World War II veterans, their families and military representatives of the countries that participated in the D-Day invasion hold a wreath laying ceremony at the World War II Memorial on the National Mall on the 75th anniversary of Operation Overlord, June 06, 2019 in Washington, D.C. (File/Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
The U.S. armed forces overused asbestos-containing products throughout the last century before and since entering World War II, when affordable materials were sought for mass-producing military equipment quickly.
All five military branches utilized asbestos in some form, exposing many service members to the material’s toxic fibers, especially veterans of the Second World War, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.
Today’s growing number of toxic exposure cases reflects the health risks our vets assumed, in addition to the challenges of service.
Navy veterans were at a strikingly high risk of asbestos exposure and developing severe diseases decades after service, as the Two-Ocean Navy Act expanded the U.S. Naval Forces by more than 70% in preparation for the States’ entry into the Second World War.