USS Botetourt (APA-136)

Evidence

8 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-8).

1. [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-botetourt-apa136-pkt-j-packet-md

2. [2]DANFS, 'Botetourt (APA-136)' (Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships; verbatim transcription via hazegray/losthistory mirror; live NHHC page returned 404 on 2026-09-25) [nhhc_danfs]

   Locator

   DANFS APA-136 entry, full narrative and spec block

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   DANFS entry for Botetourt (APA-136): 'Botetourt is a county in Virginia.' Spec block: dp. 6720; l. 455'; b. 62'; dr. 24'; s. 17.5 k.; cpl. 536; a. 1 5"; cl. Haskell. 'Botetourt was launched 19 October 1944 by California Shipbuilding Corp., Terminal Island, Calif., under a Maritime Commission contract; sponsored by Mrs. R. C. Todd; transferred to the Navy 31 January 1945, and commissioned the same day, Commander W. A. Barr, USNR, in command.' Service narrative: joined the Pacific Fleet, departed San Francisco 8 April 1945 for Espiritu Santo (arrived 22 April); operated from Espiritu Santo and Manus until 25 August carrying Army troops and cargo to Noumea, Guadalcanal, Tulagi, Leyte, Luzon, Samar, Milne Bay, Hollandia, and Lae; departed Manila Bay 25 August and joined TF 33 for the occupation of Japan, landing troops at Yokohama 3 September; made a second Philippines-to-Japan voyage 22 September-6 October; steamed 16-30 October to San Francisco with returning servicemen; departed San Francisco 15 November for the Far East and shuttled troops from Korea to Japan until January 1946; steamed via Portland, Oreg., to Norfolk and was placed out of commission in reserve 5 June 1946. Recommissioned 23 September 1950; Atlantic Fleet amphibious landing exercises along the east coast with Marine Corps units; May 1951-December 1955 cruises to Argentia (Newfoundland), the Mediterranean, North Sea ports, and eight to the Caribbean. Reported to Commander, Philadelphia Group 31 January 1956; placed in commission in reserve 1 February 1956; placed out of commission in reserve 27 April 1956. The extended DANFS text as carried in secondary transcriptions adds: laid down 22 August 1944 at Wilmington, Calif., MCV hull 52; moved to Oakland 28 October 1944 for outfitting by the Moore Dry Dock Co.; delivered to the Navy 31 January 1945.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-25

   Study period

   1944-1956

   Population

   Ship's company (~536) plus embarked troops (86 officers / 1,475 enlisted capacity), 1945-1946 and 1950-1956

   Limitations

   Authoritative for identity, construction, and the complete naval service narrative through the 1956 final inactivation - the entry ends there and does not cover NDRF custody or disposal (MARAD cards cover that chain, ev-03). Transcription mirror used because the canonical NHHC URL is unreachable (standing NHHC link-rot note, BATCH-01-REPORT; history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/b/botetourt.html 404'd 2026-09-25; HyperWar DANFS coverage does not include this hull). The hazegray transcription omits the laid-down date and the Oakland/Moore Dry Dock outfitting sentence that appear in the extended DANFS text (uniform across DANFS-derived secondary transcriptions); the outfitting detail is carried on that basis and flagged in ev-06. Contains no asbestos, materials, or insulation information - supports no asbestos claim.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-botetourt-apa136-01

3. [3]U.S. Maritime Administration, ShipHistory database - BOTETOURT (APA-136) Detail 572, including three scanned card images read verbatim: MA-199 vessel status card, MA-20 record of ship sales (PD-X-981 / contract MA-7529), and MA-989 reserve-fleet ship particulars [marad_nrc]

   Locator

   ShipHistory Detail 572 data block and milestones; card scans at /cards/291de2b1-d793-44bb-9b7a-6c137d43bc8b.png (MA-199), /cards/572_AF.jpg (MA-20), /cards/572_1056AF.jpg (MA-989); document PDF /documents/7e6eb74b-bfa0-4c33-bea7-720be5a906c5.pdf

   Finding type

   historical_record

   Finding

   MARAD ShipHistory record for BOTETOURT (APA-136), Detail 572, including three card images read verbatim from the scans. Form MA-199 Vessel Status Card: name BOTETOURT APA-136, flag U.S. Navy, vessel no. 0265483, type Transport, design VC2-S-AP5; shipyard 'Wilm., Calif. - California S/B Corp.'; date built 1-31-45; MA hull no. MCV-52; gross tons 7,750; DWT 5,687; builders hull no. TR-20; delivered from shipyard to 'U.S.M.C. (Loaned to U.S. Navy)'; original basis to WSA-MA 'Navy Dept. / Permanent / 10-15-46'. Operating history rows: Navy Dept. to Reserve Fleet, James River, 2:30 pm EST 12-12-60 (Custody); MA Fleet Custody to same, 12:01 am EDST 10-1-62 (Permanent Transfer); Reserve Fleet to Union Minerals & Alloys Corporation, James River, 8/21/74 (Purchase - Nontransportation Use); physically delivered 7:35 AM EDT 10/10/74. Form MA-20 Record of Ship Sales: sale document PD-X-981; awarded to Union Minerals & Alloys Corp., date 8-21-74, purchase price $288,166.00; contract no. MA-7529; year built 1944; LOA 455' x 62'; draft 24'; remarks 'Advertised under PD-X-981 dated 7-10-74, opened 8-14-74 under two conditions: (1) NTU (2) Scrap Hull. Award under condition (1)'; location-of-vessel field reads 'Suisun Bay, Calif., Resflt.' - a clerical error contradicted by the MA-199 custody rows, the MA-989 particulars card, and the milestones table, all James River. Form MA-989 Reserve Fleet - Ship Particulars: fleet James River; entered Dec. 12, 1960, 1230 hrs EST; 'Marad Title Oct. 1, 1962'; title 'Temporary Custody Navy Reimbursable'; withdrawn 10-10-74 1035 EDT; reason 'Sold for Nontransportation use under PD-X-981, 8-21-74 to Union Minerals & Alloys Corp. for $288,166.00'; draft on arrival 12-12-60 fwd 15'10" aft 17'06"; passengers Off. 86, Enl. 1475; damages field handwriting '25 KW motor generator to be removed by Navy' and 'Davidson wire 8-21-61'; other data 'Marad Preservation - See Marad letter April 15, 1960 (FY 1961), Navy reply April 22, 1960, etc.' ShipHistory data block: year built 1945, California Shipbuilding Corporation, type VC2-S-AP5, 455.0 ft x 62.0 ft, gross 7,750, displacement 14,837 summer / 6,873 lightweight, fate 'Sold - Scrap'; milestones Entry/Acquisition 12/12/1960, Disposition/Withdrawal 10/10/1974.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-25

   Study period

   1944-1974

   Population

   NDRF James River (Lee Hall) fleet preservation crews (1960-1974); Union Minerals & Alloys Corp. and River Development Corp. (Kearny, N.J.) scrapping workforce (1974-75); Navy personnel for the noted 25-kW motor-generator removal

   Limitations

   Primary government custody record and the strongest source in this file - the cards document the complete custody/disposal chain 1944-1974 including the two-step title path (Navy custody berthing at James River NDRF 1960-12-12; permanent MARAD title transfer 1962-10-01) and the sale terms. Data-entry defects flagged: the MA-20 sales card's location-of-vessel field reads 'Suisun Bay, Calif., Resflt.' where the custody rows, particulars card, and milestones all read James River - clerical error, not a fleet move; the fleet-entry time differs between cards (MA-989 '1230 hrs EST' vs MA-199 '2:30 pm EST' on 12-12-60 - same-date clerical inconsistency, date not in dispute); NavSource prints the sale document as 'PD-X-572' where both MARAD cards read PD-X-981 (cards carried - see ev-06). The 10-15-46 'original basis' entry is an administrative title-basis record - Navy operational custody demonstrably continued through the 1950-1956 recommission per DANFS. The '25 KW motor generator to be removed by Navy' note is undated. Contains no asbestos, materials, insulation, or condition-survey information - the cards track custody, sales terms, and preservation correspondence references only. Supports no asbestos claim.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-botetourt-apa136-02

4. [4]NavSource Online Service Ship Photo Archive, 'Amphibious Attack Transport APA-136 Botetourt' page (volunteer-compiled from official records incl. NHHC photo numbers NH 83473, NH 83474, and NARA photo 19-N-85033) [other_primary]

   Locator

   NavSource APA-136 page: ship data block, campaign/occupation table, commanding-officer list, disposal line

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   NavSource Online Amphibious Photo Archive entry for USS Botetourt (APA-136): Haskell-class attack transport, MC type VC2-S-AP5, MCV hull 52, California Shipbuilding Corp., Wilmington, CA; call sign NDOK; laid down 22 August 1944; launched 19 October 1944; commissioned 31 January 1945, CDR William A. Barr USNR in command; WWII Asiatic-Pacific assignment TransRon Twenty-Two (COMO S. P. Jenkins) / TransDiv Sixty-Five flagship (CAPT E. C. Rogers USN); Navy Occupation Service Medal periods 2-26 September 1945 and 5-11 October 1945 (Far East) plus Europe 26 June-20 September 1951; decommissioned 5 June 1946 at Norfolk, laid up Norfolk Group Atlantic Reserve Fleet; recommissioned 23 September 1950 CAPT Robert R. Moore; decommissioned 27 April 1956 at Philadelphia, laid up Philadelphia Group; transferred 12 December 1960 to MARAD NDRF James River (Lee Hall, Va.); struck from the Naval Register 1 July 1961; sold for scrapping 21 August 1974 to Union Minerals & Alloys Corp., New York, for $288,166.00, withdrawn from James River Reserve Fleet 10 October 1974, delivered to River Development Corp., Kearny, N.J. Spec block: 6,873 t light / 14,837 t full; 455' x 62' x 24'; 17.7 kts; complement 56 officers + 480 enlisted; troop accommodations 86 officers + 1,475 enlisted; 2,900 DWT cargo / 150,000 cu ft; boats 2 LCM, 1 open LCPL, 1 covered LCPL, 2 LCPR, 18 LCVP; armament one 5"/38 DP, four twin 40mm, one quad 40mm, ten single 20mm; propulsion one Joshua-Hendy geared turbine, two Babcock & Wilcox header-type boilers 465 psi/750F, double Joshua-Hendy main reduction gears, three 300kW 120V/240V DC generators, single propeller 8,500 shp. Commanding officers: Barr (31 Jan 1945-10 Apr 1946), Banister (10 Apr-5 Jun 1946), Moore (23 Sep 1950-10 Oct 1951), Reed (10 Oct 1951-5 Sep 1952), Mott (5 Sep 1952-Jun 1954), Young (Jun-7 Jul 1954), Tyree (7 Jul 1954-20 Jul 1955), Grady (20 Jul 1955-27 Apr 1956).

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-25

   Study period

   1944-1974

   Population

   Ship's company 1945-1946 and 1950-1956; embarked troops

   Limitations

   Volunteer-compiled secondary source, not an official record - used as cross-check and spec source. Every NavSource date that could be checked against primary records agreed (laid down/launch/commission dates vs extended DANFS; NDRF entry 12-12-60, strike 7-1-61, sale 8-21-74 and withdrawal 10-10-74 vs the MARAD cards). One confirmed error: the sale document is printed 'PD-X-572 dated 10 july 1974' where both MARAD cards read PD-X-981 dated 7-10-74 - the card is carried (ev-06 correction). Turbine attribution 'Joshua-Hendy' is this hull's NavSource ship-data sheet; class-level sources list Westinghouse (design house vs. builder - conflict carried in gaps). Contains no asbestos information.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-botetourt-apa136-03

5. [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 APA-136 ship-data sheet and BuShips Ships' Data 1945 Vol. 3 class figures (APA table) [other_primary]

   Locator

   AJIM 11(3):359-373; NavSource APA-136 specifications block

   Finding type

   asbestos_application

   Finding

   The ship was a VC2-S-AP5 Victory-type attack transport built in 1944-45 with a geared-steam plant (two B&W header-type boilers at 465 psi/750F, 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 under a Maritime Commission contract during the period when the federal government had reserved asbestos supply for shipbuilding.

   Verification

   inferred

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   class_or_era

   Accessed

   2026-09-25

   Study period

   1944-1975; article 1987

   Population

   Construction trades (California Shipbuilding, Wilmington/Terminal Island, 1944-45; Moore Dry Dock, Oakland, outfitting 1944-45); ship's company 1945-46 and 1950-56; NDRF James River caretakers 1960-74; shipbreakers 1974-75

   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; the machinery list documents a steam plant type, not its insulation content. The BuShips Ships' Data 1945 Vol. 3 scan (shipscribe.com) that class-level machinery figures derive from returned HTTP 404 on 2026-09-25 (link rot since the class-profile verification on 2026-09-16). 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-botetourt-apa136-04

6. [6]Batch-2206 search ledger (this record): NHHC DANFS (live 404; hazegray mirror used); MARAD ShipHistory Detail 572 incl. three card images read verbatim; NavSource; CourtListener API v4 (opinions x3 queries, dockets); NARA catalog (digitized RG 24 deck logs located); VA BVA index; general web index litigation search [other_primary]

   Locator

   search_ledger rows sl-uss-botetourt-apa136-01 through sl-uss-botetourt-apa136-11

   Finding type

   historical_record

   Finding

   No qualifying ship-specific asbestos record located: no asbestos survey, abatement contract, insulation specification, hazmat disclosure, or adjudicated finding naming USS Botetourt or APA-136 was found in the public sources searched (see search_ledger). CourtListener returned no qualifying case on any surface: opinion search 'USS Botetourt' returned zero; 'Botetourt' + asbestos opinions returned zero; the 460-hit bare 'Botetourt' opinion corpus is entirely Botetourt County, Virginia litigation (county agencies, school board, sheriff, opioid suits) - name collisions; docket/RECAP search 'Botetourt' + asbestos returned 31 hits, all collisions (county opioid plaintiffs, bankruptcy creditor lists, unrelated matters); 'APA-136' opinions returned 2 string collisions (a Delaware contract case and an E.D. La. criminal sentencing - the string appears in document-internal numbering, not ship references). The VA BVA index returned no decision naming the hull. Law-firm marketing pages listing Botetourt generically (asbestos-ships.com ship page; gorilaw.com transports list) are an excluded source class and are not carried as evidence.

   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 Maritime Commission steam auxiliary is era-consistent with asbestos-containing insulation, and the hull survived intact to 1974 disposal. The disposal path may have disposed of both ship and records: scrapped 1974-75 at River Development Corp., Kearny, N.J., in the pre-CERCLA era; no scrapping-side survey is known to exist. NDRF preservation work (1960-1974) generated records (the cards prove the movements and one equipment-removal note) but no materials schedules surfaced in the MARAD file - 'Marad letter April 15, 1960 / Navy reply April 22, 1960' and the PD-X-981/MA-7529 contract file are correspondence files that are not digitized. Does not establish presence or absence; does not establish or defeat any exposure claim or legal eligibility.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-botetourt-apa136-05

7. [7]MARAD status/sales cards (ev-03) vs NavSource disposal line (ev-02) vs DANFS transcriptions (ev-01) vs Haskell class profile builder field [marad_nrc]

   Locator

   MA-20 sales card header/remarks; MA-989 withdrawal reason; NavSource disposal line; DANFS hazegray transcription vs extended text

   Finding type

   historical_record

   Finding

   Source discrepancies resolved against the primary record: (a) Sale document number - NavSource prints 'PD-X-572 dated 10 july 1974'; both MARAD cards read PD-X-981 (MA-989 reason line 'under PD-X-981, 8-21-74'; MA-20 header 'PD-X-981' with remarks 'Advertised under PD-X-981 dated 7-10-74, opened 8-14-74'). The card value PD-X-981 is controlling; NavSource carries a transcription error. (b) Builder location - the Haskell class profile lists 'California SB, Long Beach'; DANFS reads 'Terminal Island, Calif.', NavSource 'Wilmington, CA', and the MARAD card 'Wilm., Calif.' - the Calship yard on Terminal Island in the Wilmington district of Los Angeles Harbor is controlling; 'Long Beach' in the class profile is loose geography (distinct from the co-located but separate Long Beach Naval Shipyard). (c) Laid-down date and Oakland outfitting - the abridged hazegray DANFS transcription omits both; the extended DANFS text (uniform across secondary transcriptions) supplies 22 August 1944 and the 28 October 1944 move to Oakland for Moore Dry Dock outfitting; carried on that basis and consistent with the MARAD card's 'Wilm., Calif. - California S/B Corp.' shipyard entry.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   correction

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-25

   Limitations

   Resolves publication-level discrepancies in secondary framings; none affects the custody timeline materially. No asbestos content in any of these sources. The MA-20 'Suisun Bay' location field is a separate card-level clerical error noted in ev-03, not a fleet discrepancy.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-botetourt-apa136-06

8. [8]NARA catalog (catalog.archives.gov) - RG 24 deck-log file units for 'Botetourt (APA-136)', series 594258, National Archives at College Park; NARA Guide to Federal Records RG 19/24/178 descriptions; MARAD card correspondence references (ev-03) [other_primary]

   Locator

   catalog.archives.gov search 'Botetourt APA-136' - file units incl. naId 683517804 (December 1955), digitized TIFF page images; archives.gov record-group guides

   Finding type

   historical_record

   Finding

   Archival leads: NARA's catalog returns digitized deck logs for this hull - e.g., file unit 'Botetourt (APA-136) - December 1955' (naId 683517804) in RG 24 series 594258 'Logbooks of U.S. Navy Ships and Stations' at NARA II College Park, with scanned page images already online; the series covers the commission periods 1945-46 and 1950-56 (catalog returned ~1,100 file units under this vessel name). Additional unretrieved leads: RG 19 (Bureau of Ships) and RG 178 (Maritime Commission) construction/design files for MC hull MCV-52 (builder's hull TR-20), potential insulation schedules; the MARAD preservation correspondence referenced on the MA-989 card ('Marad letter April 15, 1960 (FY 1961), Navy reply April 22, 1960'); the PD-X-981 / MA-7529 sale-contract file for the 1974 disposal; NHHC/NARA imagery 19-N-85033, NH 83473, NH 83474. No spend authorized; no box-level retrieval performed.

   Verification

   unverified

   Role

   archival_lead

   Documentation level

   context_only

   Accessed

   2026-09-25

   Study period

   1944-1974 records

   Limitations

   Catalog-level verification only - the digitized deck logs exist and are viewable online, but no page-level survey for asbestos, insulation, or repair mentions was performed; deck logs rarely record materials detail. Existence of asbestos-specific documents for this hull is unknown until surveyed. Nothing in this row is an asbestos finding.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-botetourt-apa136-07