Vietnam Era Asbestos Exposure (1959-1975)
The Vietnam War era is the current peak diagnosis decade for U.S. veteran mesothelioma cases. Vietnam-era veterans served on Navy ships saturated with asbestos, in Marine ground operations using asbestos-containing equipment, and at facilities throughout the Pacific theater with extensive asbestos installations.
Why Vietnam-era veterans are at peak diagnosis now
Mesothelioma latency is 20-50 years. Vietnam-era veterans (served 1959-1975) hit the 50-year latency mark from 2010 onward — making the 2020s the peak diagnosis decade for this cohort. Service in the Pacific theater, particularly aboard Navy carriers operating off Yankee Station, exposed sailors to extensive asbestos throughout long deployments.
Common Vietnam-era exposure scenarios
- Navy aircraft carriers on Yankee Station — USS Forrestal, Saratoga, Ranger, Independence, Kitty Hawk, Constellation, Coral Sea, Midway, Ticonderoga, Hancock, Bon Homme Richard, Oriskany, and others all had extensive asbestos installations
- Cold War boiler operations — Babcock & Wilcox and Combustion Engineering boilers powered most Vietnam-era Navy ships, with extensive associated asbestos
- Pittsburgh Corning Unibestos — manufactured 1962-1972, installed extensively on ships built or overhauled during the Vietnam era
- Marine Corps ground operations — Marines aboard amphibious assault ships and at Pacific bases had similar exposure to Navy personnel
- Civilian shipyard workers at Mare Island, Pearl Harbor, Long Beach, Norfolk, and Subic Bay (Philippines) supported Vietnam-era ship operations with extensive overhaul and repair work
Trust funds for Vietnam-era veterans
- Babcock & Wilcox — boiler exposure
- Combustion Engineering — boiler exposure
- Owens Corning / Fibreboard — Kaylo pipe insulation (1958-1972, peak Vietnam era)
- Pittsburgh Corning — Unibestos (1962-1972, exclusively Vietnam-era manufactured)
- Eagle-Picher — pipe insulation
- Garlock — gaskets
- Johns-Manville — broad coverage
Documentation
Vietnam-era documentation is typically much more accessible than WWII-era records. The 1973 NPRC fire affected primarily pre-1960 Army and Air Force records, leaving Navy records (including Vietnam-era Navy service) largely intact. DD-214s, ship deck logs, and service records are generally retrievable.
Mesothelioma is a VA presumptive condition
Mesothelioma is recognized by the VA as a service-connected presumptive condition for veterans with documented asbestos exposure during military service. This means VA disability compensation is available separately from asbestos trust fund claims and tort lawsuits. The three compensation streams (VA disability + tort + trusts) don't conflict and can be pursued simultaneously. Note: this site does not handle VA disability claims — for VA benefits, contact a VA-accredited representative or visit vva.org / dav.org.
Vietnam-era veterans diagnosed with mesothelioma typically have strong claim profiles. Take the eligibility quiz or call +1-800-400-1805 for a free case review.