The land that became U.S. Army Fort McCoy has served the United States since 1909, and since that time, it has been a field artillery site, an ordnance depot, a training camp, a prisoner of war camp, and more. Today, it is the only major installation located in the north-central United States. Fort McCoy’s extensive and highly regarded history encompasses the years when asbestos was in constant use by the U.S. military, and many of the soldiers who served there, as well as civilian employees and others, are at risk of malignant mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases as a result of having been exposed to the carcinogenic material.
The History of Fort McCoy
Originally designated Camp McCoy in 1926, the land where Fort McCoy is located was used by the United States as early as 1905 when the owner of the McCoy Ranch invited the commander of Minnesota’s 7th Field Artillery to use the land for training. The 4,000-acre ranch and an additional 10,000 nearby acres were purchased by the government in 1906 and used as a field artillery site under the name Camp Robinson, later named Camp Bruce Elisha McCoy, through World War I.[1]
Considered the largest, most modern, and most beautiful military camp in the nation, Camp McCoy expanded through World War I with the addition of barracks, mess halls, stables, and warehouses, but from 1919 to 1923, all training stopped, and it was designated as an ordnance depot to handle, store, and ship explosive material. From 1923 to 1925, the camp was deactivated and its barracks dismantled, and in 1926, it was officially designated as Camp McCoy. Summer artillery training was conducted there from 1926 to 1933, and a Citizens’ Military Training Camp was established there to ensure the country’s military readiness. In 1933, Camp McCoy served as the supply base for the Civilian Conservation Corps, a New Deal program supervised by the Army.[1]
In 1940, the camp was chosen as a training site in preparation for World War II, and 65,000 soldiers from seven states participated in maneuvers there. More than 45,000 acres were added, and 8,000 local workers were recruited to build accommodations and more than 1,500 buildings for 35,000 troops at a time. The former Civilian Conservation Corps facilities were converted to a prisoner of war and relocation camp and served as the largest holding facility for Japanese POWs in the Continental United States It also housed thousands of German and Korean POWs, and at the war’s end, the site became a reception and separation center that processed nearly 250,000 soldiers.[2]
After the war, the base was used to test winter clothing and equipment and as an induction center for recruits before they were sent to training centers across the county. It was placed on inactive status in 1946 but used as a summer training camp by reserve and National Guard units and then reactivated during the Korean War, when it served as a major training center. It was deactivated again and used for a range of purposes, including as a training academy for the Wisconsin State Patrol, a Job Corps Training Center, and Reserve and National Guard training before being designated a FORSCOM installation in 1974. Officially recognized as a year-round training center, the site was renamed Fort McCoy. In 1980, it was designated as a Resettlement Center for Cuban refugees, though it continued to be used for troop training activities and off-post support.[2]
In 1984, an initial entry airborne parachute training complex was built on the site, as well as a 4,500-foot combat air assault strip. By 1985, Fort McCoy was training more than 100,000 personnel per year. It served as a major mobilization site during Desert Shield/Desert Storm, processing and deploying eight percent of the total reserve-component force called to active duty, and supported many national defense missions, including Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom, Noble Eagle, and New Dawn.[1]
How Was Asbestos Used at Fort McCoy?
With its earliest construction dating back to 1919 and undergoing constant expansion and renovation ever since, Fort McCoy’s history parallels the use of asbestos-containing products by America’s military.
Asbestos is a mineral that has a well-deserved reputation for adding strength and durability, as well as for insulating against heat, flame, and sound. Its status as a miracle material belied a secret that was known by asbestos companies and few others – that it had been linked to serious illnesses, including lung cancer and other respiratory diseases. In the years leading up to World War II, the War Department specified that asbestos be used in nearly every application to protect service members and assets at a low cost. The companies that knew of its dangers kept the information quiet so that they could continue earning profits, and years later, tens of thousands of veterans and others paid the price with their health and their lives.
As has been true at many Army bases, asbestos has been identified at Fort McCoy in a wide range of places, including barracks, mess halls, and hospitals. It was used in shingles and siding, ceiling and floor tiles, and cement used in the construction of the sites’ community activity center, fire station, hospital, and many other structures. It was a part of the brakes used in military vehicles and insulated pipes in the base’s structure. Though the material added strength, it also broke down into microscopic fibers that could remain in the air for hours and be inhaled or ingested by those in the area, leading to the risk of lung cancer and other illnesses.
Though the military discontinued the use of asbestos at Fort McCoy, legacy asbestos remained hidden in previously installed materials, some of which took years to be cleaned out. Fort McCoy had so much asbestos in place that it developed a process for dismantling or deconstructing surplus buildings that was recommended to all U.S. Army facilities. The process included selling a contaminated building to a private citizen or community group and having them disassemble it by hand, taking appropriate environmental and safety precautions.[3]
Asbestos-containing materials and parts used at Fort McCoy over the years included:
- Adhesives
- Automobile and truck brakes
- Caulking
- Ceiling tiles
- Cement foundations
- Drywall
- Electrical wiring
- Epoxies
- Fireproofing materials
- Floor tiles
- Gaskets
- HVAC systems
- Insulation materials
- Paint
- Pipes
- Plumbing
- Roofing
- Sealants
- Siding
- Soundproofing
- Valves
- Vinyl floor tiles
- Wallboard
Who Was at Risk of Asbestos Exposure at Fort McCoy?
Fort McCoy went through a series of expansions and contractions over the years, and each deactivation, reactivation, and new mission required construction workers, renovation workers, demolition workers, and professionals with expertise in many specialty areas to participate in bringing the base to its new status. Though much of this work took place in the years between the 1930s and 1980, when asbestos was most in use, there has also been work performed since then that disturbed asbestos in place. This means that people at Fort McCoy may even be at risk of exposure today.
In addition to those who were service members at Fort McCoy, there were civilian contractors and employees exposed to the dangerous material. Tragically, in recent years, it has been discovered that beyond those who suffered occupational exposure to the toxic material, many family members have been sickened as a result of secondary asbestos exposure to asbestos dust carried home from Fort McCoy on their loved ones’ clothing, hair, and skin.
Those who were most at risk of asbestos exposure at Fort McCoy included:
- Sheet Metal Workers
- Insulation Workers
- Welders
- Automotive mechanics
- Electricians
- HVAC Workers
- Demolition Workers
- Contractors
- Construction Workers
- Roofers
- Carpenters
- Bricklayers
- Boiler Workers
- Pipefitters
- Machinists
Were You Exposed to Asbestos at Fort McCoy?
Being exposed to asbestos represents a real and serious threat to your health. Whether you are a veteran who served at Fort McCoy, a civilian employee or contractor who worked on the base, or a family member who lived in a contaminated family residence or who remembers your family member walking into your home tracking dust, you may be in danger. It’s important for you to familiarize yourself with the symptoms of malignant mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases and to inform your healthcare professional about your history of exposure so that they can remain vigilant should any symptoms arise.
Help for Those Diagnosed with Mesothelioma
Being diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma or any other asbestos-related disease is a frightening experience. The rollercoaster of emotions can be all-consuming, but it’s important to take a few moments to learn about the options available to you. An asbestos attorney will be able to review your exposure to asbestos at Fort McCoy and provide you with essential information about which asbestos companies’ products may have contributed to your illness. They will also be able to explain the statute of limitations that controls the amount of time you have to file a personal injury lawsuit, what to expect if you do pursue legal action, and your eligibility to file claims with some of the asbestos trust funds that have been set up by asbestos companies that were forced into bankruptcy.
In addition to the help available through a mesothelioma attorney, if you are a veteran, you may be eligible for special disability compensation, benefits, and care available through the Department of Veterans Affairs, including care at any of the VA treatment centers located throughout the country.
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