Evidence
6 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-6).
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[1]Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS), Caperton (DD-650), Naval History and Heritage Command [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- DANFS entry, opening specifications and service-history paragraphs; closing awards sentence
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- NHHC DANFS identifies Caperton as a Fletcher-class destroyer; gives specifications including 319 complement, 2,050 tons, 376 ft 6 in length, and 35 knots; states it was launched 22 May 1943 at Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine, commissioned 30 July 1943, decommissioned at Charleston on 6 July 1949, recommissioned 6 April 1951, and placed out of commission in reserve at Norfolk on 27 April 1960. It summarizes World War II and Korean War service and credits 10 World War II battle stars and one Korean War battle star.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-27
- Study period
- 1943-1960
- Population
- Ship and U.S. Navy service history, 1943-1960
- Limitations
- DANFS is a service-history source and does not document asbestos, materials aboard, an asbestos survey, or final disposal. Its supplied entry does not state a laid-down date or stricken date. Complement is the stated specification/design figure, not a verified crew count at every time.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-caperton-dd650-01
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[2]U.S. Pacific Fleet Organization, 1 May 1945, NHHC Online Reading Room [other_primary]
- Locator
- Destroyer Squadron Fifty / Destroyer Division One Hundred roster, DD 650 entry
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- The official 1 May 1945 Pacific Fleet organization lists DD-650 Caperton in Destroyer Division 100, Destroyer Squadron 50.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-27
- Study period
- 1945-05-01
- Population
- U.S. Pacific Fleet organization, 1 May 1945
- Limitations
- Organizational snapshot only. It does not establish asbestos aboard, exposures, or full service history; DANFS is the source for the broader service summary.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-caperton-dd650-02
-
[3]Bureau of Ships, Ships' Data, U.S. Naval Vessels 1945, Vol. I, DD design section (official publication scan; class-profile locator) [other_primary]
- Locator
- Vol. I, DD section; cited locator in the matching Fletcher-class profile is book p. 114 onward (scan uses two-up pages)
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- The Bureau of Ships 1945 design reference documents the Fletcher-class destroyer design and its four-boiler, geared steam-turbine machinery as class-level technical context applicable to the class, not a material inventory for Caperton.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-27
- Study period
- 1945 edition
- Population
- Fletcher-class design
- Limitations
- Class/era context only. The design source does not identify asbestos-containing materials or prove which components or products were installed aboard DD-650. No ship-specific asbestos inference is made from steam propulsion or construction date.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-caperton-dd650-03
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[4]CourtListener authenticated API v4 search via fleet helper; exact-name opinion query 'USS Caperton' and hull docket query 'DD-650' [court_record]
- Locator
- CourtListener API v4 exact-name docket result: Lavoie v. General Electric, No. 3:17-cv-01975 (D. Conn.); two further helper attempts returned fleet pacing-budget stand-down.
- Finding type
- litigation_documented
- Finding
- CourtListener exact-name docket search returned the Lavoie asbestos docket as an unverified ship-reference lead. The exact-name opinion query and DD-650 docket query were blocked by the shared fleet pacing-budget stand-down; they returned no opinion/hull results. No fully classifiable vessel-specific litigation result was obtained.
- Verification
- partial
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-27
- Study period
- Search attempted 2026-09-27
- Limitations
- Only the exact-name docket search returned results; Lavoie requires full-text confirmation of the vessel reference. Exact-name opinion and hull-number docket searches remain incomplete due to the helper stand-down. No anonymous access or alternate API method was used.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-caperton-dd650-04
-
[5]Research pass over NHHC DANFS, NHHC ship-history and image collections, and Fletcher-class reference materials; no ship-specific asbestos survey, abatement record, or primary-source material inventory located [other_primary]
- Locator
- NHHC DANFS entry and NHHC Caperton image/history search; Fletcher-class profile used only for background
- Finding type
- asbestos_application
- Finding
- No ship-specific primary-source documentation establishing asbestos-containing material aboard USS Caperton (DD-650) was located in the sources reviewed for this pass. Asbestos documentation for this hull remains unknown.
- Verification
- partial
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-27
- Study period
- Records reviewed through 2026-09-27
- Population
- Publicly reviewed records for USS Caperton (DD-650)
- Limitations
- This is a bounded search result, not proof that asbestos was absent. The reviewed public historical sources are not an asbestos survey; shipyard records, Navy material specifications, abatement files, and litigation records may contain additional information.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-caperton-dd650-05
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[6]Lavoie v. General Electric Company, No. 3:17-cv-01975 (D. Conn.), CourtListener authenticated API v4 docket search result and RECAP metadata [court_record]
- Locator
- CourtListener API v4 search type=docket, query "USS Caperton"; docket 13438283, Lavoie v. General Electric Company; docket metadata identifies suit nature 368 P.I.: Asbestos; two RECAP documents
- Finding type
- litigation_documented
- Finding
- Exact-name CourtListener docket search returned Lavoie v. General Electric Company, an asbestos personal-injury case (suit nature: asbestos), with two RECAP documents indexed. This is an asbestos-litigation lead requiring full-text confirmation of whether USS Caperton is alleged as an exposure vessel; the search result alone does not establish the ship’s role.
- Verification
- partial
- Role
- archival_lead
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-27
- Study period
- 2017-2019 litigation
- Population
- Plaintiffs in Lavoie asbestos action; Caperton exposure-site role unverified
- Limitations
- Search hit is an asbestos docket, but the vessel reference’s context and hull attribution are unverified. Do not classify as qualifying vessel-specific asbestos litigation until complaint or other docket filing confirms the alleged exposure site. Pleading allegations, if present, would remain allegations rather than findings.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-caperton-dd650-06