Evidence
12 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-12).
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[1]research packet l-packet.md (1 sources cited) [other_primary]
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Identity packet verdict: VERIFIED (mirror-sourced; DANFS unreachable, see disclosure) — real identity: USS Bergen — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Bergen [MIRROR]
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Limitations
- qualifier: VERIFIED (mirror-sourced; DANFS unreachable, see disclosure)
- Evidence ID
- uss-bergen-apa150-pkt-l-packet-md
-
[2]Bureau of Ships, Ships' Data, U.S. Naval Vessels, Vol. 3 (NAVSHIPS 250-012, 1945), auxiliaries - transports, attack (APA) tables, per-hull rows for BERGEN APA-150 (shipscribe.com scan of the official BuShips publication) [other_primary]
- Locator
- SDB1945v3 pp. 222-227 (PDF pp. 240-245), APA tables: index p. 26; dimensions row; personnel row (56/480, 86/1,475, 35t boom); machinery row ('1 Joshua-Hendy turb... 8,500 2 ----- do .. 465 750'); armament/cargo row; construction row (acquired/first commission 23 Dec 44; Kaiser Co., Vancouver, Wash.)
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Official BuShips Ships' Data 1945 Vol. 3 carries per-hull table rows for BERGEN APA-150 (listed in the APA index): 455'0" overall / 436'6" waterline; beam 62'0"; limiting draft 24'0"; 17.7 knots; 14,837 tons trial displacement; machinery 1 Joshua-Hendy turbine, 8,500 shp, with 2 boilers (type column dittoed to Babcock & Wilcox header-type entries used for sister Kaiser hull AUDUBON APA-149) at 465 psi / 750F; accommodations 56 officers + 480 enlisted, troop capacity 86 officers + 1,475 enlisted; armament 1 x 5"/38 cal (D.P.) + 4 twin and 1 quad 40mm; cargo 150,000 cu ft / 2,900 DWT; builder Kaiser Co., Vancouver, Wash.; acquired 23 Dec 1944; first commission 23 Dec 1944.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-25
- Study period
- 1945
- Limitations
- Authoritative wartime BuShips publication naming this hull - confirms identity, machinery plant, manning, builder, and key dates. The boiler-type cell is a ditto ('do') beneath sister-hull B&W header-type entries; NavSource labels the boilers 'D'-type - minor type-label variance noted, both are B&W 465 psi/750F. 'Date acquired' reads 23 Dec 44 vs DANFS 'delivered 22 Dec 44' - one-day discrepancy logged in gaps. Contains no materials, insulation, or asbestos information; supports no asbestos claim.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-bergen-apa150-01
-
[3]DANFS, 'Bergen (APA-150)' entry (bergen-i.html), Naval History and Heritage Command, by Raymond A. Mann, 9 Feb 2006 (live NHHC URL returns 404 - verbatim text retrieved via Internet Archive Wayback capture 20251213132056) [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- DANFS 'Bergen (APA-150)' entry body text + spec block (capture 20251213132056)
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- NHHC records: named for Bergen County, N.J. Laid down 25 Oct 1944 under Maritime Commission contract (MCV hull 815) at Vancouver, Wash., by Kaiser Co.; launched 5 Dec 1944, sponsored by Mrs. Donald Campbell; delivered to the Navy 22 Dec 1944; commissioned 23 Dec 1944 at Astoria, Oreg., Capt. Ralston B. Vanzant in command. Service: shakedown San Pedro to 12 Feb 1945; post-shakedown availability Terminal Island 13-23 Feb; departed San Francisco 2 Mar; Pearl Harbor 8 Mar; Army units embarked Honolulu 27-28 Mar; departed 29 Mar for the Marianas; engineering casualty forced repairs at Eniwetok 6-9 Apr; Tanapag, Saipan, 12 Apr; hospital patients embarked for Hawaii; Pearl Harbor 25 Apr, main propulsion plant repairs to 15 May; departed Honolulu 30 May; San Francisco 5 Jun; Seattle cargo 24-27 Jun; Honolulu 4 Jul; departed 11 Jul for western Pacific; Ulithi 23 Jul-8 Aug; Hagushi anchorage, Okinawa, 12 Aug (witnessed air raids over the last three days of the war); shifted to Buckner Bay 26 Aug; troops embarked 1 Sep; Jinsen, Korea, 8 Sep for five days disembarking occupation troops; Okinawa 15 Sep, embarked elements of the 7th Marines; departed 26 Sep for northern China; Taku 30 Sep-5 Oct; Manila Bay 13 Oct; homeward-bound veterans Manila/Subic; departed Subic 31 Oct; San Francisco 20 Nov; boiler repairs at Hunters Point; departed 7 Dec for the Philippines; diverted Samar to Manila 22 Dec; arrived 29 Dec; Subic Bay 3 Jan 1946; Port Hueneme 24 Jan; San Francisco 29 Jan; departed 11 Feb via Panama Canal; Norfolk 2 Mar. Decommissioned at Norfolk 24 Apr 1946; returned to the Maritime Commission's War Shipping Administration 26 Apr; stricken from the Navy list 8 May 1946; berthed with the NDRF at James River, Va., until spring 1973; sold 9 Apr 1973 to Union Minerals & Alloys Corp., New York City, for scrapping.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-25
- Study period
- 1944-1973
- Limitations
- Primary Navy historical entry - authoritative for service history, custody chain, and disposal. Contains no asbestos or materials information; supports no asbestos claim. Live NHHC page 404s (standing link rot, cf. BATCH-01); the Wayback capture is the verbatim NHHC text.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-bergen-apa150-02
-
[4]NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive - USS Bergen (APA-150), file 10/03/03150 [other_primary]
- Locator
- NavSource 03150.htm - timeline, specifications block, awards table, commanding-officer table, disposal entries
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- NavSource corroborates DANFS and adds detail: radio call sign NDQT; TransRon Twenty-Four (COMO E. L. Short USNR) / TransDiv Seventy assignment; awards - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, Navy Occupation Service Medal (Asia clasp) 2-28 Sep 1945, China Service Medal (extended) 30 Sep-10 Oct 1945; commanding officers Capt. Ralston B. Vanzant (23 Dec 1944-5 Dec 1945) and Capt. (later RADM) Redfield Mason (5 Dec 1945-24 Apr 1946); disposal - returned to War Shipping Administration 26 Apr 1946 for NDRF James River, Lee Hall, VA; struck 8 May 1946; sold 9 Apr 1973 to Union Minerals & Alloys Corp., NYC, delivered 27 Sep 1973. Spec block: 6,873 t light / 14,837 t full; 455' x 62' x 24'; 17.7 kt; complement 56 officers + 480 enlisted; troop accommodations 86 officers + 1,475 enlisted; 1 Joshua-Hendy geared turbine, 2 Babcock & Wilcox 'D'-type boilers (465 psi, 750F), double Joshua-Hendy main reduction gears, three 300kW 120/240V DC turbo-drive generators, 8,500 shp, one propeller; armament 1x5"/38 DP, 4 twin + 1 quad 40mm, 10x20mm; boats 2 LCM + 1 open LCPL + 1 covered LCPL + 2 LCPR + 18 LCVP; fuel 7,780 bbls NSFO + 970 diesel.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-25
- Study period
- 1944-1973
- Limitations
- Specialist secondary compilation - detailed but non-official; consistent with NHHC and SDB on identity/dates (NavSource 'acquired 22 Dec' matches DANFS delivery; SDB/shipscribe record acquisition 23 Dec). Boiler label 'D-type' differs from SDB's header-type-ditto chain - noted, not adjudicated. Contains no asbestos information; supports no asbestos claim.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-bergen-apa150-03
-
[5]U.S. Maritime Administration, ShipHistory database - BERGEN (APA-150), Ship History Detail 496, incl. digitized vessel status card (Reserve Fleet Division - Vessel Data) and Record of Ship Sales (Form MA-20) card, plus custody-card document BERGEN.pdf [marad_nrc]
- Locator
- ShipHistory Detail 496 - registry block, milestones table (Disposition/Withdrawal 9/27/1973), status-card images (/cards/496_919AF.jpg front incl. FY1955 repair entry; /cards/496_919AB.jpg reverse ballast report; /cards/496_AF.jpg MA-20 sale card), documents tab BERGEN.pdf
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- MARAD ShipHistory registry and digitized cards for this hull: Year Built 1944; Shipyard 'Kaiser Company'; Naval Auxiliary; 'APA Attack Transport'; MARAD Type VC2-S-AP5; 455.00 ft; beam 62.00 ft; summer displacement 14,837 t / lightweight 6,873 t; fate 'Sold - Scrap'; milestone withdrawal/disposition 27 Sep 1973. Reserve Fleet vessel-data card (hull MCV-815, WSA ownership, James River unit): entered fleet 4-26-46; 'Repair Program FY 1955 - Withdrawn Dec. 17, 1954 - 1225 hrs EST - GAA-Farrell Lines' and 'Returned Feb. 10, 1955 - 1750 hrs EST - GAA-Farrell Lines'; fuel at entry 3,606 bbls Bunker C + 7 diesel; termination port of last voyage Norfolk; 'Sold for scrap under PD-X-956, 4-9-73 to Union Minerals & Alloys Corp. for $111,560'; withdrawn/delivered '1000 EDT 9-27-73'. MA-20 sale card: PD-X-956, contract MA-6927, advertised 3-5-73 / opened 4-4-73 under two conditions, award under condition (2) 'Scrap Hull - U.S. 24 months'; acquisition note 'Built by Kaiser Co., Inc., Vancouver, Wash.' Card reverse carries permanent-ballast report of 12-29-49 (iron blocks and poured concrete in #4 and #2 lower holds, evaporator room, generator room, dry stores; #3 tank-top concrete over billets; engine room 73 t billets + 24 t concrete; generator room 65 + 28 t).
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-25
- Study period
- 1946-1973
- Population
- NDRF lay-up/repair and 1973 breaking-yard workers (custody context)
- Limitations
- Authoritative MARAD primary records (registry + digitized custody/sale cards). Documents custody chain, a reserve-fleet repair withdrawal under commercial GAA (Farrell Lines, Dec 1954-Feb 1955), permanent ballast, and sale terms; does not state the repair scope or the breaking location. Contains no asbestos or materials information; supports no asbestos claim.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-bergen-apa150-04
-
[6]USS Bergen (APA-150) commissioning program booklet (period printed artifact, scanned; hosted by NavSource as file 03150a.pdf) [other_primary]
- Locator
- NavSource 03150a.pdf - cover ('Commissioning U.S.S. BERGEN APA 150') and ceremony page
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Scanned commissioning program for 'U.S.S. BERGEN APA 150': ceremony at Naval Station Astoria with assembly of crew, commissioning orders and remarks by Captain A. R. Ponto, USN (commanding officer, Naval Station Astoria), transfer of command to Captain R. B. Vanzant, USN, and the watch posted by Lieut. Comdr. E. B. Carlson, USNR, executive officer - corroborating the 23 Dec 1944 Astoria commissioning and command assignment recorded by DANFS.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-25
- Study period
- 1944-12-23
- Limitations
- Period printed artifact photographed/scanned and hosted by a specialist archive (NavSource); corroborates ceremony details only. Contains no materials or asbestos information; supports no asbestos claim.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-bergen-apa150-05
-
[7]Consolidated era/design inference - BuShips SDB 1945 v3 machinery row for this hull + VC2-S-AP5 type data (shipscribe APA-117 class page) [other_primary]
- Locator
- SDB1945v3 machinery table APA-150 row; https://shipscribe.com/usnaux/APA/APA117.html class data; DANFS service narrative; MARAD status card FY1955 repair entry
- Finding type
- asbestos_application
- Finding
- Era/design inference: this hull carried a single-screw geared-steam plant (one Joshua-Hendy turbine, two Babcock & Wilcox boilers at 465 psi / 750F superheat) built at the peak of WWII asbestos usage - the machinery configuration for which boiler and fireroom insulation, main and auxiliary steam-line lagging, turbine lagging, valve and flange gaskets, machinery packing, and accommodation joiner insulation of the period were commonly asbestos-containing. Troop-space outfitting (capacity 1,561) added interior insulation scope. In-service disturbance events documented for this hull include an engineering-casualty repair stop (Eniwetok, 6-9 Apr 1945), main propulsion plant repairs at Pearl Harbor (25 Apr-15 May 1945), boiler repairs at Hunters Point (Nov 1945), and the FY1955 Repair Program withdrawal under Farrell Lines GAA (17 Dec 1954-10 Feb 1955); NDRF lay-up 1946-1973 and the 1973 'Scrap Hull - U.S.' breaking are the disposal-phase pathways.
- Verification
- inferred
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-25
- Study period
- 1944-1973
- Population
- Construction trades at Kaiser Co., Vancouver (1944); wartime crew and embarked troops; repair-yard workers (Eniwetok, Pearl Harbor, Hunters Point 1945; Farrell Lines GAA 1954-55); NDRF lay-up and 1973 breaking-yard workers
- Limitations
- Inference from the documented machinery plant, construction era, and documented maintenance/custody events - NOT a hull record. No survey, specification, or material schedule naming APA-150 was located; establishes no asbestos content, quantity, location, individual exposure, or causation.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-bergen-apa150-06
-
[8]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 construction program under which this VC2-S-AP5 attack transport was mass-produced at Kaiser Vancouver - and that wartime demand drove unprecedented asbestos utilization in shipbuilding.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-25
- 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 or class 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-bergen-apa150-07
-
[9]Fleischer, W.E., Viles, F.J. Jr., Gade, R.L., and Drinker, P., 'A health survey of pipe covering operations in constructing naval vessels,' J Ind Hyg Toxicol 28(1):9-16 (Jan 1946), PMID 21016030 [other_primary]
- Locator
- PubMed record PMID 21016030; article pp. 9-16 (pipe covering material section)
- Finding type
- gov_survey
- Finding
- The U.S. Maritime Commission-commissioned industrial-hygiene survey of WWII pipe-covering operations at two Navy yards and two Navy contract yards documented that 'an important ingredient of pipe covering material used on U.S. Navy vessels is amosite' - i.e., asbestos insulation was standard material in wartime naval-vessel construction of exactly this hull's era and type.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-25
- Study period
- survey ~1944-45; published 1946
- Population
- WWII pipe coverers and insulators at Navy and contract yards (era context)
- Limitations
- Era-level documentation of asbestos use in naval construction generally; does not name this vessel, class, or builder yard and establishes nothing about this hull's materials, condition, or any individual exposure. (The study's exculpatory 'not a dangerous occupation' conclusion has since been heavily criticized - see the 2026 critique at DOI 10.1177/10482911261446696.)
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-bergen-apa150-08
-
[10]Cross-source discrepancy check - NHHC DANFS 'Bergen (APA-150)' (Wayback capture 20251213132056); NavSource 03150; BuShips SDB 1945 v3 APA tables; shipscribe HASKELL-class page (construction/disposal/custody notes); MARAD Detail 496 cards; class-f haskell-class.class.json member row; Wikipedia List of Victory ships (B) [other_primary]
- Locator
- DANFS construction paragraph; SDB1945v3 pp. 226-227; NavSource 03150.htm spec block; shipscribe construction table and custody-notes table (MCV 815 row); MARAD cards; haskell-class.class.json member_vessels APA-150 row
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Source discrepancies resolved or logged: (a) Navy acquisition/delivery - DANFS 'delivered to the Navy 22 Dec 1944' vs BuShips SDB and shipscribe 'acquired 23 Dec 44' - the one-day difference is unresolved; commissioned 23 Dec 44 is agreed. (b) Wikipedia's List of Victory ships records the hull 'delivered 23 January 1945' - conflicts with DANFS/SDB/MARAD and is not adopted. (c) Boiler type label - NavSource 'B&W D-type' vs SDB ditto under header-type entries (sister Kaiser hull Audubon APA-149 is 'B. & W. hdr'); recorded as a label variance, not adjudicated. (d) Buyer name - law-firm/marketing page renders 'Union Metals & Alloys Corporation'; MARAD sale card and DANFS/NavSource read 'Union Minerals & Alloys Corp.' - MARAD adopted. (e) class-f haskell-class.class.json member row for this hull carries commissioned '1945-01' vs verified 1944-12-23 - flagged for the class-file maintainer. (f) shipscribe note 'Repaired while inactive 17 Dec 54-10 Feb 55' is confirmed by the MARAD status card's 'Repair Program FY 1955 ... GAA-Farrell Lines' entries.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- correction
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-25
- Study period
- 1944-1973
- Limitations
- Resolves publication-level discrepancies against primary/authoritative sources; the acquisition-date one-day difference and boiler-type label variance remain open but immaterial. None of the compared sources contains asbestos information; this row supports no asbestos claim.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-bergen-apa150-09
-
[11]Batch-2222 search ledger (this record): NHHC/DANFS via Wayback; NavSource 03150 + commissioning program 03150a.pdf; MARAD ShipHistory Detail 496 incl. digitized status/sale cards; BuShips SDB 1945 v3; shipscribe APA-117 class page; CourtListener authenticated API sweeps; indexed-web litigation checks; NARA record-group guides [other_primary]
- Locator
- search_ledger rows sl-uss-bergen-apa150-01 through sl-uss-bergen-apa150-10
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- No qualifying ship-specific asbestos record located: no asbestos survey, abatement contract, hazmat disclosure, court finding, or docketed asbestos case naming USS Bergen / APA-150 / MCV hull 815 was found in the public sources searched (see search_ledger). CourtListener authenticated opinion search '"USS Bergen"' returned zero results (2026-09-25); '"APA-150"' returned three non-qualifying Delaware commercial-case name collisions. Law-firm marketing surfaces exist (a dedicated asbestos-ships.com hull page and firm list entries) asserting era-typical asbestos content without primary support - excluded as sources per the no-law-firm-sources rule and logged in the batch report.
- 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 - a 1944 geared-steam transport is era-consistent with asbestos-containing materials, and her repair events, ~27 years in NDRF custody, FY1955 repair withdrawal, and 1973 breaking are undocumented disturbance phases. Does not establish presence or absence; does not establish or defeat any exposure claim or legal eligibility. CourtListener coverage: 'Bergen AND asbestos' opinion sweep and docket-index sweep remained queued behind the fleet pacing budget at research time (see search_ledger sl-07).
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-bergen-apa150-10
-
[12]NARA Guide to Federal Records: RG 24 (Bureau of Naval Personnel - Navy deck logs), RG 19 (Bureau of Ships), RG 178 (U.S. Maritime Commission), RG 357 (Maritime Administration) [other_primary]
- Locator
- https://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/024.html ; /groups/019.html ; /groups/178.html ; /groups/357.html
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Archival leads (not retrieved - requires research-room or reproduction order; no spend authorized): Navy deck logs for USS Bergen 1944-1946 (RG 24, NARA College Park); BuShips records incl. VC2-S-AP5 contract plans and Booklets of General Plans (RG 19); USMC construction-contract records for MCV hull 815 at Kaiser Co., Vancouver (RG 178); MARAD/NDRF custody files covering the 1946-1973 lay-up, the Repair Program FY1955 withdrawal under Farrell Lines GAA (Dec 1954-Feb 1955), and the PD-X-956/MA-6927 1973 sale file (RG 357). The MARAD ShipHistory documents tab for this hull was retrieved (status cards + BERGEN.pdf custody card) - the residual paper custody file remains the lead.
- Verification
- unverified
- Role
- archival_lead
- Documentation level
- context_only
- Accessed
- 2026-09-25
- Study period
- 1944-1973 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-bergen-apa150-11