To return to the SS 320 home page click here.
To return to the SSN 667 home page click here.

Submarine Contact with Asbestos

Here's a good quick list: -Veteran Help-

VA board Meeting. ASBESTOS CONTACT INFO, please read guys: 
Posted by Tim Leonard on Friday, November 22, 2002 at 11:37:34:

My VA board meeting was rather strange. I was told after it was over that it went real well. I won't know anymore for awhile. I was asked why I feel my asbestos related illnesses were service connected. I referenced a non-fiction book on Asbestos litigation. My first reference was an incident involving a sailor Named Joseph A. Ruggieri. He developed Mesothelioma (asbestos cancer) after working on asbestos covered walls for two mo. aboard the USS SABINE. The two mos. was between Nov.1949 and January 1950. He was diagnosed in 1980. Mr. Ruggieri is no longer with us. 

The second reference I made In 1970 The Conference of Government Industrial Hygentist adjusted the threshold of exposure from 5,000,000 particles per cubic foot, per exposure, that had been the standard for 20 years. It was dropped to 2,000,000. Which is the equivalent of 12 asbestos fibers longer than 5 microns per cubic centimeter of air. 5 microns is an amount equal to what might be contained in a small thimble.

The third reference and last was YANDLE vs. PPG. In 1977 the U.S. government, in the first case in which the government was held liable along with several other Companies. The Government was ordered to pay over 5,000,000 as their part. They drug their feet and finally paid in 1978 without admitting guilt. How did that affect me. Because I was wiping the stuff up and off everything as the shipyard workers were cutting through everything and the dust was everywhere. I couldn't help but breath it. Because the settlement and participants were ordered sealed, NOBODY TOLD US THAT THE GOVERNMENT KNEW. And allowed sailors and workers in 1977 and 1978 keep breathing the stuff.

By the way. Both YANDLE brothers died. Their mother died at age 62 of metholisioma. Her only exposure. She washed her boys Uniforms every day when they came home.

Shipmates! if you could have seen this guys reaction after I mentioned YANDLE vs PPG. You would have laughed. He was momentarily shook.  He was not a good actor he immediately relaxed as soon as he realized he had raised up.

SHIPMATES. If you never believe another word I say please believe this before the Government cuts VA healthcare. IF you were in a Shipyard or worked on ships cutting through asbestos to get to pipes BETWEEN 1960 and 1980 Even earlier or a little later than 80,if it was an older boat, GO GET A CHEST X-RAY to look for Asbestos. Even if you smoked. Smoking can cause alot of things, but only Asbestos can cause Asbestosis.

The name of the book is "OUTRAGEOUS MISCONDUCT" -The Asbestos Industry on Trial- By Paul Brodeur of the New Yorker.

SHIPMATES PLEASE READ THIS BOOK. In the next 10 to 20 years this could be the single, most deadly killer of vets ever. Asbestos never leaves the lungs. Once there it is always there. It might take anywhere from 2mos. to 30 years before it does it's deadly deed. There is no cure. Do it for your family.