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The U.S. Merchant Marine provided the greatest sealift during World War II. The effort of this fleet made delivery run uninterrupted between the production at home and the fighting forces present around the globe.
The Merchant Marine's ships carried commercial goods during peacetime and military cargo during wartime. As wartime demanded more and more supplies, the total of 55,000 experienced mariners in service before the war was increased to over 215,000 through the U.S. Maritime Service training programs. Although merchant sailors were an auxiliary unit and not part of the Navy, they encountered the same asbestos exposure outcomes as the naval members.
The Merchant Marine fleet from World War II was made up mainly of mass-produced boats named Liberty ships that contained asbestos materials in considerable amounts for isolation and to prevent fires. Merchant sailors were constantly exposed to asbestos products during operation of Merchant Marine vessels such as:
- deep-sea merchant ships
- tugboats
- towboats
- ferries
- dredges
- various waterborne craft
The Hazard of Asbestos Products on Merchant Marine Vessels
Like in the Navy, the continuous repair and maintenance of Merchant Marine ships were made with asbestos-containing products. Installing or handling such products exposed mariners directly performing the work and anyone else nearby to asbestos dust composed of millions of airborne asbestos fibers capable of floating for hours.
Asbestos dust wasn't considered dangerous, and working without protective equipment represented an immediate danger of inhaling or ingesting the tiny asbestos particles and developing life-threatening asbestos diseases many years later. Asbestos exposure was unavoidable with the material located throughout the ships in the form of various products such as:
- asbestos cement - was used as insulation in engine rooms and as a form of repair putty or caulk to make repairs.
- asbestos wrap - was fitted around boilers and pipes for insulation.
- gaskets and packing - were often dry-cut by hand and used for valves, pipe fixtures, and boilers
- brake linings in winches - were the source of asbestos dust when the linings required sanding or cutting.
The Navy Surgeon General published a warning about the health effects of asbestos exposure in 1939, but it was ignored. This toxic mineral began to abound in the markets, and manufacturers overlooked the health risks in exchange for profit. Available information about asbestos products in the Merchant Marine focuses on boilers as the most common source of asbestos exposure and underlines the negligence of companies who manufactured asbestos-containing boilers Merchant Marine and the Navy used:
- Babcock & Wilcox
- Cleaver-Brooks
- Foster Wheeler
- Kewanee Boiler Company
Asbestos was an essential part of the naval environment during and after the war. Many of the Liberty ships went on to have long careers in commerce, and service onboard these vessels led to elevated rates of asbestos-related diseases among Navy veterans and former merchant mariners. Asbestos is restricted on today's Merchant Marine ships to limit the exposure risks, but older vessels may still contain asbestos materials.
Merchant Sailors Risked Asbestos Exposure While Working With or Near Asbestos Products
Scientific research revealed that merchant sailors suffer higher rates of asbestos-related diseases than the general population. In a study published in 2016, researchers analyzed data gathered during decades in scientific studies and government documents to evaluate the health risks merchant mariners faced while serving on contaminated ships. They concluded that some repair and maintenance tasks resulted in higher concentrations of asbestos dust.
Such tasks were daily occurrences onboard maritime vessels, and mariners were most likely inhaling or ingesting considerable amounts of toxic asbestos fibers. Once in the body, these microscopic particles attach to the lining of the lungs and tear at it as they try to clear them out. The process results in permanent and irreversible scarring that can slowly progress because not all asbestos fibers can be eliminated; some remain in the lung even after exposure stops. Over time, cell modifications will occur, leading to the development of asbestos-related cancers such as:
- laryngeal cancer
- esophageal cancer
- pharyngeal cancer
- lung cancer
- mesothelioma
- colorectal cancer
- urogenital cancer
- bronchial cancer
- gastrointestinal cancer
Veterans diagnosed with cancer meet the requirements for expedited claims and immediately qualify for compensation if they have proof of exposure to asbestos and their medical documentation shows one of the malignant diseases mentioned above.
Even though the Merchant Marine is under military control, merchant mariners are still technically civilians working for private companies with government contracts. Because of this, they cannot apply for benefits from the VA. Merchant mariners of WWII are the exception, as they were granted veteran status in 1988 and are entitled to indemnification, including disability compensation.
Supporting Veterans in the Compensation Claims Process
Veterans diagnosed with cancer stemming from their asbestos exposure during service qualify to file claims and receive compensation, including WWII-era merchant mariners.
Even if sailors of the Merchant Marine who served outside of World War II do not meet the requirements for VA benefits, they may be eligible to file a claim with the asbestos trust funds and a personal injury lawsuit. We can help by connecting you with lawyers who specialize in asbestos cases and are ready to provide you with their experience and skills to receive the rightful compensation.