During World War II, one of the most instrumental industries was that of shipbuilding. Without the great shipyards in the United States, our Navy would have been at a strong disadvantage. That said, the shipyards in the United States have always caused a lot of heartache for its employees. This industry was one of those involved in asbestos-related problems. The Newport News shipyard in Virginia is one of the largest and oldest shipyards in the United States; therefore, many of the workers who were a part of this company during World War II are now developing health problems, especially the deadly cancer mesothelioma.

The employment rate at Newport News shipyard peaked during World War II due to the high demand of ships for the war effort. At one point, there were more than 30,000 people working in the shipyard and in the executive offices. That means that thousands of people - and their families - were put at risk.

The sad thing is that by World War II, major corporations already knew about the dangers of asbestos and mesothelioma. That means that all of these workers were put at risk because companies wanted to make as much money as possible in the fastest way possible. Don't forget that asbestos usage also put the Navy personnel who worked on these ships at risk. Because asbestos can travel on workers' clothing and hair, their families were put at risk as well. That means that hundreds of thousands of people were - and still are - in danger of developing this dangerous and deadly form of cancer.

During World War II, the Newport News shipyard was a large part of the war effort. They mainly built aircraft carriers and cruisers, as well as "Liberty Ships." In total, they built over 235 Liberty Ships, most of which were leased to the United Kingdom during the war. These Liberty Ships were sponsored by organizations in the United States who raised at least $2 million. They were built en mass as fast as possible, with each one taking less than 70 days to build. They were also extremely inexpensive to build, and therefore, the Newport News shipyard made extensive use of asbestos-based products. For more in-depth information about ships build by Newport News, please see Famous Ships Built.

After all, asbestos is very cheap. This is one of the main reasons companies continued to use asbestos long after they actually knew the dangers of this product. In addition, asbestos-based products were great to use on ships. Asbestos is strong and durable, as well as light (which is great for anything that has to float) and heat-resistant (which is great to help avoid fires on the seas where they cannot be put out easily without sinking the ship). Asbestos seemed like a wonder product for shipbuilders until they found out that it causes mesothelioma. For many companies, including the Newport News shipyard, the benefit of this product outweighed the health risks.

This was only amplified by the fact that the United States was in a major war. World War II took its toll on the United States in more way than one. The deaths due to mesothelioma in the shipbuilding industry are some of the most tragic of this time period. During this time, the Newport News, one of the only dry docks at this time, even opened an emergency yard, the North Carolina Shipbuilding Company at the Cape Fear River. They earned the E pennant from the United State Navy, which is an award for excellence in shipbuilding. One of their biggest accomplishments of this time period for the Newport News shipyard was their building of the United States, a passenger liner that set a transatlantic speed record still in place now.

Of course, it is difficult to talk about the Newport News shipyard's accomplishments and problems during World War II back to back, but unfortunately, while their accomplishments were great, it was at the expense of many lives. Mesothelioma from asbestos exposure due to shipbuilding is still a problem, even though it has been more than 60 years since people worked at this company. Mesothelioma develops very slowly over time, so people many not realize that they have it for many decades. In addition, cancer is not easy to kill, even if you catch it early. Patients often did not find this problem until it was too late, but those that have caught it early still have a long road ahead of them. For more information about this deadly cancer, please see Mesothelioma Overview.

There is funding set up to help Newport News shipyard workers in the past who were unknowingly exposed to asbestos. These funds can provide compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, and more, but you can't take advantage of these programs unless you speak with a mesothelioma lawyer as soon as possible. The fantastic achievements of the Newport News shipyard during World War II are commendable, but at the same time, thousands of people were put in danger. Talk to your doctor and a lawyer right away to learn more about mesothelioma and how it may have affected you. See Mesothelioma Lawyers and Your Rights for more information about mesothelioma compensation.

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