Evidence
5 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-5).
-
[1]DANFS, Blackfish (SS-221) - verbatim transcription via losthistory.net (live NHHC entry not located this pass) [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- DANFS service narrative and spec block
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Documented for this hull: launched 18 April 1942 by Electric Boat Co., Groton (sponsor Mrs. Henry deF. Mel); commissioned 22 July 1942, Comdr. R. W. Johnson. Assigned to Submarine Squadron 50, U.S. Naval Forces in Europe - five Atlantic war patrols October 1942 - July 1943 from Dakar to north of Iceland, sinking German Patrol Boat No. 408 off the north coast of Spain 19 February 1943. After U.S. refit she completed seven Pacific patrols (Solomons, New Guinea, South and East China Seas, Yellow Sea) October 1943 - August 1945, sinking one 2,087-ton Japanese cargo vessel; rescued six Army fliers and bombarded Kusakaki Shima on her final patrol. Inactive at New London; out of commission in reserve 11 May 1946; Naval Reserve Training Center, St. Petersburg, Fla., 5 May 1949 - 2 February 1954. Eight battle stars.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-18
- Study period
- 1941-1954
- Population
- EB construction trades (1941-42); crew (1942-1946); St. Petersburg reserve trainees (1949-1954)
- Limitations
- Ship-specific history only; contains no asbestos or material content. DANFS ends at her 1954 return to New London - the 1958 striking and 1959 sale rest on the NavSource data block.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-blackfish-ss221-01
-
[2]NavSource Online, Blackfish (SS-221) photo index page - data block [other_primary]
- Locator
- NavSource SS-221 data block
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- NavSource data block documents the post-DANFS chronology: placed out of service 19 May 1954 and laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet; struck from the Naval Register 1 September 1958; sold for scrapping 4 May 1959.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-18
- Study period
- 1954-1959
- Population
- Same populations as DANFS row
- Limitations
- Secondary compilation for the post-1954 chronology; no asbestos or material content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-blackfish-ss221-02
-
[3]Gato-class profile (ships-worktrees class-f/gato-class.class.json) + NavSource spec block (propulsion: diesel-electric, no boilers) [other_primary]
- Locator
- class-f/gato-class.class.json row ev-gato-class-07; NavSource SS-221 spec block
- Finding type
- asbestos_application
- Finding
- Era/design inference for a diesel-electric fleet submarine of the Gato class: the boats have no boilers or steam plant - era-consistent asbestos-relevant applications are diesel-exhaust lagging, engine gaskets and packing, acoustic/thermal hull insulation, galley and refrigeration insulation, and electrical/battery materials. All construction and documented Navy-yard periods on this hull fall inside the Navy's peak asbestos-use era. This hull was built 1941-42, refit in the U.S. mid-1943, and held in reserve-training use at St. Petersburg 1949-1954 - all events predate the Navy's substitution era.
- Verification
- inferred
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-18
- Study period
- 1941-1959
- Population
- EB construction trades (1941-42); U.S. refit trades (1943); crew and reserve trainees (1942-1954)
- Limitations
- Class/era inference only - does not establish that any asbestos-containing material is or was installed aboard this hull, and does not establish quantity, individual exposure, or present-day presence. No hull-specific insulation survey or material list was located.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-blackfish-ss221-03
-
[4]GAO, Navy Efforts To Protect Workers From Asbestos Exposure, HRD-80-2 (Oct 18, 1979) [gao]
- Locator
- GAO product page HRD-80-2 (full text blocked, HTTP 403)
- Finding type
- gov_survey
- Finding
- GAO documented that the Navy used asbestos insulation extensively aboard ships and did not begin substituting alternative insulation materials until the early 1970s - meaning every construction, overhaul, and repair event on this hull (built 1941-42) predates the substitution era.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-18
- Study period
- 1979
- Population
- Navy shipyard workers; asbestos program review
- Limitations
- Program-level documentation; supports era context only, not any fact specific to this hull. Full text not retrieved (gao.gov blocks automated fetch, HTTP 403) - content via product-page description.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-blackfish-ss221-04
-
[5]Batch-31 search ledger (this record): DANFS transcription; NavSource; site-scoped CourtListener index sweep [other_primary]
- Locator
- search_ledger rows sl-uss-blackfish-ss221-01 through -05
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- No qualifying ship-specific asbestos record located for SS-221: no asbestos survey, abatement contract, hazmat disclosure, or litigation naming THIS hull was found in the public sources searched. CourtListener API search was rate-limit throttled on 2026-09-18 (HTTP 429; site search interface and feeds also blocked); site-scoped web searches of courtlistener.com for 'USS Blackfish'/'SS-221' returned no qualifying asbestos case for this hull.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-18
- Study period
- 2026-09-18
- Limitations
- Absence of a located public record does not prove absence of asbestos aboard or of filings - state-court and non-digitized records are not covered and the CourtListener API sweep could not be completed under rate limiting. Does not establish or defeat any claim of exposure or legal eligibility.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-blackfish-ss221-05