Originally established as Camp Merriam as a training site for the California National Guard, Camp San Luis Obispo is a military base that continues to be used today, providing operational, logistical, and training support to a range of civilian and military agencies. Located on nearly 15,000 acres in San Luis Obispo County on California’s Central Coast, it was built and operated during the years when asbestos was commonly included in military assets ranging from structures to equipment to uniforms. The use of the carcinogenic material exposed thousands of veterans and civilian personnel to the risk of malignant mesothelioma, asbestosis, and other asbestos-related diseases.
The History of Camp San Luis Obispo
Created in response to the lack of officially designated training space for the state’s National Guard, in 1928, the California legislature set aside a 5,800-acre area that it named Camp Merriam after former governor Frank Merriam.[1] Divided into an Artillery Camp and a larger Infantry Camp, its use was preempted by the federal government in 1940 when the military leased the area from the state, renamed it Camp San Luis Obispo, and enlarged the camp. Significant construction was completed between 1940 and 1941, and another 4,170 acres were purchased 20 miles east of the camp for the construction of the Salinas Dam as a supplemental source of water.[1]
Once built, Camp San Luis Obispo became home to the 40th Infantry Division as well as several other divisions that trained there before heading to the Pacific and European battlefronts. Marines joined their Army comrades at the site, training in marksmanship and other skills at the site after their numbers exceeded what nearby Camp Matthews could accommodate.[2]
After World War II’s end, the site was returned to the state of California. It briefly became the headquarters for the U.S. Property and Fiscal Office of California, which provided fiscal and logistical support for the California National Guard and became a training site for the 40th and 49th Infantry Divisions in addition to the California National Guard and others until the Korean War. At that time, the site was again leased to the Army and became home to the Southwest Signal Corps Training Center. The site wasn’t returned to California’s control until 1965.[1]
After 1965, Camp San Luis Obispo saw diverse uses. An academic complex for the California Military Academy was developed on the site, as well as training schools for the U.S. Army. Significant upgrades and renovations took place throughout the base, and in 1984, Camp San Luis Obispo hosted the U.S. Army’s Exercise Gallant Eagle, which has been called the largest military exercise ever conducted in the United States.[1]
Among the many uses that camp has served, it supported approximately 2,500 firefighters and first responders, as well as their equipment, during significant fires that struck the area in 1985. It includes eleven separate dining facilities capable of feeding over 3,000 people, eleven assembly buildings with an occupancy capacity of 1,520, and more than fifty administrative and office buildings. It also includes a heliport, a complex of warehouses and workshops, and maintenance facilities, as well as two theaters, a chapel, a laundry, a postal exchange, and two service clubs.[1]
Today, Camp San Luis Obispo continues to provide operational, training, and logistical support to several civilian organizations and the military, including the California Army and Air National Guard, the U.S. Army Reserve, the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve, the California Conservation Corps, the California Specialized Training Institute, Cuesta Community College, and the California Department of Transportation.[1]
How Was Asbestos Used at Camp San Luis Obispo?
Like almost every other Army base built in the United States in the years before World War II, the construction of Camp San Luis Obispo made extensive use of asbestos, and so did its operational assets, from the insulation that lined its pipes and infrastructure to the brake linings of the vehicles that supported its day-to-day activities.
Asbestos is a mineral that has been recognized as carcinogenic since the mid-1970s, but during the years that its original iteration as Camp Merriam was built and in the years after, the substance was valued for its remarkable usefulness. Asbestos has many beneficial characteristics: it adds strength and durability and can withstand heat and flame to such a great degree that it was added to safety gear to make it fireproof. Because it is non-conductive, it was used in electrical wiring, and because it was flexible, it was frequently used as insulation. All of these aspects, along with its low cost and abundant supply, made asbestos very attractive to the military. It specified its use in hundreds of applications, from the construction materials used in barracks and mess halls to the heat shields installed on aircraft. Only decades later did the government and the general public learn of the dangers that the material posed, and by that time, tens of thousands of veterans and civilian personnel had been put at risk.
Asbestos-containing materials and parts used at Camp San Luis Obispo 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
- Shingles
- Siding
- Soundproofing
- Valves
- Vinyl floor tiles
- Wallboard
Who Was at Risk of Asbestos Exposure at Camp San Luis Obispo?
Because Camp San Luis Obispo was host to such a diverse array of military and civilian personnel over the years, the risk of exposure to asbestos at the site spreads far beyond what is typically seen at other Army bases. At greatest risk were those whose work directly exposed them to asbestos, including civilian, National Guard, and Army personnel who were responsible for the construction of its structures, ongoing maintenance, and repair of the base. But because the site constantly changed hands and was used for so many different applications, and because its structures were built decades earlier, there is also risk for those who frequented its structures in other capacities — from Marines to administrative staff for the National Guard — being exposed to legacy asbestos hidden behind walls, in electrical wiring, or in equipment that may still be in use today.
Also at risk were family members of anybody who worked with asbestos at Camp San Luis Obispo, as secondary asbestos exposure can easily occur when somebody who is directly exposed to the carcinogenic material carries its dust on their hair, skin, or clothing. These invisible particles can then be shed into personal automobile upholstery and furniture or carpeting in the home: many spouses of those exposed directly to asbestos have been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma after years of laundering their partner’s asbestos-covered work clothes.
Those who were most at risk at Camp San Luis Obispo included:
- Electricians
- Contractors
- Construction Workers
- Roofers
- Plumbers
- Carpenters
- Boiler Workers
- Pipefitters
- Machinists
- Vehicle mechanics
- Artillery mechanics
- HVAC workers
- Firefighters
As recently as 2021, the California Military Department’s Office of the Adjutant General was actively involved in renovations of the site’s buildings that specified the removal of asbestos-containing materials included in roofing materials, windows, doors, flooring and floor coverings, interior walls and partitions, ceilings, exterior walls, exterior siding, paint and finishes, interior gas and water piping and fixtures, HVAC equipment, interior and exterior electrical wiring and fixtures, and interior and exterior telecommunication wiring and fixtures.
The ongoing need for asbestos abatement, combined with the number of personnel who have served and worked at Camp San Luis Obispo over the years and been exposed to this material, highlights the significant threat and the fact that many people who traveled through the site are at risk of being diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases in years to come.[3]
Help for Those Exposed to Asbestos at Camp San Luis Obispo
Asbestos particles are so tiny as to be microscopic, but they have an enormous, devastating impact. Once inhaled, they are nearly impossible for the body to expel, and they begin doing their damage almost immediately. Inflammation and cell death lead to the scarring of asbestosis, mutations, and the growth of tumors, some of which take fifty or sixty years to make themselves known.
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease after having been exposed to asbestos at Camp San Luis Obispo, an experienced asbestos attorney will be one of your best resources. If you are an Army veteran, they will be able to explain the special disability compensation available through the Department of Veterans Affairs and help you fill out all of the necessary paperwork. Whether you served in the military or not, they will also be able to assess whether you’re eligible to file a claim against any of the asbestos companies that provided Camp San Luis Obispo’s asbestos-containing materials.
In some cases, these companies can be sued directly by filing a personal injury lawsuit that will result in either litigation or a settlement; in other instances, if a company has been forced into bankruptcy as a result of its asbestos liabilities, you may be able to file a claim against an asbestos trust fund that will provide compensation relatively quickly.
One way or another, you need to be aware of the statute of limitations that will apply to your case in your state. Every state has its own rules about how long victims of asbestos exposure have to take legal action, so contact an attorney as soon as you can.
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