Why Mesothelioma Cases Occur in Hawaii
Hawaii's asbestos exposure history is unlike any other state in the nation. While most states trace their mesothelioma cases to industrial manufacturing, oil refining, or construction, Hawaii's exposure profile is dominated by a single, massive factor: the United States military. The strategic importance of the Hawaiian Islands as the hub of Pacific military operations meant that thousands of ships were built, repaired, and overhauled at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard — and every one of those vessels contained asbestos throughout its construction.
According to WikiMesothelioma.com, naval shipyard workers are among the occupational groups most heavily affected by mesothelioma, and Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard is one of the most significant exposure sites in the Pacific theater. Servicemembers and civilian workers who built, repaired, and maintained naval vessels at Pearl Harbor were exposed to asbestos in pipe insulation, boiler lagging, turbine casings, gaskets, and fireproofing materials throughout every compartment of the ships they serviced.
Beyond the shipyard itself, Hawaii hosts a dense network of military installations — including Schofield Barracks, Hickam Air Force Base, Kaneohe Marine Corps Base Hawaii, and Fort Shafter — where asbestos was used extensively in buildings, barracks, power plants, and infrastructure constructed during the mid-20th century. Hawaii's civilian economy also contributed to asbestos exposure through the state's sugar industry, where mills used asbestos-insulated boilers, steam pipes, and processing equipment.
The 20-to-50-Year Latency Period
Mesothelioma does not appear immediately after asbestos exposure. The disease has a latency period of 20 to 50 years, meaning servicemembers and workers exposed at Pearl Harbor and other Hawaii installations during the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s are being diagnosed now. A machinist's mate who overhauled steam systems aboard ships at Pearl Harbor in 1968 may only receive a mesothelioma diagnosis in 2026 or later. This long latency period is why Hawaii continues to produce new mesothelioma cases decades after the peak era of asbestos use.
The transient nature of military service adds complexity to Hawaii exposure cases. Many veterans served at Pearl Harbor or other Hawaii bases for only a portion of their career before being reassigned to other duty stations or separating from service. Even relatively brief periods of intense shipyard exposure can cause mesothelioma decades later. Veterans who served in Hawaii at any point during the asbestos era should consider their exposure history carefully, regardless of how long they were stationed there.
Hawaii's Military Asbestos Legacy by the Numbers
Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard has been in continuous operation since 1908 and is the largest ship repair facility in the Pacific. During its peak asbestos era, the shipyard employed thousands of military and civilian workers who performed ship construction, repair, and overhaul operations in environments saturated with asbestos-containing materials. Combined with the multiple Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps installations across Oahu and the other islands, Hawaii's military infrastructure created one of the most concentrated veteran asbestos exposure zones in the United States. If you served at any military installation in Hawaii, documenting your asbestos exposure history is a critical first step.
