Located in Wichita, Texas, Sheppard Air Force Base has a distinguished history dating back to 1941 when it first began providing aircrew and aircraft mechanics for America’s World War II efforts Since that time, it has become home to the Air Force’s largest technical training wing, training pilots, mechanics, and other specialists for both the United States and its NATO allies.[1] Sheppard’s aviation mission, as well as the base’s infrastructure, made significant use of asbestos over the years, exposing both Air Force veterans and civilians who served and worked there at risk of malignant mesothelioma, asbestosis, asbestos-related lung cancer, and other serious illnesses.
The History of Sheppard Air Force Base
Sheppard Air Force Base was established as a flight-training facility by the United States Army Air Corps in 1941. Originally named Sheppard Field for Texas senator John Morris Sheppard, who had died six months earlier, the first 300 troops arrived months after construction began. Some were trained as glider pilots and liaison pilots, others as mechanics of medium bombers and gliders. The base also took on responsibility for training helicopter pilots toward the war’s end, as well as a military air traffic school. By 1945, the base’s population had reached over 46,000, representing the largest concentration of American Air Corps troops in the world, but shortly after Japan surrendered, the base was temporarily deactivated, and its buildings were used by the National Guard and nearby Wichita General Hospital and Midwestern Hospital.[2]
By 1948, the Air Force expressed interest in reopening the base, and in September, 21,000 men arrived, and the base was renamed Sheppard Air Force Base. The original 800-acre site was expanded to 5,400 acres and became home to 3,500 permanent military personnel, as well as over 4,000 international students each year attending three different training schools that were built there Approximately 2,000 private citizens from the region were employed at Sheppard in a variety of roles.[2]
Between 1948 and 1978, Sheppard Air Force Base was the site of constant construction to accommodate the 3750th Technical School, which trained students in aircraft maintenance, transportation, communication, civil engineering, and field training. It was also home to the Titan and Atlas intercontinental missiles and the Thor and Jupiter intercontinental ballistic missile training, two undergraduate pilot-training programs, an operational wing for the Strategic Air Command, and schools teaching aerospace rescue and weather. The Air Force Medical Service School was also moved to Sheppard from Gunter Air Force Base in Alabama, a project that included building facilities for training in dentistry, medicine, veterinary medicine, nursing, and support services.[2]
In the early 1990s, with its population having declined to under 4,000, Sheppard Air Force Base began streamlining its units. In 1993, the Air Training Command became the Air Education and Training Command, and by 2005, the facility had expanded the base population to nearly 28,000 military and civilian operating personnel.[2] Today, the U.S. government points to Sheppard Air Force Base as the largest and most diverse training base in Air Education and Training Command and the only Air Force base that is home to both technical and flying training.[1]
How Was Asbestos Used at the Sheppard Air Force Base?
For centuries, asbestos has been used to strengthen, insulate, and fireproof materials of all kinds, but this was especially true from the Industrial Revolution forward. From the 1930s to the 1980s, the military made extensive use of the material, believing that it would protect its service members, as well as its valuable military assets. Asbestos was commonly found on U.S. Air Force bases and other military installations, including Sheppard Air Force Base, whose role increased the asbestos exposure risk for both service members and civilian workers there. Because the base’s mission was to train both airmen and aircraft mechanics, the exposure to asbestos-containing materials from materials that were contained within the bombers, gliders, helicopters, and other aircraft was significant.
There was additional risk from the asbestos-containing materials used in standard military construction, including barracks, mess halls, administrative buildings, and infrastructure. An environmental assessment conducted in 2007 reported that “asbestos-containing building materials were identified in most of the buildings and were present in a variety of conditions.”[3] This is an indication of how thoroughly contaminated the base infrastructure was and how high the risk of exposure for anybody who frequented the base.
Among the many asbestos-containing materials used at Sheppard Air Force Base were:
- Brakes and Brake Pads: Asbestos was used to withstand the intense heat generated during aircraft landing and taxiing.
- Engine Components: Heat shields, exhaust systems, gaskets, seals, and insulation materials were made with asbestos to protect against extreme temperatures.
- Electrical Wiring and Systems: Electrical wires and panels were insulated with asbestos to protect against heat damage.
- Cockpit Heating Systems: Internal ductwork and insulation for cockpit and cabin heating systems included asbestos.
- Fireproofing Materials: Asbestos blankets were used around engines and fuel systems, while service members wore protective gear made from asbestos-containing textiles.
- Gaskets and Seals: Asbestos provided heat and pressure resistance in valves, pipes, and other high-temperature aircraft parts.
- Flooring and Panels: Asbestos was incorporated into materials for insulation and soundproofing inside aircraft.
- Clutches: Engine mechanisms and propellers included asbestos-made clutches.
Sheppard Air Force Base’s mission was to train pilots and service members in aircraft maintenance and repairs, as well as training mechanics for field maintenance. This exposed thousands to asbestos. Additionally, the continuous expansion of the base to accommodate more students meant that crews tasked with construction and renovation work also faced significant asbestos exposure. This included boiler workers, construction crews, contractors, welders, and others involved in maintaining or repairing these facilities and equipment. The risk of asbestos exposure was greatest for those who directly handled or worked with or near these materials.
Asbestos-containing parts used at Sheppard Air Force Base included:
- Adhesives
- Aircraft
- Aircraft Brakes
- Automobile and truck brakes
- Cargo bay insulation Adhesives
- Caulking
- Ceiling tiles
- Cement foundations
- Drywall
- Electrical wiring
- Epoxies
- Fireproofing materials
- Floor tiles
- Gaskets
- Heat shields for aircraft engines
- Heating systems in the cockpit
- HVAC systems
- Insulation materials
- Paint
- Pipes
- Plumbing
- Roofing
- Roofing adhesives
- Sealants
- Vinyl floor tiles
- Wallboard
Who Was at Risk of Asbestos Exposure at Sheppard Air Force Base?
Service members and civilians involved in training aircraft mechanics at Sheppard Air Force Base were at significant risk of asbestos exposure, but so too were the contractors, construction workers, carpenters, painters, and plumbers who built and maintained the base. Workers involved in installing asbestos-contaminated concrete pipes or structures, as well as boiler workers responsible for maintaining the base’s physical plant, also faced significant exposure risks by inhaling asbestos fibers.
Additionally, family members of those who were exposed were at risk. Microscopic asbestos fibers disturbed by the work process often clung to the skin, hair, and clothing of service members and civilians, who unwittingly carried them into their homes where loved ones were exposed by doing the family’s laundry or even by simply embracing their spouses or parents when they returned home from work each day. This secondary asbestos exposure has been blamed for many illnesses and deaths.
The people who were most at risk of asbestos exposure at Sheppard Air Force Base included:
- Sheet Metal Workers
- Welders
- Electricians
- Contractors
- Construction Workers
- Airmen
- Firefighters
- Boiler Workers
- Pipefitters
- Machinists
- Aircraft mechanics
- Carpenters
Though asbestos use was discontinued after the material was identified as carcinogenic, significant risk from legacy asbestos that remains in existing buildings poses a continued threat to those working and living in the structures, as well as those tasked with repairing, maintaining, and even demolishing them. As recently as 2016, a planned front gate facelift of the base’s property included asbestos abatement and demolition of substandard structures on the property,[4] and in 2021, military families citing the presence of asbestos in base housing pursued legal action over unsafe living conditions.[5]
Were You Exposed to Asbestos at Sheppard Air Force Base?
Sheppard Air Force Base has been operating for over 80 years, many of which subjected service members and civilians alike to asbestos. The material that was once used specifically to protect ended up leading to life-threatening diseases, including malignant mesothelioma and lung cancer. Because both of these asbestos-related diseases have extremely long latency periods, those who were exposed may still be at risk, even if they feel healthy today. If you are among those who spent time at Sheppard Air Force Base, it’s a good idea for you to educate yourself about the warning signs of these diseases and to alert your healthcare professional of your history of exposure.
Help for Sheppard Air Force Base Asbestos Victims
If you are an Air Force veteran, civilian worker, or family member who has been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease, help is available. After you and your healthcare team have established a treatment plan, an asbestos attorney can be very helpful as you navigate the process. These knowledgeable professionals can provide you with guidance on the available options, helping you choose the best course of action and securing the support and compensation you deserve. This may include filing a claim with an asbestos trust fund or pursuing a personal injury lawsuit against the asbestos companies responsible for supplying the parts and materials that sickened you.
If you are an Air Force veteran, a mesothelioma attorney can also assist you with collecting documentation and preparing the paperwork for applying to the Veterans Administration for disability benefits and care.
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