Mare Island Naval Shipyard, located at Vallejo, California at the confluence of the Napa River and San Pablo Bay, was the first U.S. Navy shipyard established on the Pacific Coast, operating from 1854 until its closure in 1996. Mare Island built and overhauled Navy submarines, surface combatants, and auxiliary vessels throughout its 142-year history — including the construction of more than 500 vessels and the overhaul of thousands more. At its peak during World War II, the shipyard employed more than 46,000 workers. Mare Island is specifically documented in the publicly filed asbestos litigation corpus with direct testimony naming the yard, a comprehensive ship list spanning 1917 to 1978, and World War II-era exposure records — establishing it as one of the most historically significant asbestos exposure venues on the Pacific Coast.

Who Was Exposed at Mare Island Naval Shipyard

Workers and Navy personnel at Mare Island in the following capacities may have asbestos exposure claims:

  • Submarine construction workers — Pipecoverers, Boilermakers, Pipefitters, and Shipfitters who built submarines in the pressure hull
  • Surface ship and destroyer escort construction workers during World War II
  • Overhaul workers who removed and replaced asbestos insulation in ship overhaul periods
  • Navy Supship personnel and commissioning crews present during active asbestos insulation work
  • Workers exposed in the 1940s who are now in the 40–80 year mesothelioma latency window

VA Claims and Legal Options — Mare Island Naval Shipyard CA Workers

Navy veterans who served as Supship or PCU staff at Mare Island, and civilian workers who built or overhauled Navy ships at the Vallejo yard, who subsequently developed mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, or pleural disease may qualify for:

  • VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) for Navy personnel assigned to Mare Island
  • Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA) for civilian Mare Island workers
  • Civil claims against manufacturers of asbestos-containing insulation products used at Mare Island across the 1917–1978 construction period

Key documents for a Mare Island claim:

  • Employment records — Mare Island employment records documenting trades role and service dates
  • DD-214 or orders — documenting Navy Supship or commissioning crew assignment at Vallejo
  • Diagnosis — mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, or pleural disease

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Exposure documentation derived from publicly filed asbestos litigation records including direct testimony naming Mare Island Naval Shipyard, the 1917–1978 ship list, World War II-era exposure records, and the national asbestos MDL docket identifying Mare Island as a major Pacific Coast asbestos exposure venue. This does not constitute legal or medical advice.