Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove
Hatboro, PA
20
1942-2011
Base Background
Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove opened in 1942, providing aircraft design and testing. The base eventually provided support infrastructure, unit readiness services, and direct training for the Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force Reserve, and the Pennsylvania Air National Guard, and Army Guard. It was home to a number of units, including the 913th Airlift Wing and 111th Fighter Wing. The base officially closed in 2011.
The base is known to have been contaminated with PFAS, as well as the toxins below. If you developed a related health condition, contact our Philadelphia VA disability lawyers for a free evaluation of your disability claim.
Known Toxins
The following chart outlines the medical conditions associated with toxic exposure at this base, classified by the strength of evidence required (strong, good or limited).* Please keep in mind that it is not a complete list.
| Toxin | Potential Effects | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strong | Good | Limited | ||
| 1, 4-Dioxane | Potential Effects | - | Acute tubular necrosis |
Nasopharyngeal/SinoNasal cancer Hepatocellular cancer (Liver cancer) |
| Antimony | Potential Effects | Bronchitis chronic |
COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Arrhythmias |
Pulmonary edema Nasal septal perforation... Menstrual disorders Fetotoxicity (Miscarriage/spontaneous abortion; stillbirth) Bladder cancer Anemia hemolytic Acute hepatocellular injury (Hepatitis) |
| Arsenic | Potential Effects | Peripheral neuropathy Hyperkeratosis/Hyperpigmentation... Diabetes Type II Coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, atherosclerosis |
Steatosis (fatty liver) Skeletal malformations... Renal (kidney) cancer Raynaud's phenomenon Pneumonitis hypersensitivity Neural tube defects/CNS malformations Nasal septal perforation Myocardial ischemia Low birth weight/Small for Gestational Age Hypertension Hepatoportal Sclerosis Fetotoxicity (Miscarriage/spontaneous abortion; stillbirth) Congenital malformations general Cirrhosis Cardiomyopathy Bladder cancer Arrhythmias Anemia hemolytic Alopecia Adult-Onset Leukemias |
Neurosthenia (Organic affective syndrome) Myelodysplastic syndrome... Metal fume fever Immune suppression Hepatocellular cancer (Liver cancer) Genitourinary malformations (includes cryptorchidism, hypospadias) Cognitive impairment (includes impaired learning, impaired memory, and decreased attention span) Acute tubular necrosis |
| Barium | Potential Effects | - | - | Sarcoidosis Arrhythmias |
| Benzene | Potential Effects | Myelodysplastic syndrome Multiple myeloma... Aplastic anemia |
Scleroderma Renal (kidney) cancer... Preterm delivery Menstrual disorders Lymphoma non Hodgkin's Autoimmune antibodies, positive ANA Arrhythmias |
Peripheral neuropathy Neural tube defects/CNS malformations... Nasopharyngeal/SinoNasal cancer Lung cancer Immune suppression Hepatocellular cancer (Liver cancer) Cardiac congenital malformations Breast cancer Brain cancer adult Asthma irritant |
| Benzo A Pyrene | Potential Effects | Lung cancer |
Skin cancer (nonmelanoma) Lung cancer... Immune suppression Bladder cancer |
Reduced Fertility Male (infertility and subfertility) |
| Carbon tetrachloride | Potential Effects | Steatosis (fatty liver) Cirrhosis... Acute tubular necrosis Acute hepatocellular injury (Hepatitis) |
Scleroderma Porphyria toxic... Lymphoma non Hodgkin's Childhood Leukemias Autoimmune antibodies, positive ANA Arrhythmias Aplastic anemia Adult-Onset Leukemias |
Renal (kidney) cancer Pancreatitis... Pancreatic cancer Oral clefts (cleft lip and palate) Nephrotic syndrome Melanoma Low birth weight/Small for Gestational Age Immune suppression Hepatocellular cancer (Liver cancer) Brain cancer adult |
| Copper | Potential Effects | - | Nasal septal perforation Metal fume fever... Lung cancer Granulomatous disease (liver) Decreased vision (includes blindness, retinopathy, optic neuropathy) Chronic renal disease Angiosarcoma (hepatic) Anemia hemolytic |
Sarcoidosis Pulmonary fibrosis... Neural tube defects/CNS malformations Myelodysplastic syndrome Immune suppression Autoimmune antibodies, positive ANA Acute tubular necrosis |
| Dibenzo (A,H) anthracene | Potential Effects | - | - | - |
| Dieldrin | Potential Effects | - | Hormonal changes (levels of circulating sex hormones FSH/LH, Inhibin, and/or estrogens, progesterones, and androgens) |
Uterine cancer Thrombocytopenia... Psychiatric disturbances Parkinson's disease/Movement disorders Lymphoma non Hodgkin's Hormonal changes (levels of circulating sex hormones FSH/LH, Inhibin, and/or estrogens, progesterones, and androgens) Colorectal cancer Cognitive impairment (includes impaired learning, impaired memory, and decreased attention span) Breast cancer Adult-Onset Leukemias |
| Indeno pyrene | Potential Effects | - | - | - |
| Iron | Potential Effects | Bronchitis chronic |
- | Soft tissue sarcoma Diabetes Type II... Brain cancer adult Alzheimer's |
| Lead | Potential Effects | Seizures Reduced Fertility Male (infertility and subfertility)... Peripheral neuropathy Hypertension Gout Developmental Delay Decreased I.Q../Mental retardation Decreased Coordination/ Dysequilibrium Coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, atherosclerosis Cognitive impairment (includes impaired learning, impaired memory, and decreased attention span) Chronic renal disease Behavioral problems Anemia hemolytic ADD/ADHD, hyperactivity Abnormal sperm (morphology, motility, and sperm count) |
Reduced Fertility Female (infertility and subfertility) Psychiatric disturbances... Preterm delivery Porphyria toxic Pancreatic cancer Nephrotic syndrome Low birth weight/Small for Gestational Age Immune suppression Hearing loss Glomerulonephritis Fetotoxicity (Miscarriage/spontaneous abortion; stillbirth) Delayed growth Cardiomyopathy Arrhythmias Altered time to sexual maturation (accelerated or delayed puberty) |
Wilm's Tumor Uterine cancer... Thyroid disorders Hypothyroidism Stomach cancer Reduced Fertility Male (infertility and subfertility) Osteoporosis Neurosthenia (Organic affective syndrome) Lung cancer Hepatocellular cancer (Liver cancer) Erectile dysfunction Diabetes Type II Congenital malformation Cranio Facial Colorectal cancer Carcinoid Breast cancer Brain cancer adult Bladder cancer Alzheimer's Altered time to sexual maturation (accelerated or delayed puberty) ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) Abnormal sperm (morphology, motility, and sperm count) |
| Manganese | Potential Effects | Parkinson's disease/Movement disorders Cholestasis |
Psychiatric disturbances Pneumonitis hypersensitivity... Pneumonia Peripheral neuropathy Decreased Coordination/ Dysequilibrium Bronchitis acute ADD/ADHD, hyperactivity |
Skeletal malformations Reduced Fertility Male (infertility and subfertility)... Peripheral neuropathy Neurosthenia (Organic affective syndrome) Neural tube defects/CNS malformations Metal fume fever Fetotoxicity (Miscarriage/spontaneous abortion; stillbirth) Erectile dysfunction Delayed growth COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Cognitive impairment (includes impaired learning, impaired memory, and decreased attention span) Arrhythmias |
| Perchloroethylene (PCE) | Potential Effects | - | - | - |
| Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) | Potential Effects | - | - | - |
| Selenium | Potential Effects | - | - | Pulmonary edema Cirrhosis... Alopecia |
| Semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) | Potential Effects | - | - | - |
| Trichloroethylene (TCE) | Potential Effects | Acute hepatocellular injury (Hepatitis) |
Scleroderma Renal (kidney) cancer... Psychiatric disturbances Lymphoma non Hodgkin's Hepatocellular cancer (Liver cancer) Fetotoxicity (Miscarriage/spontaneous abortion; stillbirth) Decreased Coordination/ Dysequilibrium Cirrhosis Childhood Leukemias Cardiac congenital malformations Autoimmune antibodies, positive ANA Arrhythmias |
Trigeminal neuropathy Testicular cancer... Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Raynaud's phenomenon Prostate cancer Peripheral neuropathy Pancreatitis Pancreatic cancer Oral clefts (cleft lip and palate) Neural tube defects/CNS malformations Nephrotic syndrome Multiple myeloma Lung cancer Low birth weight/Small for Gestational Age Immune suppression Hodgkin's Disease (lymphoma) Genitourinary malformations (includes cryptorchidism, hypospadias) Cognitive impairment (includes impaired learning, impaired memory, and decreased attention span) Choanal atresia Cervical cancer Brain cancer adult Adult-Onset Leukemias ADD/ADHD, hyperactivity Acute tubular necrosis |
| Zinc | Potential Effects | Skin ulceration |
- | Testicular cancer |
If you were stationed at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove and later experienced adverse health effects, you may be eligible for compensation.
*Effects are according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry unless otherwise noted.