Located in Watervliet, New York, the Watervliet Arsenal is the nation’s oldest manufacturing arsenal. Founded more than 200 years ago to support military efforts during the War of 1812, it has operated ever since, manufacturing large caliber cannon tubes needed for tanks, artillery systems, and mortars. The facility has undergone multiple upgrades, renovations, and updates, many of which addressed the asbestos that was used in its construction, maintenance, and operations over the decades. For years, arsenal employees and their family members have faced the consequences of exposure to the carcinogenic mineral in the form of malignant mesothelioma, lung cancer, and other asbestos-related diseases.
The History of the Watervliet Arsenal
Less than four decades after America’s founding, it found itself at war once again with Great Britain over trade, westward expansion, and the British Navy impressing American sailors. With little ammunition or military inventory to speak of, the government purchased 12 acres of land in Watervliet, New York, and began the construction of the Watervliet arsenal. By January 1815, dozens of men were stationed there and began manufacturing ordnance items and ammunition. In 1821, the government allowed the State of New York to channel the Erie Canal through the facility’s grounds in exchange for the use of the canal’s water to run some machines.[1]
By 1846, the site had expanded by 75 acres and had added multiple storage buildings. It was responsible for equipping the military with arms for the war with Mexico, and after the war’s end, it took responsibility for repairs and storage. The Civil War saw an increased need, leading to over 2,000 people working at the factory manufacturing ammunition. After the war’s end, the Board of Ordnance Officers recommended that the site add a cannon factory, which was completed in 1891. The factory produced 134 cannons per year by the time the Spanish-American War was over, and between 1898 and 1902, it produced the country’s first 16-inch gun capable of firing a 2,370-pound projectile a distance of 21 miles.[1]
World War I saw the arsenal’s production increase dramatically, employing over 5,000 specialists manufacturing heavy artillery for the Army and Navy; it produced 465 cannons for that effort, but it was World War II that saw the site’s greatest efforts. In 1938, it was the target of a $24,750 Works Progress Administration project to update and recondition old factory buildings and install new machinery. By 1940, President Franklin D. Roosevelt had called for a national effort to produce war material in support of Great Britain’s fight against Axis powers and said that America would be the “great arsenal of democracy” and as the country’s only cannon factory at the time, the Watervliet Arsenal quickly added personnel including expert machinists.[2]
Among the thousands of staff employed at the arsenal were mechanics and mechanic’s helpers, tool keepers, and inspectors. By the time war was declared, the center was building a tank repair center, new warehouses, and a modern factory, and arsenal employees began traveling across the country to consult on the construction of private gun factories. The manufacturing process was standardized to accommodate multiple projects. During the war, Watervliet supplied 37mm barrels, 75 mm cannons, 3-inch antitank guns, and 90 mm antiaircraft tubes, as well as multiple howitzer barrels. With many workmen having been drafted or volunteering, the arsenal began hiring women to replace its departing male workers. They operated drill presses, milling machines, and hydraulic cutters, repaired tanks, and helped run the depot, packing and shipping repair parts, as well as performing administrative work. During the war, this workforce was supplemented by high school students and people employed elsewhere to take on the required shifts and meet demand. During World War II, Watervliet assembled 49,042 cannons and employed 9,332 men and women at its peak.[2]
After World War II, the Watervliet Arsenal continued to provide large caliber cannons, different-sized mortar tubes, and breaches for each. Much of the equipment that was used during World War II remained, even after the site went through a major modernization effort in the 1980s to replace aging equipment and infrastructure. In addition to playing a vital role in America’s defense, the arsenal has taken on emergency projects, including producing armor-hardening kits for Humvees targeted by IED attacks in Iraq and Afghanistan and inventing the “Bunker Buster,” a robust explosive device capable of reaching deeply buried command and control bunkers in Iraq. The arsenal was recently announced as the recipient of a $1.7 billion modernization investment over the next twenty years to update buildings and machinery, including replacing the rotary forge, quality inspection improvements, crane refurbishments, infrastructure improvements, and upgrades to various machines.[3]
How Was Asbestos Used at Watervliet Arsenal?
Asbestos has been prized for centuries for its ability to add strength, as well as for its fireproofing and insulating characteristics, but the Industrial Revolution saw a dramatic increase in its use, and World War II furthered that expansion. The U.S. military specified that asbestos be used in hundreds of applications in the belief that the inexpensive, accessible material would protect service members and military assets, and though it made equipment more durable and fireproof, it also exposed those who came into contact with it to the risk of malignant mesothelioma and other serious and deadly diseases.
The military ordered that asbestos-containing parts be used to construct military buildings, including barracks, mess halls, administrative centers, and hospitals. In the high-heat environment of the Watervliet Arsenal’s manufacturing plant and storage areas, it was constantly used to protect against heat and flame. Raw asbestos was stored in many buildings to be used in some of the materials being manufactured, and asbestos-containing materials were used in the manufacturing process, as parts in manufacturing equipment, and to maintain and repair machinery.
Asbestos-containing materials used at Watervliet Arsenal included:
- Adhesives
- Asbestos rope
- Block insulation
- Boilers
- Caulking
- Ceiling tiles
- Cement board and foundations
- Drywall
- Electrical wiring
- Epoxies
- Fireproofing materials
- Floor tiles
- Gaskets
- HVAC systems
- Insulation materials
- Mastic
- Metal doors
- Packing
- Paneling
- Pipes/pipe covering
- Plumbing
- Pumps
- Roofing shingles
- Sealants
- Siding
- Soundproofing
- Valves
- Vehicle and tank brakes and parts
- Wallboard
- Window glazing
Who Was at Risk of Asbestos Exposure at Watervliet Arsenal?
When asbestos is undisturbed, it does not pose a danger, but as soon as it is manipulated or disturbed, whether by sanding, bending, cutting, drilling, mixing, or any similar friction or heat action, the tiny fibers that make it so flexible and strong can break off and become airborne, where they are easily inhaled or ingested. These invisible microscopic fibers have been responsible for countless cases of asbestosis, malignant mesothelioma, and lung cancer, as once inhaled, their needlelike ends become embedded in the body’s cells and are almost impossible to expel. Over decades, they cause inflammation, cell death, the scarring of asbestosis, and the mutations that lead to lung cancer and mesothelioma.
For over 200 years, the Watervliet Arsenal exposed tens of thousands of civilian employees and military personnel to this risk. A hazardous waste cleanup order was put in place by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation in 1990 to complete investigations of the site, finding specific areas where hazardous wastes were generated from electroplating operations and raw and hazardous materials were stored.[4] Though the war years saw local residents hired to work and maintain the site, the facility is owned and operated by the U.S. Army, and many veterans have served there over the years, too. Not only were all these individuals put at risk of occupational exposure, but so too were their friends and family members who suffered secondary asbestos exposure to the toxic dust carried out of the factory and into their vehicles and homes.
Those who were most at risk of asbestos exposure at Watervliet Arsenal include both Army veterans and civilian workers and contractors tasked with the following jobs:
- Electricians
- Insulation workers
- HVAC workers
- Contractors
- Construction Workers
- Roofers
- Carpenters
- Boiler Workers
- Pipefitters
- Plumbers
- Sheet metal workers
- Inventory control personnel
In addition to all those who worked at the site, those who have been tasked with improvements, renovations, and repairs over the years have been at risk of exposure to legacy asbestos that has remained in place over the decades. Demolition workers and construction workers, as well as those tasked with removing old equipment, may be at significant risk if appropriate asbestos abatement regulations aren’t strictly adhered to.
Were You Exposed to Asbestos at Watervliet Arsenal?
Asbestos-related diseases have long latency periods, and this is particularly true for malignant mesothelioma; the disease can take fifty to sixty years to begin manifesting symptoms. If you or someone you love worked at Watervliet Arsenal, especially in the years before the 1980s when asbestos use was discontinued, you may have been exposed to the toxic material. Though there is nothing you can do to prevent asbestos-related diseases from developing once exposed, you can take steps to ensure you receive prompt medical attention by making sure that your medical professional is aware of your history of exposure so that they can act quickly should troubling signs appear.
Have You Been Diagnosed with an Asbestos-related Disease?
If you’ve been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease after having been exposed at the Watervliet Arsenal, you do have options. Though you cannot take legal action against the U.S. Army, you may be eligible to file a claim against the Many asbestos companies who supplied the material to the facility. Many of these businesses were aware of the dangers of the material they were providing and chose to keep it quiet to continue earning profits.
A personal injury lawsuit can yield significant compensation. In one case filed in the 1990s, malignant mesothelioma victim John Zalinka and his wife filed suit against multiple defendants whose products he’d been exposed to while working at the arsenal from 1952 through 1970. The couple negotiated settlements with all of the named defendants except Owens-Corning Fiberglass Corporation. The jury, hearing that the company had manufactured an asbestos-containing product used to insulate pipes at the arsenal, decided that the company was liable for the full amount of the damages assessed and ordered them to pay the victim a significant verdict.[5]
In addition to filing a lawsuit, you may be eligible to file a claim against one of the many asbestos trust funds established by companies that have been forced into bankruptcy by their asbestos liabilities, and if you are a veteran, you may be eligible to file for special disability compensation and other benefits from the Department of Veteran Affairs.
To learn more about all of these possibilities, contact an experienced asbestos attorney. These highly skilled professionals have the resources and knowledge you need to help you make the best decision for you and your family.
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