Vietnam War Veterans and Mesothelioma Cancer
The number of Vietnam War veterans with mesothelioma cancer is increasing. In the years between 1980 and 2000, the rate of death due to mesothelioma cancer in the U.S. increased from 2,000 to 3,000 a year. Since mesothelioma takes decades to develop after exposure to asbestos, Vietnam War veterans with mesothelioma cancer are most likely among the individuals who have made up this increase.
Hundreds of Asbestos Related Jobs
Many thousands of civilian and military personnel supported the U.S. involvement in Vietnam, serving in Vietnam itself, in Japan, and on other fronts (including domestic military bases), in jobs that exposed them to toxic levels of asbestos — the sole confirmed cause of mesothelioma cancer, a deadly cancer with no cure.
Asbestos Use in the Military
Navy and Coast Guard jobs were particularly likely to involve asbestos, as ships of all sizes and models had many asbestos-containing components. However, the Army, Air Force, and Marines also provided many Vietnam war-time jobs that involved asbestos products, including:
- Aviation mechanics and electricians
- Brake / clutch repairmen
- Ship crews
- Deckhands
- Submarine engineers
- Auto mechanics
- Boiler operators
- Machinists
- Construction workers
Asbestos and War Casualties
The war's end, with the fall of Saigon, left more than 58,000 American troops dead, 2,000 missing, and 300,000 wounded. However, many more American casualties of the war can be added, as men and women who served during the 12+ years of the war are now being diagnosed with fatal mesothelioma cancer and lung cancer, directly traceable to their asbestos exposure more than 30 years ago.
Vietnam War Vets and Mesothelioma Cancer
If you served in the military or as a civilian contractor during the Vietnam War and you’ve received a diagnosis of mesothelioma cancer, contact mesothelioma treatment centers to learn about your rights and options.
Mesothelioma Vietnam War Veterans (english) / Guerra de Vietnam y Mesotelioma Veteranos(spanish)
