USS Atlas (ARL-7)

Evidence

12 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-12).

1. [1]research packet bj-packet.md (9 sources cited) [other_primary]

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   Identity packet verdict: VERIFIED

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Evidence ID

   uss-atlas-arl7-pkt-bj-packet-md

2. [2]Western Asbestos Settlement Trust, 'WESTERN SHIPS REPAIRED LIST' (WAST Ships Repaired List 092012.pdf, footer 10/16/2012), row 'PACIFIC DRYDOCK--SAN FRANCISCO, CA 01-Jan-77 31-Dec-77 ATLAS ARL-7; LST-231' - list published on the trust's official site; trust nature per wastrust.com About page [other_primary]

   Locator

   WAST Ships Repaired List, page 1 (alphabetical A-block), ATLAS row between ASTERION and AUSTRAL LIGHTNING; trust description https://www.wastrust.com/about-the-trust/

   Finding type

   litigation_documented

   Finding

   The Western Asbestos Settlement Trust's published 'WESTERN SHIPS REPAIRED LIST' (wastrust.com, file dated 10/16/2012) records this hull - under its naval designations 'ATLAS ARL-7; LST-231' - at 'PACIFIC DRYDOCK--SAN FRANCISCO, CA' for a repair period 01-Jan-77 to 31-Dec-77. The trust was established by order of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of California (Oakland Division), to resolve asbestos claims arising out of the operations of the MacArthur Company, Western Asbestos Company and Western MacArthur Company; the list documents vessel repair windows at facilities within the trust's exposure matrix and serves as claims-verification reference material. The listed window falls in the hull's commercial barge era (sold by the Navy 1973-09-18; registered as barge Whitney 1975), so the covered presence is a civilian-yard repair event on the former naval hull, not a naval-crew exposure window.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-26

   Study period

   1977 (listed repair window); list published 2012

   Population

   Shipyard workers, Pacific Drydock, San Francisco, calendar 1977 (commercial barge repair period, post-Navy)

   Limitations

   Claims-administration reference, not an adjudicated finding: the list establishes that a court-established asbestos trust treats this hull's repair presence at Pacific Drydock in 1977 as qualifying site evidence within its claims matrix - it does not find that asbestos was aboard, that any product was encountered, or that any person was exposed. Several other rows carry NAVSEA-derived modification annotations; the ATLAS row carries none, so the basis for this specific entry (underlying repair record) is not shown in the document. The 1977 window post-dates naval disposal (1973), so the implicated population is commercial shipyard workers on a barge hull, not the wartime crew. Does not establish or defeat any individual claim.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-atlas-arl7-01

3. [3]Naval History and Heritage Command, DANFS entry 'Atlas II (ARL 7)' (page footer date 21 October 2005) [nhhc_danfs]

   Locator

   Canonical NHHC URL returned HTTP 404 on 2026-09-26 (standing NHHC link rot first logged in BATCH-01); text verified via Wayback capture 20240525213009

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   DANFS 'Atlas II (ARL 7)' entry records: stat line (ARL-7: dp. 3,960; l. 328'0"; b. 50'0"; dr. 11'2" lim.; s. 11.6 k.; cpl. 250; a. 1 3", 8 40mm.; cl. Achelous); namesake (Atlas, son of the Titan Iapetus and Clymene, brother of Prometheus); second Atlas laid down as LST-231 1943-06-03 at Seneca, Ill., by Chicago Bridge & Iron Co.; launched 1943-10-19, sponsored by Mrs. Nettie Singer; named Atlas and redesignated ARL-7 1943-11-03; commissioned 1943-11-15 for the voyage to the conversion yard; arrived Baltimore 1943-12-14, entered the Bethlehem Steel Key Highway Shipyard, placed out of commission for conversion; modifications completed early February 1944, recommissioned at Baltimore 1944-02-08, Lt. Buell A. Nesbitt, USNR, in command. Shakedown Atlantic coast; departed Boston mid-March; Halifax; Milford Haven 1944-03-29; Falmouth 04-01; Plymouth end of May; arrived off Normandy 06-08 (D+2), repairing damaged landing craft ~14 hours/day while fending off air attacks; served both sides of the Channel until near the end of hostilities; departed Plymouth 1945-04-16; Norfolk 05-05, seven weeks repairs; underway 06-22; Panama Canal 07-08/10; San Diego 07-25; departed 08-15; Pearl Harbor, Eniwetok; Guam late September, repair duties to late November; Eniwetok lagoon 12-04, five-month repair tour; departed end April 1946; Astoria, Oreg. 05-24; joined Pacific Reserve Fleet, 'not officially decommissioned until 13 September 1946.' Recommissioned Astoria 1951-06-01, Lt. Cmdr. Jaroslav Kohl; underway for Far East 11-12; Yokosuka 12-21; nine months repairing amphibious warfare ships and craft damaged in the Korean conflict, primarily Yokosuka and Sasebo, also Okinawa; departed Yokosuka 1952-09-25; San Diego 10-24. California coast to March 1954; departed San Diego 03-16; Yokosuka 04-15; departed 08-15 for Indochina; Haiphong 08-28 anchored in Henrietta Pass, repair services plus station-ship, mail-exchange and communication-relay duties; underway 09-24; Yokosuka 10-07; San Diego 11-07. Final deployment: San Diego 1955-03-16; Yokosuka 04-17; repair work plus two special operations of unspecified nature in the Okinawa area; liberty at Beppu, Kobe, Hong Kong; departed Yokosuka 09-21; San Diego 10-19; Astoria 11-14 for inactivation. Decommissioned 1956-04-13; berthed Astoria Group, Pacific Reserve Fleet; stricken from the Navy list 1972-06-01; sold to Marine Power & Equipment Co., Seattle, Wash., 1973-09-18. One battle star for World War II service.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-26

   Study period

   1943-1973

   Population

   Ship's company ~250 (DANFS cpl. figure)

   Limitations

   Official Navy history of this hull; contains no asbestos or materials information. Conflicts disclosed in correction row ev-08: NavSource narrative 'Decommissioned, 1 December 1946' vs DANFS 1946-09-13; NavalCoverMuseum '5 April 1956' vs DANFS 1956-04-13; Wikipedia 'sold for scrapping' vs DANFS 'sold to Marine Power & Equipment Co.'

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-atlas-arl7-02

4. [4]shipscribe.com (Stephen S. Roberts), 'USS Achelous (ARL-1) Class' - US Navy auxiliary ship data compiled from BuShips/OpNav records (shipscribe.com/usnaux/ARL/ARL01.html) [other_primary]

   Locator

   Construction table row ARL-7 ATLAS (reclass 3 Nov 43 / Chicago Bridge, Seneca / 3 Jun 43 / 19 Oct 43 / 8 Feb 44); disposition table row (13 Apr 56 / 1 Jun 72 / 18 Sep 73 / Sold); ship note 'Ex LST-231 3 Nov 43 ... Converted by Bethlehem Steel, Key Highway, Baltimore, Md. ... To buyer 17 Oct 73'; class notes

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   shipscribe.com Achelous (ARL-1) class page records for ARL-7 ATLAS: reclassified 1943-11-03; builder Chicago Bridge, Seneca; keel 1943-06-03; launch 1943-10-19; commission (as ARL) 1944-02-08; ship note: 'Ex LST-231 3 Nov 43. Ferry commission as LST-231 1 Nov-14 Dec 43 (from reduced to full commission at New Orleans 15 Nov 43). Converted by Bethlehem Steel, Key Highway, Baltimore, Md. In USN reserve 1946-51 and 1955-72. To buyer 17 Oct 73.'; disposition table: decommissioned 1956-04-13, struck 1972-06-01, disposal 1973-09-18, sold. Class notes: ARL 1-39 listed by the Navy as a single class; ARL 7-9 were the three LST conversions authorized for 1944 under the auxiliary vessel conversion program; seven of nine ARL-1-class ships converted at Bethlehem-Key Highway, Baltimore (two at San Francisco); Gibbs and Cox design agent for all LST conversions; conversion scope included bow doors welded shut and the stern anchor-handling rig (3,000-lb Danforth anchor) relocated to the starboard bow; original armament 1-3"/50, 2-40mmQ, 8-20mm for ARL 1-4 and 7-9 (1943-44); class data - displacement 2,125 light / 4,100 lim, complement 253 (1944), machinery G.M. diesels 1,800 hp, 2 screws.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-26

   Study period

   1943-1973

   Population

   Ship's company (ferry commission Nov-Dec 1943; full commission Feb 1944-Sep 1946, Jun 1951-Apr 1956); conversion-yard workforce (Bethlehem-Key Highway, Baltimore, Dec 1943-Feb 1944)

   Limitations

   Secondary compilation from official records, not itself a primary document. Confirms the conversion facility (Bethlehem Steel, Key Highway, Baltimore) and the 1944 LST-to-ARL conversion program frame; its ferry-commission window ('1 Nov-14 Dec 43') differs in start date from DANFS's 'commissioned 15 November 1943' - disclosed in ev-08. Its 'In USN reserve ... 1955-72' is loose - DANFS records decommissioning 1956-04-13 after inactivation prep begun November 1955. No asbestos or materials information.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-atlas-arl7-03

5. [5]NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive, USS Atlas (ARL-7) page (navsource.net/archives/10/19/1907.htm), maintained by Gary P. Priolo, DANFS-derived plus contributor records; page last updated 2024-11-01 per footer [other_primary]

   Locator

   Full page: chronology block, campaign/awards blocks, Korea service windows, final-disposition lines, specifications block, CO table, photo captions (Hunters Point 1953-01-27; SF Bay departure Feb 1953)

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   NavSource Online Amphibious Photo Archive, USS Atlas (ARL-7) page (ex USS LST-231 1943-1944): chronology block (laid down as LST-231 1943-06-03 at Chicago Bridge and Iron Works, Seneca IL; launched 10-19; partial commission 11-15 as USS LST-231 for transit to conversion yard, Ferry Command, LT. Ralph E. Sandvigen USNR; decommissioned 12-14; recommissioned as USS Atlas ARL-7 1944-02-08, LT. Buell A. Nesbitt USNR); campaign table (Europe-Africa-Middle East, Invasion of Normandy 6-25 Jun 1944); awards block (American Campaign Medal; EAME Campaign Medal w/1 star; Asiatic-Pacific; WWII Victory; National Defense Service; Korean Service; United Nations Service; Republic of Korea War Service); Korea-era service windows '20 December 1951 to 25 September 1952 and from 14 April to 27 July 1954'; decommission lines '1 December 1946, at Astoria OR' and '13 April 1956, at Astoria'; laid up Pacific Reserve Fleet, Columbia River Group, Astoria; struck 1972-06-01; one battle star WWII; 'Sold in 1973 to Marine Power & Equipment Co., Seattle, WA. Registered in 1975 by Whitney-Fidalgo Seafoods, Inc., Seattle, WA. as barge Whitney. Registered in 1983 by Royal Aleutian Seafoods, Inc., Seattle, WA. as fishing barge Royal Aleutian ... Out of documentation in 2005. Final Disposition, fate unknown'; specifications (displacement 3,900 lt / 4,100 fl; length 328'; beam 50'; draft 11'2" lim; 11.6 kts; boom 60 t; complement 20 officers + 230 enlisted; armament one single 3"/50 DP, two quad 40mm w/Mk. 51 directors, six twin 20mm; fuel 4,715 bbls diesel; propulsion two GM 12-567A diesels, single Falk main reduction gears, two propellers 1,800 shp, twin rudders; generators three diesel-drive 100 kW 120/240 V DC + two diesel-drive 100 kW 450 V AC); CO table (Sandvigen ferry command 1943-11-15 to 12-31; Nesbitt 1944-02-08 to Jul 1945; ... LCDR. Felton 1954-07-01 to 1956-04-13); photo captions incl. 'off San Francisco Naval Shipyard, Hunters Point, 27 January 1953 after regular overhaul' (NARA identifier 7576034; BuShips photo 19-NN-ARL-7-142606; SF Naval Shipyard photo NY1-160-(G-S)-1-27-53) and 'departing the San Francisco Bay Area, after a yard availability, February 1953'; call sign NJIV.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-26

   Study period

   1943-2005

   Population

   Ship's company 1943-46, 1951-56 (CO table spans ferry command through inactivation)

   Limitations

   Volunteer-compiled archive derived from DANFS and contributor records - corroborative, not primary. Its 'Decommissioned, 1 December 1946' narrative conflicts with DANFS (1946-09-13) and with its own CO table (LT. Bull in command to 13 Sep 1946, then 'Decommissioned 13 September 1946'); DANFS adopted, conflict disclosed in ev-08. Its 1954 Korea-service window (14 Apr-27 Jul 1954) postdates the July 1953 armistice - DANFS's 1954 narrative (Yokosuka repair work; Haiphong Aug-Sep) is adopted for the prose. Contains no asbestos or materials information.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-atlas-arl7-04

6. [6]NavSource ARL-7 specification block (GM 12-567A plant confirmed for this hull); shipscribe Achelous (ARL-1) class design notes (conversion scope, Gibbs and Cox design agent); DANFS service narrative; BuShips Ships' Data 1945 v2 LST design table per fleet class profile lst-1-class (ev-lst-1-class-01) [other_primary]

   Locator

   shipscribe class notes (ARL-1-class conversion scope); NavSource ARL-7 specs; DANFS Atlas II entry; BuShips SD-1945 v2 URL (shipscribe.com/styles/usnaux/sdb/SDB1945v2.pdf) returned 404 this session - verified 2026-09-16 per class-f profile

   Finding type

   asbestos_application

   Finding

   Design- and era-level asbestos relevance for this hull (inference, not hull-proven): (a) Atlas was built on the LST-1-group hull - 2x GM 12-567A diesels (1,800 shp, twin screws, Falk reduction gears), a diesel plant with NO boilers, so the steam-lagging pathway dominant on steam auxiliaries is absent; the asbestos-relevant surface concentrates in diesel exhaust/muffler lagging, engine-room thermal insulation and fireproofing, gaskets, packing, deck coverings, accommodation insulation, electrical insulation, and friction products (winch/windlass and boat-handling brakes). (b) The ARL conversion is the ship-specific work event: the ARL-1-class conversion reworked the hull interior - bow doors welded shut, stern anchor rig relocated, repair shops and parts lockers fitted for landing-craft repair service - performed on this hull at Bethlehem Steel, Key Highway, Baltimore, Dec 1943-Feb 1944 (DANFS: 'entered the Bethlehem Steel Key Highway Shipyard'; shipscribe confirms); era-typical insulation, paneling, gasket, and packing materials of 1943 commonly contained asbestos. (c) The repair-ship mission itself - ~14-hr/day landing-craft repair at Normandy (DANFS) and amphibious-ship repair at Yokosuka/Sasebo/Okinawa 1951-52 - concentrated hot work, machinery removal and shop work aboard, the work pattern that disturbs era insulation materials; scope aboard this hull undocumented.

   Verification

   inferred

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   class_or_era

   Accessed

   2026-09-26

   Study period

   1943 (construction/conversion); service to 1956; commercial repair 1977

   Population

   Conversion-yard trades (Bethlehem-Key Highway, Baltimore, Dec 1943-Feb 1944); engine-room and repair-shop crew (1944-46, 1951-56); Hunters Point overhaul workforce (1952-53)

   Limitations

   Class/design-level inference - none of the cited sources names asbestos aboard this hull, itemizes conversion materials, or establishes quantity, location, condition, individual exposure, or causation. The Bethlehem-Key Highway conversion and the Hunters Point 1953 overhaul are documented events (yards and dates); the materials scope of that work is not. Does not establish that asbestos was or remains aboard.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-atlas-arl7-05

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 program under which this hull was built (LST-1-group hull laid down 1943-06-03 at Chicago Bridge & Iron Co., Seneca, IL, and converted to an ARL at Bethlehem Steel's Key Highway yard, Baltimore, in Dec 1943-Feb 1944).

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   context

   Documentation level

   class_or_era

   Accessed

   2026-09-26

   Study period

   1940s era documented; article 1987

   Population

   WWII shipyard workers and ship crews (class context)

   Limitations

   Program/era-level scholarly documentation of asbestos use in WWII shipbuilding generally; does not name this vessel, the Achelous class, or either yard 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-atlas-arl7-06

8. [8]CourtListener API v4 search (authenticated, cl-auth-search.py): q='"USS Atlas" asbestos' type=o count=0; q='"LST-231"' type=o count=0; pending: '"USS Atlas"' type=o/r, '"ARL-7"' type=o/r - see search_ledger [court_record]

   Locator

   search_ledger rows sl-uss-atlas-arl7-08 through sl-uss-atlas-arl7-11

   Finding type

   litigation_documented

   Finding

   Authenticated CourtListener API v4 sweeps on this vessel's identifiers (2026-09-26, cl-auth-search.py): '"USS Atlas" asbestos' returned 0 opinions (type=o, count=0); '"LST-231"' returned 0 opinions (type=o, count=0). The remaining planned queries - bare '"USS Atlas"' on the opinion and RECAP docket indexes and '"ARL-7"' - were blocked by the fleet-wide pacing budget across four attempts (helper exit 2; hourly/burst throttle, not the daily quota); those queries are logged pending, not negative, in the search ledger. Bare-name 'Atlas' sweeps were deliberately not run: the name is dominated by commercial/mythological collisions (Atlas-named companies and products recur throughout asbestos litigation), and 'USS Atlas' exact-phrase is the qualifying name query.

   Verification

   partial

   Role

   negative_finding

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-26

   Study period

   2026-09-26

   Limitations

   Sweep is name/hull-number-keyed: an MDL-875 or state-court pleading describing service aboard this hull under a sailor-name caption only (no ship name in indexed text) would not surface. CourtListener coverage excludes undigitized dockets and non-indexed jurisdictions, and two planned query families were not completed this session (fleet pacing). Zero-hit results do not prove no suit was ever filed - they establish only that no opinion naming this hull is indexed under the queries completed.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-atlas-arl7-07

9. [9]Cross-source reconciliation: DANFS 'Atlas II (ARL 7)' (Wayback capture 20240525213009); NavSource ARL-7 page; shipscribe ARL-1 construction/disposition tables + ship note + class armament note; NavalCoverMuseum ATLAS ARL 7 designation/commissioning page; uboat.net LST-231 page; Wikipedia USS Atlas (ARL-7) infobox (index only) [other_primary]

   Locator

   DANFS stat line and entry body; NavSource chronology/specs/final-disposition blocks + CO table; shipscribe construction/disposition rows + ship note; navalcovermuseum.org/wiki/ATLAS_ARL_7; uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/11330.html

   Finding type

   historical_record

   Finding

   Source discrepancies logged, not merged: (a) First decommissioning - DANFS 'not officially decommissioned until 13 September 1946' (Astoria; Wikipedia infobox agrees) vs NavSource narrative 'Decommissioned, 1 December 1946, at Astoria OR' - NavSource's own CO table (LT. Ray Bull USN in command 21 Mar-13 Sep 1946, then 'Decommissioned 13 September 1946') internally contradicts its narrative line; DANFS adopted. (b) Final decommissioning - DANFS/NavSource '13 April 1956' vs NavalCoverMuseum '2nd Commissioning 1 June 1951 to 5 April 1956' and uboat.net '5 April 1956' - DANFS adopted; the 5-Apr variant may reflect a postmark/inactivation milestone, unresolved. (c) Disposition framing - Wikipedia 'Sold for scrapping, 18 September 1973' vs DANFS 'sold to the Marine Power & Equipment Co.' and NavSource's documented commercial registrations (barge Whitney 1975; fishing barge Royal Aleutian 1983; out of documentation 2005) plus the WAST-listed Pacific Drydock repair window in calendar 1977 - the hull demonstrably was not scrapped in 1973; 'sold for scrapping' not adopted. (d) Complement - DANFS 'cpl. 250' and NavSource 20+230 (=250) vs shipscribe 253 (1944) vs Wikipedia 255 - DANFS adopted. (e) Ferry-commission start - DANFS 'commissioned on 15 November 1943' vs shipscribe 'Ferry commission as LST-231 1 Nov-14 Dec 43 (from reduced to full commission at New Orleans 15 Nov 43)' - DANFS adopted; shipscribe's reduced-commission framing noted. (f) Armament - DANFS stat line 'a. 1 3", 8 40mm.' (no 20mm listed) vs NavSource 1x3"/50 + 2 quad 40mm + 6 twin 20mm vs shipscribe '1-3"/50, 2-40mmQ, 8-20mm (1943-44: ARL 1-4, 7-9)' - disclosed unresolved. (g) Korea service windows - NavSource '20 December 1951 to 25 September 1952 and from 14 April to 27 July 1954' vs DANFS narrative (Yokosuka 21 Dec 1951-25 Sep 1952; second Far East tour Apr-Nov 1954 incl. Haiphong Aug-Sep) - the NavSource second window postdates the Korean armistice (1953-07-27) and appears to transpose it a year; disclosed, DANFS adopted for prose. (h) Namesake count - DANFS 'The second Atlas' vs NavalCoverMuseum 'three ships ... USS Atlas (1869), USS Atlas SP-2171 and USS Atlas ARL-7' - naming-count convention differs; disclosed. (i) Displacement - DANFS 'dp. 3,960' vs NavSource 3,900 lt/4,100 fl vs shipscribe class 2,125 lt/4,100 lim - different load conditions; disclosed.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   correction

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-26

   Study period

   1943-2005 (dates reconciled 2026-09-26)

   Limitations

   Resolves nothing by fiat - records which source says what so downstream consumers inherit the conflicts honestly. Where an official record and a compiled reference disagree, DANFS (official) is adopted for the field and the variant disclosed. No asbestos content in any reconciled source.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-atlas-arl7-08

10. [10]Batch-2641 search ledger (this record): DANFS via Wayback; NavSource (navsource.net mirror); shipscribe Achelous (ARL-1) class page; NavalCoverMuseum designation page; shipyards.json yard check; NVR hull check; WAST ships-repaired list + trust About page; CourtListener API v4 authenticated sweep (partial - fleet pacing); commercial-disposition search (Royal Aleutian/Whitney); fleet class profile (lst-1-class); NARA catalog [other_primary]

    Locator

    search_ledger rows sl-uss-atlas-arl7-01 through sl-uss-atlas-arl7-15

    Finding type

    historical_record

    Finding

    No ship-specific asbestos-content record located: beyond the WAST ships-repaired-list entry (ev-01 - a claims-verification site listing, not a content record), no asbestos survey, abatement contract, hazmat disclosure, crew-exposure account, or docketed case naming USS Atlas / ARL-7 / LST-231 / barge Whitney / Royal Aleutian was found in the public sources searched (see search_ledger). The hull left naval custody by sale in September 1973 and went out of documentation in 2005 as a commercial barge - no Navy asbestos-control program record or NESHAP demolition record for this hull was expected or located.

    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 - a 1943-built hull retained in commercial service through at least 2005 without documented abatement is era-consistent with retained asbestos-containing materials; equally, undocumented material may have been removed during conversion, overhauls, or commercial rework. Does not establish presence or absence; does not establish or defeat any exposure claim or legal eligibility.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-atlas-arl7-09

11. [11]NARA record-group guidance: RG 24 deck logs (post-1941 at Archives II, College Park); NARA identifier 7576034 per NavSource photo caption; BuShips/ARL conversion record path per shipscribe class-notes sourcing; USCG merchant-vessel documentation record path [other_primary]

    Locator

    archives.gov/research/military/logbooks (post-1941 Navy deck logs); catalog.archives.gov automated search returned no usable response this session; NARA ID 7576034 per NavSource caption

    Finding type

    historical_record

    Finding

    Archival leads (not retrieved - require research-room or reproduction orders; no spend authorized): (a) NARA RG 24 deck logs for LST-231/Atlas (Nov 1943-Apr 1956) at Archives II, College Park - day-level record of the Baltimore conversion, shakedown, Normandy service, Korea/Indochina deployments, and inactivation; (b) BuShips ARL conversion plans/specifications for the ARL-1 design group (Gibbs and Cox design agent) and any surviving Bethlehem-Key Highway job file for the Dec 1943-Feb 1944 conversion - the likeliest surviving sources for this hull's materials scope; (c) BuShips photo 19-NN-ARL-7-142606, NARA identifier 7576034 (Atlas off Hunters Point 1953-01-27 after regular overhaul) and companion SF Naval Shipyard photo NY1-160-(G-S)-1-27-53 - documentation of the 1952-53 yard availability; (d) U.S. Coast Guard merchant documentation for barge Whitney (registered 1975) and Royal Aleutian (registered 1983, out of documentation 2005) plus any casualty/disposition file - would resolve the hull's final fate; (e) Pacific Drydock & Repair Co. (San Francisco/Oakland) yard records for the calendar-1977 repair period the WAST list records - the only ship-specific repair event documented in the asbestos-litigation domain.

    Verification

    unverified

    Role

    archival_lead

    Documentation level

    context_only

    Accessed

    2026-09-26

    Study period

    1943-2005 records

    Limitations

    Record-group 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-atlas-arl7-10

12. [12]Search-engine litigation sweep: '"ARL-7" OR "USS Atlas" asbestos OR abatement OR survey'; '"Royal Aleutian" barge'; 'USS Atlas mesothelioma' variants - results screened for hull references [other_primary]

    Locator

    search result screening only; qualifying artifact = WAST PDF (ev-01); non-qualifying collisions logged in search_ledger sl-uss-atlas-arl7-13

    Finding type

    litigation_documented

    Finding

    Web-wide litigation/name-collision screening (2026-09-26): searches combining this hull's identifiers with asbestos/mesothelioma terms returned the WAST ships-repaired list (carried as ev-01) and no case or filing naming the vessel. Collisions screened out: Atlas-named commercial entities recur in asbestos litigation (unrelated to the ship); a commercial 'Landing Craft Repair Ships Roster' page that misidentifies this hull's conversion source as 'LST-229' (non-authoritative, not cited); law-firm bulk ship-list pages (banned source class, not cited). No qualifying asbestos case naming this hull under any designation was located.

    Verification

    partial

    Role

    negative_finding

    Documentation level

    ship_specific

    Accessed

    2026-09-26

    Study period

    2026-09-26

    Limitations

    Search-engine surface sweep, not exhaustive - subscription verdict databases, unindexed state dockets, and sailor-name-captioned pleadings are not covered. Establishes only that no readily surfaced public web record names this hull in an asbestos case; ev-01 remains the sole located litigation-domain artifact.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-atlas-arl7-11