Evidence
16 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-16).
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[1]Cook, Habes, Harney, Mattorano, McGlothlin, Roegner (NIOSH), Health Hazard Evaluation Report HETA 97-0196-2755: Astoria Metal Corporation, Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, San Francisco, California (October 1999), CDC Stacks cdc:170985 [other_primary]
- Locator
- Report Summary p. iv and Results/Discussion pp. 6-7 ('ongoing asbestos abatement activities' aboard U.S.S. Ashtabula); Table 1 (PBZ metals on U.S.S. Ashtabula); Background pp. 1, 10 (work began ~Dec 1996-Jan 1997)
- Finding type
- gov_survey
- Finding
- NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluation at Astoria Metal Corp., Hunters Point Naval Shipyard Dry Dock 4 (site visit 1-3 April 1998), documented ship dismantling aboard this hull by name: two Astoria Metal workers aboard the 'U.S.S. Ashtabula' were monitored torch-cutting and removing non-ferrous metal (brass, copper, aluminum) in the engine room, and 'NIOSH investigators did not observe work tasks inside the ship because of ongoing asbestos abatement activities.' PBZ air sampling aboard the ship measured 8-hr TWA lead 253-435 ug/m3 (all 4 samples above NIOSH REL/OSHA PEL/ACGIH TLV of 50), cadmium 10-61 ug/m3 (all above PEL 5), nickel 14-55 ug/m3, copper 168-362 ug/m3; blood-lead trends dated the start of work on USS Ashtabula and Glomar Explorer to ~Dec 1996-Jan 1997. The report also notes an ongoing OSHA investigation at the yard.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-24
- Study period
- April 1998 site visit; report issued October 1999; shipboard work began ~Dec 1996-Jan 1997
- Population
- Astoria Metal Corp. shipbreaking workers, Hunters Point Dry Dock 4 (2 monitored aboard; ~25-worker yard crew)
- Limitations
- Federal field report naming this hull and stating asbestos abatement was ongoing aboard during dismantling. It does not itemize asbestos products, quantities, or locations aboard; it does not quantify fibers or document any crew-era exposure; asbestos presence during the ship's 1943-1982 service is not addressed by this source (abatement could cover materials installed at any point incl. the 1967-68 rebuild).
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-ashtabula-ao51-01
-
[2]Roberts, Stephen S., ShipScribe - 'Class: ASHTABULA (AO 51 Jumbo)' ship notes (compiled from official records; special source NARA RG 19 Entry P 62 Box 75, SCB 224A) [other_primary]
- Locator
- AO51j page, Ship Notes table row for AO-51 (MC 717)
- Finding type
- abatement_record
- Finding
- Ship-disposal compilation records that the Navy sold the ship 25 Oct 1995, withdrew her from the NDRF 7 Dec 1995, and that the 'scrapping contract cancelled after scrapper defaulted due cost of removing asbestos'; the partially dismantled hulk was repossessed 27 Sep 1999 and expended as a target 14-15 Oct 2000.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-24
- Study period
- 1995-2000
- Population
- Shipbreaking workforce (contract-level)
- Limitations
- Compiled secondary record by a recognized naval historian working from NARA/official data - the asbestos-cost attribution is a one-clause summary; the underlying Navy/DRMS contract-termination file was not retrieved. Does not quantify asbestos aboard or describe abatement scope. Corroborated independently by the NIOSH field report (ev-01) which documented active abatement aboard this hull.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-ashtabula-ao51-02
-
[3]Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, 'Ashtabula' (AO-51), NHHC (live URL 404 as of 2026-09-24; verified via Wayback capture 2024-02-27) [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- DANFS Ashtabula entry (wayback 20240227202418); stat line and narrative paragraphs
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- NHHC DANFS entry documents construction (laid down 1 Oct 1942 under MC contract hull 717, Bethlehem Steel Co., Sparrows Point, Md.; launched 22 May 1943; commissioned 7 Aug 1943) and the full operational record: WWII Pacific fueling for TF 58/77.2 (torpedoed off Leyte 24 Oct 1944, no personnel casualties; repaired San Pedro/Terminal Island Dec 1944-Jan 1945); Korea-era 7th Fleet refueling and the Nov 1952 Sasebo explosion (twin explosions from acetylene torches igniting gasoline fumes; three sailors killed; forward well deck seriously damaged; three months repair at Sasebo then Long Beach alterations); Aug 1964 Tonkin Gulf refueling of Maddox and Turner Joy; 1968 jumboization (new 400-ft midsection replacing the 310-ft original); Vietnam service to Aug 1972; Eagle Pull/Frequent Wind and the Mayaguez support (May 1975); homeport shift to Pearl Harbor 1974; decommissioned Pearl Harbor 30 Sep 1982; to NDRF Suisun Bay. Stat line: dp 25,440; 553'x75'x32'4"; s. 18.3 k.; cpl. 298; class Ashtabula; type T3-S2-A1.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-24
- Study period
- 1942-1987 (entry coverage ends 'beginning of 1987')
- Population
- Ship's complement (~298 as built); yard workers at documented availabilities
- Limitations
- Authoritative Navy history; contains no asbestos or materials information. Documents yard/availability events relevant to disturbance pathways (Terminal Island torpedo repairs 1944-45; Sasebo explosion repairs 1952-53; 1968 jumboization) without describing insulation scope.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-ashtabula-ao51-03
-
[4]U.S. Maritime Administration, ShipHistory database - ASHTABULA (AO-51), Ship History Detail 341 [marad_nrc]
- Locator
- ShipHistory Detail 341 milestones table, image captions, status-card scans
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- MARAD ShipHistory record for ASHTABULA (AO-51): year built 1943; MARAD type T3-S2-A1; 553 ft x 75 ft; 11,316 GT / 7,470 light / 23,235 summer displacement; milestones show NDRF Entry and Disposition 11/22/1982, Disposition 12/7/1995 'Scrapped PacificRimMetals', Withdrawal 12/7/1995; fate 'Sold - Scrap.' The file's 30+ digitized U.S. Navy photos include 1968 jumboization series at 'Todd Shipyards, Los Angeles Division, San Pedro, California.'
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-24
- Study period
- 1943-1995
- Limitations
- Authoritative for custody milestones; records sale-to-scrap without the contract outcome (no default/repossession/SINKEX row in the milestone table - MARAD custody ended at withdrawal). Builder field reads 'Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard' - a database normalization artifact; DANFS/NVR/Colton all give Bethlehem Sparrows Point (see correction row ev-16). No asbestos or materials data.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-ashtabula-ao51-04
-
[5]U.S. Navy, Naval Vessel Register detail page AO-51 (via Wayback capture 2000-12-17 of nvr.navy.mil) [other_primary]
- Locator
- NVR AO-51 detail, Wayback 20001217010700
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Naval Vessel Register detail page (Dec 2000 capture): ASHTABULA (AO 51), ex-MC 717, UIC 04951, class AO 22 (Cimarron), status 'Disposed of as target,' date status changed 10/15/2000, stricken 09/06/1991, builder 'BETHLEHEM/SPARROWS'; 553 ft oa, 75 ft beam, 32 ft max draft, 7,470 lt / 25,450 full displacement; steel hull/superstructure; steam turbine, 2 propellers.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-24
- Study period
- register entry as of Dec 2000
- Limitations
- Official register; confirms strike date and target disposal. Several date fields blank in this capture; class shown as AO 22 (original Cimarron classing) though post-1968 jumboized configuration differed. No asbestos/hazmat fields in NVR.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-ashtabula-ao51-05
-
[6]NavSource Online, Service Ship Photo Archive - USS Ashtabula (AO-51) page 09/19/19051 [other_primary]
- Locator
- NavSource AO-51 page, 'Final Disposition' note
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- NavSource service-ship archive records the final-disposition chain: sold for scrapping 25 October 1995 to Astorial Metals t/a Pacific Rim Metals Corp., Issaquah, WA; removed from Mare Island 7 December 1995 by company tugs; 'Contract defaulted and scrapping terminated, 28 September 1999'; removed on/about 6 October 1999 back to Mare Island; disposed of as target 15 October 2000.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-24
- Study period
- 1982-2000
- Limitations
- Secondary compilation (volunteer-edited archive drawing on Navy sources) - supplies the buyer's name (Astorial/Astoria Metals dba Pacific Rim Metals) corroborated by the NIOSH report's facility identity. Gives contract termination 28 Sep 1999 vs ShipScribe's repossession 27 Sep 1999 - one-day discrepancy logged. NavSource's battle-star count (5 WWII/7 Korea) conflicts with DANFS (8/4) - DANFS controlling; logged in gaps. No asbestos data.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-ashtabula-ao51-06
-
[7]'Historic Fleets: USS Ashtabula (AO-51),' Naval History Magazine, U.S. Naval Institute, April 2001 [reputable_press]
- Locator
- USNI Naval History April 2001, Historic Fleets column, Ashtabula section
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- U.S. Naval Institute 'Historic Fleets' profile (Naval History magazine, April 2001): records ~20% of cutting completed when the scrapper ceased operations in 1999, Navy reclaimed the hulk, tow began 8 Oct 2000 to a point ~300 miles off the California coast, multinational live-fire on 14 Oct (8 Harpoon, 2 SM-2 Block III, 3 Sea Skua, 4 bombs, 100+ artillery rounds from US/UK/French ships), ship still afloat next day and sunk by demolition charges 15 Oct 2000.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-24
- Study period
- 1943-2000
- Limitations
- Reputable naval-affairs press corroborating the disposal sequence and SINKEX detail; does not itself state the default cause (asbestos) - that attribution rests on the ShipScribe ship note (ev-02). Article misstates the laid-down date as 22 May 1943 (the launch date per DANFS/NVR/Colton); keel date not relied on from this source.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-ashtabula-ao51-07
-
[8]ShipScribe 'Class: ASHTABULA (AO 51 Jumbo)' construction table + class notes (NARA RG 19-sourced); MARAD ShipHistory 341 photo captions (U.S. Navy photos) [other_primary]
- Locator
- AO51j page construction/disposition tables and class notes; MARAD Detail 341 image set
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Jumboization documented: FY1965 'AO Jumbo' conversion contract awarded 7 Apr 1965 to Todd, San Pedro (SCB Project 706.65); new midbody begun 1 Apr 1966, launched 9 Jul 1967; original bow attached Aug 1967, stern Sep 1967; recommissioned 19 Oct 1968; MARAD photo file confirms the conversion in progress at Todd Shipyards, Los Angeles Division, San Pedro, 1968. Post-conversion: 644 ft oa, 9,769 lt / 36,500 full tons, accommodations 21 officers + 350 enlisted.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-24
- Study period
- 1965-1968
- Population
- Todd Shipyards Los Angeles Division workforce, 1966-1968
- Limitations
- Documents a major rebuild event (cutting the hull and inserting a new-build midbody) - a disturbance/reconstruction pathway consistent with but not documenting asbestos work; no insulation or abatement scope is stated for this conversion in the cited sources.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-ashtabula-ao51-08
-
[9]DANFS Ashtabula entry (NHHC, via Wayback 2024-02-27); NavSource photo captions for Mare Island 1956 [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- DANFS narrative paragraphs (WWII damage/repair, Korea, overhauls); NavSource AO-51 caption 'Mare Island Naval Shipyard photo # 31969-10-56'
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Wartime and accident repair events (all DANFS-documented): torpedo damage off Leyte 24 Oct 1944 repaired at Terminal Island drydock (San Pedro), 15 Dec 1944-26 Jan 1945; Long Beach Navy Yard availability Dec 1943 and Terminal Island yard work from 15 Jul 1944; Sasebo explosion Nov 1952 (three killed per DANFS) repaired at Sasebo ~3 months then Long Beach alterations; Mare Island repair period Aug-Oct 1956 (NavSource photo caption); Pearl Harbor overhauls 1974 and Apr 1977-Feb 1978.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-24
- Study period
- 1943-1978
- Population
- Shipyard repair workers (Terminal Island, Long Beach, Sasebo, Mare Island, Pearl Harbor)
- Limitations
- Documents repair/overhaul events only - no source describes insulation or asbestos scope for any of these yard periods; asbestos relevance is inference about era-typical disturbance work, not ship-proven. Association-site variant date (30 Nov 1952) and casualty count (six vs DANFS three) logged in gaps.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-ashtabula-ao51-09
-
[10]San Jose Mercury News reporting summarized in CPEO Military List post 'West Coast Shipbreaking Woes' (12 May 1998); SF Bay View report on the Oct 2000 federal injunction; NIOSH HETA 97-0196-2755 background noting the ongoing OSHA investigation [reputable_press]
- Locator
- CPEO list archive msg00202; https://sfbayview.com/2000/10/federal-court-shuts-down-major-hunters-point-shipyard-polluter/ ; NIOSH report summary
- Finding type
- regulatory
- Finding
- The shipbreaking operation at Hunters Point where this hull was dismantled was under federal enforcement scrutiny documented by NIOSH (an ongoing OSHA investigation at Astoria Metal Corp. during the April 1998 visit) and by contemporaneous reporting: the San Jose Mercury News (10 May 1998, via CPEO archive) reported ~$600,000 in OSHA fines against Astoria Metals for 'willful and serious' violations including worker lead exposure, and reported that partially dismantled ships were sent to the Far East for final scrapping; in October 2000 the U.S. District Court enjoined Astoria's use of Dry Dock 4 under a Clean Water Act consent decree (San Francisco BayKeeper/Arc Ecology actions).
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- context_only
- Accessed
- 2026-09-24
- Study period
- 1996-2000
- Population
- Astoria Metal Corp. workforce, Hunters Point Dry Dock 4
- Limitations
- Site/operator-level documentation - the Mercury News report does not name this hull, and the injunction postdates the hulk's removal to Mare Island; establishes the hazardous-conditions context of the facility dismantling this ship (which NIOSH independently names). Does not establish any individual exposure outcome aboard Ashtabula.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-ashtabula-ao51-10
-
[11]GAO, Federal Surplus Ships: Government Efforts to Address the Growing Backlog of Ships Awaiting Disposal, GAO/NSIAD-99-18 (Dec 1998); DOT OIG, Maritime Administration: Limited Progress in Disposing of Obsolete Vessels, MA-2000-097 (2000) [gao]
- Locator
- GAO NSIAD-99-18 (gao.gov direct fetch returns 403 to automated tools - text via indexed excerpts); DOT OIG MA-2000-097 PDF reviewed
- Finding type
- regulatory
- Finding
- Program-level documentation of the asbestos-cost driver in Navy ship disposal: GAO NSIAD-99-18 reported ~127 surplus Navy ships awaiting scrapping as of Aug 1998 and that the Navy repossessed 20 of 62 ships sold to domestic scrappers (1991-1996) amid environmental/worker-safety compliance problems, with remediation of asbestos, PCBs, lead, mercury, and cadmium identified as inherent dismantling costs; the DOT Inspector General (2000) reported vessels containing PCBs, asbestos, lead-based paint and fuel oil and contractor defaults undermining the disposal program.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- context_only
- Accessed
- 2026-09-24
- Study period
- 1991-2000
- Population
- Domestic shipbreaking workforce, Navy surplus-ship program
- Limitations
- Program-level context - neither report names this hull in the reviewed text. Establishes that asbestos remediation cost was a documented, government-acknowledged cause of Navy ship-scrapping contract failures in exactly this period, consistent with the hull-specific attribution in ev-02.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-ashtabula-ao51-11
-
[12]U.S. EPA, Transport of Target Vessels for Ocean Disposal (MPRSA general permit, 40 CFR 229.2) and EPA-Navy SINKEX Determination/Agreement history (1999 letter; 2014 codification) [federal_register]
- Locator
- EPA MPRSA SINKEX permit page; 2014 SINKEX Determination PDF recounting the 2 Aug 1999 Wayland-Munsell letter
- Finding type
- regulatory
- Finding
- The 15 Oct 2000 sinking was conducted under the MPRSA general permit 'Transport of Target Vessels' (40 C.F.R. 229.2) as interpreted by EPA's 2 Aug 1999 letter to the Navy: before a SINKEX, the Navy must inventory each target vessel and have qualified personnel remove marine-degrading materials to the maximum extent practicable (fuel/oil drained, readily detachable debris and pollutant materials removed; PCB rules per the 1999 letter).
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- context_only
- Accessed
- 2026-09-24
- Study period
- 1999-2000
- Limitations
- Regulatory regime applicable to this hull's 2000 sinking - no Ashtabula-specific prep inventory or hazmat-removal record was located; whether residual asbestos remained aboard at sinking is unknown (scrapping had stopped at ~20% with abatement incomplete).
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-ashtabula-ao51-12
-
[13]Corn & Starr, 'Historical perspective on asbestos: Policies and protective measures in World War II shipbuilding,' Am. J. Ind. Med. 11(3):359-373 (1987); ShipScribe ASHTABULA (AO-51) class construction table (MC order of 20 Mar 1942, 14 repeat Cimarrons at Bethlehem Sparrows Point) [other_primary]
- Locator
- AJIM 11(3):359-373; shipscribe.com/usnaux/AO/AO51.html class notes/construction table
- Finding type
- asbestos_application
- Finding
- Class/era construction context: the ship was one of 18 T3-S2-A1 oilers built at Bethlehem Sparrows Point in 1942-46 under the Maritime Commission military program; peer-reviewed scholarship documents that asbestos was used extensively as fireproofing and insulation in WWII U.S. shipbuilding of exactly this era, and the ship-disposal record for this hull (ev-01, ev-02) confirms asbestos was physically present at end of life.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-24
- Study period
- 1942-1946 construction era; article 1987
- Population
- WWII shipyard workers and crews (class context)
- Limitations
- Program/era-level scholarship - does not itemize this hull's materials. Ship-specific asbestos presence is established separately by the NIOSH abatement record (ev-01); this row supplies construction-era context for what was likely installed originally, marked inference as to particular products/spaces.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-ashtabula-ao51-13
-
[14]CourtListener API v4 search (authenticated, batch helper) - queries: 'Ashtabula', 'Ashtabula asbestos', 'USS Ashtabula', 'AO-51', 'Astoria Metals' (type=o) [court_record]
- Locator
- search_ledger rows sl-uss-ashtabula-ao51-10, -11, -17, -18, -19
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- CourtListener searches executed for this vessel (see search_ledger): a bare 'Ashtabula' opinion search returns ~4,600 hits dominated by Ashtabula County/Ashtabula, Ohio municipal litigation - a high-collision name; a discriminating 'Ashtabula asbestos' search returns 16 hits, all of them Ashtabula County venue cases or incidental geographic mentions; exact-phrase 'USS Ashtabula', hull-number 'AO-51', and scrapper-name 'Astoria Metals' opinion searches each returned zero hits. No opinion naming this hull in an asbestos or vessel-context case exists in the corpus searched.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-24
- Study period
- 2026-09-24
- Limitations
- Search-result review, not exhaustive docket coverage: absence of a located opinion does not prove no case exists (MDL-875 complaint-stage filings naming the ship would not surface in opinion search). The environmental injunction litigation at the scrapping site (BayKeeper/Arc Ecology v. Astoria Metals, N.D. Cal., 1990s-2000) addressed site pollution - not asbestos findings aboard the hull.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-ashtabula-ao51-14
-
[15]Record-source mapping: Navy inactivation/disposal files (DRMS), OSHA enforcement records, EPA SINKEX annual reports, NARA RG 19 [other_primary]
- Locator
- Derived from ev-01/ev-02 source trails; NARA guide https://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/019.html
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Archival leads (not retrieved - no spend authorized): (a) Navy/DRMS 1995 sale contract and Sep 1999 termination-for-default file for the Pacific Rim Metals/Astoria Metal scrapping contract - would document the asbestos-cost finding directly; (b) OSHA inspection/citation case file for Astoria Metal Corp., Hunters Point (the ongoing investigation NIOSH noted, and the reported ~$600K fines) - region IX enforcement records; (c) asbestos-abatement contractor scope/manifest for the 1996-1999 aboard work (unknown subcontractor); (d) SINKEX preparation inventory for the hulk per the 40 CFR 229.2 permit/1999 EPA letter (annual report to EPA); (e) NARA RG 19 BuShips/Ships Characteristics Board records cited by ShipScribe (Entry P 62 Box 75) and construction/outfitting specifications for MC hull 717.
- Verification
- unverified
- Role
- archival_lead
- Documentation level
- context_only
- Accessed
- 2026-09-24
- Study period
- 1942-2000 records
- Limitations
- Record-group/lead mapping only - no box-level retrieval performed; existence of the contract-termination and abatement-scope documents is inferred from the documented events, not confirmed.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-ashtabula-ao51-15
-
[16]Cross-source reconciliation: MARAD Detail 341; DANFS (NHHC via Wayback); NVR detail (Wayback); NavSource; shipbuildinghistory.com T-3 tanker table; ussashtabula.com association history [other_primary]
- Locator
- Per-source fields as cited in ev-03/04/05/06 rows and ledger
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Source discrepancies resolved: (a) Builder - MARAD ShipHistory lists 'Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard' but DANFS, NVR, NavSource, and Colton's shipbuilding table all give Bethlehem Steel Co./Bethlehem-Sparrows Point Shipyard, Sparrows Point, MD (MC 717 = yard hull 4397); Sparrows Point adopted, the MARAD entry logged as a normalization artifact. (b) Association history gives launch 23 May 1943 vs DANFS 22 May - DANFS adopted. (c) 1952 explosion: DANFS 'that November,' three killed; association site 30 Nov 1952, six killed - DANFS controlling on count; exact date flagged. (d) NavSource battle stars 5 WWII/7 Korea vs DANFS 8/4 - DANFS controlling.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- correction
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-24
- Study period
- 1942-2000
- Limitations
- Resolves publication-level discrepancies in secondary framings; none affect identity or the asbestos findings. No asbestos content in any reconciled source.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-ashtabula-ao51-16