USS Bountiful (AH-9)

Evidence

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

1. [1]Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS), 'Henderson' (AP-1) / 'Bountiful' (AH-9) entry - verbatim transcription at HyperWar (ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/ships/danfs/AH/ah9.html) cross-verified against hazegray transcription (losthistory.net/hazegray/danfs/auxil/ap1.txt); canonical NHHC page not located at current history.navy.mil URLs (standing NHHC link-rot issue, cf. BATCH-01) [nhhc_danfs]

   Locator

   DANFS entry text, full page; spec line '(AP-1: dp. 7,750; l. 483'10"; b. 61'1"; dr. 16'2", s. 14 k.; cpl. 233; trp. 1,695; a. 8 5", 2 3", 2 1-pdr.)'

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   DANFS operational history: launched by Philadelphia Navy Yard 17 Jun 1916 (sponsor Miss Genevieve W. Taylor, great-granddaughter of namesake Col. Archibald Henderson, longest-serving Marine Corps Commandant); commissioned Philadelphia 24 May 1917, Lt. C. W. Steel. WWI: sailed 14 Jun 1917 with Rear Adm. Gleaves' cruiser and transport force carrying AEF units; St. Nazaire 27 Jun; nine wartime voyages total to France; helped establish two large base hospitals in France 1917; steaming near Army transport Antilles when torpedoed 17 Oct 1917 (escaped via smoke screen); cargo-hold fire on seventh voyage (troops transferred by destroyers Mayrant and Paul Jones); post-Armistice eight voyages repatriating 10,000+ veterans, Philadelphia 27 Dec 1919. Interwar: Caribbean Marine troop rotation; carried observers to 1921 Virginia Capes bombing tests; congressional party 1923; President Harding's Alaska inspection tour Jul 1923 (departed 27 Jul 1923, five days before his death); Fleet Problem III mock assault on Panama Canal Zone 1924; Shanghai May-Nov 1927 with Marines; regular San Francisco-Philippines-China runs to 1941. WWII as AP-1: 20+ California-Hawaii transport voyages; final voyage Port Hueneme 18 Jul 1943, Noumea (71 nurses), Solomons (Seabees), San Francisco 24 Sep 1943. Decommissioned 13 Oct 1943; converted to hospital ship at General Engineering & Dry Dock Co., Oakland; commissioned as Bountiful (AH-9) 23 Mar 1944, Comdr. G. L. Burns. Pacific casualty evacuation: San Francisco-Honolulu Apr 1944; Saipan invasion beaches 18 Jun 1944; three passages to Kwajalein hospitals with Marianas casualties; one of few shipboard blood banks established; floating hospital at Manus to 17 Sep; Peleliu casualties to Solomons; Leyte-rear base runs from Nov 1944; departed Manus 24 Feb 1945 for Ulithi/Saipan receiving Iwo Jima casualties; wounded from Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and fleet units; Leyte Gulf 15 Jun-21 Jul 1945; San Francisco 21 Aug 1945. Occupation duty: hospital ship Yokosuka 24 Nov 1945-27 Mar 1946; Bikini Atoll Operation Crossroads observer May-Aug 1946, Seattle 15 Aug 1946; decommissioned 13 Sep 1946; sold for scrap by Maritime Commission 28 Jan 1948 to Consolidated Builders Inc., Seattle; four battle stars WWII.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-20

   Study period

   1915-1948

   Population

   Crew (233 complement figure as AP; not stated as AH) and up to 477 embarked patients (HyperWar AH-9 stats); shipyard workers at General Engineering & Dry Dock Co. (Oct 1943-Mar 1944 conversion); Philadelphia Navy Yard construction workforce 1915-1917

   Limitations

   DANFS is the authoritative operational history; HyperWar and hazegray transcriptions agree verbatim. Conversion yard given as Oakland - Shipscribe gives Alameda (same firm, General Engineering & Dry Dock Co.; see correction row ev-06). Contains no asbestos, materials, or insulation information; supports no asbestos claim.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-bountiful-ah9-01

2. [2]Stephen S. Roberts, Shipscribe U.S. Navy auxiliary ship records, 'USS Henderson (AP-1)' class page (usnaux.shipscribe.com/AP/AP01.html) [other_primary]

   Locator

   Class Notes, Construction/Disposition/Ship Notes tables, and design-plan note (1911-1925 Spring Styles Book, BuC&R)

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   Shipscribe (Stephen S. Roberts) AP-1 class notes, compiled from General Board/BuC&R/BuShips records: Transport No. 1 authorized FY1914 (Act of 4 Mar 1913) after Marine Corps requests for a purpose-built transport (replacing makeshift use of Prairie); designed by BuC&R 1913 to carry 1,250-1,600 troops plus Marine advance-base equipment incl. horses/mules; twin screws, torpedo protection, 14-knot sustained speed; bids opened 20 Dec 1913 - Newport News low bidder $1,695,000 but Philadelphia Navy Yard estimate $1,458,305 took the order Feb 1914; name assigned 13 Dec 1915; first large ship fitted with Sperry gyro stabilizers (two 9-ft rotors installed Apr 1917, contract 16 Jul 1915); BuC&R 1921 authorized capacity 1,200 troops indefinite + 800 short-period + 118 women/children; 1935 characteristics card lists 12.86 kts max sustained over 24h. On 12 Mar 1943 conversion of three older transports - Henderson (AP-1), Chaumont (AP-5), Kenmore (AP-62) - to hospital ships was approved; replacement C3 ships President Polk, President Monroe, Delbrasil (AH-103-105) were acquired for the transport role; VCNO directed 26 Jun 1943 that Henderson be laid up first to free her crew for President Polk; name Bountiful and classification AH-9 approved 2 Sep 1943; decommissioned as AP-1 13 Oct 1943; converted by General Eng. & D.D. Co., Alameda, 13 Oct 1943-23 Mar 1944; recommissioned 23 Mar 1944. BuShips ordered gray paint 18 Feb 1944, repeated the order after being notified 3 Mar 1944 that Geneva Convention painting was already complete; for post-conversion trials the ship was temporarily designated 'AP-0' with no name - both probably to permit trials before formal hospital-ship designation under the 1907 Hague Convention. Disposition: decomm 13 Sep 46; strike 29 Oct 46; MC disposal 16 Sep 46; MA sale 31 Dec 47; to buyer 28 Jan 48; scrapped by 1 May 48. Table data: 7,297 light / 10,000 full tons; 483.9' oa x 60.9' wl x 20.6' max draft; 14 kts; vertical triple-expansion, 2 screws, 4,000 hp; armament 8-5"/50 + 2-3"/50 original, reduced 1942, none as hospital ship 1944; complement 382 (1929).

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-20

   Study period

   1908-1948

   Population

   Shipyard workers, General Engineering & Dry Dock Co., Alameda/Oakland (Oct 1943-Mar 1944 hospital-ship conversion); Philadelphia Navy Yard construction trades 1915-1917; Navy crew and embarked patients

   Limitations

   Scholarly compilation of BuShips/BuC&R/General Board primary records - one step removed from the underlying documents. Documents the 1943-44 hospital-ship conversion and machinery/armament changes as events; contains no asbestos or insulation-material statement - asbestos scope of those evolutions is inference, not documented. Yard city given as Alameda vs Oakland in DANFS (same firm; correction row). Complement 382 (1929) and twin screws / 4,000 hp conflict with other sources (233; single screw / 4,400 hp) - flagged in gaps.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-bountiful-ah9-02

3. [3]U.S. Maritime Administration, ShipHistory database - BOUNTIFUL (AH-9), Ship History Detail 576 (incl. status cards 576_1065AF/1065AB/AF), and HENDERSON (AP-1), Ship History Detail 12375 [marad_nrc]

   Locator

   Detail 576 vessel-data block, milestones, status cards; Detail 12375 https://vesselhistory.marad.dot.gov/ShipHistory/Detail/12375

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   MARAD ShipHistory records for this hull, split across two detail pages: Detail 576 'BOUNTIFUL (AH-9)' - year built 1916, Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, Naval Auxiliary / AH Hospital Ship, 483.80 ft x 61.08 ft beam, fate Sold-Scrap, milestones Disposition and Withdrawal both 1/28/1948, status-card scans present; Detail 12375 'HENDERSON (AP-1)' - same hull data (1916, Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, AP Transport, 483.80 x 61.08), fate 'Sold - No Further Info', stub record with no milestones. Each record's Vessel Name History cross-links the other name - BOUNTIFUL (AH-9) and HENDERSON (AP-1) - confirming one hull under both designations.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-20

   Study period

   1916-1948

   Limitations

   Authoritative for government custody milestone (28 Jan 1948 withdrawal/disposition matching DANFS sale date). MARAD splits the hull into two records (576 under Bountiful, 12375 under Henderson) - a database artifact, not two hulls; flagged in correction row. 'Year built 1916' is launch-year convention (commissioned 1917). No asbestos or materials information in either record; status-card images not text-readable in this pass.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-bountiful-ah9-03

4. [4]NavSource Online, USS Bountiful (AH-9) / ex-USS Henderson (AP-1) archive page 09/12/1209; HyperWar 'Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1940-1945' AH-9 stats page (ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/ships/AH/AH-9_Bountiful.html); NHHC photo NH 103569 caption [other_primary]

   Locator

   NavSource milestone list + commanding-officer table + NH 103569 caption; HyperWar AH-9 stats block

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   NavSource Online Service Ship Photo Archive (09/12/1209) milestones: laid down 19 Jun 1915 Philadelphia Navy Yard; launched 17 Jun 1916; commissioned USS Henderson (Transport #1) 24 May 1917, CDR George W. Steel; designated AP-1 17 Jul 1920; decommissioned 13 Oct 1943 for conversion to hospital ship at General Engineering and Dry Dock Co., Oakland, CA; recommissioned USS Bountiful (AH-9) 23 Mar 1944, CDR G. L. Burns; Asiatic-Pacific Theater campaigns; CO list: CDR George L. Burns USNR 23 Mar 1944-18 Nov 1944, LCDR Phillip W. Mallard USNR 18 Nov 1944-23 Aug 1945. HyperWar 'Ships of the U.S. Navy 1940-1945' AH-9 stats page: Bountiful class hospital ship ex-Henderson AP-1; 12,450 tons full load; 484' x 61' x 20'; 13.5 kts max; no armament; 477 patients; reciprocating engines, single screw, 4,400 hp; built Philadelphia Navy Yard, commissioned 24 May 1917, converted General Engineering & Dry Dock Oakland, recommissioned 23 Mar 1944. NHHC photo NH 103569 (Mare Island, 27 Mar 1944) documents the ship temporarily painted gray and designated 'AP-0' before formal hospital-ship marking.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-20

   Study period

   1915-1948

   Population

   Crew and up to 477 embarked patients (capacity figure)

   Limitations

   Secondary index/compilation sources - milestone and CO data consistent with DANFS and Shipscribe. HyperWar's 'single screw' conflicts with Shipscribe '2 screws' (correction row); HyperWar 13.5 kts 'max' vs 14 kts design elsewhere; 477-patient figure is capacity, not complement. No asbestos or materials information in any of these sources.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-bountiful-ah9-04

5. [5]Corn, Jacqueline Karnell, and Jennifer Starr, 'Historical perspective on asbestos: policies and protective technology in World War II shipbuilding,' American Journal of Industrial Medicine 11(3):359-373 (1987) [other_primary]

   Locator

   Article-level documentation of WWII shipbuilding asbestos use (PMID 3547047)

   Finding type

   asbestos_application

   Finding

   Peer-reviewed scholarship documents that asbestos was used extensively as insulation, fireproofing, gasket and packing material in U.S. shipbuilding and ship repair during WWII - the period in which this 1917-built hull underwent hospital-ship conversion (Oct 1943-Mar 1944) at a commercial yard. No located source names an asbestos product installed on or removed from this specific hull, in original 1915-17 construction or in the 1943-44 conversion.

   Verification

   inferred

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   class_or_era

   Accessed

   2026-09-20

   Study period

   1941-1945 era documented; article 1987

   Population

   WWII-era shipyard conversion/repair workforce generally; no hull-specific exposure population documented

   Limitations

   Era/program-level documentation only - the article does not name this vessel, this yard, or this conversion. Asbestos presence aboard this hull, in either original 1915-17 construction or the 1943-44 conversion, is inference from era practice, not ship-proven. Does not establish quantity, individual exposure, or causation.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-bountiful-ah9-05

6. [6]Cross-source reconciliation: DANFS (HyperWar/hazegray transcriptions); Shipscribe AP-1 class page; MARAD Details 576 + 12375; HyperWar AH-9 stats; NavSource 09/12/1209; NHHC photo NH 103569; master-hull-list.json VERIFY entries (Bountiful AH-9 Tier 1; Henderson AP-1 Tier 2 with 'Gearing' class tag) [other_primary]

   Locator

   Shipscribe disposition/class notes vs DANFS stat line vs HyperWar stats block vs MARAD detail pages; DANFS Henderson-I/II namesake paragraph

   Finding type

   historical_record

   Finding

   Source discrepancies and collisions resolved: (a) Conversion yard city - DANFS, NavSource, and HyperWar say General Engineering & Dry Dock Co., Oakland, Calif.; Shipscribe says the same firm at Alameda. General Engineering & Dry Dock Co.'s yard was at Alameda on the Oakland estuary; both refer to the same facility - noted, not merged. (b) Propulsion - Shipscribe (BuShips-based) lists vertical triple-expansion engines on TWO screws at 4,000 hp; HyperWar stats list reciprocating engines, SINGLE screw, 4,400 hp. Shipscribe's design data is adopted as more authoritative; conflict flagged, not resolved. (c) Speed - 14 kts design (DANFS, Shipscribe) vs 13.5 kts max (HyperWar) vs 12.86 kts sustained over 24h (ship's own 1935 characteristics card, per Shipscribe) - different measures, all carried. (d) MARAD splits this one hull across two detail records (576 BOUNTIFUL / 12375 HENDERSON), cross-linked in each record's name history - database artifact, not two vessels. (e) Name collisions - USS Henderson (DD-785), Gearing-class destroyer 1945-1980 named for Lofton R. Henderson, is a different hull (DANFS itself distinguishes the two Hendersons); the master hull list carries 'USS Henderson [AP-1]' with ship_class 'Gearing' - a DD-785 conflation in the source list, logged here so the destroyer is not merged into this record. (f) Interim 'AP-0' designation - Shipscribe documents the temporary unnamed AP-0 designation for post-conversion trials (Mar 1944), corroborated by NHHC photo NH 103569 caption.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   correction

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-20

   Study period

   1915-1948

   Limitations

   Resolves publication-level discrepancies and prevents two conflations: the two-record MARAD split and the AP-1/DD-785 'Henderson' collision (the latter already present as a 'Gearing' class tag on the AP-1 row of the master hull list). Does not affect identity or custody timeline materially. None of these sources contains asbestos information.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-bountiful-ah9-06

7. [7]Batch-787 search ledger (this record): DANFS transcriptions; MARAD Details 576 + 12375; Shipscribe AP-1 page; HyperWar AH-9 stats; NavSource 09/12/1209; NHHC canonical-URL probes; CourtListener API (blocked) + three site:courtlistener.com fallback queries [other_primary]

   Locator

   search_ledger rows sl-uss-bountiful-ah9-01 through sl-uss-bountiful-ah9-11

   Finding type

   historical_record

   Finding

   No qualifying ship-specific asbestos record located: no asbestos survey, abatement contract, hazmat disclosure, or docketed case naming this hull under either of its identities (Henderson Transport No. 1/AP-1; Bountiful AH-9) was found in the public sources searched. MARAD records and status cards contain no materials statement; DANFS, Shipscribe, HyperWar, and NavSource contain none. CourtListener API v4 searches were rate-limit blocked (HTTP 429, daily quota exhausted, ~2.9-hr reset, 2026-09-20); site:courtlistener.com web-search fallbacks for 'USS Bountiful,' 'USS Henderson' + asbestos, and hull-number queries returned no qualifying hull-specific hits - returned items were surname collisions (plaintiff Robert Henderson / USS Barney DDG-6), unrelated asbestos property-damage dockets (hospitals), a corporate defendant 'Local Bounti,' and USS Bonhomme Richard fire litigation. The litigation check is logged as blocked-plus-negative-fallback, not 'no result.'

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   negative_finding

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-20

   Study period

   2026-09-20

   Limitations

   Absence of a located public record does not prove absence of asbestos aboard - a 1915-17 Navy-yard-built steam hull converted to a hospital ship at a commercial yard in 1943-44 is era-consistent with asbestos-containing materials being installed or disturbed. The blocked CourtListener API check leaves litigation coverage incomplete (fallback only). Does not establish presence or absence; does not establish or defeat any exposure claim or legal eligibility.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-bountiful-ah9-07

8. [8]NARA Guide to Federal Records: RG 19 (Bureau of Ships), RG 181 (Naval Districts and Shore Establishments), NARA U.S. Navy deck-log guidance [other_primary]

   Locator

   RG 19 / RG 181 group descriptions; https://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/181.html

   Finding type

   historical_record

   Finding

   Archival leads (not retrieved - requires research-room or reproduction order; no spend authorized): NARA RG 19 (Bureau of Ships / Bureau of Construction & Repair) holds the 1913-17 design and construction records for Transport No. 1 (the 1911-1925 'Spring Styles Book' design plan cited by Shipscribe is BuC&R material) plus the 1943-44 conversion work packages and Booklet of General Plans for AH-9; RG 181 (Records of Naval Districts and Shore Establishments) holds Philadelphia Navy Yard construction-shop records and Mare Island/Puget Sound availability files; ship's deck logs for Transport No. 1/AP-1/AH-9 service are at NARA (1917-1946). General Board and Auxiliary Vessels Board files underlying the Shipscribe notes are the primary design/conversion-decision records. NHHC photo archives hold the NH-series construction and conversion imagery referenced by NavSource.

   Verification

   unverified

   Role

   archival_lead

   Documentation level

   context_only

   Accessed

   2026-09-20

   Study period

   1913-1948 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-bountiful-ah9-08