Evidence
13 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-13).
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[1]research packet aw-packet.md (9 sources cited) [museum_official]
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Identity packet verdict: VERIFIED.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Evidence ID
- uss-ard-13-ard13-pkt-aw-packet-md
-
[2]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 program under which this dock was fabricated at Pacific Bridge Company, Alameda, in 1943.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-26
- Study period
- 1940s era documented; article 1987
- Population
- WWII shipyard workers and dock/ship crews (class context)
- Limitations
- Program/era-level scholarly documentation of asbestos use in WWII shipbuilding generally; does not name this vessel 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-ard-13-ard13-01
-
[3]Bureau of Yards and Docks, 'Building the Navy's Bases in World War II,' Chapter IX Floating Drydocks (official Navy history; HyperWar transcription) [other_primary]
- Locator
- Chapter IX, 'Auxiliary Repair Dock' design description (pp. 214-217 in print edition); ARD-13 photograph caption
- Finding type
- asbestos_application
- Finding
- The official BuDocks history describes the ARD type (this hull's class): one-piece ship-form steel dock with bottom-hinged stern flap gate; two pumping plants each of two vertical-shaft 15,000-gpm pumps; two wing-wall machinery decks - the lower (C) deck carrying pump and valve motors, small machines, welding equipment, and storage, the upper (B) deck carrying the main diesel generators and other heavy equipment plus quarters and messing for the crew; bow upper deck omitted for a hull repair shop; four railway-type diesel engines connected to electric generators; a powered carpenter-shop barge moored alongside. The chapter illustrates the type with a photograph of this hull (ARD-13) showing the completed dock basin with keel-bilge rails, blocking timbers, deck stairs and cat walk, and two 10-ton jib cranes. Self-sustaining diesel machinery, welding shops, and heated accommodation/messing spaces of 1943 Navy construction are consistent with era-standard asbestos insulation, gaskets, and packing.
- Verification
- inferred
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-26
- Study period
- 1942-1946
- Population
- ARD construction trades (1943); dock operating and repair crews
- Limitations
- Official design/program documentation for the ARD type - the narrative describes the class, not this hull's material inventory, and never uses the word 'asbestos.' Asbestos presence aboard this hull is era inference drawn from the documented plant, not ship-proven. Does not establish quantity, location, present-day presence, individual exposure, or causation. The embedded ARD-13 caption is photographic identification only.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-ard-13-ard13-02
-
[4]NavSource Online Service Ship Photo Archive, USS ARD-13 - compiled vessel record [other_primary]
- Locator
- NavSource page 09/67/6713, vessel record block, campaign table, commanding officers list, specifications
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Compiled record identifies this hull: ARD-12 class auxiliary repair dock; laid down 1943 at Pacific Bridge Co., Alameda, CA; commissioned USS ARD-13 on 4 December 1943 with CDR William Leo Travis in command; international radio call sign NFYV; Asiatic-Pacific theater assignment with one campaign star for the Okinawa Gunto operation (assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 15 April to 30 June 1945); occupation service in the Far East 2 September to 22 December 1945; decommissioned 1 July 1946 and laid up in reserve; struck from the Naval Register 1 September 1976; sold 1 December 1977 under the Security Assistance Program to Venezuela; final disposition fate unknown. Specifications: 5,200 t displacement, 492 ft length, 81 ft beam, 6 ft draft, no propulsion. Commanding officers: CDR Travis (4 Dec 1943 - Aug 1945), LT Elvin Maurice Smith (Aug 1945 - 1 Jul 1946). NavSource notes that no DANFS history exists for this hull.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-26
- Study period
- 1943-1977 (record coverage)
- Population
- Dock operating crew (numbers unverified)
- Limitations
- Compiled secondary archive, not an official record - the launch date is not stated, armament and complement are not listed, and the Venezuelan transfer omits the February 1962 lease and DF-11 designation reported by NavalCoverMuseum (see gaps). Supports no asbestos claim.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-ard-13-ard13-03
-
[5]Carter, Worrall Reed (RADM, USN), 'Beans, Bullets, and Black Oil' (official Navy logistics history, Naval History Division), Chapter XII The Marshall Islands Campaign (HyperWar transcription) [other_primary]
- Locator
- BBBO Chapter XII, 'Service Squadron Ten at Majuro' section (pp. 121-124 in print edition)
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- The official logistics history names this hull at Majuro Atoll in early 1944: Vice Admiral Calhoun, Commander Service Force Pacific, sent forward service craft to Service Squadron Ten, and 'the floating drydock ARD-13, Lieutenant Commander W.L. Travis' was among the early arrivals. 'Arrivals of ARD-13, the first floating drydock to be sent into the Central Pacific drive, and the smaller AFD-16 were events of considerable importance at Majuro. The ARD had an 85-percent green crew which had never operated the dock and had never been to sea, so a period of intensified training in phraseology, station duties, and some seamanship was carried out. Eight days after her arrival the first vessel, a destroyer, was efficiently docked.' AFD-16, having lost its commanding officer to illness, was put under Travis's command and moored beside ARD-13, the pair operated as a team. 'The record of ARD-13 from this time to the end of the war was splendid.'
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-26
- Study period
- 1944
- Population
- ARD-13 crew; AFD-16 crew; crews of docked vessels; Service Squadron Ten
- Limitations
- Official history documents the hull's arrival and early operation at Majuro but gives no arrival date and no crew count. Contains no asbestos or materials information; supports no asbestos claim.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-ard-13-ard13-04
-
[6]Carter, 'Beans, Bullets, and Black Oil,' Chapter XIX (the ServRon Ten move toward Ulithi) and Chapter XXVI (Ulithi logistics) - official Navy history (HyperWar transcription) [other_primary]
- Locator
- BBBO Chapter XIX, 'The Second Convoy' passage; Chapter XXVI, Ulithi repair-facilities passage
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- The official history documents this hull's 1944-45 westward movement: a towing convoy left Eniwetok 5 October 1944 with Commander W.L. Travis in ARD-13 as convoy commander; on 6 October the docks were ordered to return to Eniwetok ('back they went'). The dock subsequently reached Ulithi: the Ulithi chapter records that 'docking facilities for destroyers were furnished by ARD-13, ARD-15, and ARD-23' during the staging for the Okinawa operation.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-26
- Study period
- 1944-10 to 1945-04
- Population
- ARD-13 crew; convoy towing units
- Limitations
- Official history confirms the hull at Eniwetok (Oct 1944) and at Ulithi (early 1945) but does not date the Ulithi arrival; the interval between the aborted 5-6 October sortie and arrival is undocumented in this source. No asbestos or materials information; supports no asbestos claim.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-ard-13-ard13-05
-
[7]U.S. Navy photographs and dated dockings of this hull: USS YMS-266 docked in ARD-13 at Majuro Atoll, circa 1944 (USN photo via Naval War College); USS Anacapa (AG-49) entering ARD-13, 10 February 1945 (USN photo reproduced on HyperWar 'Ships of the U.S. Navy' AG-49 page); USS Yarnall (DD-541) entering ARD-13 at Ulithi, March 1945 (photo; Yarnall's bow section had been severed in the 4-5 March 1945 collision with USS Ringgold DD-500 while under tow by USS Molala ATF-106); USS LCS(L)(3)-76 drydocked in ARD-13 at Nakagusuku Wan, Okinawa, September 1945; ARD-13 aft basin and crane views at Guam, 8 January 1946 [other_primary]
- Locator
- NavSource page 09/67/6713 photo captions; https://ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/ships/AG/AG-49_Anacapa.html; https://www.dd793.com/CYCombat/diary45.html
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Photographic record documents this hull performing wartime and occupation repair service across four stations: Majuro (YMS-266, c. 1944), the Central Pacific staging area (Anacapa, 10 Feb 1945 - location not stated in caption, consistent with Ulithi where the official history places ARD-13), Ulithi (Yarnall battle-damage docking, March 1945), Nakagusuku Wan, Okinawa (LCS(L)(3)-76, September 1945), and Guam (basin/crane detail views, 8 January 1946). A veterans' association war-diary transcription (dd793.com, USS Cassin Young Volunteers) independently records 'Entered dry dock ARD-13 for work on Hull and Sonar Dome' on 31 January 1945.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-26
- Study period
- 1944-1946
- Population
- ARD-13 repair and docking crews; crews of docked vessels (YMS-266, Anacapa, Yarnall, Cassin Young, LCS(L)(3)-76)
- Limitations
- The dated USN photographs and NavSource captions are the primary documentation here. The Anacapa caption omits location; the Cassin Young entry is a compiled veterans'-site transcription, not a scanned log. None of these records contains asbestos information.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-ard-13-ard13-06
-
[8]Carter, 'Beans, Bullets, and Black Oil,' Chapter XXVII Logistics at Kerama Retto for the Okinawa Operation - official Navy history (HyperWar transcription) [other_primary]
- Locator
- BBBO Chapter XXVII, Kerama Retto repair-facilities passages
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- The official history names this hull at the Kerama Retto forward repair anchorage during the Okinawa campaign: Captain A.I. McKee, Assistant Fleet Maintenance Officer of Service Force Pacific, 'arrived 16 April in ARD-13, a floating 3,500-ton drydock, towed by the fleet tug Jicarilla, accompanied by the battle-damaged repair ship Nestor, tug Molala, four support landing craft, and two destroyers.' ARD-13 was the first of what became four ARDs at Kerama Retto (ARD-27 arrived 22 May, ARD-22 on 26 May) supporting emergency repairs to battle-damaged ships in 'Cripple Creek'/'Wiseman's Cove' under repeated kamikaze threat.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-26
- Study period
- 1945-04-16 onward
- Population
- ARD-13 crew; ServForPac maintenance staff embarked; crews of damaged vessels under repair
- Limitations
- Official history documents arrival and role but does not list ships docked in ARD-13 at Kerama or the dock's departure date. Contains no asbestos or materials information; supports no asbestos claim.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-ard-13-ard13-07
-
[9]Department of the Navy, Navy and Marine Corps Awards Manual (NAVPERS 15,790, 1953), Part IV campaign/service-medal eligibility roster (official; HyperWar transcription) [other_primary]
- Locator
- Awards Manual Part IV, alphabetical roster, 'ARD 13' line
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- The official awards roster lists 'ARD 13' with Navy Occupation Service Medal eligibility window '2 Sep - 22 Dec 45,' area code 'A' (Asia) - corroborating the compiled record's occupation-service dates for this hull in the Far East after V-J Day.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-26
- Study period
- 1945-09-02 to 1945-12-22
- Population
- ARD-13 crew
- Limitations
- Roster confirms the medal-eligibility window only; it does not state where the dock was stationed for each day of the window. No asbestos or materials information; supports no asbestos claim.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-ard-13-ard13-08
-
[10]Naval Vessel Register (NAVSEA), 'US Navy Hulls in Non Active status - N' quickfind table (Wayback capture 2016-09-27); NavalCoverMuseum ARD 13 designation history [other_primary]
- Locator
- Wayback 2016-09-27 capture of nvr.navy.mil QUICKFIND inactive-N table, ARD 13 row; https://www.navalcovermuseum.org/wiki/ARD_13 designation history
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- The archived NVR quickfind table gives the official disposal line for this hull: 'NO NAME | ARD 13 | 12/01/1977 | Disposed of through the Security Assistance Program (SAP), transferred, cash sale, ex-US fleet hull foreign military sale case number assigned.' The current NVR site excludes vessels disposed of before 1987. NavalCoverMuseum's designation history adds that the dock was leased to Venezuela in February 1962 and redesignated DF-11, struck 1 September 1976, and purchased by Venezuela 30 December 1977 - a lease/DF-11 interlude NavSource does not record.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-26
- Study period
- 1962-1977
- Population
- Reserve-custody and transfer personnel; Venezuelan Navy/DIANCA operators (unverified)
- Limitations
- NVR quickfind is the authoritative disposal record (1977-12-01 SAP cash sale). The February 1962 lease and DF-11 designation rest on a single compiled secondary source (NavalCoverMuseum) and conflict with the NavSource reserve-until-sale narrative; the lease detail and the Dec 1 vs Dec 30 purchase-date difference are unresolved (see gaps). Venezuelan service and final fate are undocumented in authoritative sources.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-ard-13-ard13-09
-
[11]Bernardo v. Bethlehem Steel Co., 314 F.2d 604 (2d Cir. 1963) [court_record]
- Locator
- Opinion, 314 F.2d 604 (2d Cir., decided March 7, 1963)
- Finding type
- litigation_documented
- Finding
- Second Circuit decision holding that a shipyard's floating drydock was not a 'vessel' and that a welder injured aboard it was not a 'member of a crew' for Jones Act purposes - the doctrinal frame under which injury claims by floating-drydock workers have been adjudicated (as land-based shipyard workers, not seamen).
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-26
- Study period
- 1963 (opinion); 1956 (injury)
- Population
- Floating-drydock shipyard workers (class context)
- Limitations
- Class-level doctrinal context only: the case involves Bethlehem Steel's commercial floating drydock No. 3 at Brooklyn, not this Navy hull, and it is a Jones Act/vessel-status decision, not an asbestos opinion. It establishes no asbestos condition aboard any dock and no exposure for any individual.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-ard-13-ard13-10
-
[12]Batch-2553 search ledger (this record): NavSource compiled record; Bureau of Yards and Docks history Chapter IX; 'Beans, Bullets, and Black Oil' chapters XII, XIX, XXVI, XXVII; 1953 Navy and Marine Corps Awards Manual; archived NVR quickfind; NavalCoverMuseum; shipbuildinghistory Pacific Bridge table; CourtListener API v4 authenticated searches; NARA Special List 44 logbook index; general web litigation search [other_primary]
- Locator
- search_ledger rows sl-uss-ard-13-ard13-01 through sl-uss-ard-13-ard13-13
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- No qualifying ship-specific asbestos record located: no asbestos survey, abatement contract, hazmat disclosure, museum record, or docketed case naming USS ARD-13 was found in the public sources searched. CourtListener opinion search returned no qualifying hit - quoted "ARD-13" produced two name collisions (J.F. v. DHS, Pa. Commw. Ct. 2019; Lockhill Ventures v. Ard Mor, Tex. App. 2015), and quoted "USS ARD-13" returned zero results. CourtListener RECAP docket search for quoted "ARD-13" returned 66 hits; the 40 examined across two relevance-ordered pages were all name collisions (surname 'Ard,' 'ARD' criminal-docket tokens such as Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition, and unrelated filing text) - none names this vessel or any vessel asbestos matter. General web search for the hull name with asbestos/mesothelioma/lawsuit terms returned no hull-specific litigation.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-26
- Study period
- 2026-09-26
- Limitations
- Absence of a located public record does not prove absence of asbestos aboard - 1943 self-sustaining construction with diesel machinery, welding shops, and accommodation spaces is era-consistent with asbestos-containing materials. The docket sweep examined 40 of 66 hits (relevance-ordered); the unexamined tail is lower-relevance and the examined distribution was uniformly collisions, but a 100-percent sweep of the tail was not performed. Does not establish or defeat any claim of exposure or legal eligibility.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-ard-13-ard13-11
-
[13]NARA Special List 44 (ship logbooks by ship number) and Guide to Federal Records RG 19 (Bureau of Ships) / RG 71 (Bureau of Yards and Docks) [other_primary]
- Locator
- SL-44 ship-number index, ARD block; https://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/019.html; https://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/071.html
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Archival leads (not retrieved - requires research-room or reproduction order; no spend authorized): NARA Special List 44's ARD block in the consulted fragment lists logbook coverage for ARD-12, ARD-14, and ARD-15 through ARD-30 series hulls but shows no visible ARD-13 entry, so wartime deck logs for this hull may sit in another series or be unheld; RG 71 BuDocks construction files cover the floating-drydock program contracts (Pacific Bridge Co., Alameda); RG 19 Bureau of Ships files cover outfitting and machinery; Service Squadron Ten war diaries and the USS Jicarilla (ATF-104) deck logs would document the 1944-45 tows.
- Verification
- unverified
- Role
- archival_lead
- Documentation level
- context_only
- Accessed
- 2026-09-26
- Study period
- 1943-1977 records
- Limitations
- Record-group mapping only - no box-level retrieval performed; SL-44's OCR'd fragment may simply be illegible at this hull's row, so absence there is not proof the logs are unheld. Nothing in this row is an asbestos finding.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-ard-13-ard13-12