USS BAINBRIDGE (DD-246)

Evidence

10 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-10).

1. [1]research packet ja-packet.md (1 sources cited) [nhhc_danfs]

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   Identity packet verdict: VERIFIED

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Evidence ID

   uss-bainbridge-dd246-pkt-ja-packet-md

2. [2]DANFS, Bainbridge III (DD-246) - verbatim transcription (live NHHC DANFS page not located) [nhhc_danfs]

   Locator

   DANFS entry 'Bainbridge III (DD-246)', specification block + full service narrative

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   DANFS record for this hull: launched 12 June 1920 by New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, N.J.; sponsored by Miss Juliet Edith Greene, great-great-granddaughter of Commodore Bainbridge; commissioned 9 February 1921, Lt. Cmdr. L. H. Thebaud in command (transcription reads 'E.l.' - OCR of L.H.); Atlantic Fleet. Eastern seaboard/Caribbean operations to October 1922, then Naval Detachment, Turkish Waters; on 16 December 1922 rescued approximately 500 survivors of the burning French military transport Vinh-Long off Constantinople (commanding officer Lt. Cmdr. W.A. Edwards received the Medal of Honor). Scouting Fleet service 1923-1928 incl. 1927 Special Service Squadron patrol off Nicaragua; out of commission in reserve at Philadelphia 23 December 1930; reduced commission 9 March 1932 (Rotating Reserve Division 19); full commission 5 September 1933 (Destroyer Division 8); Pacific service from San Diego arrival 5 November 1934; out of commission in reserve San Diego 20 November 1937; recommissioned 26 September 1939 (Division 62, Neutrality Patrol, Canal Zone); Key West patrol duty summer 1940; three convoy-escort voyages to Newfoundland and Iceland May-November 1941; convoy escort east/Gulf coasts and Caribbean December 1941-July 1945 plus five trans-Atlantic escort crossings to North Africa February-December 1943; inactivation from 1 July 1945; decommissioned 21 July 1945 at Philadelphia; sold 30 November 1945. One battle star for convoy-escort service 13 June-August 1943. Specification line: displacement 1,216; length 314'4"; draft 9'10"; speed 35 k.; complement 137; armament 4x4", 1x3", 12x21" torpedo tubes; class Clemson.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-27

   Study period

   1919-1945

   Population

   New York Shipbuilding construction trades 1919-21; Navy crew (design complement 137) across commission periods 1921-30, 1932-37, 1939-45

   Limitations

   DANFS documents construction, service history, and design specifications - it contains no materials or asbestos information. The transcription carries an obvious typo ('b. 81'8"'; actual beam 31'8" per NavSource/Wikipedia consistent with the class) and omits keel-laying and striking dates (NavSource supplies 27 May 1919 and 13 August 1945 - see gaps). Cited via hazegray mirror because a live NHHC DANFS page for DD-246 was not located on 2026-09-27.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-bainbridge-dd246-01

3. [3]Naval Historical Center (NHHC predecessor) Online Library of Selected Images, 'USS Bainbridge (DD-246), 1921-1945' - official narrative, ibiblio/HyperWar mirror [nhhc_danfs]

   Locator

   Online Library page narrative + photo captions NH 56317, NH 78331, NH 78344, NH 56314

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   NHHC Online Library narrative for this hull: a 1,190-ton Clemson-class destroyer built at Camden, New Jersey, commissioned February 1921; Vinh-Long rescue of 'nearly 500 people' 16 December 1922 (photo caption NH 78344 reads 482 survivors aboard); slightly damaged by an enemy mine off Chesapeake Bay in June 1942; in mid-1943 belonged to the hunter-killer task group built around escort carrier Santee (CVE-29) that sank several U-boats; decommissioned July 1945 and sold for scrapping at the end of November.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-27

   Study period

   1921-1945

   Population

   Crew during mine-damage repair (June 1942) and hunter-killer operations (mid-1943)

   Limitations

   Confirms hull identity and operational history including a June 1942 mine-damage repair event (repair yard not named - a plausible but undocumented material-disturbance period). Contains no asbestos or materials information. Survivor count phrasing varies: 'approximately 500' (DANFS) vs 'nearly 500' (narrative) vs '482' (photo caption).

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-bainbridge-dd246-02

4. [4]Bureau of Construction and Repair, 'General Information Including Description and Tests of Electric Auxiliaries - Torpedo Boat Destroyers Nos. 231 to 250,' Finished Plan No. 41 (GPO, 1921; Restricted; National Archives / Bureau of Ships file copy), excerpted scan via Destroyer History Foundation [other_primary]

   Locator

   GIB pp. title/1 (scope list incl. 'No. 246, U.S.S. Bainbridge'), 1-3 (historical data), 5-8 (dimensions, loading, designed-complement recapitulation, machinery incl. boiler and turbine specs)

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   Official 1921 Bureau of C&R publication whose title page expressly covers 'No. 246, U.S.S. Bainbridge' among destroyers Nos. 231-250 built under the December 29, 1917 contract by New York Shipbuilding Corporation, Camden, N.J. (authorized by acts of Congress March 4 and October 6, 1917). Group-wide tables applying to this hull document: Westinghouse marine steam-turbine engines with reduction gears in two engine compartments (HP and LP turbines per shaft, scoop condensers); four White-Forster Express water-tube oil-burning boilers (designed working pressure ~265 psi); twin screws; designed complement 101 (6 officers + 95 crew); length overall 314'4-3/4". The excerpt's per-ship historical-data pages cover only DD-231-234 and DD-247-250 - Bainbridge's own build-dates block is on a page not included in the excerpt.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-27

   Study period

   1917-1921 (construction data as published 1921)

   Population

   Designed complement 101 (6 officers + 95 crew) - differs from DANFS's published 137; see gaps

   Limitations

   Ship-covering official publication: names this hull on the title page and its group tables apply to DD-246, so the machinery/complement figures are ship-specific-grade for this hull group - but the excerpted pages contain NO insulation, lagging, or gasket material specification and never use the word 'asbestos'; they establish nothing about asbestos content. Bainbridge's per-ship historical block (with her keel-laying date) is not among the excerpted pages; laid-down still rests on NavSource. Scan hosted by the Destroyer History Foundation, a private archive; document itself is a US Government publication stamped from National Archives files.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-bainbridge-dd246-03

5. [5]NavSource Destroyer Photo Index, USS Bainbridge (DD-246) building/operational data + Atlas shipyard dataset, New York Shipbuilding record (yard tier 1, documented asbestos products) [other_primary]

   Locator

   NavSource DD-246 page, 'Operational and Building Data' block; shipyards.json record 'new-york-shipbuilding'; machinery facts per ev-03 GIB

   Finding type

   asbestos_application

   Finding

   Era/yard inference: DD-246's as-built plant is documented by the 1921 GIB (ev-03) as four White-Forster water-tube oil-fired boilers feeding Westinghouse geared turbines - exactly the steam plant type for which period Navy practice specified asbestos boiler and steam-line lagging, gaskets, packing, and fireproofing. The Atlas shipyard dataset independently documents asbestos products at the builder yard (New York Shipbuilding, Camden - tier 1: Pabco Caltemp block, Ehret 85% magnesia, asbestos gaskets/packing, Transite panels, wire and felt insulation).

   Verification

   inferred

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   class_or_era

   Accessed

   2026-09-27

   Study period

   1919-1945

   Population

   New York Shipbuilding construction trades 1919-21; crew 1921-45

   Limitations

   Class/era and builder-yard inference only - the GIB's excerpted pages name this hull but contain no insulation-material specification, and no ship-specific asbestos documentation was located (see ev-09 negative finding). The yard dataset documents the builder's asbestos environment, not installation aboard DD-246. Nothing here establishes asbestos content aboard this hull.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-bainbridge-dd246-04

6. [6]National Archives, Special List 44 (Named Vessels deck-log index), Bainbridge (DD-246) entries [other_primary]

   Locator

   Special List 44 alphabetical named-vessels table, four Bainbridge (DD-246) rows

   Finding type

   historical_record

   Finding

   NARA's Special List 44 lists four deck-log runs for Bainbridge (DD-246): 2/9/1921-12/23/1930; 3/9/1932-11/20/1937; 9/26/1939-6/30/1943; and 8/1/1943-7/21/1945. The run boundaries corroborate every DANFS commission/decommission date for this hull (commissioned 2/9/1921; out of commission 12/23/1930, 11/20/1937; recommissioned 3/9/1932 reduced and 9/26/1939; decommissioned 7/21/1945).

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   archival_lead

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-27

   Study period

   1921-1945

   Population

   Crew across all commission periods

   Limitations

   Collection coverage index only - the deck logs themselves were not inspected, and NARA states deck logs provide no direct evidence of shipboard asbestos. A July 1943 seam between the two wartime runs (6/30/1943 / 8/1/1943) may reflect a log-volume boundary rather than a missing month, unverified.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-bainbridge-dd246-05

7. [7]National Archives, Ship Plan Index, BAINBRIDGE DD-246 entries (RG 19 Alphabetical Ship Drawings NAID 53483748; RG 19 Microfilm NAID 175668348) [other_primary]

   Locator

   Ship Plan Index table, BAINBRIDGE DD-246 rows (NAIDs 53483748, 175668348)

   Finding type

   historical_record

   Finding

   NARA's Ship Plan Index lists BAINBRIDGE DD-246 under RG 19 Alphabetical Ship Drawings (NAID 53483748) and RG 19 Microfilm of Ship Engineering Drawings (NAID 175668348) - hull-level engineering drawings for this ship exist in NARA custody. NARA's asbestos research guide identifies S39 (Insulation and Lagging) and S48 (Piping) as the drawing codes relevant to asbestos research. Whether DD-246's drawing set includes S39/S48 sheets is unknown; drawings not retrieved.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   archival_lead

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-27

   Study period

   index current as of access

   Limitations

   Index entries prove holdings, not content - no drawing was reviewed, and no insulation/lagging schedule is confirmed present for this hull. BAINBRIDGE DD-1 and BAINBRIDGE DLG-25 entries in the same index are different ships and are not associated with this hull.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-bainbridge-dd246-06

8. [8]National Archives, 'Researching Asbestos aboard US Naval Vessel up through 1961' (research guide) [other_primary]

   Locator

   Guide sections: Beginning Research; Bureau of Ships correspondence; General Information Books; Cartographic Branch drawings (S39/S48); Board of Inspection and Survey Reports

   Finding type

   historical_record

   Finding

   NARA's shipboard-asbestos research guide states that documenting asbestos in U.S. Navy materiel from 1941-1961 requires vessel-specific research, and maps the relevant record series: RG 19 Bureau of Ships correspondence filed by hull designation (this hull: 'DD246'); destroyer General Information Books (RG 19 Entry P 9 - the series to which the 1921 DD-231-250 GIB of ev-03 belongs); hull-arranged ship engineering drawings including S39 Insulation/Lagging and S48 Piping codes; and RG 38 Board of Inspection and Survey destroyer material-inspection reports (Entry P 1-D).

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   archival_lead

   Documentation level

   context_only

   Accessed

   2026-09-27

   Study period

   1941-1961 (stated scope)

   Limitations

   A research method and record-series map, not a DD-246 material record. The guide's stated scope (1941-1961) postdates this hull's 1919-1921 construction, though it covers her 1939-1945 recommissioned service. No DD-246 item was retrieved from any listed series.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-bainbridge-dd246-07

9. [9]CourtListener API v4 search (type=o, type=r, type=rd), exact-phrase queries "USS Bainbridge" and "DD-246", plus asbestos-narrowed variants; matched-document plain text reviewed via authenticated recap-documents endpoints [court_record]

   Locator

   search_ledger sl-uss-bainbridge-dd246-11 through sl-uss-bainbridge-dd246-16; matched-doc text checks: opinions 8484412, 2691092, 8648932, 8642207; recap-documents 386414864, 18922635, 173046187, 121428924, 114919008, 101966462, 18922631, 208738648, 5149549, 224780931, 99818543

   Finding type

   litigation_documented

   Finding

   CourtListener sweep via the authenticated fleet helper, 2026-09-27. Exact-phrase opinion search "USS Bainbridge" returned 4 hits, all non-asbestos name collisions involving other vessels of the same name: BAE Systems Norfolk Ship Repair v. United States (Fed. Cl. 2022, bid protest over a DDG-96 repair availability); United States v. Carmel (NMCMR 1978) and United States v. Tebsherany (NMCMR 1990), military-justice cases involving sailors assigned to CGN-25-era Bainbridge; Butler County Bar Ass'n v. Minamyer (Ohio 2011, attorney discipline reciting Navy Reserve service aboard a Bainbridge). Exact-phrase docket search "USS Bainbridge" returned 22 hits, and asbestos-narrowed variants returned zero opinions and 7 dockets (11 matched documents, all retrieved and read via the helper). The asbestos dockets: Crews v. Air & Liquid Systems Corp. (N.D.N.Y. 2012) - plaintiff alleged service as a nuclear-trained machinist's mate aboard USS Bainbridge ~1968-71 (the court itself notes the ship was 'commissioned in the early 1960s', i.e. CGN-25), and Crane Co. won summary judgment on product identification; Deem v. Air & Liquid Systems Corp. (W.D. Wash. 2017) - coworker depositions list Bainbridge among Puget Sound Naval Shipyard overhaul hulls (CGN-25), discovery-stage; Laughlin (E.D. Va. 2018) - matched doc is the defense expert's own service record aboard 'the Cruiser USS Bainbridge (DLGN/CGN 25)' 1973-77; Bell v. Foster Wheeler Energy Corp. (E.D. La. 2015) - complaint alleges Navy service 1960-68 aboard vessels including USS Bainbridge (CGN-25 era); Agena v. Cleaver-Brooks (D. Haw. 2019) - complaint lists service aboard 'USS BAINBRIDGE (DLGN-25)' 1963-65; MDL No. 875 (JPML) - matched member-case filings. One express DD-246 allegation exists: in Ward (MDL No. 875 member case, N.D. Cal. C 03-4686 JSW, JPML doc 4087, 2004), plaintiff Spencer Ward's exposure-location list names 'BAINBRIDGE (DD-246)' under his 1969-1995 Mare Island Naval Shipyard employment, and the removing defendant's own notice notes the ship 'was decommissioned in July 1945 and sold for scrapping at the end of November 1945, and thus could not have been at Mare Island Naval Shipyard during' the alleged period - a pleading-stage list entry, facially impossible as written and challenged by the defense in the same filing record. Hull-number searches: "DD-246" opinions = zero results; "DD-246" dockets = 11 hits, all name collisions ('DD-246' resolves to document/exhibit numbers in unrelated dockets; no 'USS Bainbridge' or Navy co-occurrence in any returned payload). Remaining name-docket hits are non-asbestos collisions (DDG-96 repair protest, Muse pirate prosecution, Riches prisoner suit naming DDG-96, Navy personnel/administrative suits, a bankruptcy inventory listing a 'USS Bainbridge DDG-96 ship's coin', unrelated civil dockets). No trial finding, judgment, or credible record establishes asbestos exposure aboard DD-246; the sole express allegation is facially impossible.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   negative_finding

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-27

   Study period

   2026-09-27

   Limitations

   A search-index sweep, not an exhaustive PACER review. All 11 documents matched by the asbestos-narrowed docket search were retrieved and read via the authenticated helper; the broader name-docket hits were classified by docket identity, suit nature, and matched-document descriptions. The Ward 'BAINBRIDGE (DD-246)' entry is a pleading-stage vessel-list allegation that the defense itself characterized as chronologically impossible (plaintiff's Mare Island work ran 1969-95; DD-246 was scrapped in 1945) - classified at the least-final stage and facially erroneous (CGN-25 was the only Bainbridge in commission during the plaintiff's 1969-95 Mare Island employment); it neither establishes nor defeats any exposure claim. Crews is a defense summary-judgment win on product identification - not exposure evidence for any hull. Absence of further located records does not prove no litigation exists - only that none was found in the queries actually run.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-bainbridge-dd246-08

10. [10]Batch-3244 search ledger (this record): DANFS (hazegray verbatim transcription); NHHC Online Library (ibiblio mirror); NavSource building data; NARA RG19 guide; CourtListener name and hull-number sweeps [other_primary]

    Locator

    search_ledger rows sl-uss-bainbridge-dd246-01 through sl-uss-bainbridge-dd246-16

    Finding type

    historical_record

    Finding

    No qualifying ship-specific asbestos record located: no asbestos survey, abatement or shipbreaking disclosure, materials inventory, or museum hazmat record for DD-246 was found in the public sources searched, and no litigation record establishes asbestos exposure aboard the hull - the sole express pleading-stage allegation naming 'BAINBRIDGE (DD-246)' (Ward, MDL No. 875 member case, N.D. Cal. C 03-4686, 2004) is facially impossible (plaintiff's listed Mare Island service ran 1969-95, decades after the ship was scrapped) and was rebutted on chronology in the removing defendant's own notice (see ev-uss-bainbridge-dd246-08). (see search_ledger). The 1921 GIB naming this hull contains no insulation specification or asbestos mention in its excerpted pages. The outcome is consistent with the record environment - the hull was built before federal asbestos record-keeping and scrapped 1945-46, a generation before shipbreaking disclosure regimes, and no hull survives to survey.

    Verification

    verified

    Role

    negative_finding

    Documentation level

    ship_specific

    Accessed

    2026-09-27

    Study period

    2026-09-27

    Limitations

    Absence of a located public record does not prove absence of asbestos aboard - era-standard construction makes asbestos content likely at class level, but it is not ship-proven. Does not establish or defeat any claim of exposure or legal eligibility.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-bainbridge-dd246-09