Bremerton Naval Shipyard
The Bremerton Naval Shipyard first opened its doors in 1891. This Washington based ship building and repair facility is also known as the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, and it is one of the largest and busiest shipyards in all of the West Coast.
In 1891 the yard was established with the intent of being a ship repair facility only, but the onset of World War I called for new vessels to be built and added to the United States Naval Fleet, so it was modified to accommodate the building of large ocean going crafts. This modification served the Navy well during both WWI and the second World War, as American ships were frequently damaged by enemy torpedos, and the need for more ships constantly grew. At the start of World War II, the Bremerton Naval Shipyard was the only facility around that had the capacity to work on the larger style naval vessels, and it was used to help repair several ships that suffered extensive damage after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
During and after these times of war, the people who helped maintain American ships at the Bremerton based shipyard labored around several products that contained a strong, heat resistant mineral called asbestos. It was used in hundreds of goods, and was especially prevalent within insulating items that helped regulate the large machinery that was constantly operated during the construction and repair of large vessels. While people worked around this equipment they were not aware that microscopic dust particles were breaking off of the asbestos based products and floating in the air. These workers regularly breathed this dust in, and it would then settle and permanently attach to their respiratory systems. More importantly, the employees did not know that asbestos is toxic, and would lead to many of them becoming seriously ill, or even losing their lives.
The fact that asbestos is poisonous was not well known by the American public until that 1970's. By then millions of people, such as those who worked at the Bremerton Naval Shipyard, had been afflicted by this potentially lethal mineral. Individuals all over the country unknowingly inhaled the dust for years before developing symptoms of the ailments it could cause. Many people who spent time around the hazardous material were afflicted with serious conditions such as asbestosis and mesothelioma.
Anyone who spent time around products that were made with asbestos was put at risk. If you or someone you know worked at the Bremerton Naval Shipyard or another site that utilized these goods, please contact your doctor and notify them of your possible exposure as soon as possible.
Last modified: December 28, 2010.
