Evidence
5 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-5).
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[1]Naval History and Heritage Command, Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS), LCI(L)-513 entry (group/flotilla narrative covering LCI(L)-513 through at least -526, incl. -515) [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- DANFS LCI(L)-513 entry, construction/commissioning paragraph
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- USS LCI(L)-515 - the hull later renamed USS Blackbird (AMCU-11/MHC-11) - was commissioned 10 December 1943, part of a production block of LCI(L)-351-class infantry landing craft built by New Jersey Shipbuilding Corp. at Barber, NJ. The immediately preceding hull in the same numbered block, LCI(L)-513, was laid down 5 November 1943, launched 3 December 1943, and commissioned 9 December 1943 at the same yard - consistent with 515 being built in the same contract group, though 515's own keel-laying and launch dates were not independently located.
- Verification
- partial
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-23
- Study period
- 1943
- Limitations
- history.navy.mil could not be fetched directly this session (network egress to history.navy.mil, nvr.navy.mil, archives.gov, nps.gov, and other reference domains was blocked by the environment's proxy policy for every domain tested, including non-government sites); this finding rests on search-engine snippet text attributed to the DANFS page, not a verified full-text read. The commissioning date matches the batch brief's stated fact and is independently repeated across multiple search results, but should be re-confirmed against the primary DANFS/NVR text before reliance. Establishes identity and build timeframe only - no asbestos content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-blackbird-amcu11-01
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[2]Naval History and Heritage Command, DANFS, LCI(L)-513 entry (group/flotilla narrative naming LCI(L)-515 by hull number for these specific movements) [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- DANFS LCI(L)-513 entry, 1944 Mediterranean operations narrative
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- As LCI(L)-515, the hull served in the Mediterranean theater in 1944: operated with a flotilla including LCI(L)-513, -521, -523, and -526; sailed with LCI(L)-513 and -523 to Naples in September 1944 for maintenance alongside repair ship USS Delta (AR-9); carried troops to Marseille in support of Operation Dragoon (the invasion of Southern France) in October 1944; and conducted transit/training runs between Pozzuoli and Lake Bizerte (Tunisia) with LCI(L)-513 and -521 in late October-early November 1944.
- Verification
- partial
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-23
- Study period
- 1944
- Population
- LCI(L)-515 crew, 1944
- Limitations
- Same access limitation as ev-01: retrieved via search-engine snippets, not a verified full-text NHHC read this session. Establishes wartime movements/operations only - contains no asbestos, insulation, or materials information, and does not establish exposure for any individual.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-blackbird-amcu11-02
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[3]Batch-1642 search ledger (this record): CourtListener API v4 opinion and RECAP searches for all five designations, 2026-09-23 (initial pass) and 2026-09-23 (follow-up verification pass, closing the LSIL-515 coverage gap and re-confirming all other designations); DANFS/NVR/NARA access attempts (see search_ledger) [other_primary]
- Locator
- search_ledger rows sl-uss-blackbird-amcu11-06 through sl-uss-blackbird-amcu11-15
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- No qualifying ship-specific asbestos record was located for this hull under any of its designations (LCI(L)-515, LSIL-515, AMCU-11, MHC-11, or the name Blackbird): no asbestos survey, abatement contract, hazmat disclosure, NIOSH HHE, or GAO field report naming this hull was found. CourtListener searches (opinions and RECAP dockets, API v4) for "USS Blackbird", "AMCU-11", "MHC-11", "LSIL-515", and "LCI(L)-515" (each independently re-run and confirmed in a follow-up verification pass) returned no qualifying asbestos or other litigation naming this vessel; the only hits were name/token collisions - an unrelated Maryland habeas case matching "MHC-11" as a substring; an unrelated ERISA benefits case, Wren v. Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. (N.D. Cal. 4:08-cv-03361), matching "AMCU-11" as a substring; and an unrelated Mercedes-Benz consumer class action, Pinon v. Daimler AG (N.D. Ga. 1:18-cv-03984-MHC), matching "MHC-11" via the presiding judge's initials in the docket caption - all three investigated and excluded, none containing ship or asbestos content. Separately, NavSource.org's own hull page for this vessel states "There is no DANFS History currently available for Blackbird (MHC 11)", independently corroborating the batch brief's PRIMARY all-tier finding that no dedicated DANFS/NHHC entry exists for this hull under its post-1943 identity.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-23
- Study period
- 2026-09-23
- Limitations
- Absence of a located public record does not prove absence of asbestos aboard or absence of litigation - CourtListener's PACER/RECAP coverage is incomplete for older or sealed dockets, and this session could not reach NVR, NARA, or a full-text DANFS/NHHC page (network egress blocked, re-confirmed in the follow-up pass) to check for hull surveys or abatement records. Does not establish presence or absence of asbestos, and does not establish or defeat any exposure or legal claim.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-blackbird-amcu11-03
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[4]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 program under which this LCI(L)-351-class hull was built (commissioned December 1943), and that wartime demand drove unprecedented asbestos utilization aboard U.S. Navy small craft generally.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-23
- Study period
- 1940s era documented; article 1987
- Population
- WWII shipyard workers and small-craft crews (class/era context)
- Limitations
- Program/era-level scholarly documentation of asbestos use in WWII shipbuilding generally; does not name this vessel, does not establish that asbestos was or remains aboard this hull, and does not establish quantity, location, condition, exposure, or causation. This hull was diesel-propelled (no boiler plant), so boiler-insulation applications discussed for steam vessels of the era are not applicable here; exhaust lagging, pipe covering, and machinery gaskets/packing are the class-typical exposure pathway.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-blackbird-amcu11-04
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[5]NARA Guide to Federal Records: RG 19 (Bureau of Ships), RG 24 (Bureau of Naval Personnel), RG 38 (Chief of Naval Operations); Naval Vessel Register (nvr.navy.mil) [other_primary]
- Locator
- RG 19 Bureau of Ships finding aid; RG 24; RG 38; NVR
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Archival lead (not retrieved - requires research-room access; no spend authorized, and NARA's website could not be reached this session): NARA RG 19 (Records of the Bureau of Ships) holds LCI(L) and small-craft conversion/alteration records including AMCU mine-countermeasures conversions; RG 24 (Records of the Bureau of Naval Personnel) and RG 38 (Chief of Naval Operations) may hold deck logs and war diaries for LCI(L)-515/AMCU-11/MHC-11; the Naval Vessel Register (nvr.navy.mil) would carry the authoritative hull-history and disposal record but was unreachable this session (network egress blocked).
- Verification
- unverified
- Role
- archival_lead
- Documentation level
- context_only
- Accessed
- 2026-09-23
- Study period
- 1943-1960 records
- Limitations
- Record-group mapping only, and the citation URL itself could not be fetched or confirmed reachable this session (archives.gov blocked by network egress policy) - existence of asbestos-specific or hull-specific documents is unknown until surveyed. Nothing in this row is an asbestos finding.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-blackbird-amcu11-05