Evidence
5 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-5).
-
[1]Naval History and Heritage Command, Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Caron (DD-970) [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- Opening construction paragraph; 1978-79 availability paragraph; final two paragraphs
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- NHHC's official DANFS history identifies this hull as Caron (DD-970), laid down 1 July 1974 at Pascagoula by Ingalls Shipbuilding Division of Litton Industries, launched 9 August 1975, and commissioned 1 October 1977. It records a post-shakedown availability at Pascagoula in 1978, restricted availability at Norfolk Naval Shipyard from 30 June 1978 to 12 January 1979, later operations, decommissioning on 10 October 2001, striking on 5 June 2002, and sinking during the first planned explosives test off Puerto Rico on 4 December 2002.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-28
- Study period
- 1974-2002
- Population
- Ship's crew and naval/contractor workforces during identified construction and availability periods
- Limitations
- This is an official service history, not a materials survey. It does not identify asbestos, asbestos-containing products, quantities, work-space conditions, individual exposure, or legal eligibility.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-caron-dd970-01
-
[2]U.S. Government Accountability Office, Navy Efforts To Protect Workers From Asbestos Exposure, HRD-80-2 (Oct. 18, 1979) [gao]
- Locator
- Highlights; p. 4 (Navy policy and projected thermal-asbestos removal)
- Finding type
- asbestos_application
- Finding
- GAO's 1979 review of Navy worker protection reports that Navy policy had been to replace asbestos insulation when it was damaged or removed for repairs, and was modified in 1979 to selectively replace asbestos insulation in high-maintenance areas during a vessel's next operating cycle. The report discusses thermal asbestos on active naval vessels generally.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-28
- Study period
- 1975-1979
- Population
- Navy shipyard workers and active naval vessels discussed by GAO
- Limitations
- Program-level evidence only. GAO does not name Caron, DD-970, Ingalls, or the Spruance class, and it cannot establish that any asbestos-containing material was installed, remained, or was removed aboard this hull.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-caron-dd970-02
-
[3]Naval Sea Systems Command, Ship History (inactive ships list), p. 35 [other_primary]
- Locator
- p. 35, DD 0970 CARON entry
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- NAVSEA's inactive-ship history lists CARON, hull ID DD 0970, with removal date 27 October 2002 and final disposition 'SUNK 12/04/02.'
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-28
- Study period
- 2002
- Limitations
- Confirms administrative removal/disposition only. It is not an environmental, asbestos, or vessel-condition record and does not establish what materials were aboard at sinking.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-caron-dd970-03
-
[4]Naval History and Heritage Command Archives, Collection 94 electronic finding aid; DANFS Caron page image-caption reference to Ship History Files Box 161 [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- Collection 94 finding aid entry 'USS Caron (DD 970): Decommissioning and Changes, 1975-2001'; DANFS image caption identifying Box 161
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- NHHC Archives finding aids identify a USS Caron (DD 970) 'Decommissioning and Changes, 1975-2001' file in Collection 94 and identify Ship History Files Box 161, Caron (DD-970) History. These holdings are archival leads for hull-specific maintenance, change, or disposal records.
- Verification
- partial
- Role
- archival_lead
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-28
- Study period
- 1975-2001
- Limitations
- Finding aids establish holdings, not their contents. No file, survey, work package, or material list was retrieved; this row is not evidence of asbestos aboard Caron.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-caron-dd970-04
-
[5]CourtListener API v4 authenticated search, exact hull-number query 'DD-970', 2026-09-28 [court_record]
- Locator
- Authenticated helper output: count=7; result-metadata review; exact-name requests logged as pacing-pending
- Finding type
- litigation_documented
- Finding
- Authenticated CourtListener v4 hull-number docket search for exact query 'DD-970' returned seven results. Review of returned result metadata found no qualifying asbestos litigation naming USS Caron (DD-970); returned matches included unrelated criminal, copyright, civil-rights, and product-liability matters where the token appeared in docket materials. Exact-name opinion and docket requests for 'USS Caron' were submitted through the required helper but did not complete before the helper's fleet pacing wait exceeded this session's command window.
- Verification
- partial
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-28
- Study period
- CourtListener index searched 2026-09-28
- Limitations
- This is a partial litigation sweep, not proof that no litigation exists. The completed hull-number search located no qualifying case. The required exact-name query was initiated but not completed because the shared authenticated pacing limiter withheld a token; no anonymous or non-helper request was made. No returned case is exposure evidence.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-caron-dd970-05