Evidence
6 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-6).
-
[1]research packet r4-packet.md (2 sources cited) [other_primary]
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Identity packet verdict: VERIFIED — real identity: USNS Range Tracker
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Evidence ID
- usns-range-tracker-pkt-r4-packet-md
-
[2]Naval History and Heritage Command, Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Range Tracker (archived copy) [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- DANFS entry, operational and disposition paragraphs
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Range Tracker was a mobile tracking platform for missile and satellite data beyond established land stations. It was homeported at Port Hueneme on the Pacific Missile Range from June 1961 to 1969 and operated by the Military Sea Transportation Service with a Civil Service crew. It was placed out of service at Port Hueneme on 1969-09-27, transferred to Maritime Administration custody on 1969-11-12, laid up at Suisun Bay, and sold for scrapping on 1970-07-10.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-05
- Study period
- 1961-1970
- Population
- Civil Service crew and Military Sea Transportation Service personnel
- Limitations
- Supports mission, operator, dates, and disposition only. It does not identify asbestos-containing materials or establish individual exposure or causation.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-usns-range-tracker-02
-
[3]Naval History and Heritage Command, From the Sea to the Stars (archived copy) [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- Chapter 2, p. 66, Figure 15 and accompanying paragraph
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- NHHC's official From the Sea to the Stars publication identifies USNS Range Tracker (AGM-1) as the first range ship with a fully instrumented tracking, telemetry, and control system and states that it became operational on the Pacific Missile Range in late 1961.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-05
- Study period
- late 1961
- Population
- Range-ship operations personnel
- Limitations
- Supports instrumentation mission and operational timing, not asbestos content, exposure, or causation. Archived because the current NHHC PDF URL returned 404 during direct verification.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-usns-range-tracker-03
-
[4]Naval History and Heritage Command / National Archives, USN 1091935 USNS Range Tracker (archived copy) [other_primary]
- Locator
- Catalog title, caption, accession, and original-date fields
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- NHHC's National Archives photograph catalog identifies USNS Range Tracker (AGM-1), catalog USN 1091935, as a starboard-bow view photographed 1963-06-07; the catalog contains no asbestos or material-condition statement.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-05
- Study period
- 1963
- Limitations
- Photograph metadata confirms identity and date but cannot establish insulation material, asbestos presence, condition, exposure, or causation. Archived because the current NHHC URL returned 404 during direct verification.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-usns-range-tracker-04
-
[5]Batch 9573 source ledger: NHHC/DANFS and NHHC publication/photo records; CourtListener authenticated base searches [court_record]
- Locator
- search_ledger sl-usns-range-tracker-01 through sl-usns-range-tracker-07
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- No qualifying ship-specific asbestos record was located: the authoritative NHHC/DANFS history, NHHC space-history publication, NHHC photograph catalog, and the four required authenticated CourtListener base searches did not produce a survey, abatement record, product identification, asbestos exposure finding, or qualifying litigation record naming this hull. CourtListener hits were reviewed as non-qualifying other litigation or name collisions.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-05
- Study period
- 2026-10-05
- Limitations
- A failure to locate a public record does not prove that asbestos was absent. It establishes only that no qualifying record was found in the searched public sources; no conclusion about historical or present asbestos condition, exposure, or legal eligibility is warranted.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-usns-range-tracker-05
-
[6]Naval History and Heritage Command, Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Range Tracker (archived copy) [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- DANFS entry, opening construction and conversion paragraphs
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Range Tracker was laid down 1945-04-06 by Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation as Skidmore Victory (MCV hull 685), launched 1945-05-19, delivered 1945-06-18, later operated as President Buchanan, removed from the National Defense Reserve Fleet in the late 1950s, and converted by Ingalls Shipbuilding into an electronics center. It was named Range Tracker and designated AG-160 on 1960-07-12, reclassified AGM-1 on 1960-11-27, and placed in service in May 1961.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-05
- Study period
- 1945-1961
- Limitations
- Archived official NHHC/DANFS copy; supports identity and chronology, not asbestos content, exposure, quantity, condition, or causation. The current NHHC URL returned 404 during verification.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-usns-range-tracker-01