Naval Submarine Base New London (NSB New London), located on the Thames River in Groton, Connecticut, is the largest submarine base in the United States and the primary submarine operations and training hub for the U.S. Navy’s Atlantic Fleet submarine force. The base has operated continuously since 1916, through World War II submarine construction, Cold War nuclear submarine operations, and decades of fleet ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) homeporting. The installation’s piers, submarine tenders, maintenance shops, training facilities, and crew habitability buildings were constructed and maintained during the peak asbestos era in naval construction. The adjacent Electric Boat shipyard — the primary builder of U.S. nuclear submarines — operated with asbestos-containing materials throughout the same period.

Publicly filed asbestos litigation records provide direct, specific documentation of asbestos at Naval Submarine Base New London and the adjacent Groton submarine industrial complex.

Who Was Exposed at NSB New London

Navy veterans who served at Naval Submarine Base New London in the following capacities may have asbestos exposure claims:

  • Submarine crew members homeported at the base who performed maintenance periods on tenders or in base shops
  • Submarine School students and instructors in the training facility buildings
  • Base maintenance and utilities workers (BT, UT, CM, SW ratings)
  • Submarine tender crew (MM, HT, EM, IC ratings) performing shipboard maintenance
  • Electric Boat workers and inspection personnel during submarine construction and acceptance

NSB New London veterans with mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, or pleural disease qualify for VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d).

Key documents for an NSB New London claim:

  • DD-214 — service record documenting Groton/NSB New London assignment
  • Orders and personnel records — documentation of submarine school, tender, or base assignments
  • Diagnosis — mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, or pleural disease

Civil claims may run against manufacturers of asbestos-containing materials used in submarine construction at Electric Boat and in the base’s shore facilities.

Free, confidential case evaluation: Speak with O’Brien Law Firm — (314) 936-2956

All consultations are free. No fee unless a financial recovery is made on your behalf.

Exposure documentation derived from publicly filed asbestos litigation records including testimony from Naval Submarine Base New London veterans, Electric Boat shipyard asbestos records, and the national asbestos MDL docket entries naming NSB New London as an asbestos exposure venue. This does not constitute legal or medical advice.