Evidence
10 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-10).
-
[1]DANFS 'Alabama IV (SSBN-731)' entry; live NHHC page unavailable - Internet Archive Wayback capture (2005-05-26) of the official history.navy.mil DANFS page used [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- DANFS Alabama IV (SSBN-731) characteristics block and narrative
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Documented for this hull (DANFS): fourth Alabama (SSBN-731) laid down 14 October 1980 at Groton, Conn., by Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corp.; launched 19 May 1984, sponsored by Mrs. Barbara E. Dickinson; commissioned at the Submarine Base, New London, 25 May 1985, Capt. Wade H. Taylor (Blue Crew) and Capt. Malcolm S. Wright (Gold Crew) in command. Spec block: 16,000 t surfaced / 18,750 t submerged, 560' x 42' x 35.5', 20+ kts, complement 133, 24 Trident missiles and four 21-inch torpedo tubes, Ohio class. Post-commissioning: shakedown off Florida (Gold Crew took over at Port Canaveral 22 July 1985); post-shakedown availability at Electric Boat until mid-December 1985; sea trials in Narragansett Bay; sound trials in the Bahamas completed 30 January 1986; Mobile, Ala. visit 2-11 February 1986; Panama Canal transit 17 February; arrived Bangor, Wash., 6 March 1986; first deterrent patrol mid-May 1986; four deterrent patrols in the last seven months of 1986; undergoing refit at Pearl Harbor as of early 1987.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-18
- Study period
- 1980-1987
- Population
- crew of USS Alabama (two alternating Blue/Gold crews; DANFS complement 133)
- Limitations
- Service-history source only; contains no asbestos, materials, or exposure information. The DANFS spec-block complement (133) and draft (35.5 ft) differ from NVR/CSP figures - conflicts disclosed, not normalized. Cited URL is a 2005 Wayback capture of the official old-format DANFS page.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-alabama-ssbn731-01
-
[2]Naval Vessel Register, SHIPSDETAIL_SSBN_731 (retrieved via Internet Archive Wayback capture 2024-06-07) [other_primary]
- Locator
- NVR SHIPSDETAIL milestone, status, and characteristics fields
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Official NVR record: ALABAMA (SSBN 731), class SSBN 726 (Ohio); award date 02/27/1978; keel date 08/27/1981 (conflicts with DANFS/CSP 14 October 1980 - see correction row ev-08); launch 05/19/1984; delivery 04/23/1985; commission 05/25/1985; status active, in commission; U.S. Pacific Fleet; homeport Bangor, WA; builder General Dynamics Electric Boat; steel hull; one propeller; propulsion steam turbine (nuclear); accommodations 13 officers + 140 enlisted; record last updated 12/05/2019.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-18
- Study period
- register snapshot, last updated 12/05/2019
- Limitations
- Milestone/status register only; NVR carries no asbestos or materials data. NVR keel date (08/27/1981) conflicts with DANFS and CSP (10/14/1980). Archived snapshot may not reflect post-2019 amendments.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-alabama-ssbn731-02
-
[3]Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet - USS Alabama (SSBN 731) About page (retrieved via Internet Archive Wayback capture 2018-02-21) [other_primary]
- Locator
- CSP About narrative and Boat Characteristics block
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Official COMSUBPAC page for this hull: sixth submarine of the Ohio class and the fifth U.S. Navy ship to bear the name Alabama; keel laid 14 October 1980; first crew formed July 1983; christened 19 May 1984 at Groton by Mrs. Barbara Dickinson, wife of U.S. Rep. William L. Dickinson; following successful sea trials in April 1985, commissioned 25 May 1985 at Naval Underwater Systems Center, New London, Conn., by Vice Adm. B.M. Kauderer (guest speakers included Rep. Dickinson, Sen. Jeremiah Denton, Adm. Kinnaird McKee, and retired Adm. Thomas H. Moorer). Originally equipped with Trident C4, later converted to Trident II D5. On 1 September 1988 completed her ninth strategic deterrent patrol, which was also the 100th deterrent patrol by a Trident submarine (ceremony led by Under Secretary of the Navy J. Lawrence Garrett III). Complement 15 officers + 140 enlisted.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-18
- Study period
- 1980-1988
- Population
- crew (CSP figure 15 officers + 140 enlisted)
- Limitations
- Official Navy command page; no asbestos or materials content. CSP keel date agrees with DANFS (14 Oct 1980) against NVR (27 Aug 1981); CSP commissioning venue (Naval Underwater Systems Center) differs slightly from DANFS (Submarine Base New London).
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-alabama-ssbn731-03
-
[4]DoD Inspector General, Evaluation of Nuclear Ballistic Missile Submarine (SSBN) Sustainment, Report No. DODIG-2018-127 (15 June 2018), Table 2 [other_primary]
- Locator
- DODIG-2018-127 Table 2 (ERO periods) and ERO description section
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- DoD IG evaluation lists this hull's mid-life Engineered Refueling Overhaul window: January 2006 - May 2008 (Table 2), within the class program of ~27-month EROs refueling the reactor and repairing/upgrading propulsion, ship equipment, and ballistic-missile systems; EROs are conducted at Norfolk Naval Shipyard or Puget Sound Naval Shipyard depending on the submarine's assignment (this hull was Bangor-based Pacific Fleet per NVR, consistent with PSNSY execution). Projected end-of-life June 2028.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-18
- Study period
- 2006-2008 (ERO window); report dated 2018
- Population
- shipyard trades at the ERO yard (PSNSY implied by Pacific assignment - inferred, not stated per-hull)
- Limitations
- Maintenance-window documentation only; the report contains no asbestos or materials data for this hull. The ERO yard is not named per-hull in Table 2 - PSNSY is implied by the report's assignment rule and this boat's Bangor homeport, and is marked inferred.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-alabama-ssbn731-04
-
[5]GAO, Navy Efforts To Protect Workers From Asbestos Exposure, HRD-80-2 (18 Oct 1979), incl. Enclosure I Attachment 1 (Navy CNO Ser 4542/318054 of 5 Jan 1979) and Note 1 [gao]
- Locator
- HRD-80-2 main text and Enclosure I Attachment 1 (TRIDENT SSBN block lists 726-730 only; hull 731 absent)
- Finding type
- gov_survey
- Finding
- Class/era federal record: GAO HRD-80-2 documents the Navy's asbestos-elimination policy - thermal-insulation product specifications changed to asbestos-free materials by late 1973; October 1975 policy (NAVSEAINST 5100.2) to remove/replace only damaged or work-required asbestos insulation, modified January 1979 to add selective replacement in high-maintenance areas; the Navy stated 'most ships delivered in the last several years or now under construction have little or no asbestos as thermal insulation,' while noting asbestos remained in applications lacking substitutes (gaskets, pipe hanger liners per Note 1; also brakes/clutches, deck tile, cabling, galley ranges per the letter text) - 'nearly impossible to build a Navy ship free of the mineral.' This hull (construction start after the attachment's cutoff) is not among the hulls listed; the TRIDENT block covers 726-730 only.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-18
- Study period
- 1979 statement on policies current at the time
- Population
- Navy shipyard workers; ships delivered since 1973 or under construction
- Limitations
- Class/era documentation only - this hull is not listed in Attachment 1, so no ship-specific insulation designation exists for SSBN-731 in this source. The era frame (post-1973 asbestos-free insulation spec, residual ACM applications) is consistent context but does not document materials aboard this hull.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-alabama-ssbn731-05
-
[6]NIOSH, Health Hazard Evaluation Report HETA 78-135-1333, Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corp., Groton, Connecticut (August 1983) [other_primary]
- Locator
- HETA 78-135-1333 Background and Results/Discussion sections (asbestos passage)
- Finding type
- gov_survey
- Finding
- NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluation at Electric Boat Division, Groton (field visits July 1979-March 1981 - overlapping this hull's early construction): 'Historical reports of overexposure to asbestos were common among workers with eight or more years work experience at Electric Boat,' occurring 'primarily in the course of submarine overhaul and/or retrofit' performed at the Groton shipyard and a naval base in Spain; 'since the introduction of alternative forms of insulation for the reactor vessel and its complex of piping, asbestos use in the shipyard and on the submarines is slowly being phased out.' The report identifies the Trident class as one of the two submarine types manufactured at Electric Boat.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-18
- Study period
- field investigation 1979-1981; report August 1983
- Population
- Electric Boat workers (~25,000, incl. ~1,000 painters)
- Limitations
- Yard/era documentation, not hull-specific: no hull number or materials schedule is identified. Documents that asbestos use in the yard and on submarines was being phased out during this hull's construction window - it neither establishes nor excludes ACM aboard SSBN-731.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-alabama-ssbn731-06
-
[7]U.S. EPA Superfund Site Profile, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard Complex, Bremerton WA (site ID 1001107); ATSDR Public Health Assessment, Bremerton Naval Complex (16 Sep 2005) [other_primary]
- Locator
- EPA site profile - NPL milestones and site description
- Finding type
- environmental_record
- Finding
- Puget Sound Naval Shipyard Complex (Bremerton, WA) is a federal Superfund site: proposed to the National Priorities List 10 May 1993, finalized 31 May 1994; EPA/Washington Ecology documentation lists asbestos among site contaminants of concern, and ATSDR issued a public health assessment for the Bremerton Naval Complex in 2005. This hull's 2006-2008 ERO window (ev-04) was at PSNSY or NNSY per the DoD IG assignment rule; as a Bangor-based Pacific Fleet boat the PSNSY venue is inferred.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- context_only
- Accessed
- 2026-09-18
- Study period
- NPL listing 1993-94; site operations historical and ongoing
- Population
- PSNSY workforce and surrounding environment
- Limitations
- Yard-environment documentation only; not a record of asbestos aboard this hull. The ERO yard linkage is inferred from the DoD IG assignment rule and Pacific homeport - the per-hull yard is not stated in the cited table.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-alabama-ssbn731-07
-
[8]Cross-source discrepancy: DANFS + CSP (14 Oct 1980) vs. NVR (27 Aug 1981) [other_primary]
- Locator
- NVR keel field vs. DANFS narrative and CSP About page
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Keel-date conflict documented, not reconciled: DANFS and COMSUBPAC give 14 October 1980; NVR gives 27 August 1981. This record carries the DANFS/CSP date (14 October 1980) - the preponderance of official narrative sources - with the NVR value disclosed.
- Verification
- disputed
- Role
- correction
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-18
- Limitations
- Official Navy sources conflict by ~10 months. DANFS/CSP carried (two official narrative sources agree); NVR value disclosed. No primary keel-laying record (e.g., EB builder's record or command history) was located to resolve it.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-alabama-ssbn731-08
-
[9]Negative litigation finding across CourtListener/indexed RECAP documents and verbatim search of five retrieved N.D. Cal. Exhibit A rosters (gov.uscourts.cand.192004, .197119, .199308, .204620, .204934) [court_record]
- Locator
- verbatim text search of retrieved exhibits; indexed-document name/hull-number sweeps
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Litigation sweep result: exact-name and hull-number searches ('USS Alabama' / 'Alabama' + 'SSBN-731') across CourtListener/indexed RECAP documents and the five retrieved N.D. Cal. asbestos complaint exhibits (Halseth, Cooks, Davis, Cronin, McIntyre rosters) produced no qualifying asbestos litigation naming this hull. 'Alabama' is a high-collision name - returned hits were unrelated litigation, military matters, name collisions, or non-asbestos documents.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-18
- Study period
- filings indexed through 2026-09-18
- Limitations
- Absence of a located pleading or opinion is not proof none exists - CourtListener coverage is not exhaustive for state-court pleadings, the API was rate-limited (HTTP 429) and public search AWS WAF-blocked this session, and non-mirrored filings are outside the sweep. High name-collision rate required discarding numerous non-qualifying 'Alabama' hits.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-alabama-ssbn731-09
-
[10]Negative finding across DANFS/NHHC, NVR, CSP, DoD IG, GAO, NIOSH, EPA, and indexed litigation sources [other_primary]
- Locator
- see search_ledger sl-uss-alabama-ssbn731-01..10
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Negative finding: no ship-specific asbestos documentation of any kind was located for USS Alabama (SSBN-731) - no hull ACM survey, abatement contract, materials schedule, hazmat disclosure, litigation roster entry, or adjudicated exposure finding. Ship-specific asbestos documentation status: UNKNOWN. Class/era context only (ev-05, ev-06).
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-18
- Limitations
- Absence of a located record is not proof no record exists. An active in-commission SSBN's detailed materials/hazmat records are not public; no FOIA-derived hull documentation was located.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-alabama-ssbn731-10