related Exposure Sites

Shipyards

General Dynamics Electric Boat

Groton, CT

Military

Naval Station San Diego

San Diego, CA

Frequently Asked Questions

Was asbestos used at Naval Submarine Base New London?

Yes. Asbestos was a standard material on submarines and in shore facilities at Sub Base New London for decades — pipe and bulkhead lagging, boiler and engine-room insulation, gaskets and packing, and building insulation all contained asbestos, remaining in routine use until federal exposure limits tightened in the late 1970s.

What asbestos products were used at Naval Submarine Base New London?

Block and blanket insulation on pipes and boilers; submarine pipe and bulkhead lagging; gaskets and valve packing; asbestos cloth, rope, and tape; engine-room and torpedo-room insulation; and building insulation and floor tiles in shore facilities. Insulators handled the raw material, but the dust exposed every sailor and trade nearby.

Which jobs or ratings at Sub Base New London had the highest asbestos exposure?

Submarine crew members, overhaul and maintenance technicians, pipe insulators, and pipefitters had the heaviest exposure, along with Machinist's Mates, Hull Maintenance Technicians, and electricians working in the same confined submarine compartments. Shipyard repair workers and shore-facility maintenance staff were also exposed.

Why were submariners at Groton at such high risk for asbestos exposure?

Submarines are enclosed vessels with limited ventilation, and asbestos insulation was used extensively on pipes, machinery, and bulkheads. When that insulation deteriorated or was disturbed during maintenance, fiber accumulated in the confined air space with nowhere to dissipate — and overhaul rip-out work released far more fiber than new installation.

Could family members of Sub Base New London personnel be exposed to asbestos?

Yes. Fibers settled on the clothing, hair, and tools of submariners and maintenance workers 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 went aboard a submarine.

How long after serving at Sub Base New London can mesothelioma appear?

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

Can Sub Base New London 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 submarines and at the base. 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 Submarine Base New London 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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Sources:

Naval Submarine Medical Research Laboratory Studies — accessed 2026-06-28
Navy Environmental Health Center Records — accessed 2026-06-28
VA New England Healthcare System Data — accessed 2026-06-28

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