Located in California with its eastern end in San Bernardino County and its southern arm in Los Angeles County, Edwards Air Force Base has a storied history. Starting with its days as a bombing range, it grew to become a bomber training base in World War II and then went on to achieve more major milestones in flight than any other base in the world. Over the years it saw the development of the Bell XP-59 Airacomet, the Bell X-1, the NASA Space Shuttle, and the B-2 Bomber.
Today, Edwards Air Force Base fulfills a mission of planning, conducting, analyzing, and reporting on all flight and ground testing aircraft, weapons systems, software, and components, as well as modeling and simulation for the U.S. Air Force.[1] Unfortunately, the base’s proud legacy has been impacted by the extensive use of asbestos in its buildings, infrastructure, and the diverse aircraft that were flown, maintained, and developed there, exposing countless Air Force veterans and civilian personnel to the risk of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases.
The History of Edwards Air Force Base
The site of Edwards Air Force Base was once a desert water stop called Muroc. Located on the edge of a dry lakebed on the line of the Santa Fe Railroad, its smooth, concrete-like surface and expansive size made it ideal for an air base in the eyes of Airman Lt. Col. H.H. “Hap” Arnold, who urged the government to purchase it in 1933. Named the Muroc Bombing and Gunnery Range, the original site is now contained within what is today’s Air Force base.[2]
Before World War II, the Army Air Corp trained bombers and fighters on the site, and once the war started it became a permanent base called the Muroc Army Air Base and used to train combat flight crews. During the war years, it was common for B-24s and P-38s to fly through the skies above the base, shooting at targets on the range as they prepared to join the fight. Testing of legendary planes including the Bell XP-59A Airacomet and the Lockheed XP-80 Shooting Star was conducted there, taking advantage of the dry lakebed’s long, natural runways.[2]
After the war, the Air Force and the Navy tested their jets at the Muroc site. The rocket-powered Bell X-1 was tested there in 1946, and in 1947 Captain Charles E. “Chuck” Yeager flew it, breaking the sound barrier. As research programs and flight testing continued to be conducted at Muroc, the base’s reputation as the center of American flight research expanded. In December 1949 it was renamed Edwards Air Force Base in honor of Captain Glen W. Edwards, who was killed in a crash of the YB-49 Flying Wing.[2]
Edwards Air Force Base saw tremendous innovations over the years, including the first pilots to reach Mach 2 and Mach 3, and the establishment of new altitude records. Supersonic flight was born at Edwards, which earned a reputation for technological achievement. Its Test Pilot School was redesignated as the Aerospace Research Pilot School as the Air Force’s emphasis turned to space flight in the 1960s. Soon hypersonic and exoatmospheric flight capabilities were being tested, and a top speed of Mach 6 was achieved in 1967. Pilots also tested triple-sonic flight operations at altitudes of 70,000 feet and stealth aircraft that could cruise at speeds of 2,250 miles per hour and altitudes above 80,000 feet were introduced.[2]
By the 1970s, the Edwards Air Force Base training programs began focusing on systems tests and test management. New aircraft were introduced including the F-15, the F-16, and the B-1 Lancer, and Edwards had one of its most notable milestones in 1981 when the Space Shuttle Columbia landed on the original dry lakebed.[2]
Through each of these innovations and many more over the last few decades, Edwards Air Force Base has continued to train aircrews for combat. Every new Air Force aircraft is tested at Edwards, as well as many designed for the Navy and Army.[2]
How Was Asbestos Used at the Edwards Air Force Base?
Over its nearly 100-year history, Edwards Air Force Base has seen multiple expansions and the introduction of numerous types of aircraft. Unfortunately, from the early 1900s through the early 1980s, the military specified the use of asbestos, a mineral that would later be revealed as carcinogenic, for both the construction of buildings and for numerous applications within the planes that airmen tested and trained on. Though the material was inexpensive and provided significant strength, flameproofing, and insulation, asbestos put those service members at risk for serious asbestos-related diseases, and the same was true for any civilian workers engaged in construction, repairs, maintenance, or other tasks on the base.
Asbestos was used most extensively during World War II, when hundreds of bases were built for the Army Air Forces that later became the U.S. Air Force. But its use continued after the war was over, both in construction and in aircraft built over the years. It wasn’t until the Environmental Protection Agency identified asbestos as the cause of asbestosis, malignant mesothelioma, and other diseases that the Defense Department discontinued its use of asbestos-containing materials. Years later, asbestos abatement projects were introduced.
Asbestos-containing materials and parts used at Edwards 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
- Siding
- Soundproofing
- Valves
- Vinyl floor tiles
- Wallboard
Who Was at Risk of Asbestos Exposure at Edwards Air Force Base?
Asbestos-related diseases have extremely long latency periods: It can take decades from the time that an individual is exposed to the carcinogenic material to the time that they begin to exhibit symptoms, and that means that anybody who frequented, lived at, or worked at Edwards Air Force Base could be at risk for an asbestos-related disease, because so many structures throughout the base were built using it. At particularly high risk were those who worked directly with asbestos-containing materials, but because asbestos breaks down so easily into microscopic fibers that float through the air, even people who were exposed in mess halls, barracks, administrative buildings, or walking through workshops where asbestos containing materials were being used were at risk.
The people who were most at risk of asbestos exposure at Edwards Air Force Base included:
- Sheet Metal Workers
- Welders
- Electricians
- Contractors
- Construction Workers
- Airmen
- Boiler Workers
- Pipefitters
- Machinists
- Aircraft mechanics
- Carpenters
In addition to the Air Force veterans and civilian workforce that traversed the base, there is a proven risk of asbestos exposure for the family members of those workers. Many personal injury lawsuits have been filed by wives and children who were sickened by asbestos fibers carried into their homes on their loved one’s hair, skin, and clothing.
Notably, the risk of asbestos exposure at Edwards Air Force Base continues today from legacy asbestos that remains in buildings constructed before the 1980s. Any renovations or demolition must comply with asbestos management regulations.
Help for Edwards Air Force Base Asbestos Victims
Air Force veterans and others diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, COPD, or any other asbestos-related disease following exposure at Edwards Air Force Base have several options available to them. The first and most important step is to ensure that you are getting the best medical care possible. As a veteran, you can access state-of-the-art care at VA Medical Centers that offer care for those with asbestos-related diseases. You can also use your VA benefits to receive care at a specialized cancer center, and you may be entitled to special disability compensation.
For more information on how to pursue these benefits as well as other options, seek guidance from an asbestos attorney. They can provide you with information about filing a claim with an asbestos bankruptcy trust fund, pursuing a personal injury lawsuit against the companies responsible for your asbestos exposure, or seeking a settlement.
