Rock Island Arsenal is a 946-acre Army base located on what is today known as Arsenal Island. Positioned on the Mississippi River between Davenport, Iowa, and Rock Island, Illinois, the arsenal is home to the U.S. Army First Army Headquarters and the U.S. Army Center of Excellence for Additive Manufacturing. Its two centuries of service include the years when the military required the use of asbestos, a carcinogenic material that put workers at risk of exposure and being diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease.
The History of Rock Island Arsenal
Rock Island Arsenal is a government-owned and operated arsenal located on the Mississippi River between Illinois and Iowa. In its current role, Rock Island serves the Army as well as all other branches of service. These include the National Guard and Army Reserve, Active Duty Marines, Navy, and Coast Guard in the Navy-Marine Corps Reserve Center
Rock Island Arsenal has played such a significant role in the history of the U.S. military that, in 1989, its original buildings were designated a National Historic Landmark.[1]
The base was first identified and set aside as a federal military reservation in 1809. In 1816, it was named Fort Armstrong and built as part of a system of forts, and it was tasked with serving as military headquarters during the Black Hawk War of 1832.
Though it was abandoned in 1836, Fort Armstrong continued to be used as an ordnance depot for another ten years. The historical buildings on the site, representing those original structures, are a historical recreation built in 1916.[1]
In 1862, Congress established the site as Rock Island Arsenal. Multiple buildings were constructed over the next several years for the manufacture and overhaul of small arms, as well as a 20,000 square-foot Italianate villa called Quarters One that is the second largest single-family government residence next to the White House.
During the Civil War, the Rock Island Prison Barracks housed over 12,000 Confederate prisoners. A Confederate cemetery was built to accommodate the almost 2,000 prisoners who died there.[1]
In the 1880s, the army established a foundry and armory on the island responsible for manufacturing both military equipment and ordnance. During World War I, it produced nearly 200,000 155 mm howitzer shells. Though it was too late for them to be used in World War I, the base also constructed one hundred tanks.
By World War II, the arsenal’s focus turned to artillery production, with about 600 artillery cartridges made monthly, as well as machine guns and a 3.5 mm rocket launcher “super-bazooka” that was used in the Korean War.[2]
The site took responsibility for the tool and equipment distribution mission of the Rossford Army Depot of Ohio in 1962, making it responsible for stocking over 65,000 items. In 1967, the same happened with the inventory and role of the Springfield Armory of Massachusetts.
The Arsenal’s teams went beyond manufacturing; they were also involved with the product engineering, research, and development of small arms. Rock Island staff developed the M102 105mm lightweight howitzer that was used in the Vietnam War.[2]
During the 1980s, the Rock Island Arsenal Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center put all of the base’s manufacturing into a single complex that contained a forge, foundry, and plating shop. Rock Island Arsenal is the only Army facility that assembles tool sets and kits for field support equipment.[2]
Today, Rock Island Arsenal hosts over 700 active military, almost 600 reserve military, and another 600 contractors. It is one of the largest and most important employers in the region and the largest government-owned manufacturing facility in the United States.[3]
How Was Asbestos Used at Rock Island Arsenal?
Rock Island Arsenal has been an active military installation for the majority of American history, including the years when asbestos was heavily used by industry as well as the Army.
Asbestos’s characteristic strength, durability, insulating capabilities, and fireproofing made it invaluable for construction. It was useful for insulating against heat, preventing pipes and steam valves from leaking, and for keeping friction-based equipment like automobile brakes from quickly wearing down.
When it comes to the military in general, asbestos was used in applications ranging from vehicle brake systems and barracks construction to helmets, uniforms, and floor and ceiling tiles.
Between the 1930s and 1980s, the military specified that asbestos be included as a component of hundreds of items because it believed it would protect its service members and its assets.
It was only decades later that the material’s dangers became public knowledge, and by then, tens of thousands of military personnel, civilian employees, and family members of both had been exposed to asbestos fibers. Many of them would be diagnosed with asbestosis, malignant mesothelioma, lung cancer, and other serious and life-altering illnesses.
At Rock Island Arsenal, the same asbestos-containing materials and parts found at other Army bases were accompanied by those associated with the base’s mission. The foundry, armory, and various weaponry manufactured on the site also made significant use of the material.
Asbestos was used in Rock Island’s foundries for many purposes, including insulation of pipe lagging, boiler coverings, fan housings, cupolas, and sand molds. It was a component of safety gear, such as gloves, aprons, mitts, and fire blankets, and asbestos was incorporated into the concrete used for the foundry foundation. Asbestos-containing talc was also used in molds.
Asbestos-containing materials and parts used at Rock Island Arsenal included:
- Adhesives
- Automobile, truck, and tank brakes, clutch plates, gaskets, and insulation
- 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 Rock Island Arsenal?
Rock Island Arsenal supports tens of thousands of personnel and has done so throughout its years of operation. To accommodate troops and the base’s mission, the site was constantly undergoing construction projects. Barracks and mess halls were built, as well as the infrastructure to support them.
The foundry and armory that are at the center of the arsenal’s mission used asbestos-containing insulation and materials, and so too did all of the other buildings, assets, and equipment on the base.
Soldiers who served on the base and civilian contractors who worked there were constantly at risk of asbestos exposure, and the family members who they returned home to each night were also at risk of secondary exposure to asbestos carried home on their loved one’s hair, skin, or clothing.
Those who were most at risk of exposure to asbestos at Rock Island Arsenal included:
- Electricians
- Contractors
- Construction Workers
- Roofers
- Plumbers
- Foundry Workers
- Carpenters
- Boiler Workers
- Pipefitters
- Machinists
- Tank system mechanics
- Vehicle mechanics
- Artillery mechanics
- HVAC workers
- Firefighters
Rock Island Arsenal continues to serve the United States, and many of the historic buildings at the site have become attractions as national historic sites. Though those who served on the base in the years before 1980 are at the greatest risk of unprotected asbestos exposure, there are still many buildings on the site that were built using asbestos and where legacy asbestos may remain.
The problem of asbestos and other toxic materials at Rock Island has been addressed. The facility received $52 million in federal funding in 2020 for IT updates and building renovations. The renovations included abating asbestos and lead paint.[4]
Help for Rock Island Arsenal Asbestos Victims
It can take decades for the symptoms of asbestos-related diseases to begin experiencing the symptoms of illness, especially if they’ve been struck with malignant mesothelioma, which has an extremely long latency period.
If you spent time at Rock Island Arsenal as a service member, employee, or contractor, you may be at risk for an asbestos-related illness. Take the time to learn about the diseases’ symptoms so that you can respond quickly should they arise. It’s also a good idea to let your doctor know about your history of exposure so that they can note it in your medical records.
If you’ve been diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease and you spent time at Rock Island Arsenal as a service member, you may be entitled to special disability compensation for illnesses caused by service-related exposure. You can also take advantage of the specialty treatment offered through the VA Health System.
Veterans and others sickened by asbestos at the Army base also have legal options available to them. Though you can’t sue the Army, you may be eligible to file a personal injury lawsuit against the asbestos companies that supplied the contaminated products to the base or to file claims against the asbestos trust funds set up by any of those companies forced into bankruptcy as a result of their negligence.
The best way to find out about compensation and the legal process is to speak to an experienced asbestos attorney. These lawyers have special knowledge about product liability law and negligence relative to asbestos exposure. They also have the resources to help you identify which companies’ products you may have been exposed to at the Illinois site.
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