Evidence
7 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-7).
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[1]research packet j-packet.md (3 sources cited) [other_primary]
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Identity packet verdict: VERIFIED
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Evidence ID
- uss-beckham-apa133-pkt-j-packet-md
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[2]Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS), 'Beckham (APA-133)' entry (NHHC page via Internet Archive Wayback capture 2025-12-09; live NHHC page returned HTTP 404 at time of access - known NHHC link rot, consistent with Batch-01 standing note; entry footer dated 1 February 2004, Naval Historical Center) [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- DANFS 'Beckham (APA-133)' entry, full text; Wayback capture 2025-12-09 of history.navy.mil DANFS page
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- DANFS documents the ship's identity and service: laid down 27 July 1944 at San Pedro, Calif. by California Shipbuilding Co. under Maritime Commission contract (MCV hull 49); launched 14 October 1944 (sponsor Mrs. Frank J. Connolly of Los Angeles); commissioned at San Pedro 10 December 1944 (Capt. Albin R. Sodergren); shakedown San Pedro from 18 December 1944; amphibious training Coronado Roads / San Clemente Island / Oceanside 6-19 January 1945; Oakland cargo load, sailed 8 February for the Marshalls; Eniwetok 22 February, cargo for the Marine garrison on Engebi Island; TU 12.6.2 convoy to the Volcano Islands, off Iwo Jima night of 13 March, embarked 4th Marine Division elements 18 March; Apra, Guam, 22 March; Pearl Harbor 4 April; Maalea Bay, Maui, amphibious exercises late April; convoy PD-399T to the Marshalls 8 May; Ulithi 24 May; convoy WOK-27 to Hagushi beachhead, Okinawa, 24 June; kamikaze crashed into the sea 1,000 yards off her starboard beam close aboard Auburn (AGC-10) at 0030 on 26 June; convoy OKS-10 to Saipan 2 July; Pearl Harbor 13 July; Ulithi 8 August; convoy WOK-49 to Hagushi 22 August; Jinsen, Korea, 8-10 September in TU 78.1.15 under VAdm. Barbey (7th Amphibious Force, air cover Anzio CVE-57), carrying 7th Infantry Division and XXIV Corps elements; landing craft returned 138 American (Bataan) and 30 British former POWs; Hagushi 15 September; Guiuan Roadstead, Samar, 25 September; Gulf of Pohai, China, 14 October for Tientsin cargo; Tsingtao; Manila 3 November; San Francisco 26 November with 1,970 passengers; Hunters' Point 'minor repairs and reconditioning of underwater hull' into December; Philippines return run December-January; Seattle 26 January 1946; last Navy voyage 16 February 1946 via Panama Canal (transit 24 February) to Norfolk, arriving 7 March; decommissioned Norfolk 25 April 1946; turned over to the War Shipping Administration 29 April 1946; struck from the Navy list 8 May 1946; berthed with the Maritime Commission's National Defense Reserve Fleet. Two battle stars for World War II service. DANFS header: APA-133: displacement 14,837 (tons); length 455 feet; beam 62 feet; draft 24 feet; speed 19 knots; complement 536; troops 1,561; armament 1 5-inch, 12 40mm., 10 20mm.; class Haskell; T. VC2-S-AP5.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-25
- Study period
- 1944-1946
- Population
- Ship's company 536 + embarked troops (WWII)
- Limitations
- Authoritative Navy history text; contains no asbestos, insulation-material, or survey statement. States the ship 'remained inactive until sold' - omitting the September-November 1954 repair-program withdrawal documented on the MARAD status card (card adopted as controlling). Header speed (19 knots) conflicts with NavSource's ship-data sheet (17.7 knots). Does not establish any asbestos fact.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-beckham-apa133-01
-
[3]MARAD Vessel History Database, BECKHAM (APA-133) detail page (vessel ID 446) with digitized vessel status cards: Vessel Status Card custody record (8d95aa7e-d5f0-4903-9fbc-79c43b1fa662.png), Reserve Fleet Division vessel-data cards front and reverse (446_825AF.jpg / 446_825BF.jpg / 446_825AB.jpg), Record of Ship Sales Form MA-20 (446_AF.jpg), and custody-transfer document (712ac438-bb40-45e9-a19e-2ba703ee329f.pdf) [marad_nrc]
- Locator
- vesselhistory.marad.dot.gov Detail/446 - 'Status Cards' panel (5 images: 8d95aa7e-d5f0-4903-9fbc-79c43b1fa662.png custody card; 446_825AF.jpg and 446_825BF.jpg Reserve Fleet card fronts; 446_825AB.jpg card reverse with permanent-ballast report; 446_AF.jpg Form MA-20 sale record), Documents (712ac438 custody-transfer PDF), and Milestones (Disposition/Withdrawal 9/5/1974); Fate 'Sold - Scrap'
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- MARAD primary custody record for this hull, read directly from the digitized cards: hull MCV 49, type VC2-S-AP5, built by Calif. S.B. Corp. (yard hull #TR17) at Wilmington, Cal., completed 12-9-44; 'Basis to W.S.A. 12-9-44 10:00AM PWT @ Wilmington, Calif. del. by Builders to USMC'; Navy Dept. (del. by USMC, form LB) at Wilmington 12-9-44 10:00AM PWT; to WSA Reserve Fleet at Lee Hall, Va. 4-29-46 12:10PM EST ('from Navy Dept. - Surplus'); permanent-ballast report of 11-22-49 (poured cement on 3rd deck in #2 hold 60'x39'x8" and #4 hold 52'x34'x8", plus 10"x20"x10" blocks with sheathing 52'x34'x10" in #4 hold); withdrawn to Eastern S.S. Line (GAA, James River) 9-22-54 10:45AM EST under 'Repair Prog. FY 1955' and returned to Reserve Fleet (Repair Program) at James River 11-12-54 11:40AM EST; sold to Sparreboom Shipbrokers, B.V., Rotterdam, Netherlands (Scrap) 7-16-74, physical delivery 9-5-74 10:10AM EDT. Form MA-20 Record of Ship Sales: PD-X-980, awarded to Sparreboom Shipbrokers B.V. 7-16-74 for $732,500.00, contract MA-7465, advertised under PD-X-961 / PD-X-964 / PD-X-968 with bids rejected, then PD-X-980 dated 6-7-74 opened 7-11-74 under two conditions - '(1) NTU (2) SCRAP HULL' - 'Award under condition (2)'. Card dimensions 436'6" x 62' x 38'; light ship weight 6,240. Termination port of last voyage: Norfolk; fuel oil at fleet entry 1,457 bbls Bunker C / 164 bbls diesel. Stripping-of-vessel fields (deck/engine/steward equipment) are blank; red 'Scrap Program' stamp across the 825-series card.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-25
- Study period
- 1944-1974
- Population
- NDRF caretakers, Lee Hall/James River (1946-1974); Eastern S.S. Line repair-program workforce (Sept-Nov 1954); shipbreaking workforce (1974, yard not named)
- Limitations
- Authoritative custody/disposal record; no asbestos, insulation, or hazardous-material field or annotation appears anywhere on the cards. The stripping-equipment fields are blank - records no stripping scope, not proof none occurred. The 1954 repair-program withdrawal is documented as a custody event only; its work scope is not recorded on the card. The actual breaking yard is not named (purchaser was a Rotterdam shipbroker). Does not establish any asbestos fact.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-beckham-apa133-02
-
[4]NavSource Online Amphibious Photo Archive, USS Beckham (APA-133) entry 10/03/03133 - reproduces DANFS text plus ship-data sheet, commanding-officer list, campaign/award tables, and MARAD/NDRF status-card movements [other_primary]
- Locator
- APA-133 entry: build/milestone block, campaign and occupation-service tables, NDRF movement block, specifications block, CO list, photo captions (NH 98706, San Francisco Bay)
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Status-card-derived milestones for this hull consistent with the MARAD cards and DANFS: laid down 27 July 1944 as Maritime Commission type VC2-S-AP5 (MCV hull 49) at California Shipbuilding Corp., Wilmington; launched 14 October 1944; acquired by the Navy from the Maritime Commission 9 December 1944; commissioned at San Pedro 10 December 1944 (CAPT. Albin R. Sodergren USN, USNA 1923 - sole commanding officer 10 December 1944 to 25 April 1946); TransRon Twenty-One / TransDiv Sixty-Three; campaign table: Iwo Jima operation, assault and occupation, 6-16 March 1945, and Okinawa Gunto operation, assault and occupation, 24-27 June 1945; Navy Occupation Service 2-22 September 1945 and China Service (extended) 11-30 October 1945; decommissioned Norfolk 25 April 1946; returned to the Maritime Commission 29 April 1946 for lay-up NDRF James River Group, Lee Hall; struck from the Naval Register 8 May 1946; two battle stars; 'Withdrawn from the James River Reserve Fleet from, 22 September to 12 November 1954, to Eastern Steamship Co., (Repair Program) General Agency Agreement'; sold for scrapping 16 July 1974 to Sparreboom Shipbrokers B.V., Rotterdam (PD-X-980 dated 7 July 1974), $732,500.00, withdrawn 5 September 1974. Ship-data sheet: one Westinghouse geared turbine with double Westinghouse main reduction gears, two Babcock & Wilcox header-type boilers 465 psi/750 deg F, three 300kW 120V/240V D.C. ship's service generators, one propeller 8,500 shp; displacement 6,873 lt / 14,837 fl; length 455'; beam 62'; draft 24'; speed 17.7 kts; complement 56 officers + 480 enlisted; troops 86 officers + 1,475 enlisted; cargo 2,900 DWT non-refrigerated 150,000 cu ft; largest boom 35 t; fuel NSFO 7,780 bbls / diesel 970 bbls; boats 2 LCM, 1 open LCPL, 1 covered LCPL (captain's gig), 2 LCPR, 18 LCVP; armament one 5"/38 DP, one quad 40mm, four twin 40mm, ten single 20mm; call sign NDNT; photo NH 98706 shows the ship in San Francisco Bay November 1945-February 1946 (donated to US Naval Historical Center 2003).
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-25
- Study period
- 1944-1974
- Population
- Ship's company 536 + embarked troops (WWII)
- Limitations
- Volunteer-compiled archive transcribing official sources; transcription confirmed against the actual MARAD status cards and DANFS for this batch (all dated entries matched). Contains no asbestos statement. Its PD-X-980 line reads 'dated 7 July 1974' while the card reads 'dated 6-7-74 / opened 7-11-74' - card data adopted. Campaign-table Iwo Jima dates (6-16 March) differ from the short hazegray DANFS entry's '2-9 March 1945' reinforcement credit - both carried as source-stated.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-beckham-apa133-03
-
[5]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); machinery data per NavSource ship-data sheet and BuShips Ships' Data 1945 Vol. 3 class figures (shipscribe.com scan, Haskell-class profile) [other_primary]
- Locator
- AJIM 11(3):359-373; NavSource APA-133 specifications block; class profile machinery row
- Finding type
- asbestos_application
- Finding
- The ship was a VC2-S-AP5 Victory-type hull built in 1944 with a geared-steam plant (two B&W header-type boilers, single geared turbine, 8,500 shp) - machinery of the exact type and era that peer-reviewed scholarship documents as extensively asbestos-insulated in WWII U.S. shipbuilding (boiler/turbine insulation, steam-line lagging, gaskets, packing, accommodation insulation, brake linings). The class was built at peak wartime asbestos consumption.
- Verification
- inferred
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-25
- Study period
- 1944-1974; article 1987
- Population
- Construction trades (California Shipbuilding, Wilmington, 1944); ship's company 1944-46; Hunters' Point repair workforce (Nov-Dec 1945); NDRF caretakers 1946-74; 1954 repair-program workforce; 1974 shipbreakers
- Limitations
- Class/era inference only - no source names this hull's materials; the Corn & Starr article documents the WWII shipbuilding program generally, not this vessel. Does not establish that asbestos was or remains aboard this hull, nor quantity, location, condition, individual exposure, or causation.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-beckham-apa133-04
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[6]Batch-2203 search ledger (this record): DANFS via NHHC Wayback capture, MARAD Vessel History Database (status cards read directly), NavSource, NARA catalog, CourtListener opinion searches [other_primary]
- Locator
- search_ledger rows sl-uss-beckham-apa133-01 through sl-uss-beckham-apa133-10
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- No qualifying ship-specific asbestos record located: no asbestos survey, abatement or repair-scope record, hazmat disclosure, or docketed asbestos case naming USS Beckham or APA-133 was found in the public sources searched (see search_ledger). CourtListener screens: 'USS Beckham' quoted opinion search count=0; '"Beckham" AND asbestos' opinion search count=44, page-1 screen all name collisions (person surnames in asbestos dockets; law-firm names such as Upshaw, Williams, Biggers, Beckham & Riddick; 'USSARD' party name) - none involve the ship; '"APA-133"' opinion search count=2 (Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. v. Agiato, Del. Ch. 2025 - internal code string collision; Fish v. Kobach, D. Kan. 2016 - document/paragraph string collision) - neither involves the ship or asbestos; RECAP docket search '"USS Beckham" OR "APA-133"' count=36 dockets / 41 documents - all 'APA' token collisions (Administrative Procedure Act litigation, agency dockets, claim-number strings); 'Beckham' and 'APA-133' do not literally appear in any returned docket.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-25
- Study period
- 2026-09-25
- Limitations
- Absence of a located public record does not prove absence of asbestos aboard - 1944 construction era and steam plant are consistent with era-typical materials. Screens covered the first results page of each query; deeper pages were not exhaustively reviewed, but no page-1 hit referenced the vessel. Does not establish or defeat any claim of exposure or legal eligibility.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-beckham-apa133-05
-
[7]NARA records for the hull (WWII-era deck logs; RG 19 Bureau of Ships and RG 178 Maritime Commission construction files for MCV hull 49); MARAD disposal-contract file PD-X-980 / MA-7465; NARA/US Naval Historical Center still-photo holdings (photo NH 98706, San Francisco Bay, Nov 1945-Feb 1946, per NavSource caption) [other_primary]
- Locator
- search_ledger rows sl-uss-beckham-apa133-08, sl-uss-beckham-apa133-09
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Unretrieved primary records that could hold hull-level material detail: NARA deck logs and construction records for APA-133 / MCV hull 49 (catalog.archives.gov returned a JavaScript shell from this session - not reached); the PD-X-980 / MA-7465 scrapping-contract file (sales terms recorded on the status card, full contract not retrieved); the FY1955 repair-program work order file behind the Eastern S.S. Line GAA withdrawal (not located); and wartime still photographs indexed on NavSource including NH 98706.
- Verification
- unverified
- Role
- archival_lead
- Documentation level
- context_only
- Accessed
- 2026-09-25
- Limitations
- Archival lead only - nothing retrieved beyond the MARAD cards; these records may contain no asbestos information at all.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-beckham-apa133-06