USS Atascosa (AO-66)

Evidence

9 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-9).

1. [1]DANFS, 'Atascosa' (NHHC online edition - canonical URL returned 404 on 2026-09-24; read via Wayback Machine capture 2024-05-26) [nhhc_danfs]

   Locator

   NHHC DANFS 'Atascosa' entry - characteristics line, construction paragraph, full service narrative, postwar merchant paragraph (Wayback capture 2024-05-26)

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   DANFS entry for Atascosa (AO-66) - NHHC online edition read via Wayback capture 2024-05-26: Esso Columbia built at Chester, Pa., by Sun Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co. for the Standard Oil Company of New Jersey; launched 7 September 1942 (sponsor Mrs. Harold G. McAvenia); renamed Atascosa and designated AO-66 on 16 September 1942; purchased by the Navy 12 October 1942; commissioned 9 November 1942, Lt. Comdr. Melvin H. Bassett in command. Service narrative: commissioning at Baltimore; Hampton Roads arrival 19 Nov 1942; Port Arthur cargo runs; Bermuda run Jan 1943; Norfolk Navy Yard drydock repairs; Pacific transit - Panama Canal 4 Apr 1943, Noumea 28 Apr, Pago Pago 4-5 May, San Pedro 28 May; Espiritu Santo fueling duties from 9 Sep 1943; Tulagi and Guadalcanal added Oct 1943; Nandi Bay, Fiji, Christmas Eve 1943; TF 39 fueling rendezvous 15 Feb and 6 Mar 1944; TF 58 rendezvous 26 Mar 1944; search for downed Liberator crew 28 Mar; fired two rounds at a closing Japanese plane 29 Mar; Terminal Island overhaul 7 Jun-22 Jul 1944; Eniwetok 11 Aug; fueled battleships Iowa (BB-61), Indiana (BB-58), Alabama (BB-60) 17 Aug; serviced Enterprise (CV-6) 4 Sep; Saipan/Guam air alerts; Ulithi 13 Oct; TG 30.8 east of Luzon; fueling TF 38.3 in heavy weather early Nov - on 7 Nov while fueling Langley (CVL-27) the after port 6-inch manifold carried away and six crew members were injured tending gasoline connections; December typhoon (visibility zero 18 Dec); 1945 TG 30.8/TF 58 support; Okinawa TG 50.8; TF 38 off southern Honshu when Japan's capitulation was announced; Tokyo Bay 8-24 Sep 1945; arrived San Pedro 8 Oct 1945. Decommissioned 21 January 1946 at Mare Island; struck 7 February; transferred to the Maritime Commission 1 July 1946. Sold to Standard Oil of New Jersey 1947 and renamed Esso Syracuse; Panamanian registry 1950; renamed Esso Buffalo 1961; sold later that year to General Cargo Corporation, converted to a freighter, reregistered under the American flag at New York, renamed Spitfire; returned to Panamanian registry 1973. Spec block: dp. 24,660; l. 547'3"; b. 70'; dr. 31'; s. 15.5 k.; cpl. 281; a. 1 5", 4 3", 4 40mm.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-24

   Study period

   1942-1973

   Population

   Ship's company 1942-1946; Bethlehem Steel Key Highway conversion workforce (1942); Norfolk Navy Yard repair workforce (1943); Terminal Island overhaul workforce (1944)

   Limitations

   Authoritative for identity, construction, service narrative, and the postwar merchant chain through Spitfire/1973 - contains no asbestos, materials, or insulation information and supports no asbestos claim. DANFS narrates the merchant end as whole-ship rename/convert (Esso Buffalo 1961 -> freighter Spitfire) without the section-splicing detail that MARAD/shipscribe/NavSource carry - the conflict is flagged in gaps. Entry does not state a decommissioning-yard name beyond 'Mare Island, Calif.' (NavSource supplies 'Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo').

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-atascosa-ao66-01

2. [2]NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive, USS Atascosa (AO-66) page (volunteer-compiled) [other_primary]

   Locator

   NavSource 09/19/19066 page - chronology, Asiatic-Pacific campaign table, awards, merchant-service paragraph, spec block, commanding-officer list

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   NavSource Online Service Ship Photo Archive page for USS Atascosa (AO-66) (09/19/19066), fetched via navsource.net mirror: lifecycle chain - laid down 30 Apr 1942 as SS Esso Columbia 'for the Panama Transports Co.' at Sun Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Chester PA; launched 7 Sep 1942; acquired 12 Oct 1942; commissioned 9 Nov 1942, LCDR Melvin H. Bassett; Asiatic-Pacific campaign table (Palau/Yap/Ulithi/Woleai raid 30 Mar-1 Apr 1944; Western Caroline/Philippine assault 9-24 Sep 1944; Leyte Luzon attacks Nov-Dec 1944; Luzon/Formosa/China-coast/Nansei Shoto attacks Jan 1945; Iwo Jima 15 Feb-2 Mar 1945; Okinawa Gunto 20 Mar-2 Jun 1945; 3d Fleet operations against Japan 10-23 Jul and 9-15 Aug 1945) - seven battle stars WWII plus Philippines Liberation Medal (2) and Navy Occupation Service Medal Asia clasp (occupation service 10-23 Sep 1945); decommissioned 21 Jan 1946 at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo; struck 7 Feb 1946; returned to the Maritime Commission 30 Jun 1946 at USMC Reserve Fleet Suisun Bay, Benicia; merchant service - title transferred to the Maritime Commission 26 May 1947 pending sale to Panama Transports Co.; sold to Standard Oil of New Jersey 3 Oct 1947, renamed Esso Syracuse, renamed Esso Buffalo 1961; sold to General Cargo Corporation for construction of freighter SS Spitfire 'using the after 274.5 ft. of Esso Buffalo (ex-USS Atascosa) and 329 ft. of the forepart of Esso Columbia.' Spec block: disp. 5,730 t. (lt) / 24,660 t. (fl); 547'3" x 70' x 31'; 15.5 kts; complement 22 officers / 259 enlisted; cargo 17,150 DWT, 136,300 bbls oil, 534,000 gals gasoline; armament one 5"/38, four 3"/50, four twin 40mm, four twin 20mm; propulsion one Westinghouse turbine, two Babcock & Wilcox header-type boilers 450 psi / 730 deg F, double Westinghouse main reduction gears, 8,200 shp, single propeller. Commanding officers: LCDR Melvin H. Bassett (9 Nov 1942 - 4 Jun 1943), CDR Horace Leland de Rivera (4 Jun 1943 - 1945).

   Verification

   partial

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-24

   Study period

   1942-1973

   Population

   Ship's company 1942-46; merchant crews 1947-61

   Limitations

   Volunteer-compiled secondary source, not an official record - carried because its lifecycle dates are corroborated by primary records where checkable (DANFS verifies construction/commissioning/decommissioning/strike; MARAD card verifies the 30 Jun 1946 Suisun entry and the 26 May 1947 withdrawal; shipscribe verifies the 3 Oct 1947 sale). 'Returned to the Maritime Commission 30 June 1946' vs DANFS 'transferred 1 July 1946' reconciles as custody-entry vs formal-transfer. 'Title transferred to the Maritime Commission 26 May 1947 pending sale to Panama Transports Co.' conflates the card's withdrawal/delivery event - card controls. The merchant splice sentence is internally tangled (Esso Buffalo IS ex-Atascosa's 1961 name; 'forepart of Esso Columbia' reuses her 1942 name - see gaps). Contains no asbestos information.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-atascosa-ao66-02

3. [3]U.S. Maritime Administration, ShipHistory database - ATASCOSA (AO-66) Detail 351, including scanned NDRF status cards (351_660AF.jpg front, 351_660AB.jpg back) and custody-document scan ATASCOSA.pdf, all read verbatim from the images [marad_nrc]

   Locator

   ShipHistory Detail 351 data block + name history + milestones; status-card images /cards/351_660AF.jpg and /cards/351_660AB.jpg; document /documents/41232fa5-5aef-41e3-9c5f-11bec0895c79.pdf (ATASCOSA custody card, partial OCR)

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   MARAD ShipHistory record (Detail 351 'ATASCOSA (AO-66)') plus the vessel status card read verbatim from the card images and the ATASCOSA.pdf custody scan. Data block: year built 1942; U.S. Official No. 253851; shipyard Sun Shipbuilding and Drydock; general type Naval Auxiliary, specific type AO Oiler; MARAD type 'Private' (consistent with private-account construction - no MC hull); length 548.00 ft; beam 70.00 ft; gross 11,344 t, net 6,865 t; displacement 24,660 t summer / 5,730 t lightweight; fate 'Sold - Foreign Flag Op.' Name history: Esso Columbia (1942) -> Atascosa (AO-66) (1942-1947) -> Esso Syracuse (1947-1960); historical note 'In 1962, the aft and engine part of Esso Syracuse was used, with the fore part of Esso Buffalo, to create the dry bulk carrier Spitfire.' Milestones: Withdrawal 5/26/1947; Disposition 5/26/1947. Status card (Reserve Fleet Division - Vessel Data, front): 'NAME, PRESENT ATASCOSA AO 66 / FORMER ESSO COLUMBIA'; type 'Tanker'; fleet and unit 'Sui. Tier S2' (Suisun Bay); where and when built 'Sun ... 1942' with handwritten 'private design' annotation; date entered fleet '6-30-46'; hull-no. field carries a handwritten no-MC-hull annotation; termination port last voyage 'San Fran.' with note 'Conversion to be handled by M + T' [partially legible]; ships papers 'PRELIM. ALLOC. 212 2/13/47 / STANDARD OIL CO. - N.J. / FINAL ALLOC. 335 4/21/47'; 'DATE WITHDRAWN FROM FLEET 5-26-47 1110 / DELIVERED TO PACIFIC TANKERS - AGTS - DIV OF OPER.' Card reverse: 'Navy USA custody 6-30-46 to' and 'Cond. Report 10/28/46.'

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-24

   Study period

   1942-1973

   Population

   NDRF Suisun Bay preservation crews (1946-47); Pacific Tankers delivery crew (1947); Standard Oil/Esso merchant crews (1947-61)

   Limitations

   Primary government custody and disposal record - the strongest disposition source in this file. The cards track custody, lay-up, and delivery only - they contain no asbestos, materials, insulation, hazmat, or condition-survey information; the 'Cond. Report 10/28/46' reference is a lay-up condition report, not a hazmat survey. MARAD's splice sentence (aft/engine part of Esso Syracuse + fore part of Esso Buffalo -> Spitfire, 1962) conflicts with shipscribe's direction (forward part of ex-Atascosa + after part of Esso Buffalo) - flagged in gaps. MARAD name history omits the Esso Buffalo rename that DANFS and NavSource record for 1961 - flagged in gaps. Card handwriting partially legible; 'M + T' reading uncertain.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-atascosa-ao66-03

4. [4]shipscribe.com, 'USS Atascosa (AO-66) Class' page - U.S. Navy Auxiliary Ships data compiled from NVR/BuShips records (S.S. Roberts) [other_primary]

   Locator

   shipscribe AO-66 class page - characteristics block, construction/disposition tables, class notes (Sun six-steam-tanker class; 26 Aug 42 MC delivery schedule; conversion scope), ship notes (Bethlehem Key Highway conversion completed 18 Nov 42; Genoa 1960; Spitfire splice)

   Finding type

   historical_record

   Finding

   shipscribe.com 'U.S. Navy Auxiliary Ships' AO-66 class page (S.S. Roberts compilation from Naval Vessel Register and Bureau of Ships records): class = ATASCOSA (AO-66), design 'Tanker, 1942'; displacement 6,043 light / 24,660 lim.; dimensions 547.25' oa, 521.0' wl x 70.0' e x 31.0' lim.; original armament 1-5"/51, 4-3"/50, 12-20mm (1942), later 1-5"/38, 4-3"/50, 2-40mmT, 12-20mm (1943) with note that the 5"/51 listing of 30 Nov 42 was superseded by the 5"/38 listing of 21 Dec 42 ('not on the ship for long if at all'); complement 223 (1944); 15.5 kt; machinery 1 screw, Westinghouse turbine, propulsion 8,200 HP. Construction row: acquired 12 Oct 42, Sun SB & DD, keel 30 Apr 42, launched 7 Sep 42, commissioned 9 Nov 42. Disposition row: decomm 21 Jan 46, strike 7 Feb 46, disposal 1 Jul 46 (MC), MA sale 3 Oct 47. Class notes: Sun built seven 521-ft diesel tankers 1940-41 (7,500 hp), then a class of six same-hull steam tankers (9,020 hp rated, 15.5 kt); Standard Oil of N.J. bought the first four steam ships - Esso Rochester, Esso Buffalo, Esso Richmond (II) stayed with the company, the Navy took over the fourth, Esso Columbia, on completion; the 26 Aug 1942 MC delivery schedule included 'a single private ship from Sun (AO-66)'; conversion work consisted primarily of fueling-at-sea gear, armament, and increased accommodations, expected ~3 weeks, at Baltimore-area conversion yards. Ship notes: 'Ex merc. ESSO COLUMBIA. Converted by Bethlehem Steel Co., Key Highway, Baltimore (completed 18 Nov 42). Merc. ESSO COLUMBIA (MC) 1946, ESSO SYRACUSE 1947. Scrapped at Genoa 1960. 329-foot forward part grafted to 274-foot after part of S.S. ESSO BUFFALO which became bulk carrier S.S. SPITFIRE and was scrapped 1973.'

   Verification

   partial

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-24

   Study period

   1942-1973

   Population

   Bethlehem Steel Key Highway conversion workforce (1942)

   Limitations

   Specialist secondary compilation built from official records (NVR, BuShips correspondence) - consistent with primary records here (MARAD verifies the 26 May 1947 withdrawal and 1947 sale chain; DANFS verifies construction/commissioning/decommissioning). Provides the conversion-yard attribution (Bethlehem Steel Key Highway, Baltimore), the conversion scope, and the acquisition mechanism (26 Aug 42 MC schedule slot for the single private ship) that DANFS lacks. The 'scrapped at Genoa 1960' + splice sentence conflicts in direction with MARAD (which assigns ex-Atascosa's aft/engine part, not forward part, to Spitfire) - flagged in gaps. Complement 223 (1944) vs DANFS 281 - flagged in gaps. Contains no asbestos information.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-atascosa-ao66-04

5. [5]Wildenberg, T., Gray Steel and Black Oil (Naval Institute Press, 1996), ch. 15 'Pecos (AO-65), Atascosa (AO-66), and Cache (AO-67)' section and Table 14 - HyperWar transcription [other_primary]

   Locator

   GSBO ch. 15 Atascosa section (paragraph spanning pp. 153-154 of the print edition) and Table 14 'Principal Dimensions of Atascosa (AO-66)'

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   Thomas Wildenberg, Gray Steel and Black Oil: Fast Tankers and Replenishment at Sea in the U.S. Navy, 1912-1995 (Naval Institute Press, 1996), ch. 15 section 'Pecos (AO-65), Atascosa (AO-66), and Cache (AO-67)': amid the critical late-summer/fall 1942 oiler shortage 'the navy requisitioned the next two T2-SE-A1 tankers off the ways as well as the Esso Columbia, one of nine 18,000-ton deadweight tankers ordered from Sun Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company by the Standard Oil Company of New Jersey in February 1940' - built for the Panama Transport Company subsidiary, five diesel and four steam-powered ships; Esso Columbia was one of the four with steam-driven geared turbines, 'this feature plus a design speed of 15 1/2 knots made her ideally suited for the navy'; acquired 12 October 1942, renamed Atascosa (AO-66), commissioned 9 November 1942; 'she was the largest oiler (by cargo capacity) operated by the U.S. Navy in World War II' and 'a single-ship class since no other vessels of her type were acquired by the navy.' Table 14 (Principal Dimensions of Atascosa AO-66): LOA 547'3"; LBP 521'0"; beam molded 70'0"; depth molded 40'0"; draft 30'3.5"; total displacement 23,976 t; total deadweight 18,450 t; tank capacity 156,840 bbl; shaft horsepower max continuous 9,020; speed on trials 15.70 kt; nominal sea speed (80% shp) 14.80 kt. Photo caption styles her 'the former Esso Columbia II ... the only ship of her class to be taken over by the navy.'

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   context

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-24

   Study period

   1940-1942 (order/design/acquisition)

   Limitations

   Official-quality scholarly history naming this hull - establishes the acquisition mechanism, the nine-ship February 1940 Standard Oil order (five diesel + four steam) for the Panama Transport subsidiary, the 'largest oiler by cargo capacity' distinction, and the single-ship-class status. Reconciles DANFS 'for Standard Oil Company of New Jersey' with NavSource 'for the Panama Transports Co.' (subsidiary relationship). Contains no materials/insulation information; the 9,020 shp is the design max-continuous rating (Table 14), distinct from the 8,200 shp service figure - flagged in gaps.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-atascosa-ao66-05

6. [6]Corn, J.K., and Starr, J., 'Historical perspective on asbestos: Policies and protective measures in World War II shipbuilding,' Am. J. Industrial Medicine 11(3):359-373 (1987); Franke, K., and Paustenbach, D., 'Government and Navy knowledge regarding health hazards of asbestos (1900 to 1970),' Inhalation Toxicology 23(sup3):1-20 (2011), PMID 22200078 [other_primary]

   Locator

   AJIM 11(3):359-373 and Inhalation Toxicology 23(sup3):1-20 era analyses; equipment/event list per ev-01/ev-02/ev-04 documented machinery and yard periods

   Finding type

   asbestos_application

   Finding

   Class/era inference only: peer-reviewed scholarship documents that U.S. Navy and maritime construction of this hull's era standardly used asbestos-containing insulation, lagging, gaskets, and packing (Corn & Starr, Am. J. Industrial Medicine 1987 - WWII shipbuilding; Franke & Paustenbach, Inhalation Toxicology 2011 - Navy knowledge 1900-1970). Applied to this hull's documented equipment - a geared steam turbine plant (Westinghouse per NavSource) fed by two 450-psi Babcock & Wilcox header-type boilers, plus extensive fuel-cargo piping and accommodation spaces - era-typical asbestos applications would have been boiler and steam-line lagging, turbine casing insulation, valve and flange gaskets, machinery packing, accommodation insulation, and winch/windlass brake linings. Documented disturbance events that would have worked such materials aboard this hull: Bethlehem Steel Key Highway (Baltimore) fleet-oiler conversion, Oct-Nov 1942 (fueling-at-sea gear, armament, increased accommodations per shipscribe class notes); Norfolk Navy Yard drydock repairs, early 1943 (DANFS); Terminal Island overhaul, 7 Jun-22 Jul 1944 (DANFS); forward-area repair periods at Ulithi, Mar and May 1945 (DANFS); merchant service as Esso Syracuse/Esso Buffalo, 1947-61; section-splice freighter conversion to SS Spitfire, 1961-62; partial breaking at Genoa, 1960 (shipscribe); Spitfire scrapping 1973 - pre-regulation disposal.

   Verification

   inferred

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   class_or_era

   Accessed

   2026-09-24

   Study period

   1942-1973

   Population

   Sun Shipbuilding construction workforce (1942); Bethlehem Steel Key Highway conversion workforce (1942); Norfolk Navy Yard repair workforce (1943); Terminal Island overhaul workforce (1944); ship's company (1942-46); merchant crews (1947-61); General Cargo Spitfire conversion workforce (1961-62); Genoa breakers (1960) and Spitfire scrapping workforce (1973)

   Limitations

   Era/program-level scholarship combined with this hull's documented geared-steam plant and disturbance events - establishes that asbestos-containing materials were standard practice in this hull's construction/service era, NOT that any survey or record confirms asbestos aboard this specific hull. The hull was built to private/merchant spec (Panama Transport-Standard Oil account) rather than Navy BuShips spec, then Navy-converted - merchant-era inference (Corn & Starr) applies to the build, Navy-era inference (Franke & Paustenbach) to the conversion and commission. No quantity, location, condition, individual exposure, or causation is established. The 1944 Terminal Island overhaul yard is not named in DANFS.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-atascosa-ao66-06

7. [7]Lilley v. Johns-Manville Corp., 408 Pa. Super. 83, 596 A.2d 203 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1991) - as carried in Atlas shipyard record 'sun-shipbuilding-chester' (shipyard-exposure-map/client/src/data/shipyards.json) [court_record]

   Locator

   shipyards.json entries sun-shipbuilding-chester and sun-shipbuilding (duplicate dataset entries for the same Chester PA yard - defect noted in gaps)

   Finding type

   historical_record

   Finding

   The builder yard has Atlas-documented asbestos product identification: the shipyards.json record for Sun Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co., Chester PA (sun-shipbuilding-chester, evidence_tier 3) carries litigation product-identification testimony (flagship evidence: pipefitter Fred Lilley's identification of asbestos product brands by label at Sun Ship, 1959-1976, corroborated by co-worker Wasson; underlying case Lilley v. Johns-Manville Corp., 408 Pa. Super. 83, 596 A.2d 203 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1991)) and lists documented products Unibestos (Pittsburgh-Corning), Caltemp/Pabco (Fibreboard), Kaylo (Owens-Illinois/Owens-Corning), Garlock asbestos gaskets, Raybestos, Careytemp (Philip Carey). This hull was built at that yard in 1942.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   context

   Documentation level

   context_only

   Accessed

   2026-09-24

   Study period

   1959-1976 (testimony window); hull built 1942

   Population

   Sun Shipbuilding trades (yard-level, various periods)

   Limitations

   Yard-level documentation only - establishes that asbestos-containing products were identified in litigation as used at Sun Shipbuilding, NOT that any such product was installed aboard this hull. The Lilley testimony window (1959-1976) substantially postdates this hull's 1942 construction. No ship-specific inference is drawn; carried strictly as builder context for the Atlas cross-link.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-atascosa-ao66-07

8. [8]Batch-1914 search ledger (this record): NHHC DANFS (live 404; Wayback capture 2024-05-26 verified); MARAD ShipHistory Detail 351 incl. status cards (read verbatim); shipscribe AO-66 class page; HyperWar GSBO ch.15/Table 14; NavSource via navsource.net (navsource.org fetch failed); CourtListener API v4 (authenticated shared-key tier - nine sweeps completed); general web index [other_primary]

   Locator

   search_ledger rows sl-uss-atascosa-ao66-01 through sl-uss-atascosa-ao66-12

   Finding type

   historical_record

   Finding

   No qualifying ship-specific asbestos record located: no asbestos survey, abatement contract, insulation specification, hazmat disclosure, adjudicated finding, or BVA decision naming USS Atascosa, AO-66, or the merchant hull names Esso Columbia, Esso Syracuse, or Esso Buffalo was found in the public sources searched (see search_ledger). CourtListener coverage was completed across nine sweeps (authenticated, fleet-paced): 'Atascosa' opinion (1,647 hits, page 1 all namesake collisions - Atascosa County TX appraisal/sheriff/jail matters); 'Atascosa'+asbestos opinion (7 hits, all place-name collisions - incl. Lowe v. Ingalls Shipbuilding, 5th Cir. 1984, an LHWCA/asbestosis case whose 'Atascosa' match is a county reference, not the vessel); 'AO-66' opinion (0 hits); 'USS Atascosa' exact-phrase opinion (0 hits); ship-qualified 'Atascosa' opinion sweep (same collision corpus, page 1 classified); 'Atascosa' docket (719 hits, page 1 all county collisions); 'Esso Columbia' opinion (0 hits); 'Esso Syracuse' opinion (1 hit - Keystone Shipping Co. v. United States, 801 F. Supp. 771 (D.D.C. 1992), a non-asbestos maritime subsidy dispute; 'Esso Syracuse' appears in the opinion's historical vessel context - classified as other litigation / incidental vessel-name mention, NOT qualifying asbestos litigation); 'Esso Buffalo' opinion (1 hit - the same Keystone opinion). MARAD status cards carry no hazmat or asbestos remarks. NVR holds no record (vessel disposed pre-1987). General-web sweep surfaced no qualifying ship-asbestos result and no law-firm page naming this hull.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   negative_finding

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-24

   Study period

   2026-09-24

   Limitations

   Absence of a located public record does not prove absence of asbestos aboard - a 1942 merchant-spec steam tanker with a Navy conversion, wartime repair/overhaul periods, 14 years of merchant service, a 1961-62 section-splice conversion, and pre-regulation disposal is era-consistent with retained asbestos-containing materials. CourtListener coverage: nine sweeps completed via the authenticated helper - 'Atascosa' opinion, 'Atascosa'+asbestos, 'AO-66', 'USS Atascosa', ship-qualified 'Atascosa' opinion, 'Atascosa' docket, 'Esso Columbia', 'Esso Syracuse', 'Esso Buffalo'. Classification: no qualifying asbestos litigation; the single vessel-name hit (Keystone Shipping v. United States) is non-asbestos subsidy litigation; all remaining hits are name collisions. Does not establish presence or absence; does not establish or defeat any exposure claim or legal eligibility.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-atascosa-ao66-08

9. [9]NARA Guide to Federal Records: RG 19 / RG 24 record-group descriptions; NARA digitized deck-logs program page (catalog series NAID 594258); MARAD status-card custody references (ev-03); Hagley Museum Sun Shipbuilding collection (public collection description) [other_primary]

   Locator

   RG 19 / RG 24 record-group guides and digitized-logs program page (archives.gov); MARAD card custody rows; Hagley collection catalog

   Finding type

   historical_record

   Finding

   Archival leads (not retrieved - research-room or reproduction order required; no spend authorized): NARA RG 19 (Bureau of Ships) for the 1942 Bethlehem Steel Key Highway conversion records and wartime repair work packages (Norfolk 1943; Terminal Island 1944); NARA RG 24 deck logs 1942-46 - NARA's digitized deck-log program covers 'Logbooks of U.S. Navy Ships and Stations, 1941-1978' (catalog series NAID 594258), hull-level digitization status not verified; Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. records at the Hagley Museum and Library (Wilmington, DE); Standard Oil of New Jersey / Panama Transport Co. construction files for the private-account 1940 order (nine 18,000-dwt tankers, GSBO-documented) - the likeliest source of an original materials/insulation schedule; the MARAD custody correspondence file behind the status cards (1946-47 Suisun lay-up, Pacific Tankers delivery, Standard Oil allocation papers 212/335); General Cargo Corporation conversion records for the 1961-62 Spitfire splice (New York); and Genoa breaking documentation (1960, per shipscribe).

   Verification

   unverified

   Role

   archival_lead

   Documentation level

   context_only

   Accessed

   2026-09-24

   Study period

   1940-1973 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-atascosa-ao66-09