Skip to main content
Content Medically Reviewed & Updated: August 16, 2026 Call 24/7: 1-800-400-1805
1-800-400-1805 Free Case Review
Military

Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam

Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam

Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam combines the historic Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard with the former Hickam Air Force Base. Both facilities used asbestos extensively in ships, aircraft, hangars, buildings, and industrial systems — and the ship repair and overhaul performed at Pearl Harbor, where old insulation was torn out and replaced, exposed generations of military and civilian personnel to heavy asbestos fiber.

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
Honolulu, HI
Industry
Military Installation
Exposure Era
1940s–1980s
Primary Asbestos Products
Block & blanket pipe and boiler insulation aboard ships, Gaskets and valve packing, Building insulation in WWII-era structures, Pipe covering and floor tiles in buildings and housing, Aircraft brake linings, heat shields, and gaskets, Sprayed fireproofing and refractory cement
Job Categories at Risk
Navy sailors, Air Force airmen, Ship repair and overhaul workers, Boiler Technicians (BT), Machinist's Mates (MM), Pipefitters and insulators, Aircraft maintenance crews, Aviation Structural Mechanics (AM), Facility maintenance staff, Civilian shipyard workers

History & Asbestos Use

Pearl Harbor has been a major naval installation since the early 1900s, and Hickam Field (later Hickam AFB) was established in the 1930s; both expanded massively during World War II. The Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard repaired and overhauled thousands of ships built with asbestos throughout their piping, boilers, and machinery, while Hickam's hangars, administrative buildings, and housing were constructed with asbestos materials. Asbestos remained in routine use until federal exposure limits tightened in the late 1970s, and the two installations merged into a joint base in 2010. Hawaii's tropical heat accelerated deterioration of asbestos materials in older buildings.

Exposure Details

The heaviest exposure came from ship repair and overhaul at Pearl Harbor: bringing a ship in for refit meant ripping out deteriorated asbestos lagging and fireproofing from pipes, boilers, and steam systems before new material went in, and tearing out aged, friable asbestos releases far more airborne fiber than installing it new. Much of this happened in confined engine and boiler rooms with poor ventilation, where dust concentrated. Insulators, pipefitters, boiler technicians, and machinist's mates handled the material directly; sailors and other trades in the same compartments breathed the same fiber. At Hickam, aircraft maintenance crews encountered asbestos in brake linings, heat shields, and gaskets, and personnel across both installations worked in buildings and housing with asbestos floor tiles, pipe insulation, and roofing. Fibers also rode home on work clothes, exposing families.

Workers at Risk

The following job categories at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam had the highest risk of asbestos exposure:

  • Navy sailors
  • Air Force airmen
  • Ship repair and overhaul workers
  • Boiler Technicians (BT)
  • Machinist's Mates (MM)
  • Pipefitters and insulators
  • Aircraft maintenance crews
  • Aviation Structural Mechanics (AM)
  • Facility maintenance staff
  • Civilian shipyard workers

Health Effects

Personnel stationed at Pearl Harbor-Hickam — Navy sailors, Air Force airmen, and civilian workers — have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, and asbestosis. Shipyard workers faced particularly intense exposure during the confined-space rip-out work of ship repair. Because these diseases typically appear 20 to 50 years after first exposure, veterans 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 military 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 Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam 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 Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam?

Workers who were employed at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam 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 Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam may be eligible to file claims with the following trust funds:

Related Exposure Sites

Military

Naval Station San Diego

San Diego, CA
Military

Naval Station Norfolk

Norfolk, VA

Frequently Asked Questions

Was asbestos used at Pearl Harbor and Hickam?

Yes. Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard used asbestos extensively in ship repair and overhaul — pipe and boiler insulation, gaskets, and packing — and Hickam's hangars, buildings, and housing contained asbestos floor tiles, pipe insulation, and roofing. Both installations were significant sources of occupational asbestos exposure into the late 1970s.

What asbestos products were used at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam?

Block and blanket insulation on shipboard pipes and boilers; gaskets and valve packing; building insulation in WWII-era structures; pipe covering and floor tiles in buildings and housing; aircraft brake linings, heat shields, and gaskets; and sprayed fireproofing. Shipyard insulators handled the raw material, but the dust exposed every trade and servicemember nearby.

Which jobs or ratings at Pearl Harbor-Hickam had the highest asbestos exposure?

Ship repair and overhaul workers, insulators, pipefitters, Boiler Technicians, and Machinist's Mates had the heaviest exposure during rip-out work at the shipyard. Aircraft maintenance crews and Aviation Structural Mechanics at Hickam, sailors aboard ship, and facility maintenance staff in older buildings were also exposed.

Why was ship repair at Pearl Harbor 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 Pearl Harbor that rip-out happened in tight, poorly ventilated engine and boiler rooms, so fiber concentrated and exposed everyone working there.

Could family members of Pearl Harbor-Hickam personnel be exposed to asbestos?

Yes. Fibers settled on the clothing, hair, and tools of shipyard 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 worked on the base.

How long after serving at Pearl Harbor-Hickam can mesothelioma appear?

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

Can Pearl Harbor-Hickam veterans, workers, or families file an asbestos claim?

Often, yes. Navy and Air Force 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 ships, on aircraft, and in base buildings. 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 Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam 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.

Free & Confidential No upfront costs, no hidden fees. You pay nothing unless we recover compensation.
Nationwide Representation Licensed to handle mesothelioma cases in all 50 states from our Houston office.
Over 25 Years of Experience Our attorneys have recovered over $2 billion for mesothelioma patients and families.
Fast Results Trust fund claims can resolve in as few as 90 days. We move quickly for our clients.

Or call us 24/7: 1-800-400-1805

Take the First Step — It's Free

Your information is kept strictly confidential. We never share your data. No fees unless your attorney recovers compensation for you. This is attorney advertising. Mesothelioma-Lung-Cancer.org is not a law firm. Featured attorneys are paid sponsors who meet our editorial criteria. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

No Fees Unless You Win 100% Confidential Available 24/7

Sources:

  • Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard Historical Records — accessed 2026-06-28
  • Department of Defense Environmental Restoration Program — accessed 2026-06-28
  • VA Pacific Islands Healthcare System Reports — accessed 2026-06-28
← All Exposure Sites in Hawaii ← All Exposure Sites
Was this page helpful?
Call Now: (800) 400-1805 Free Case Review • Available 24/7