Evidence
13 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-13).
-
[1]DANFS, Austin III (LPD-4) - construction, sponsor, commissioning, service narrative 1965-1987, decommissioning and disposal (live page, verified 2026-09-30) [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- DANFS service narrative, spec block, and closing disposal paragraph (updated Robert J. Cressman, 1 Sep 2022)
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Documented for this hull: the third Austin, named for the capital city of Texas; laid down 4 February 1963 at Brooklyn, N.Y., by the New York Naval Shipyard; launched 27 June 1964, sponsored by Miss Lynda Bird Johnson, daughter of President Lyndon B. Johnson; commissioned 6 February 1965, Capt. William H. Shaw in command. Spec block: displacement 16,914; length 569'0"; beam 105'0"; draft 23'0"; speed 21 knots; complement 1,438; armament 8 3-inch; class Austin. Service: outfitting at Norfolk from 26 May 1965; shakedown Guantanamo Bay Sep-Oct 1965; Philadelphia Naval Shipyard repairs 5 May 1966 and propulsion adjustments from 21 August 1966; Caribbean Amphibious Ready Group 1967; Apollo IV recovery force Nov 1967; Norfolk Naval Shipyard overhaul from 19 July 1968; Apollo XII recovery ship Nov 1969; Mediterranean deployments 1970, 1973 (Sixth Fleet response to Arab-Israeli War, Souda Bay, Oct 1973), 1975; stern gate lost 6 June 1970 (temporary repairs Malta, permanent repairs Norfolk to 22 Sep); Apollo XV recovery support Jul 1971; overhaul Maryland Shipbuilding and Drydock Co. Baltimore from 11 Jul 1972, towed to Norfolk Naval Shipyard 11 Oct 1972 for completion, post-repair trials 15 Mar 1973; overhaul Maryland Shipbuilding Baltimore 2 Feb 1977 - 16 Feb 1978; NATO 'Northern Wedding' 1978; Unitas/Allied Caribe 80 with Dominica hurricane relief; Arctic training 1981; 11-month overhaul Norfolk Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. from Sep 1981 to 2 Aug 1982; Beirut 1983 - embarked BLT 1/8 and MAU 24, supported multinational peacekeeping force, assisted after 23 Oct 1983 barracks bombing; 'United Effort/Teamwork 84'; Med 1985; overhaul Norfolk Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co. from 3 Nov 1986 into 1987. Decommissioned 27 September 2006 and stricken same day; disposed by dismantling/scrapping, contract awarded 22 May 2009 to International Shipbreaking, Ltd., Brownsville, Texas.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1961-2010
- Population
- NYNSY construction trades (1963-65); crew and embarked Marines (1965-2006); shipyard workers at Philadelphia NSY, Norfolk NSY, Maryland Shipbuilding, Norshipco availabilities; ISL shipbreakers (2009-10)
- Limitations
- Ship-specific history only; no asbestos or material content anywhere in the entry. DANFS narrative coverage ends at the beginning of 1987 - the last ~19 years of service are not narrated here and come from other rows.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-austin-lpd4-01
-
[2]Naval Vessel Register ship detail, AUSTIN (LPD 4) - milestone dates, builder, physical characteristics, disposal status (Wayback capture of official NVR page; live page redirects to JS index for non-JS fetchers) [other_primary]
- Locator
- NVR ship detail fields: VESSEL STATUS, MILESTONE DATES, PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS, PROGRAM CHARACTERISTICS
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- NVR record for this hull: UIC 07175; class LPD 4, amphibious transport dock; builder 'Naval Shipyard New York'; award date 09/21/1961; keel 02/04/1963; launch 06/27/1964; delivery 02/05/1965; commission 02/06/1965; decommission 09/27/2006; stricken 09/27/2006; status 'Disposed of by Dismantling (Scrapping/Recycling)' with date status changed 09/10/2010. Physical: steel hull and superstructure; overall length 569 ft; extreme beam 105 ft; draft limit 23 ft; light displacement 9,201 t, full 16,914 t; 2 propellers; propulsion type 'Steam Turbines'; accommodations 29 officers + 459 enlisted.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1961-2010
- Population
- construction and crew populations as in ev-01
- Limitations
- Registry data only; no asbestos or material content. Live NVR URL (SHIPSDETAIL_LPD_4.HTML) redirects to the JS-driven index when fetched without a browser - content verified via Wayback capture of 2024-08-09; this is an archived copy of the live official source, labeled accordingly. NVR launch date (27 Jun) corroborates DANFS against NavSource's 26 Jun variant.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-austin-lpd4-02
-
[3]NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive, USS Austin (LPD-4) - designation timeline, specifications, awards, disposal, captioned official photography (live page, verified 2026-09-30) [other_primary]
- Locator
- NavSource 10/09/0904.htm header block, specifications block, awards list, and photo captions
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- NavSource record for this hull: lead ship of the Austin class, differing from her sisters in carrying no hangar; Austin-class LPDs based on the design of the earlier Raleigh class. Laid down 4 Feb 1963 at New York Naval Shipyard; launched 26 June 1964 (one-day variant vs DANFS/NVR 27 June - see gaps); commissioned 6 Feb 1965, CAPT. William H. Shaw. Assigned COMPHIBGRU2 / COMNAVSURFLANT, homeported NAB Little Creek, Va. Decommissioned 27 Sep 2006 at Pier 1, Naval Station Norfolk; struck same day; scrapping contract awarded 22 May 2009 to International Shipbreaking, Ltd., Brownsville TX. Specifications: 9,734 t light / 17,326 t full; 570' x 84' x 23'; 21 kts; complement 24 officers + 396 enlisted, troop accommodations 900, flag staff 90; two Foster-Wheeler boilers, two DeLaval steam turbines, 2 shafts, 24,000 shp. Captioned official US Navy photography documents: on-station command-and-control ship for the EgyptAir Flight 990 search and recovery, November 1999 (photo 991110-N-1110A-503); Nassau ESG / exercise New Horizons, Guantanamo Bay 9 May 2005 (photo 050510-N-2903M-001); ex-Austin laid up at Philadelphia Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility, 29 Oct 2007; an anchor on display at the Brooklyn Navy Yard Museum, 2011.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1963-2011
- Population
- crew and embarked Marines (1965-2006); NISMF maintenance population 2007-09; ISL shipbreakers 2009-10
- Limitations
- NavSource is a volunteer secondary compilation - milestones track NVR/DANFS where they overlap (launch date is a one-day outlier; see gaps). Propulsion/complement specs unverified against a primary spec sheet. No asbestos content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-austin-lpd4-03
-
[4]NHHC Command Operation Reports collection, Austin (LPD-4) III - ship's own annual command histories, 1963-2003 (collection page live; PDFs fetched and text-extracted this session) [other_primary]
- Locator
- NHHC COR collection page; PDFs at /content/dam/nhhc/research/archives/command-operation-reports/ship-command-operation-reports/a/austin-lpd-4-iii/pdf/<year>.pdf (1963-74 pp. keel-laying/1968/1972-73/1977 sections; 1981 chronology 'Commence ROH NORSHIPCO' 01 SEP 81; 2003 DPMA narrative pp. 5-7 of text layer)
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- NHHC holds a near-complete run of Austin's annual command operation reports (CORs), 1963-74 combined plus 1965-67, 1968-1978, 1981, 1983-2003 individual years - the ship's own primary records. Content verified this session from extracted PDF text: final trials/inspections at New York Naval Shipyard and outfitting at Norfolk Naval Shipyard until 3 Aug 1965; Norfolk Naval Shipyard overhaul 19 Jul - 19 Dec 1968; ammunition offload Yorktown and regular overhaul at Maryland Shipbuilding and Drydock Co., Baltimore, commencing 2 Feb 1977 with homeport changed Norfolk->Baltimore, ROH extended to 21 Dec 1977 (DANFS completes the work 16 Feb 1978); ROH commenced 1 Sep 1981 at NORSHIPCO (Norfolk Shipbuilding & Drydock); 1983 Beirut deployment narrative including crew assistance after the 23 Oct barracks bombing; 2003 Depot Level Phased Maintenance Availability at Metro Machine Shipyard, Norfolk (drydocked 18 Jul 2003; dead-stick move to Norfolk Naval Shipyard mid-Sep; returned to Metro 22 Sep; underway from Metro Dec 2003).
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- archival_lead
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1963-2003
- Population
- crew; yard trades at NYNSY, Norfolk NSY, Maryland Shipbuilding, Norshipco, Metro Machine during documented availabilities
- Limitations
- Archival lead plus verified content: only selected year-PDFs (1963-74, 1977, 1981, 1983, 1986, 1994, 2003) were extracted this session; scanned/OCR quality is poor in places and remaining years (1979-80, 1982, 1985, 1988-2002 gaps) are unreviewed. The CORs document yard availabilities and work performed but no asbestos or material content was located in the years read. COR PDFs require a browser user-agent to fetch (bare curl returns empty).
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-austin-lpd4-04
-
[5]USS Austin (LPD-4) Command History 2003 - DPMA work narrative at Metro Machine Shipyard (ship's own annual report to Director of Naval History; PDF fetched and text-extracted this session) [other_primary]
- Locator
- 2003 COR PDF, DPMA narrative paragraphs (Deck Department and Engineering accomplishments)
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- The ship's 2003 command history documents insulation-system work aboard this hull during her July-December 2003 DPMA at Metro Machine Shipyard, Norfolk: Deck Department 'underwent renovation by having the topside decks resurfaced, lagging completed, the well deck repainted,' and 'Engineering spaces saw the installation of new deck plates, lagging, and piping'; both boilers and the 2B ship's service turbine generator received major overhaul.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 2003
- Population
- Metro Machine shipyard trades and ship's force during DPMA, Jul-Dec 2003
- Limitations
- Documents that insulation ('lagging' is the trade term for thermal insulation) was renewed aboard this specific hull - but material is unspecified and 2003 work postdates the Navy's asbestos-substitution era, so this is an insulation-handling event, not an asbestos finding. It establishes where insulation work occurred (deck + engineering spaces), not fiber content, quantity, or any individual exposure.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-austin-lpd4-05
-
[6]Era inference built on: DANFS spec block and NVR propulsion field (steam turbines); NavSource specifications (two Foster-Wheeler boilers, two DeLaval steam turbines, 24,000 shp); construction at New York Naval Shipyard 1963-65 (DANFS/NVR); GAO HRD-80-2 era documentation (ev-07); shipyard-exposure-map documented asbestos record for New York Naval Shipyard / Brooklyn Navy Yard (ev-08) [other_primary]
- Locator
- DANFS spec block; NVR PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS; NavSource specifications; GAO HRD-80-2; shipyards.json brooklyn-navy-yard record
- Finding type
- asbestos_application
- Finding
- A fired-boiler steam ship built 1963-65 at a documented asbestos-era naval shipyard sits squarely inside the Navy's asbestos-use era. Era-standard asbestos applications aboard a steam-propelled amphibious transport dock of this period were boiler and turbine lagging, steam-line and machinery-space pipe insulation, gaskets, valve packing, deck coverings/tile, and electrical insulation. Unlike a diesel submarine, the boiler/steam-line lagging pathway applies to this hull.
- Verification
- inferred
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1963-2010
- Population
- NYNSY construction trades (1963-65); crew (1965-2006); yard/base trades at documented availabilities (Philadelphia NSY 1966; Norfolk NSY 1965, 1968, 1972-73; Maryland Shipbuilding 1972, 1977-78; Norshipco 1981-82, 1986-87; Metro Machine 2003); ISL shipbreakers 2009-10
- Limitations
- Class/era inference only - no hull-specific insulation survey, material list, or work package located for LPD-4. Names era-standard applications, not confirmed installed materials. No quantity. Product names are normalized era terms; no manufacturer attribution for insulation aboard this hull.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-austin-lpd4-06
-
[7]GAO, Navy Efforts To Protect Workers From Asbestos Exposure, HRD-80-2 (Oct 18, 1979) [gao]
- Locator
- GAO product page HRD-80-2 (full text blocked, HTTP 403)
- Finding type
- gov_survey
- Finding
- GAO documented that the Navy used asbestos insulation extensively aboard ships and did not begin substituting alternative insulation materials until the early 1970s - spanning this hull's entire construction (1963-65) and her first decade of service.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1979
- Population
- Navy shipyard workers; asbestos program review
- Limitations
- Program-level documentation; supports era context only, not any fact specific to this hull. Full text not retrieved (gao.gov blocks automated fetch, HTTP 403, confirmed again 2026-09-30) - content via product-page description.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-austin-lpd4-07
-
[8]In re Eastern and Southern Districts Asbestos Litigation, 772 F. Supp. 1380 (S.D.N.Y. 1991) (Weinstein, J.) - via shipyard-exposure-map shipyards.json yard record ev-brooklyn-navy-yard-04 (Justia mirror blocked to automated fetch, HTTP 403); documented asbestos product for the yard: Kaylo (Owens-Illinois) [court_record]
- Locator
- shipyards.json brooklyn-navy-yard evidence rows (incl. ev-brooklyn-navy-yard-04, flagship); opinion text via law.justia.com (blocked) / CourtListener equivalents
- Finding type
- litigation_documented
- Finding
- Litigation-established asbestos exposure at this hull's construction yard: New York Naval Shipyard (Brooklyn Navy Yard), where Austin was built 1963-65, is a Tier-3 yard in the Atlas dataset - asbestos exposure among its workers established through Judge Weinstein's consolidated-litigation opinion (772 F. Supp. 1380), and Kaylo (Owens-Illinois) is a documented asbestos product for the yard. The yard closed in 1966, within months of Austin's completion.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- construction era 1963-65; litigation record 1991
- Population
- NYNSY construction and outfitting trades (1963-65)
- Limitations
- Yard-level documentation only: the litigation record establishes asbestos exposure at Brooklyn Navy Yard generally; it does not name LPD-4 and does not establish that asbestos was installed aboard this specific hull. Product attribution (Kaylo) is yard-level, not ship-level. Yard's WWII-era litigation window predates Austin's 1963-65 construction - era continuity is inference.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-austin-lpd4-08
-
[9]shipyard-exposure-map shipyards.json philadelphia-naval-shipyard record: asbestos product identification in appellate litigation (Taylor v. Celotex, 393 Pa. Super. 566 (1990); Junge v. Garlock, 427 Pa. Super. 592 (1993); Gross v. Johns-Manville, 410 Pa. Super. 486 (1991)); Merwitz shipfitter verdict (1965-70 exposure window); OSHA inspection 17999079 (1989) [court_record]
- Locator
- shipyards.json philadelphia-naval-shipyard evidence rows; DANFS 1966 repair narrative; COR 1963-74 yard entries
- Finding type
- litigation_documented
- Finding
- Litigation- and OSHA-documented asbestos at a yard that repaired this hull: Austin entered Philadelphia Naval Shipyard 5 May 1966 for ~two months of post-shakedown repairs/alterations and returned 21 August 1966 for main-propulsion adjustments into November (DANFS; 1963-74 COR). The yard is Tier-3 in the Atlas dataset: named asbestos products identified by yard workers in published appellate opinions (Eagle-Picher Super 60, Unibestos, Kaylo, Johns-Manville and Garlock lines among others), a shipfitter's 1965-1970 exposure window produced a $7.25M mesothelioma verdict in 2014 (Merwitz), and OSHA's 1989 health inspection carried asbestos citations with a 90-percent bulk sample.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1966 availabilities; litigation/OSHA record 1989-2014
- Population
- Philadelphia Naval Shipyard trades during Austin's 1966 availabilities (May-Jul and Aug-Nov)
- Limitations
- Yard-level documentation only: no litigation names LPD-4. The Merwitz exposure window (1965-70) temporally overlaps Austin's 1966 availabilities but involves a different worker and work; it does not establish materials aboard or exposure from this hull. Bulk-sample and verdict figures are yard-record facts, not ship findings.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-austin-lpd4-09
-
[10]NAVFAC Norfolk Naval Shipyard environmental site descriptions; EPA Superfund site VA1170024813 (listed 1999) - via shipyard-exposure-map shipyards.json norfolk-naval-shipyard record [other_primary]
- Locator
- NAVFAC Norfolk-NSY Site Descriptions (live via firecrawl 2026-09-30); EPA VA1170024813; shipyards.json norfolk-naval-shipyard rows
- Finding type
- environmental_record
- Finding
- Government-documented asbestos at this hull's principal overhaul yard: Austin outfitted at Norfolk Naval Shipyard through 3 Aug 1965, overhauled there 19 Jul - 19 Dec 1968, was towed there Oct 1972 for completion of her Baltimore overhaul, and moored there briefly during the 2003 DPMA (DANFS; CORs). The yard is an EPA Superfund site (VA1170024813, listed 1999); NAVFAC site descriptions document asbestos among wastes disposed at yard sites, and the yard record includes a 1979 finding of asbestos-laden dust in Shop 56.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1965-2003 availabilities; environmental record 1979-2010
- Population
- Norfolk Naval Shipyard trades during Austin availabilities (1965, 1968, 1972-73, 2003 layover)
- Limitations
- Yard-level environmental record only: documents asbestos in the yard's waste stream and shops, not materials aboard this hull or any work performed on LPD-4 during her availabilities. No asbestos COC in the 2010 ROD - metals/organics drove the remedy.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-austin-lpd4-10
-
[11]Fleet Public Affairs Center Atlantic account (MCSN Marissa Kaylor) via Marine Link, 'USS Austin Decommissioned After 41 Years of Service' (Sep 29, 2006) [reputable_press]
- Locator
- Marine Link article body (Navy NewsStand / FPACE Atlantic wire piece, dated Sep 29 2006)
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Navy public-affairs account of the decommissioning: ceremony 27 Sep 2006 at Naval Station Norfolk ending 41+ years of service; 'first LPD class ship built, and the lead ship in its class'; recovery ship for Apollo 12 and 'part of the recovery for Apollo 14 and 15' (DANFS documents Apollo IV, XII, and XV - the article's Apollo-14 attribution does not match DANFS); test platform for MH-53 helicopter, LCAC precursors, and AV-8 Harrier; final deployment was six months with the Nassau (LHA-4) Expeditionary Strike Group to the Persian Gulf for maritime security operations, returning to Norfolk 4 May 2006; CDR Kevin Flanagan last CO; succeeded by USS San Antonio (LPD-17).
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 2006 (with career-summary material)
- Population
- crew at decommissioning; final Nassau ESG deployment population
- Limitations
- Service-history detail only; no asbestos content. Apollo attribution differs from DANFS (Apollo IV/XII/XV vs article's 12/14/15) - DANFS carried in ev-01; flagged here rather than silently merged.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-austin-lpd4-11
-
[12]Erroneous claim source: VetFriends unit page for USS Austin (LPD-4) ('held in reserve and used as a target ship during a 2017 SINKEX'); authoritative record: NVR status 'Disposed of by Dismantling (Scrapping/Recycling)' effective 09/10/2010 and DANFS/NavSource scrapping contract to ISL Brownsville [other_primary]
- Locator
- VetFriends LPD-4 unit page (claim); NVR ship detail VESSEL STATUS field (record); DANFS closing paragraph (record)
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- CORRECTION: a circulating secondary claim that ex-Austin was sunk as a target in a 2017 SINKEX is contradicted by the authoritative disposal record - NVR records her as disposed by dismantling/scrapping on 09/10/2010, seven years before the alleged exercise, and DANFS, NavSource, and contemporaneous secondary sources all carry the International Shipbreaking, Brownsville scrapping path. The SINKEX claim is a name/class collision (other Austin-class hulls and other ships were expended as targets) and is rejected.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- correction
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 2006-2017
- Limitations
- Corrects a fate-of-hull error, not a material claim. The correct disposal is itself documented at registry level (NVR status field); the scrapping contract's exact issue date varies between DANFS (22 May 2009 award) and secondary sources (30 Sep 2009 issue) - see gaps.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-austin-lpd4-12
-
[13]Batch-5792 search ledger (this record): NHHC DANFS + command-operation-report series (PDFs extracted); NVR via Wayback capture; NavSource; Marine Link/FPACE; NTSB AAB-02/01 full text; NAVFAC Norfolk NSY; shipyards.json yard records; CourtListener API v4 (partially - pacing); secondary web litigation sweep [other_primary]
- Locator
- search_ledger rows sl-uss-austin-lpd4-01 through -13
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- No qualifying ship-specific asbestos record located: no asbestos survey, abatement contract, hazmat disclosure, or verified litigation naming USS Austin (LPD-4) was found in the public sources searched. CourtListener opinion search for 'USS Austin' ran authenticated (121 hits): the retrieved page showed only name collisions - defendants named Austin (incl. Navy court-martial appellants), Austin, Texas venues, and 'USS' as a corporate prefix (USS Agri-Chemicals, Tenn-USS Chemicals) - no hit naming the ship. CAVEAT: 'LPD-4' and docket-type searches plus remaining 'USS Austin' pages were not run - the fleet-wide pacing budget was spent mid-session (helper HTTP-429-class stand-down); logged as partially blocked, not a full negative result. Secondary web sweeps surfaced no qualifying case; 'asbestos aboard' content is law-firm marketing (bellucklaw.com dedicated LPD-4 page, asbestos-ships.com, simmonsfirm.com and mesotheliomaveterans.org listicles) asserting asbestos without primary sourcing - excluded by source policy.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 2026-09-30
- Limitations
- Absence of a located public record does not prove absence of asbestos aboard - and the litigation repository is only partially searched (a genuine open gap). NHHC CORs 1979-80, 1982, 1985, 1988-2002 and RG 24 deck logs are unreviewed leads. Does not establish or defeat any claim of exposure or legal eligibility.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-austin-lpd4-13