Evidence
13 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-13).
-
[1]research packet cj-packet.md (5 sources cited) [nhhc_danfs]
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Identity packet verdict: VERIFIED
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Evidence ID
- uss-admiral-w-l-capps-ap121-pkt-cj-packet-md
-
[2]DANFS, 'Admiral W. L. Capps' (AP-121) - NHHC live page: namesake biography (Rear Admiral Washington Lee Capps, Constructor of the Navy 1903-10), construction, WWII and immediate postwar service, 1946 decommission/Army transfer, 1950 MSTS reacquisition, 1968-69 NDRF, 1978 IX-507 Bremerton barracks conversion. Spec block: dp. 20,120; l. 608'11"; b. 75'6"; dr. 26'6" (lim.); s. 19.0 k.; cpl. 367; trp. 4,680; a. 4 5", 8 40mm.; cl. Admiral W. S. Benson; T. P2-SE2-R1. [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- DANFS service narrative and spec block; DD-550 corroboration at /danfs/c/capps.html
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Documented for this hull: laid down 15 December 1942 at Alameda, CA by Bethlehem-Alameda Shipyard, Inc., under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 679); launched 20 February 1944, sponsored by Mrs. James Reed; delivered to the Navy and commissioned 18 September 1944, Capt. N. S. Haugen, USCG, in command. WWII service: Noumea/Guadalcanal/Espiritu Santo (~3,500 troops embarked) Nov-Dec 1944; Hollandia and Leyte Feb-Apr 1945; ~5,000 troops embarked at Seattle for Okinawa (reached 2 July 1945 via Pearl Harbor, Eniwetok, Ulithi); Saipan 12-13 July; Norfolk arrival 4 August 1945 during voyage repairs. Atlantic trooping: Marseille (French Navy passengers), a run repatriating ~3,765 former Italian POWs (Newport News return 19 Oct 1945), and two more France round-trips (Le Havre, Marseille) through mid-December. Pacific return: Pearl Harbor, Yokosuka, Seattle (30 Jan 1946); March Okinawa round-trip (>4,800 troops to San Francisco); New York arrival 24 April 1946. Decommissioned and returned to the Maritime Commission 8 May 1946; name struck from the Navy list June 1946. Transferred to the Army, which renamed her General Hugh J. Gaffey; re-acquired 1 March 1950 and assigned to MSTS (not re-commissioned); to MARAD temporarily 4 November 1968 for NDRF Suisun Bay, permanently 31 August 1969; struck 9 October 1969; re-acquired 1978, redesignated IX-507, placed in service November 1978 at Bremerton, WA as barracks ship for crews of ships in major overhaul. Namesake note: the transport was the second Navy ship named for Capps - NHHC's own DD-550 entry confirms destroyer USS Capps was in commission June 1943-January 1947, overlapping this ship's entire commissioned period (the 'second ship' ordinal itself rests on secondary sourcing).
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-05
- Study period
- 1942-1989 (entry coverage)
- Population
- Bethlehem-Alameda construction trades (1942-44); USCG crew (1944-46)
- Limitations
- Ship-specific history only; no asbestos or material content. The DANFS spec block (cpl. 367, trp. 4,680, dp. 20,120) differs from the older-edition transcription mirrored at hazegray (dp. 9,676, cpl. 618) - see gaps. The DD-550 concurrency check cites https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/c/capps.html. Live NHHC page verified 2026-10-05 (no link rot this batch).
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-admiral-w-l-capps-ap121-01
-
[3]DANFS, 'General Hugh J. Gaffey' - NHHC live page: MSTS service narrative (West Coast-Far East cruises; Korean conflict troop/equipment lifts; ~100 cruises to Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Okinawa, Philippines 1954-1965; first Cam Ranh Bay cruise summer 1965; seven voyages in 1966; Korean troops to Vietnam January 1967; San Francisco overhaul arrival late February 1967). [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- DANFS 'General Hugh J. Gaffey' service narrative
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Documented for this hull under her second name: reacquired by the Navy from the Army Transport Service 1 March 1950 as General Hugh J. Gaffey and assigned to MSTS with a civilian crew; operated West Coast-Far East; transported troops and equipment to Pacific staging areas throughout the Korean conflict; 1954-1965 made almost 100 cruises to Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Okinawa, and the Philippines; first cruise to Cam Ranh Bay, South Vietnam, summer 1965; seven more voyages in 1966; carried Korean troops to Vietnam January 1967; arrived San Francisco late February 1967 for overhaul.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-05
- Study period
- 1950-1968 (entry coverage)
- Population
- Civil-service MSTS crew (1950-68); embarked troops and dependents
- Limitations
- Ship-specific history only; no asbestos or material content. Entry text carries a typographical error ('Admiral W. D. Capps') for the lead name - the vessel identity (AP-121) is unambiguous. The 1967 San Francisco overhaul is documented as an event; its scope and work location are not described - no asbestos content. Live NHHC page verified 2026-10-05.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-admiral-w-l-capps-ap121-02
-
[4]NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive, IX-507 ex-USNS General Hugh J. Gaffey (T-AP-121) ex-USS Admiral W. L. Capps (AP-121) - designation timeline, specifications, USCG-manning note, occupation-service periods, disposal; captioned photography incl. Bethlehem yard availability 6 January 1945 (19-N-91523/19-N-91524), IX-507 at Pearl Harbor quay F-5 (Feb/Apr 1987, VIRIN DN-ST-87-03912), and ex-IX-507 being scrapped at Mare Island Naval Shipyard 10 June 1999 [other_primary]
- Locator
- NavSource 09/22/22121.htm header designation line, timeline bullet list, specifications block, and photo captions
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- NavSource timeline/specs for this hull: manned by the US Coast Guard during WWII; occupation service 22-29 January and 20-25 March 1946; decommissioned 8 May 1946; USAT Admiral W. L. Capps (1946), renamed USAT General Hugh J. Gaffey 'in 1946'; reacquired by Navy 1 March 1950 as USNS (T-AP-121); out of service and struck 9 October 1969; reacquired and reinstated 1 November 1978; barracks hulk IX-507; laid up NISMF Pearl Harbor (date unknown); struck 25 October 1993; sunk during RIMPAC 2000 as a missile target 16 June 2000 at 023 35'01"N / 159 50'00.2"W, depth 2,730 fathoms. Specs: 4 Combustion Engineering D-type boilers 600 psi/840 degF, 2 GE turbo-electric engines, twin screw 18,000 shp; complement 38 officers + 361 enlisted; troop accommodations 280 officers + 4,431 enlisted. Photo captions document: shipyard availability at Bethlehem Steel Ship Yard, San Francisco, 6 January 1945 (NARA photos 19-N-91523/91524); IX-507 at quay F-5, Naval Station Pearl Harbor, 20 February and April 1987; ex-IX-507 'being scrapped' at Mare Island Naval Shipyard 10 June 1999.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-05
- Study period
- 1942-2000
- Population
- USCG crew (1944-46); Army Transport Service crews (1946-50); civil-service MSTS crew (1950-68); NISMF barracks population (1978-93); Mare Island scrapping trades (1999)
- Limitations
- NavSource is a volunteer secondary compilation - milestone dates generally track NVR/DANFS but conflicts exist (final strike 25 Oct vs NVR's 26 Oct 1993; rename 'in 1946' vs its own captioned 13 March 1947 photo still showing 'USAT Admiral W. L. Capps'; Army-photo caption indicates the Inchon return). Contains no asbestos content. The June 1999 'being scrapped' caption describes partial dismantling, not total scrapping - the hull was subsequently sunk intact as a target (see ev-12). navsource.org is dead; cited URL is the live navsource.net page, verified 2026-10-05.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-admiral-w-l-capps-ap121-03
-
[5]Naval Vessel Register, GEN H J GAFFEY (IX 507) (ex-MC 679, ADMIRAL W. L. CAPPS (AP 121)) - official register entry (via Wayback capture 2017-01-09; live NVR redirects to DoD authentication and was unreachable 2026-10-05) [other_primary]
- Locator
- NVR IX-507 ship detail page (Wayback capture); milestone dates and physical-characteristics blocks
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Official register data for this hull: Status 'Disposed of in support of Fleet training exercise,' date status changed 06/16/2000; builder Bethlehem-Alameda Shipyard, Inc.; award date 01/16/1942; keel 12/15/1942; launch 02/20/1944; delivery and commission 09/18/1944; stricken 10/26/1993; steel hull and superstructure; turbine-electric drive; 2 propellers; accommodations 499 officers / 1,557 enlisted (barracks configuration); custodian US NAVY.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-05
- Study period
- 1978-2000 (register coverage)
- Population
- NISMF barracks-ship population (crews of ships in overhaul), 1978-93
- Limitations
- Official register entry, fetched as archived copy - the live NVR site 302-redirects to login.nslc.navy.mil (DoD OAM) and was unreachable this session; the 2017-01-09 Wayback capture is labeled archived. NVR's stricken date 10/26/1993 conflicts with NavSource's 25 October 1993 - see gaps. The 1978 reinstatement and IX-507 designation are reflected implicitly (register covers only post-reinstatement period); earlier strikes (1946, 1969) are not shown on this page. No asbestos content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-admiral-w-l-capps-ap121-04
-
[6]MARAD Vessel History Database: ADMIRAL W. L. CAPPS (AP-121) detail page (ShipHistory/Detail/6543) + scanned status card 5J_01.png + NDRF particulars card 1823_3373AF.jpg (GENERAL HUGH J. GAFFEY, T-AP-121) [marad_nrc]
- Locator
- vesselhistory.marad.dot.gov Detail/6543 milestones table + cards/5J_01.png + cards/1823_3373AF.jpg (Reserve Fleet - Ship Particulars, Form MA-383)
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- MARAD custody chain for this hull (status card): basis to WSA 9-18-44 1:00 PM PWT at Alameda from builders; 5-8-46 2:00 PM EDT at Staten Island, NY from Navy Dept (surplus); War Department service (rename to GEN. HUGH J. GAFFEY logged); Navy Dept title 3-1-50; reserve-fleet custody Suisun Bay 11-14-68 3:50 PM PST; permanent title transfer Suisun Bay 8-31-69 12:00 noon; Department of the Navy permanent transfer (withdrawal) Suisun Bay 11-7-78. The companion NDRF particulars card (MA-383) gives the withdrawal reason: 'Withdrawn by Navy/Permanent Transfer - Converted for Barracks Ship use, Naval Inactive Ship Facility, Bremerton, Washington'; service prior to lay-up 'MSTS,' troopship; builder Beth/Alameda S/Y, MC-679. MARAD detail page confirms P2-SE2-R1 type, Bethlehem Steel Shipbuilding Division, 1944.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-05
- Study period
- 1944-1978
- Population
- WSA/Army Transport Service (1946-50); MSTS civil-service crew (1950-68); NDRF custodians Suisun Bay (1968-78)
- Limitations
- Primary custody/milestone documentation - establishes ownership and location history, not materials. Scanned cards OCR'd this session; the 11-14-68 custody entry vs DANFS's 'temporary transfer 4 November 1968' is a 10-day documentation-vs-event gap (minor; not a conflict). Card does not date the Army rename to Gaffey - MARAD logs the already-changed name at the 3/1/1950 Navy reacquisition. No asbestos content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-admiral-w-l-capps-ap121-05
-
[7]MARAD Vessel History Database: GENERAL HUGH J. GAFFEY (AP-121) detail page (ShipHistory/Detail/1823), Shipwreck Information section [marad_nrc]
- Locator
- vesselhistory.marad.dot.gov Detail/1823, 'Shipwreck Information' and 'Milestones' sections
- Finding type
- environmental_record
- Finding
- MARAD shipwreck record for this hull: incident date June 16, 2000; cause 'Sunk - No Further Info'; cause comments 'Sunk as RIMPAC 2000 missile target'; position 23 35'01.0"N / 159 50'00.2"W (Pacific Missile Range Facility area off Kauai, Hawaii). Milestones on the same record: entered/acquired by MARAD 11/14/1968; disposition/withdrawal 11/7/1978 'W/D to NISMF Bremerton, WA.'
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-05
- Study period
- 1968-2000 (record coverage)
- Limitations
- Documents ocean disposal by sinking - the terminal disposition of the hull and of whatever materials remained aboard. The record does not document what materials (asbestos or otherwise) remained aboard at sinking; no pre-sinking material inventory is attached. NavSource prints depth 2,730 fathoms; a SINKEX press account prints '14,000 feet' - see gaps. No individual-exposure information.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-admiral-w-l-capps-ap121-06
-
[8]U.S. EPA, Determination and Agreement on Navy SINKEX vessel preparation under the MPRSA general permit 'Transport of Target Vessels,' 40 C.F.R. 229.2 (signed 24 January 2014; EPA snapshot archive) [other_primary]
- Locator
- EPA determination PDF, sections on 40 C.F.R. 229.2 permit scope and SINKEX vessel-preparation PCB requirements (pp. 1-4); zero 'asbestos' occurrences in full text
- Finding type
- regulatory
- Finding
- The federal regime under which this hull's 16 June 2000 sinking was conducted: the MPRSA general permit 'Transport of Target Vessels' (40 C.F.R. 229.2) as interpreted by the 1999 EPA-Navy letter and this Determination requires a pre-sinking PCB survey/sampling of each SINKEX vessel, removal of transformers/capacitors and readily detachable PCB-containing shipboard materials, certification of the remediation, and reporting per-vessel - targeting materials that degrade the marine environment. The document contains zero asbestos-removal requirements; the SINKEX prep regime as documented was PCB-focused.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-10-05
- Study period
- 1996-2014 (regime window; hull sunk 2000)
- Population
- SINKEX vessel-preparation personnel (any vessel undergoing prep)
- Limitations
- Program-level documentation (class_or_era): the Determination does not name this hull and postdates the sinking (2014, clarifying the regime that had applied since the 1996 resumption agreement/1999 Letter). It establishes what SINKEX preparation required in this era - notably that asbestos abatement was not a documented permit requirement - but cannot establish what was or was not removed from this specific hull; per-vessel SINKEX prep records for ex-IX-507 are an undigitized lead (see gaps).
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-admiral-w-l-capps-ap121-07
-
[9]Era inference built on: NavSource specifications block for this hull (4 CE D-type boilers 600 psi/840 degF; 2 GE turbo-electric engines; 18,000 shp); DANFS construction dates (laid down 1942, delivered 1944); GAO HRD-80-2 Navy asbestos-era documentation (ev-09) [other_primary]
- Locator
- NavSource 09/22/22121.htm specifications block; DANFS spec block (T. P2-SE2-R1); GAO product page
- Finding type
- asbestos_application
- Finding
- A 600-psi steam transport built 1942-44 and operated through 1969 sits entirely inside the documented Navy/Maritime Commission asbestos era. Era-standard applications aboard a steam transport of this type and period were boiler and steam-drum insulation, steam-line lagging between boiler rooms and machinery spaces, valve and flange gaskets, machinery packing, and accommodation/fire insulation; the 1978-93 barracks-hulk reuse and the 1999 Mare Island partial scrapping were disturbance events on era-built material.
- Verification
- inferred
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-10-05
- Study period
- 1942-2000
- Population
- Bethlehem-Alameda construction trades (1942-44); USCG crew (1944-46); ATS and civil-service crews (1946-68); NDRF/NISMF and barracks trades (1968-93); Mare Island scrapping trades (1999)
- Limitations
- Class/era inference only - no hull-specific insulation survey, material list, or work package located. Names era-standard applications, not confirmed installed materials. No quantity. The documented steam plant makes the boiler/lagging pathway type-appropriate (unlike a diesel boat), but presence aboard this hull is inferred, not proven.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-admiral-w-l-capps-ap121-08
-
[10]GAO, Navy Efforts To Protect Workers From Asbestos Exposure, HRD-80-2 (Oct 18, 1979) [gao]
- Locator
- GAO product page HRD-80-2 (full text blocked, HTTP 403)
- Finding type
- gov_survey
- Finding
- GAO documented that the Navy used asbestos insulation extensively aboard ships and did not begin substituting alternative insulation materials until the early 1970s - spanning this hull's construction (1942-44) and entire commissioned/MSTS service era (1944-69).
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-10-05
- Study period
- 1979
- Population
- Navy shipyard workers; asbestos program review
- Limitations
- Program-level documentation; supports era context only, not any fact specific to this hull. Full text not retrieved (gao.gov blocks automated fetch, HTTP 403, confirmed again 2026-10-05) - content via product-page description.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-admiral-w-l-capps-ap121-09
-
[11]U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office, 'Historic Ships' vessel list (archived capture) - lists 'ADMIRAL W. L. CAPPS, USS; AP 121' among vessels manned by Coast Guard crews (a WWII-only manning practice per the list's own note); corroborated by DANFS (Capt. N. S. Haugen, USCG, in command) and NavSource ('manned by the US Coast Guard during World War II') [other_primary]
- Locator
- Archived USCG Historian's Office Historic-Ships list; NavSource commanding-officers table
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- This hull was a Coast Guard-manned Navy transport during WWII: the USCG Historian's Office vessel list carries 'ADMIRAL W. L. CAPPS, USS; AP 121' in the category of Navy/Army vessels manned by Coast Guard crews (undated entries - the list notes such manning occurred only during WWII); DANFS records Capt. N. S. Haugen, USCG, commanding at commissioning 18 September 1944; NavSource's commanding-officer block covers 18 Sep 1944 - 8 May 1946.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-05
- Study period
- 1944-1946
- Population
- USCG officers and crew, 1944-46
- Limitations
- Establishes the wartime crew population as Coast Guard (relevant to branch-of-service attribution in exposure research); says nothing about materials aboard. Archived copy cited - live history.uscg.mil page not verified this session.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-admiral-w-l-capps-ap121-10
-
[12]Batch-2051 search ledger (this record): NHHC DANFS (two live entries); NavSource; NVR (Wayback); MARAD vessel history + status cards + wreck record; USCG Historian list; EPA SINKEX determination; GAO product page; CourtListener API v4 (4 base queries); secondary web litigation sweep [other_primary]
- Locator
- search_ledger rows sl-uss-admiral-w-l-capps-ap121-01 through -11
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- No qualifying ship-specific asbestos record located: no asbestos survey, abatement contract, hazmat disclosure, or docketed case naming USS Admiral W. L. Capps (AP-121) was found in the public sources searched (see search_ledger). CourtListener: 'Admiral W. L. Capps' opinion 0 results, docket 0 results; 'AP-121' opinion 22 results all name collisions (bankruptcy adversary-proceeding and appellate docket numbers), docket 282 results page-1 reviewed all '*-ap-00121' docket-number collisions; zero asbestos/ship content in any hit. Secondary sweeps surfaced only law-firm marketing listicles (duboselawfirm.com, californiamesothelioma.com) asserting asbestos aboard without primary sourcing - excluded.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-05
- Study period
- 2026-10-05
- Limitations
- Absence of a located public record does not prove absence of asbestos aboard - and the CourtListener coverage is partial: the four-query base budget was spent on the record name and hull number; the ship spent most of her career as General Hugh J. Gaffey, and Gaffey-name queries were NOT run this session (logged gap, not a negative result). Absence also does not establish or defeat any claim of exposure or legal eligibility.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-admiral-w-l-capps-ap121-11
-
[13]Designation/disposal cross-check: hazegray Mare Island photo essay (hulk at Mare Island 6 October 1999, superstructure stripped; 'sold, partially scrapped, and returned to the Navy ... expended as a target on 16 June 2000') + NavSource 'being scrapped' caption (10 June 1999) vs MARAD wreck record and NVR status [other_primary]
- Locator
- hazegray.org/features/mareisland photo essay; NavSource 092212101 caption; MARAD Detail/1823 wreck section; NVR IX-507
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- CORRECTION/CLARIFICATION: secondary photo captions describe ex-IX-507 'being scrapped at Mare Island Naval Shipyard' (10 June 1999) and 'partially scrapped' (6 October 1999) - this was stripping/partial dismantling, not total scrapping; the hull was subsequently returned to Navy custody and sunk intact as a RIMPAC 2000 missile target on 16 June 2000 (MARAD wreck record; NVR 'Disposed of in support of Fleet training exercise'). Any reading that the hull was 'scrapped 1999' is wrong.
- Verification
- partial
- Role
- correction
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-05
- Study period
- 1999-2000
- Population
- Mare Island dismantling trades (1999)
- Limitations
- Clarifies disposal sequencing, not a material claim. The scope and hazmat content of the 1999 Mare Island work are undocumented in located sources - photo evidence only; the sale/scrapping contract is an undigitized lead. No asbestos content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-admiral-w-l-capps-ap121-12