Today, Naval Station Mayport, located in Jacksonville, Florida, is the third-largest naval surface fleet concentration area in the United States, but shortly after it opened in 1942, it was reclassified as a Naval Sea Frontier as a Naval Sea Frontier base in 1943. Over the years Mayport filled many roles, supporting the Atlantic Fleet with logistics and personnel throughout World War II and serving as an aircraft carrier basin in the 1950s. Unfortunately, both the ships that berthed at Mayport and the base’s infrastructure were contaminated with asbestos, exposing many Navy personnel and civilians to the risk of malignant mesothelioma.
The History of Naval Base Mayport
In 1938, the government began investigating the feasibility of building a southeastern naval air base in Jacksonville, Florida, and with the support of the local community, a $1.1 million bond issue made the purchase of land for two naval stations possible. One of these was Naval Station Mayport, which was commissioned in December 1942. Two years later, an air facility on the base was commissioned as a complement to the Sea Frontier Base. Together, the two provided personnel and logistics support to the war effort.[1]
After World War II, Naval Base Mayport was decommissioned. The Coast Guard took over the base for a Boot Camp but left it in 1947. It was reactivated again in 1948 as a Naval Outlying Landing Field, and three years later its land area was increased to 1,680 acres and a new runway was built. Over the next decade, the base continued to grow to accommodate new classes of ships. It also extended its runways to accommodate increasing air traffic.[1]
Over the years, Mayport was home to the USS Tarawa, and after its basin was re-dredged it began accommodating Midway class carriers including the USS Coral Sea and the aircraft carrier USS Franklin D. Roosevelt. The base continued expanding to accommodate more ships and expand its communication possibilities. It was the site of the first delivery of “missile mail” in 1959 and became the East Coast home for the Light Airborne Multi-Purpose System, a helicopter aviation community.[1]
Many notable events and military operations originated from Naval Base Mayport. In 1962, the ship USS Noa left its Mayport base to assist in the recovery of the Mercury space capsule Friendship Seven and Astronaut Lt. Col. John Glenn, Jr. The base was a staging area during the Cuban Missile Crisis and played host to President and Mrs. Richard Nixon when they arrived on the Spirit of 76. Several ships that homeported at Mayport were involved in operations off of the coast of Beirut, Lebanon during 1982 and 1983, and several Mayport-based vessels deployed to the Persian Gulf in 1990 and 1991 for Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Fox.[1]
Today, Mayport covers 3,409 acres and is the third largest Naval Facility in the continental United States, serving as a Surface and Air Warfare organization.
Asbestos at Naval Station Mayport
Naval Station Mayport was built in the 1940s and expanded throughout the 20th century, a time when asbestos was commonly used for the construction of infrastructure and housing. According to a survey conducted by the Navy in 1980, the greatest risk posed by asbestos-contaminated construction at Mayport came from friable insulating products, woven products, and nonfriable matrix-bonded composite products.[2]
Additionally, Naval Base Mayport featured a military airfield and was the homeport for many notable aircraft carriers and other vessels that were heavily contaminated with the carcinogen for fireproofing and as an insulator, as well as within much of the shipboard equipment.
Asbestos use at Naval Base Mayport included the following materials:
- Pipe insulation
- Spray-on insulation
- Other types of insulation
- Boilers
- Cables
- Caulk
- Deck coverings
- Electrical coating
- Engines
- Lagging and rope
- Concrete
- Floor tiling
- Paneling
- Machinery casing
- Ceiling material
- Doors
- Wall panels
- Sealants
- Automobile brake linings
- Paints
- Adhesives
- Gaskets
- Pumps
- Turbines
- Pipes
- Safety equipment and protective clothing
Who Was at Risk of Asbestos Exposure at Naval Station Mayport?
Asbestos use and exposure were pervasive at naval shipyards, including Naval Station Mayport,. Anybody who served onboard ships berthed there was at risk, as it was a major component in engine rooms, boiler rooms, galleys, mess halls, pump and propulsion rooms, and crew living quarters. Additionally, anybody tasked with ship maintenance or construction of any of the infrastructure for the base may have been exposed to that activity or from working in the vicinity.
Those at risk include:
- Sheet Metal Workers
- Welders
- Electricians
- Boiler Workers
- Shipyard Workers
- Construction Workers
- Carpenters
- Pipefitters
- Machinists
The asbestos contamination at Naval Station Mayport was so extensive that a construction management company with expertise in asbestos abatement was contracted for an environmental protection, demolition, removal, and site restoration project that involved eleven buildings.[3] Mayport is further contaminated with PFAS, chemicals released by military firefighters and trainees using a film-forming foam that puts out jet fuel and petroleum fires. As a result of both asbestos and PFAS contamination, Naval Station Mayport was nominated for investigation by the EPA in 1994 and was named a Superfund site, though it was not placed on the National Priority List.[4]
Resources for Naval Base Mayport Asbestos Victims
Many Navy veterans and civilians who worked or lived at Naval Base Mayport have been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. The asbestos exposure they endured may have represented negligence on the part of asbestos companies and may make them eligible for compensation or VA benefits and disability compensation. To learn more about filing a claim with an asbestos bankruptcy trust, filing a personal injury claim against asbestos companies, or preparing a veterans’ disability claim, contact an experienced asbestos attorney who can help you navigate the complex issues that you’re likely to face.
