Griffiss Air Force Base is located in the city of Rome, in Central New York state. Established in 1941 and home to various Air Force operations over six decades, the site’s proud history includes providing engine maintenance and repair throughout World War II and as an active-duty installation supporting electronic research and bomber missions. Unfortunately, activities including base construction, aircraft operation, firefighting exercises, and landfill operations also exposed service members and civilian workers to significant levels of asbestos, raising the risk for malignant mesothelioma, asbestosis, and other deadly asbestos-related diseases.
The History of Griffiss Air Force Base
In 1941, the U.S. War Department began investigating locations for an air depot in central New York. Following a proposal from the Oneida County Board of Supervisors that offered to donate 1,800 acres of land and up to one million free gallons of water per day plus the availability of sewage treatment facilities, the military chose Rome, New York, and began construction.[1] The site totaling 3,552 acres, opened in February 1942 under the name Rome Air Depot with a mission of repairing and overhauling aircraft engines. Flight operations began in February 1942 and the air depot was occupied for operations in March.[2]
After several renamings and realignments between 1942 and 1948, the site was renamed Griffiss Air Force Base in September 1948 and electronics research activities began there in 1949. Between 1950 and 1951, the Watson Laboratory Complex was relocated from Red Bank to Rome, and in 1951 the Rome Air Development Center began installation of an AFLC communications-electronic field office to monitor missile tests. A new intelligence and reconnaissance laboratory was built in May 1954.[2]
In 1975, a medical facility was constructed at Griffiss Air Force Base, and an electronics research facility was opened in 1976. A weapons system security alert area and control tower were completed in 1979 and1980 respectively, and an air-launched cruise missile support facility and the NORAD regional operational control centre opened in 1981. In 1991 the Rome Laboratory at Griffiss began to execute research and developmental activities, becoming part of the Air Force Material Command in 1992 to develop command, control, communications, and intelligence system technologies.[2]
The Griffiss Air Force Base was identified as part of the 1990 Base Realignment and Closure Act which converted the site to civilian and commercial operations. It was finally decommissioned in 1995, but not before the Environmental Protection Agency identified it as being heavily contaminated with asbestos and other hazardous materials and in need of significant cleanup.[2]
How Was Asbestos Used at the Griffiss Air Force Base?
The use of asbestos at Griffiss Air Force Base was typical of the military’s practice in the years between the 1930s and 1980. Before it was widely known that asbestos was a carcinogen linked to malignant mesothelioma and other deadly diseases, it was commonly used in the construction of barracks, administrative buildings, mess halls, and other structures. It also played an enormous role in the Air Force planes, which used the material structurally as well in many of the parts needed for flight operation, fireproofing, and safety. The prevalence of asbestos in these essential elements meant that the site’s mission of providing repairs and maintenance put its personnel at significant risk. Additionally, many asbestos-contaminated supplies were stored on the base. These were later disposed of in landfills.
At Griffiss Air Force Base, asbestos was used in floor and ceiling tiles; in drywall materials, joint compound, and adhesives; and building insulation, paint, cement, and stucco.
Aircraft were also heavily contaminated with asbestos, which was used in electrical insulation, gaskets, and valves, as well as in insulation in cargo bays, heat shields on engines, and brakes.
Asbestos-containing parts used at Griffiss 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 Griffiss Air Force Base?
Griffiss Air Force Base was constructed and operational at the height of the military’s use of asbestos, so it’s no wonder that the site was so heavily contaminated with the carcinogenic material. The site’s infrastructure was constantly evolving as new capabilities and missions were added to Griffiss’ portfolio, and since asbestos’ dangers weren’t known until 1980 when the base’s last buildings were built, the risk of exposure affected all construction workers, carpenters, and contractors involved, including drywallers, painters, electricians, and plumbers. Those working within the buildings were at risk whenever construction or repairs were going on around them.
Also at risk were the military personnel fulfilling the base’s main mission of working on the aircraft. This included electricians, mechanics, and welders. Firefighters who were tasked with protecting areas of the base where asbestos was used were also exposed to the material in extremely dangerous ways
Because Griffiss Air Force Base was operational through the 1990s, many people are still at risk for diagnosis with asbestos-related illnesses. These include:
- Sheet Metal Workers
- Welders
- Electricians
- Contractors
- Construction Workers
- Airmen
- Boiler Workers
- Pipefitters
- Machinists
- Aircraft mechanics
- Carpenters
- Firefighters
Years of exposure to asbestos at the Griffiss Air Force Base continue to impact Air Force veterans and other personnel who worked at the site, as well as their loved ones who may have suffered secondary asbestos exposure. Many have filed personal injury lawsuits accusing the asbestos companies whose asbestos-contaminated parts they were exposed to of negligence and failure to warn.
Asbestos Cleanup at Griffiss Air Force Base
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, over its fifty years of operation, Griffiss Air Force Base generated hazardous waste including asbestos from many of its activities, including aircraft operations; testing and maintenance; firefighting exercises; discharge of munitions; landfill operations; and research and development activities. These wastes, which were disposed of in landfills and dry wells across the base, posed significant threats to public health and the environment and required such urgent attention that the base was added to the Superfund Sites National Priorities List.
The base was a test site in 1994 for the use of a proprietary non-thermal technology called ABCOV that converts asbestos into a non-toxic material,[3] and as recently as 2019 local environmental engineers were awarded contracts to conduct asbestos abatement of contaminated materials located on steel and other surfaces within one of the base’s former aircraft hangars and associated shops, as well as the Air Force Research Laboratory.[4]
Resources for Griffiss Air Force Base Asbestos Victims
Asbestos is a known carcinogen that has led to countless personal tragedies. Victims of exposure at Griffiss Air Force base need expert medical treatment, as well as guidance through the maze of legal and compensatory options available to them. There are asbestos bankruptcy trust funds that have been established by the asbestos companies responsible for their exposure, as well as the possibility of pursuing personal injury lawsuits or wrongful death lawsuits on behalf of lost loved ones. Air Force Veterans are also entitled to disability compensation and other benefits from the U.S. Veterans Administration. For help navigating these challenges, contact an experienced asbestos attorney.
