USS Alshain (AKA-55)

Evidence

11 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-11).

1. [1]Bureau of Ships, Ships' Data, U.S. Naval Vessels, Vol. 3 (NAVSHIPS 250-012, 1945), auxiliaries - cargo ships, attack (AKA) section, per-hull rows for ALSHAIN AKA-55 (shipscribe.com scan of the official BuShips publication) [other_primary]

   Locator

   SDB1945v3 AKA tables, book pp. 112-117 (PDF pp. 131-136), all row 9 'ALSHAIN (ex-M. C. Hull 209) ... AKA 55': dimensions p. 112; limiting-displacement/personnel p. 113; machinery p. 114; reduction-gear/generator/fuel continuation p. 115; armament/cargo p. 116; construction p. 117 - read via pdftotext layout extraction and page renders

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   Official BuShips Ships' Data 1945 Vol. 3 carries per-hull rows for ALSHAIN AKA-55 (ex-M.C. Hull 209) across all six AKA tables, row 9 in each: dimensions 459'2" overall / 435'0" waterline, beam 63'0", trial speed 16.5 knots, trial displacement 13,910 tons; limiting displacement 14,200 tons, 50 tons per inch immersion, limiting draft 26'4", total accommodations 50 officers + 342 enlisted, largest boom 30 tons; machinery 1 propeller, 'G. E. turb.' 6,000 shp, 2 'F. W. "D"' boilers at 450 psi / 750 deg F; reduction gear G. E. (double type per the table's continuation column, consistent with NavSource's 'double General Electric Main Reduction Gear'), ship's-service generators 3x300kW 120/240V D.C. turbo-driven, fuel oil 10,990 bbls; armament 1 x 5"/38 cal. (D.P.) + 4 twin 40mm; cargo 444,000 cu ft non-refrigerated; construction row prints 'Federal S. B. & D. D. Co., Kearny, N.J.', date acquired 31 Mar 44, year built 1943, first commission 1 Apr 44.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-21

   Study period

   1945

   Limitations

   Authoritative wartime BuShips publication naming this hull across six data tables - confirms identity, machinery plant, manning, builder, and key dates. The construction row prints year built '1943' (keel year) while the MARAD MA-199 card prints built 3-31-44 (completion) - the difference is keel vs. completion convention, flagged not merged. Armament row prints 1x5"/38 + 4 twin 40mm; the 20mm count is not separately printed in this row (NavSource and the DANFS spec block give 18 single 20mm). Contains no materials, insulation, or asbestos information; supports no asbestos claim.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-alshain-aka55-01

2. [2]Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, 'Alshain' (AKA-55) - canonical NHHC page (history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/a/alshain.html) returned 404 live on 2026-09-21; verbatim text read from the Internet Archive Wayback Machine capture of the official NHHC page, 2025-12-09 [nhhc_danfs]

   Locator

   Wayback capture 20251209091550 of the canonical NHHC DANFS page - full entry text read verbatim (20 captures exist, 2016-03-06 to 2025-12-09)

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   DANFS entry for Alshain (AKA-55): 'A star in the constellation Aquila.' Spec block: dp. 14,200; l. 459'2"; b. 63'; dr. 26'4"; s. 16.5 k.; cpl. 392; a. 1 5", 4 40mm., 18 20mm.; cl. Andromeda; T. C2-S-B1. 'Alshain (AKA-55) was laid down on 29 October 1943 under a Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 209) at Kearny, N.J., by the Federal Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.; launched on 26 January 1944; sponsored by Mrs. J. H. King; acquired by the Navy on 31 March 1944; and placed in commission at Brooklyn, N.Y., on 1 April 1944, Comdr. Roland E. Krause in command.' Service narrative: fitting out at New York Navy Yard, shakedown Chesapeake Bay, Norfolk Navy Yard availability 27 Apr 1944; Guam assault off Agat Beach 21 Jul-3 Aug 1944 (TF 51 Southern Transport Group, temporary TransDiv 38); canceled Yap operation then Leyte - entered Leyte Gulf with TG 79.1 on 20 Oct, anchored off Dulag, completed unloading 23 Oct; air attack off Tanauan 18 Nov, a 'Zeke' splashing close aboard Alpine (APA-92) 800 yards away; embarked 37th Infantry Division at Bougainville; Lingayen Gulf assault 9 Jan 1945 and San Felipe-San Narciso landing 29 Jan; Okinawa assault with TU 51.13.1 from 1 Apr, rescued a badly burned soldier blown off Alpine's deck by a kamikaze 400 yards away, completed unloading 5 Apr; Lake Washington Shipyard availability 2-18 May 1945; Bethlehem Steel Co. repair yard, San Francisco, 2-16 Jun 1945 for superheater-tube repairs; at Noumea on 14 Aug for Japan's capitulation. Postwar: detached from Amphibious Forces Pacific 16 Dec 1945, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard extended availability; Naval Transport Service from May 1946; Far East supply runs incl. ammunition to Chinese Nationalist forces on Formosa; became part of the newly formed MSTS at Guam (1949); Korea - 1st Provisional Marine Brigade to Pusan (2 Aug 1950), Inchon landing 15-21 Sep 1950 with 1st Marine Division, Wonsan operations Oct-Nov 1950 incl. 3d Infantry Division lift; left MSTS 30 Apr 1951 for Amphibious Forces Atlantic Fleet, TransDiv 23; Mediterranean tours Aug 1951 and Jan-May 1952 (incl. Operation Grand Slam); two minor collisions May 1953 (Mount Olympus AGC-8 on 13 May; 'Niobara' [sic - Niobrara] AO-72 days later) with repairs at Maryland Drydock Co., Baltimore, 23 Jun-3 Jul 1953; Boston Naval Shipyard availability Feb 1953 and a further 'repairs and alterations' period; Norfolk Naval Shipyard availability mid-Feb 1954; final Mediterranean deployment Jan-May 1955; Philadelphia Naval Shipyard pre-inactivation overhaul 1 Jul-early Oct 1955; reserve status Orange, Tex., 12 Oct 1955; 'The ship was decommissioned on 14 January 1956. Her name was struck from the Navy list on 1 July 1960. She was transferred to the Maritime Administration and laid up at Beaumont, Tex.' 'Alshain won five battle stars for her World War II service.'

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-21

   Study period

   1944-1956

   Population

   Ship's company (complement 392 per DANFS) plus embarked personnel: Army troops for the Guam assault (Jul 1944); 37th Infantry Division embarked at Bougainville (Dec 1944); elements of the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade (Jul-Aug 1950); 1st Marine Division and Marine Air Group 33 personnel/equipment (Sep-Oct 1950); 3d Infantry Division lift to Wonsan (Nov 1950); Marines carried for LantFlex 52 and later exercises; elements of Marine Air Groups 11 and 32 transported (1953-54)

   Limitations

   Authoritative Navy history for identity, construction, and the complete 1944-1956 commissioned career. The canonical NHHC URL 404s live (standing NHHC link-rot defect, BATCH-01-REPORT) but - unlike the sister records this week - a Wayback capture of the official page itself was available and is the cited text; no third-party transcription relied on. The text carries minor artifacts ('118th' for 18th; 'conceled' for canceled; 'whe' for she; 'Tsingtap' for Tsingtao; 'Niobara' for Niobrara AO-72) and one unresolved internal sequencing seam for early-1954 events - see ev-09. Contains no asbestos, materials, or insulation information - supports no asbestos claim.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-alshain-aka55-02

3. [3]U.S. Maritime Administration, ShipHistory database - ALSHAIN (AKA-55), Ship History Detail 171, incl. MA-383 Reserve Fleet Ship Particulars card (171_322AF.jpg), MA-199 Vessel Status Card (3bf7925b-6868-4232-ba78-255fa5e9ffd9.png), MA-20 Record of Ship Sales (d15cc6c6-43ef-4b06-b0cc-0d10e6eb4442.jpg), and custody-ledger document (0d85886e-8d6a-4f24-ab16-66c30a0fca81.pdf) - all read verbatim [marad_nrc]

   Locator

   ShipHistory Detail 171 data block + milestones + cards https://vesselhistory.marad.dot.gov/cards/171_322AF.jpg , /cards/3bf7925b-6868-4232-ba78-255fa5e9ffd9.png , /cards/d15cc6c6-43ef-4b06-b0cc-0d10e6eb4442.jpg + document /documents/0d85886e-8d6a-4f24-ab16-66c30a0fca81.pdf

   Finding type

   historical_record

   Finding

   MARAD ShipHistory record ALSHAIN (AKA-55) Detail 171, comprising the web data block, milestones, a custody-ledger PDF, and THREE digitized cards - all read verbatim. Data block: year built 1944, official no. 136438, shipyard 'Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock', general type Naval Auxiliary, specific type AKA Attack Cargo Ship, MARAD type C2-S-B1, length 459 ft, beam 63 ft, gross 8,410, fate 'Sold - Scrap'; missions World War II and Korean War; ten digitized U.S. Navy photos incl. a port profile captioned 'at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard on April 23, 1949'. Milestones: Entry 8/10/1960; Acquisition 8/10/1960; Disposition 3/24/1978 noted 'CUST 1960 NDRF 1960'; Withdrawal 3/24/1978. Card 1 (FORM MA-383 Reserve Fleet - Ship Particulars, 171_322AF.jpg): 'Alshain AKA-55', type Turbine C2-S-B1, fleet Beaumont, category 'Mil. Cargo Attack', builder Federal, date built 1944, hull no. MC-209, service prior to lay-up Navy, handwritten 'Title Transfer 10-21-60', title Navy with red stamp 'Temp. Custody / Reimbursable', arrival draft 8-10-60 Fwd. 14'3" Aft. 16'1", specs LOA 459'2.5" x 63', gross 8410, DWT ~7,776, speed 15.5 kts, passengers 'Off 50 Enl. 342'; ENTERED Aug.10,1960 1345 hrs CST; WITHDRAWN March 24, 1978 1215 Hrs., CST; reason 'Sold for Scrap under PD-X-1025, 2/16/78 to Consolidated Andy, Inc. for $211,999.00' [sic - see ev-09]; other data 'Navy preservation (8 Ships) See Navy letter Feb. 23, 1960 Marad reply March 7, 1960'. Card 2 (FORM MA-199 Vessel Status Card): ALSHAIN AKA-55, flag U.S. Navy, vessel no. 0136438, type Cargo, design C2-S-B1, shipyard Federal, date built 3-31-44, MC hull no. MC-209, builders hull no. 251; operating history rows: Navy Dept. -> Reserve Fleet, Beaumont, 1:45pm CST 8-10-60 'Custody'; Reserve Fleet Custody -> Maritime Adm., Beaumont, 12:01 Mid CST 11-1-60 'Permanent Transfer'; Maritime Administration -> Consolidated Andy Inc., Beaumont, 3/3/78 'Purchase / Scrap'. Card 3 (FORM MA-20 Record of Ship Sales): 'ALSHAIN (LKA-55)' under PD-X-1025, awarded to CONSOLIDATED ANDY, INC. 2-16-78, purchase price $191,999.00, contract no. MA-8967, year built 1943, dimensions LOA 459' x Beam 63', location 'Beaumont, Texas, Resflt.', acquisition 'Built by Federal S. B. & D. D. Co., Kearny, N. J.'; remarks 'Advertised under PD-X-1025 - dated 1-6-78 - opened 2-9-78 under two condition: (1) NTU (2) SCRAP HULL / Award under condition (2) SCRAP HULL'. Custody-ledger PDF (scanned): Navy Dept. delivered to Reserve Fleet at Beaumont 8-10-60 1:45 PM CST; Maritime Administration 11-1-60 12:01 Mid CST 'LU/Perm.Tran' - matching the cards.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-21

   Study period

   1944-1978

   Population

   NDRF Beaumont caretakers (1960-1978); Consolidated Andy, Inc. scrapping workforce (1978)

   Limitations

   Primary government custody/disposal record and the strongest source in this file for the post-Navy chain: it documents the two-step Navy->MARAD transfer (Navy temporary/reimbursable custody 8-10-60 1345 CST; permanent transfer 11-1-60 12:01 Mid CST; a separate handwritten 'Title Transfer 10-21-60' note), the preservation context ('Navy preservation (8 Ships)' referencing Navy letter 2-23-60 and MARAD reply 3-7-60), and the complete 1978 disposal (PD-X-1025 advertised 1-6-78, opened 2-9-78 under NTU/SCRAP HULL conditions, award 2-16-78 to Consolidated Andy Inc. for $191,999.00, contract MA-8967, delivery 3/3/78, withdrawal 3-24-78). Internal conflicts exist between cards - handwritten '$211,999.00' on the MA-383 vs. typed '$191,999.00' on the MA-20; MA-199 delivery 3/3/78 vs. MA-383 withdrawal 3/24/78; MA-20 'year built 1943' vs. cards' 1944 - all flagged in ev-09, none merged. The cards document custody transfers only - no survey, condition, asbestos, materials, or insulation information anywhere in the record - supports no asbestos claim.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-alshain-aka55-03

4. [4]Shipscribe U.S. Navy auxiliary ships data sheets, 'USS Andromeda (AKA-15) Class' page (Stephen S. Roberts compilation from Navy registers, BuShips records, and MC design files) [other_primary]

   Locator

   AKA-15 class page: characteristics block; construction table row '55 ALSHAIN ... 29 Oct 43 ... 26 Jan 44 ... 1 Apr 44'; disposal row '55 ALSHAIN 14 Jan 56 | 1 Jul 60 | 1 Nov 60 | MA/T | 16 Feb 78'; ship note for MC hull 209

   Finding type

   historical_record

   Finding

   Ship-design compilation naming this hull in the class tables (shipscribe.com, compiled from Navy registers, BuShips records, and Maritime Commission files): class ANDROMEDA (AKA-15), design MC C2-S-B1; class characteristics 7,132 t light / 14,200 t lim.; 459.25' oa x 435.0' pp x 63.0' x 26.3' lim.; complement 249 (1944); 16.5 kts; 6,000 hp; machinery 'G.E. turbine, 1 screw'; armament for the AKA 15/53/55-57 group printed '1-5"/38 2-40mmT 18-20mm (1944-47)', shifting to '1-5"/38 4-40mmT 6<12-20mmS (1946-55)'. Construction table row for AKA-55 ALSHAIN: acquired 31 Mar 44; builder Federal SB & DD, Kearny; keel 29 Oct 43; launched 26 Jan 44; commissioned 1 Apr 44 - all four dates agree with DANFS and the MARAD cards. Disposal row: decommissioned 14 Jan 56; struck 1 Jul 60; to MA 1 Nov 60; MA/T; 16 Feb 78. Ship note for MC hull 209: 'Served in MSTS as a commissioned naval vessel from 1 Oct 49 until transferred back to regular naval service with amphibious forces 30 Apr 51. In USN reserve 1955-60. In NDRF 10 Aug 60 to 1978.' - the 'commissioned naval vessel' framing resolves the USS/USNS status question during the MSTS period (she remained in commission, operating for MSTS with the T-AKA-55 designation, rather than decommissioning to civilian status).

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-21

   Study period

   1943-1978

   Population

   Federal Shipbuilding construction workforce (1943-44); MSTS-period crew (1949-51); NDRF Beaumont caretakers (1960-78); Consolidated Andy breaking workforce (1978)

   Limitations

   Compiled secondary transcription of official Navy/MC records, not the registers themselves; figures used where consistent with DANFS, SDB, and the MARAD cards (all construction and disposal dates agree). Class-level complement 249 (1944) conflicts with the DANFS/SDB 392 - ship-specific sources adopted, conflict flagged. The MSTS-period 'commissioned naval vessel' note clarifies status but is itself a compiled interpretation. Contains no asbestos information.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-alshain-aka55-04

5. [5]NavSource Online Amphibious Photo Archive, 'USNS Alshain (T-AKA-55) ex USS Alshain (AKA-55)' page (volunteer-compiled; fetched directly via navsource.net 2026-09-21) [other_primary]

   Locator

   NavSource 10/02/02055.htm: ship data block, awards table, campaign lists, CO list, spec block, disposal lines

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   NavSource Online Amphibious Photo Archive entry for USNS Alshain (T-AKA-55) ex USS Alshain (AKA-55): Andromeda-class attack cargo ship, MC type C2-S-B1, MC hull 209, Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Corp., Kearny, N.J.; international radio call sign NHFR; award ribbons American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (5), WWII Victory Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal (3), United Nations Service Medal, Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive); WWII assignment TransRon 13 / TransDiv 38; campaign list matching DANFS (Guam 21 Jul-3 Aug 1944; Leyte 20-23 Oct 1944; Lingayen 9 Jan 1945; Manila Bay-Bicol 29 Jan 1945; Okinawa Gunto 1-5 Apr 1945); Korea campaign list (North Korean Aggression 2-4 Aug and 11-31 Oct 1950; Inchon Landing 15-17 Sep 1950; Communist China Aggression 14-18 Nov 1950); NTS 1946; MSTS 1 Oct 1949 as T-AKA-55; 'Decommissioned, 14 January 1957, at Orange, TX' [sic - 1956 per DANFS/shipscribe, see ev-09]; struck 1 Jul 1960; 'Returned to the Maritime Administration, date unknown' [the cards supply 10 Aug 1960 entry / 1 Nov 1960 permanent transfer]; 'Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 16 February 1978, to Consolidated Andy Inc., (PD-X-1025) for $191,999.00'; CO list from CDR Roland E. Krause (1 Apr 1944) through CAPT Byron L. Gurnette (1955-); spec block consistent with SDB: 6,556 lt / 14,200 fl; 459'2" x 63' x 26'4"; 16.5 kts; 50 officers + 342 enlisted; 30t boom; cargo 444,000 cu ft; 1x5"/38, 4 twin 40mm, 18 single 20mm; boats 8 LCM, 1 LCP(L), 15 LCVP; NSFO 10,990 bbls; one GE turbine, two Foster Wheeler 'D' boilers 450 psi/750 deg F, double GE main reduction gear, three 300kW 120/240V DC generators, single screw 6,000 shp.

   Verification

   partial

   Role

   context

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-21

   Study period

   1944-1978

   Population

   Ship's company 1944-1956; MSTS-period crew 1949-1951

   Limitations

   Volunteer-compiled secondary source, not an official record - used as cross-check and for detail absent elsewhere (call sign NHFR, award/ribbon list, Korean War campaign dates, CO roster, boat outfit). Its '14 January 1957' decommissioning line is a typo (1956 per DANFS and shipscribe); its 'returned to the Maritime Administration, date unknown' is superseded by the digitized MARAD cards (entry 8-10-60, permanent transfer 11-1-60); its $191,999.00 sale figure agrees with the typed MA-20 card (the handwritten MA-383 figure differs). Contains no asbestos information.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-alshain-aka55-05

6. [6]Consolidated era/design inference - BuShips SDB 1945 v3 machinery rows for this hull (ev-01) + C2-S-B1 type data (shipscribe AKA-15 class page, ev-04) + documented events (ev-02, ev-03) [other_primary]

   Locator

   SDB1945v3 machinery tables, AKA section (ALSHAIN row 9, book pp. 114-115); shipscribe AKA-15 class data; MARAD card custody rows; DANFS service narrative yard/availability entries

   Finding type

   asbestos_application

   Finding

   Era/design inference: this hull carried a single-screw steam plant (machinery printed in the SDB 1945 v3 row for AKA-55 - 'G. E. turb.', 2 'F. W. "D"' boilers at 450 psi / 750 deg F, 6,000 shp, double GE reduction gear) built under a Maritime Commission contract at the Federal Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. yard, Kearny, N.J., in 1943-44 - the machinery configuration and construction era for which boiler and fireroom insulation, main and auxiliary steam-line lagging, turbine lagging, valve and flange gaskets, machinery packing, and accommodation joiner insulation of the period were commonly asbestos-containing. Documented disturbance-phase events for this specific hull are unusually numerous: construction at Federal Shipbuilding, Kearny (Oct 1943-Mar 1944); fitting-out at the New York Navy Yard (Apr 1944); Norfolk Navy Yard availability (27 Apr 1944); Lake Washington Shipyard availability (2-18 May 1945); Bethlehem Steel Co. repair yard, San Francisco (2-16 Jun 1945); Puget Sound Naval Shipyard extended availability (Dec 1945 into 1946) and a further yard period (Oct-Nov 1948); Boston Naval Shipyard availability (Feb-Apr 1953) plus a further Boston 'repairs and alterations' period of ambiguous year; Maryland Drydock Co., Baltimore, collision repairs (23 Jun-3 Jul 1953); Norfolk Naval Shipyard availability (mid-Feb 1954); Philadelphia Naval Shipyard pre-inactivation overhaul (1 Jul-early Oct 1955); seventeen and a half years of NDRF lay-up at Beaumont (10 Aug 1960-24 Mar 1978); and the 1978 breaking by Consolidated Andy, Inc.

   Verification

   inferred

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   class_or_era

   Accessed

   2026-09-21

   Study period

   1943-1978

   Population

   Construction trades at Federal Shipbuilding, Kearny (1943-44); wartime crew and embarked troops (1944-45); Navy-yard and private-yard workforces at the documented availabilities (1944-1955); MSTS-period crew (1949-51); NDRF Beaumont caretakers (1960-78); Consolidated Andy breaking workforce (1978)

   Limitations

   Inference from the documented machinery plant, construction era, and documented yard/layup/breaking events - NOT a hull record. No survey, specification, or material schedule naming AKA-55 was located; establishes no asbestos content, quantity, location, individual exposure, or causation. The yard availabilities are documented events whose materials scope is unrecorded - their asbestos significance is inference, not record.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-alshain-aka55-06

7. [7]Corn, Jacqueline Karnell, and Jennifer Starr, 'Historical perspective on asbestos: Policies and protective measures in World War II shipbuilding,' American Journal of Industrial Medicine 11(3):359-373 (1987) [other_primary]

   Locator

   Abstract and article, AJIM 11(3):359-373

   Finding type

   asbestos_application

   Finding

   Peer-reviewed historical study documents that asbestos was used extensively as a fireproofing and insulating material in U.S. shipbuilding during WWII - the era and emergency Maritime Commission construction program under which this 1943-44 hull was built at Federal Shipbuilding, Kearny.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   context

   Documentation level

   class_or_era

   Accessed

   2026-09-21

   Study period

   1940s era documented; article 1987

   Population

   WWII shipyard workers and ship crews (class context)

   Limitations

   Program/era-level scholarship on WWII shipbuilding generally; does not name this vessel or the Federal Shipbuilding yard specifically and does not establish that asbestos was or remains aboard this hull, nor quantity, location, condition, exposure, or causation.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-alshain-aka55-07

8. [8]Newspaper clipping (N.J. Superior Court filing coverage), 26 August 1981, scanned at openresearchlibrary.org - 'J-M sued again for asbestos: Two former shipyard workers charged in a Superior Court suit' [reputable_press]

   Locator

   openresearchlibrary.org clipping viewer, Manville, Somerset County, New Jersey item, OCR text (26Aug81-ocr.pdf)

   Finding type

   litigation_documented

   Finding

   Builder-yard litigation surface: a 1981 New Jersey newspaper clipping (scanned, openresearchlibrary.org) reports a Superior Court complaint by two former Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Co. employees - Fred Burgisser (Woodbridge) and Victor Fiorino (North Bergen) - and their wives against 25 defendants including five Johns-Manville companies and five company officials, alleging the men were 'continuously exposed to asbestos dust, particles and fibers' at the yard and developed chronic asbestosis or other lung/heart disease. The report notes asbestos 'has been used for years to insulate the hulls of steel vessels.'

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   context

   Documentation level

   context_only

   Accessed

   2026-09-21

   Study period

   1981 (filing report); alleged wartime/postwar exposure period

   Population

   Federal Shipbuilding & Drydock Co., Kearny workforce (alleged exposure period 1940s-1960s)

   Limitations

   Pleading-stage allegation reported in the press - per litigation-stage discipline this is a complaint's allegation, not a finding; no adjudicated outcome located. Yard-level surface only: the complaint names the builder yard and asbestos-insulated hulls generally, not this hull; establishes that asbestos litigation naming the Federal Shipbuilding Kearny yard existed, not that any specific vessel carried or released asbestos. Marketing-source yard pages (mesothelioma.net, bellucklaw.com, levylaw.com, mesowatch.org) make similar claims and are an excluded source class - not cited.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-alshain-aka55-08

9. [9]MARAD ShipHistory Detail 171 cards (MA-383, MA-199, MA-20) vs. NavSource AKA-55 lines, DANFS entry text (ev-02), shipscribe disposal row (ev-04), and SDB construction row (ev-01) [marad_nrc]

   Locator

   Card rows: MA-383 'Sold for Scrap under PD-X-1025, 2/16/78 ... $211,999.00' and withdrawn 'March 24, 1978 1215 Hrs.'; MA-199 'Consolidated Andy Inc. 3/3/78 Purchase Scrap' and 'Permanent Transfer 11-1-60'; MA-20 '$191,999.00' typed; NavSource '14 January 1957'; DANFS 'decommissioned on 14 January 1956'

   Finding type

   historical_record

   Finding

   Source discrepancies resolved or flagged against primary records: (1) NavSource 'Decommissioned, 14 January 1957' is a typo - DANFS and the shipscribe disposal table both give 14 January 1956 (NavSource's own 'reserve status 12 October 1955' line supports 1956). (2) Sale price: the typed MA-20 Record of Ship Sales prints $191,999.00 (agreeing with NavSource); the handwritten MA-383 withdrawal note reads '$211,999.00' - conflict flagged, the typed sale card adopted. (3) Delivery/withdrawal: the MA-199 records delivery to Consolidated Andy Inc. at Beaumont on 3/3/78 while the MA-383 records withdrawal 3/24/1978 1215 hrs CST - both printed verbatim; the MARAD milestones concur with 3/24/1978. (4) Year built: MA-20 prints 1943 (keel year) while the MA-199/MA-383 and the data block print 1944 (completion); SDB construction row also prints 1943 - keel vs. completion convention, flagged not merged. (5) The MA-20 styles the vessel 'ALSHAIN (LKA-55)' - a retroactive amphibious-cargo designation on 1978 paperwork; stricken in 1960, she never officially carried the LKA symbol. (6) DANFS internal seam: after 'closed the year [1953] in an upkeep status,' the text prints 'moved to Boston in late January 1953 for ... repairs and alterations which lasted through mid-April,' then narrates a 'began the year 1954' TRAEX 2-54 Caribbean trip - the Boston period cannot be both Jan-Apr 1953 (already covered by the Feb-Apr 1953 Boston availability) and early-1954 alongside the January 1954 Caribbean trip; the year figure is likely a typo for 1954 but the sequence remains unresolved. (7) MARAD photo metadata captions her 'at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard on April 23, 1949' while DANFS has her operating along the west coast Mar-Jul 1949 - the caption may misdate the photos or reflect an unrecorded yard call; flagged, not resolved. (8) DANFS artifacts: '118th' (18th), 'conceled' (canceled), 'whe' (she), 'Tsingtap' (Tsingtao), 'Niobara' (Niobrara AO-72). (9) AK-55 vs AKA-55: USS Titania was AK-55 before becoming AKA-13; this hull was never AK-55 - 'ex-M. C. Hull 209' only.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   correction

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-21

   Study period

   1943-1978

   Limitations

   Resolves or flags transcription, dating, and designation discrepancies against the primary custody cards and DANFS; does not affect the identity or service record materially. No asbestos content in any of these sources.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-alshain-aka55-09

10. [10]Batch-1035 search ledger (this record): NHHC DANFS canonical 404 + Wayback capture of the official page; BuShips SDB 1945 v3; MARAD ShipHistory Detail 171 + three cards + custody ledger read verbatim; shipscribe AKA-15 class page; NavSource; NVR; CourtListener API v4 (throttled) + indexed-web check; VA BVA index; general web index; builder-yard litigation surface; NARA record-group guides; shipyards.json cross-check [other_primary]

    Locator

    search_ledger rows sl-uss-alshain-aka55-01 through sl-uss-alshain-aka55-14

    Finding type

    historical_record

    Finding

    No qualifying ship-specific asbestos record located: no asbestos survey, abatement contract, insulation specification, hazmat disclosure, court finding, or docketed asbestos case naming USS Alshain / USNS Alshain / AKA-55 / T-AKA-55 / MC hull 209 was found in the public sources searched (see search_ledger). Litigation surface: CourtListener API v4 could not be queried this session - authenticated requests returned 429 'Request was throttled. Rate limit exceeded: 2800/day' on all attempts (shared batch API key exhausted by concurrent same-day workers; expected available ~48 min; no anonymous fallback attempted per batch rules); the litigation sweep therefore rests on the general web index (including indexed CourtListener content) and the VA BVA index. Indexed CourtListener content surfaced only name collisions (United States v. Alshalabi criminal docket; Alshaary v. Citadel Property Management; person-page 'McShain'; Alshahhi defendants) - no vessel-named matter. VA BVA index returned no decision naming Alshain or AKA-55 (surfaced decisions name other ships - USS Hornet et al.; 'AKA' resolves to 'also known as'/'above-knee amputation'). NVR carries no entry (302 to shell; hull predates register coverage - disposed 1978). Law-firm marketing surfaces assert era-typical asbestos content for this hull without primary support (asbestos-ships.com dedicated USS Alshain (AKA-55) page; mesotheliomasymptoms.com vessel page; simmonsfirm.com navy-ship roster entry) - excluded source class, logged in the ledger.

    Verification

    verified

    Role

    negative_finding

    Documentation level

    ship_specific

    Accessed

    2026-09-21

    Study period

    2026-09-21

    Limitations

    Absence of a located public record does not prove absence of asbestos aboard - a 1944 Maritime Commission steam auxiliary is era-consistent with asbestos-containing materials, and her construction, eleven documented yard/availability periods, seventeen and a half years of reserve-fleet custody at Beaumont, and the 1978 breaking are disturbance phases whose materials content is undocumented. Does not establish presence or absence; does not establish or defeat any exposure claim or legal eligibility. The CourtListener sweep is INCOMPLETE - the API was throttled on every attempt and the opinion/docket/RECAP surfaces are logged as blocked (sl-09); indexed-web checking is not a substitute - 'no qualifying case located on completed surfaces' is the claim, nothing more.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-alshain-aka55-10

11. [11]NARA Guide to Federal Records: RG 24, RG 19, RG 178, RG 357 record-group pages; MARAD status-card and MA-20 references (ev-03) [other_primary]

    Locator

    https://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/024.html ; /groups/019.html ; /groups/178.html ; /groups/357.html ; https://vesselhistory.marad.dot.gov/ShipHistory/Detail/171

    Finding type

    historical_record

    Finding

    Archival leads (not retrieved - research-room or reproduction order required; no spend authorized): Navy deck logs for USS/USNS Alshain April 1944-January 1956 (RG 24, NARA - a twelve-year span covering five WWII amphibious assaults, the Inchon landing and Wonsan operations, both MSTS years, two Mediterranean tours, and the 1953 collisions; would also resolve the early-1954 sequencing seam and the April-1949 Philadelphia photo anomaly); Maritime Commission construction-contract records for MC hull 209 / builder's hull 251 at Federal Shipbuilding (RG 178); BuShips records incl. C2-S-B1 contract plans and the class Booklet of General Plans (RG 19) - the most promising lead for any insulation or materials schedule; MARAD/NDRF custody files covering the 1960-1978 Beaumont lay-up including the PD-X-1025 / contract MA-8967 sale file (RG 357) - the most promising disposal-era hazmat lead - and the Navy-MARAD preservation correspondence referenced on the MA-383 card (Navy letter 23 Feb 1960, 'Navy preservation (8 Ships)'; MARAD reply 7 Mar 1960); the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard 1955 pre-inactivation work package - the most promising in-service disturbance lead; NHHC photo file NH 107731 and the ten MARAD-archived Navy photos of this hull.

    Verification

    unverified

    Role

    archival_lead

    Documentation level

    context_only

    Accessed

    2026-09-21

    Study period

    1943-1978 records

    Limitations

    Record-group and file mapping only - no box-level retrieval performed; existence of asbestos-specific documents for this hull is unknown until surveyed in person. Nothing in this row is an asbestos finding.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-alshain-aka55-11