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Mayport Navy Station

The Mayport Navy Station first opened in 1942 within the city of Jacksonville, Florida. This station grew to a size of more than 3,400 acres and was utilized to repair many naval vessels over the years. It has been especially useful during times of war when American vessels have been under attack, such as during World War II when German U-Boat submarines damaged a large portion of the naval fleet.

All the ships possible were needed to participate in every war effort, so the people who worked at the Mayport Navy Station and similar facilities spent a large amount of time toiling to get damaged naval vessels back on the water. To do this job, they worked with large equipment that operated at extremely hot temperatures, and had to be kept cool with insulating materials. The insulation was essential to keep the machinery running properly, and one of the most effective products for this was made out of asbestos.

In the United States, asbestos was first discovered around the time of the Industrial Revolution. It was found in large natural deposits, and mined by the ton. Because it was strong, easy to work with and inexpensive to mine, asbestos quickly became one of the most sought after materials in the country. Things would have been far different, however, if people then would have realized what we now know - that asbestos is poisonous.

Mesothelioma may not have been too well known in 1942 when the Mayport Navy Station got its start, but it is now widely recognized as a very serious and potentially deadly type of cancer that is a common result of exposure to asbestos. People who worked with products that were made out of the mineral were very likely to develop Mesothelioma or other illnesses, so workers at the Jacksonville shipyard were often afflicted with harmful and incurable health conditions.

By the 1970's people began to be made aware of the dangers from asbestos, and use of the mineral was regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency and other governmental offices. Over time it was removed and cleaned up at the Mayport Navy Station, and the facility remains in operation today. More than 14,000 military personnel and 1,400 civilians keep the site running currently without the risk of being exposed to asbestos.

Last modified: December 09 2009.