Evidence
9 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-9).
-
[1]research packet eo-packet.md (2 sources cited) [nhhc_danfs]
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Identity packet verdict: VERIFIED
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Evidence ID
- uss-balch-dd363-pkt-eo-packet-md
-
[2]NHHC, Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, 'Balch II (DD-363),' updated 11 November 2021 [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- Specifications block; opening construction paragraph; final disposition paragraphs
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- NHHC DANFS identifies USS Balch (DD-363) as a Porter-class destroyer, laid down at Quincy by Bethlehem Ship Building Corp. on 16 May 1934, launched 24 March 1936, commissioned 20 October 1936, with listed complement 294. It records decommissioning at Philadelphia on 19 October 1945, striking on 1 November 1945, scrapping in early 1946, and six World War II battle stars.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-27
- Study period
- 1934-1946
- Population
- Ship's company; DANFS listed complement 294
- Limitations
- The ship history verifies identity and chronology but does not state the fiber content of any installed material, quantify asbestos, establish an exposure event, or identify an asbestos product aboard DD-363.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-balch-dd363-01
-
[3]NHHC, Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, 'Balch II (DD-363)' [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- Service narrative: 1937 Boston availability; 1938-1941 Mare Island periods; summer 1943 San Francisco refit; 1945 Cramp overhaul
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- DANFS records Balch's Boston Navy Yard post-shakedown availability in 1937; Mare Island overhauls in 1938, 1940, and 1941; San Francisco dry-dock alterations in summer 1943; and a June-August 1945 Cramp shipyard overhaul that was curtailed after the war ended. These are documented yard periods only.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-27
- Study period
- 1937-1945
- Population
- Balch crew and yard workers; individual workers not identified
- Limitations
- DANFS gives dates and broad repair descriptions, not work packages, insulation specifications, asbestos removal, worker exposure, or product identities. No asbestos scope is inferred from yard attendance.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-balch-dd363-02
-
[4]National Archives, Special List 44, Named Vessels, Balch entries [other_primary]
- Locator
- Alphabetical Balch entries: DD-363 and DD-50
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- The National Archives' Special List 44 indexes deck logs for Balch (DD-363) from 20 October 1936 through 19 October 1945, distinguishing this hull from Balch (DD-50).
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- archival_lead
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-27
- Study period
- 1936-1945
- Limitations
- The list is an index, not the deck logs themselves. It does not identify construction materials or exposure. The dated logs could help reconstruct specific repair periods if retrieved.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-balch-dd363-03
-
[5]U.S. Maritime Administration and partners, National Guidance: Best Management Practices for Preparing Vessels Intended to Create Artificial Reefs, p. 31 [other_primary]
- Locator
- PDF p. 31, 'Where is asbestos found on a ship?'
- Finding type
- asbestos_application
- Finding
- MARAD's vessel-preparation guidance lists possible shipboard asbestos applications including bulkhead and pipe thermal insulation, uptake insulation, deck underlay, flange gaskets, and shaft or valve packing. These categories are research leads for older vessels, not findings for Balch.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-27
- Population
- Vessels generally; no Balch population studied
- Limitations
- General guidance from a later ship-disposal program, not a Balch survey or Porter-class specification. It cannot establish that any listed product was installed on DD-363, remained there, or exposed any person.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-balch-dd363-04
-
[6]NHHC photograph catalog 19-N-51213, USS Balch (DD-363) [other_primary]
- Locator
- Catalog description, photograph 19-N-51213
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- An NHHC catalog entry identifies a Bureau of Ships photograph of Balch at San Francisco on 30 August 1943 following overhaul, with recent alterations marked on the image.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-27
- Study period
- 1943
- Limitations
- Exterior photograph and caption corroborate overhaul timing, not interior materials, asbestos work, or exposure.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-balch-dd363-05
-
[7]National Archives, Researching Asbestos aboard US Naval Vessel up through 1961 [other_primary]
- Locator
- Beginning Research (hull-specific correspondence); General Information Books (Entry P 9); Board of Inspection and Survey Reports (Entry P 1-D); Continuing Research, Cartographic Branch (S39 drawings)
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- NARA's Navy asbestos research guide identifies Record Group 19 ship engineering drawings under material code S39 for insulation and lagging, Entry P 9 for destroyer General Information Books dated 1907-1961, and RG 38 Entry P 1-D for destroyer material inspection reports dated 1940-1978. The guide also directs researchers to hull-specific Bureau of Ships correspondence. These holdings are targeted leads for locating a Balch-specific material record.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- archival_lead
- Documentation level
- context_only
- Accessed
- 2026-09-27
- Study period
- 1907-1961 (record-series coverage)
- Limitations
- NARA describes record series, not a retrieved DD-363 file. The guide cautions that General Information Books are incomplete; a Balch book may not exist, and no asbestos finding follows from the series description.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-balch-dd363-06
-
[8]Batch-3348 search ledger: NHHC DANFS and photograph catalog; NARA Special List 44 and Navy asbestos research guide; federal-source indexed searches [other_primary]
- Locator
- search_ledger rows sl-uss-balch-dd363-01 through sl-uss-balch-dd363-04 and sl-uss-balch-dd363-06
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- No DD-363-specific asbestos inventory, survey, abatement record, or material specification was located in the official public sources and indexes searched for this batch. The sources reviewed establish vessel history and identify archival series, but do not establish asbestos content aboard Balch.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-27
- Study period
- 2026-09-27 search
- Limitations
- This is a bounded negative search result, not proof of absence of asbestos on DD-363. Archival records may be undigitized; CourtListener litigation searching is separately tracked and is not included in this negative result.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-balch-dd363-07
-
[9]Local execution diagnostics from fleet-required cl-auth-search.py, 27 September 2026; see batch search ledger [other_primary]
- Locator
- search_ledger row sl-uss-balch-dd363-05; helper stderr: 'COURTLISTENER PACING: the fleet-wide request budget is momentarily spent'
- Finding type
- litigation_documented
- Finding
- The authenticated CourtListener exact-name and hull-number opinion/docket sweep could not be completed. Six spaced helper invocations for exact-name or combined exact-name/hull-number opinion queries exited at the shared pacing gate before making an API request. No opinion or docket results were obtained or classified.
- Verification
- partial
- Role
- archival_lead
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-27
- Study period
- 2026-09-27 search
- Limitations
- This documents a blocked search, not an absence of litigation. No CourtListener API response was received; qualifying asbestos litigation, other litigation, and name collisions remain unclassified. Docket search was not attempted after repeated pacing denials.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-balch-dd363-08