USS Cheleb (AK-138)

Evidence

9 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-9).

1. [1]U.S. Maritime Commission, Instruction Manual for Operating and Maintaining 2500 H.P. Triple Expansion Marine Steam Engines, EC2-S-C1 Cargo Vessels (mirrored excerpt) [other_primary]

   Locator

   Mirrored excerpt, engine-cylinder insulation section

   Finding type

   asbestos_application

   Finding

   The U.S. Maritime Commission instruction manual for the EC2-S-C1 plant - the MARAD-designated type of this hull (MCE hull 520; status card 'CARGO EC-2'; Detail pages 'EC2-S-C1') - describes cylinder insulation of magnesia under sheet-iron lagging; insulation products of this era were commonly manufactured with asbestos fiber, and period steam-system gaskets, packing, and insulation felts commonly contained asbestos. Liberty-type hulls were built to emergency USMC specifications during the period when the federal government had reserved asbestos supply for shipbuilding.

   Verification

   inferred

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   class_or_era

   Accessed

   2026-09-20

   Study period

   1942-1943

   Population

   Construction trades (Permanente Metals Yard 1, Richmond, 1942-43); WSA/Waterman merchant crew (1943); Navy crew and conversion-yard workers (1943-46)

   Limitations

   Class/design documentation, not a hull record - the manual names the EC2-S-C1 type, not this vessel, and does not itself state 'asbestos' content (magnesia lagging of the era was typically asbestos-fiber-reinforced, but the manual text is silent on fiber). Asbestos presence aboard this hull is era inference, not ship-proven. Does not establish quantity, present-day presence at any point, individual exposure, or causation.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-cheleb-ak138-01

2. [2]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) [other_primary]

   Locator

   Abstract and article, AJIM 11(3):359-373

   Finding type

   asbestos_application

   Finding

   Peer-reviewed historical study documents that asbestos was used extensively as a fireproofing and insulating material in U.S. shipbuilding during WWII - the era and emergency program under which this EC2-S-C1 hull was mass-produced at Permanente Metals Yard 1, one of the Kaiser-managed Richmond emergency yards - and that wartime demand drove unprecedented asbestos utilization aboard merchant-type hulls.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   context

   Documentation level

   class_or_era

   Accessed

   2026-09-20

   Study period

   1940s era documented; article 1987

   Population

   WWII shipyard workers and ship crews (class context)

   Limitations

   Program/era-level scholarly documentation of asbestos use in WWII shipbuilding generally; does not name this vessel or the EC2-S-C1 type and does not establish that asbestos was or remains aboard this hull, nor quantity, location, condition, exposure, or causation.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-cheleb-ak138-02

3. [3]Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, 'Cheleb' (AK-138) entry (official NHHC page read via Internet Archive Wayback capture 2019-08-24 of history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/c/cheleb.html - canonical live URL returned 404 on 2026-09-20); corroborating transcription at hazegray mirror losthistory.net/hazegray/danfs/auxil/ak138.htm - texts identical [nhhc_danfs]

   Locator

   Wayback capture 20190824130614 of the canonical NHHC DANFS page; modern canonical https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/c/cheleb.html returned 404 (standing NHHC link rot, same as batches 01/824/1022); hazegray transcription https://losthistory.net/hazegray/danfs/auxil/ak138.htm

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   DANFS (Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships - canonical NHHC page verified via Wayback capture 2019-08-24; live canonical URL 404s) records: namesake 'Star in the northern constellation Ophiuchus'; spec block - displacement 4,023, length 441'6", beam 56'11", draft 28'4", speed 12 k, complement 198, armament 1x5" + 1x3", class Crater. 'Cheleb was launched 29 January 1943 as Lyman J. Gage by Permanente Metals Corp., Richmond, Calif., under a Maritime Commission contract; sponsored by Mrs. E. E. Carter; and commissioned 1 January 1944, Lieutenant A. E. McKimmey, USNR, in command.' Service narrative (verbatim-condensed): cleared San Francisco 20 January 1944 for Pearl Harbor; loaded ammunition and explosives for newly won Kwajalein, reached 19 February (cargo destined for the Eniwetok assault which began that day); cleared 11 March for Port Hueneme, Calif., base for the Pacific Naval Construction Battalions; delivered construction equipment at Pearl Harbor 18 April; returned to Oakland, Calif., 'where she was converted to a fleet issue ship.' Loaded varied cargo at San Francisco; arrived Kwajalein 5 June 1944 to supply ships readying for the Marianas assault 10 days later; issued stores at Majuro and Eniwetok until 2 August; sailed for San Francisco to reload; returned to Ulithi 15 October and supplied ships of the 3d Fleet for the next month supporting the Philippines assault; returned to the west coast to reload in December; arrived Eniwetok 22 January 1945 to provision ships bound for the invasion of Iwo Jima and later Okinawa; another west-coast voyage 'for repairs and reloading' in May and June; arrived Leyte Gulf 22 July to issue supplies, servicing ships conducting the final pounding air attacks on the Japanese home islands. Arrived Tokyo Bay 17 November 1945; issued provisions and supplies to occupation forces at Tokyo, Yokohama, and Yokosuka; returned to San Francisco 12 May [1946]; sailed to Pearl Harbor, decommissioned 25 July 1946. 'After use in a special explosives test, she was turned over to the War Shipping Administration for disposal, her contribution to the Navy's great logistic effort at an end.'

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-20

   Study period

   1943-1947

   Population

   Navy crew (cpl. 198 per DANFS spec block); United Engineering Co. conversion workers (Dec 1943); Oakland fleet-issue conversion workers (spring 1944)

   Limitations

   Authoritative for identity, chronology, and operations. Contains no asbestos, insulation-material, or hazardous-material statement - the United Engineering conversion (shipscribe), the Oakland fleet-issue-ship conversion, and the May-Jun 1945 'repairs and reloading' are documented as events only; materials scope not described. The 'special explosives test' clause is DANFS-verbatim and unresolved against shipscribe's 'for use in Operation Crossroads but not used' - see correction row ev-07.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-cheleb-ak138-03

4. [4]U.S. Maritime Administration, ShipHistory database - CHELEB (AK-138) Detail 929 and LYMAN J. GAGE Detail 9612 (status cards 4MA_01.png custody/allocation, 929_1688AF.jpg reserve-fleet data, 929_AF.jpg + 929_AB.jpg MA-20 Record of Ship Sales front/back; document LymanJGage_9612_001.pdf = USCG radio sealing report dated 1943-11-15) [marad_nrc]

   Locator

   ShipHistory Detail 929 + Detail 9612; card scans https://vesselhistory.marad.dot.gov/cards/4MA_01.png, /cards/929_1688AF.jpg, /cards/929_AF.jpg, /cards/929_AB.jpg read visually; document https://vesselhistory.marad.dot.gov/documents/LymanJGage_9612_001.pdf read as rendered pages

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   MARAD ShipHistory records for this hull (Detail 929 'CHELEB (AK-138)' and Detail 9612 'LYMAN J. GAGE', same U.S. Official No. 242893): MARAD type EC2-S-C1; built 1943 by Permanente Metals Corporation; 7,194 gross / 4,373 net tons; bale 499,573 cu ft, grain 562,608 cu ft; registered length 417.60 / breadth 56.80 vs Detail-929 441.50 ft overall length and 56.00 beam (registered-vs-overall measure difference, noted not merged). Custody/allocation card (4MA_01.png) read verbatim: 'Basis to W.S.A. 2-6-43 2:00PM PWT @ Richmond, Cal.'; operator rows - 'Waterman SS Agency Ltd.' under GAA at Richmond 2-6-43 2:00PM (the ten-month merchant window); 'Navy Dept. (NOW Cheleb AK-138)' under 'Purch. BB' [bareboat] at Alameda, Cal. 12-3-43 4:00PM; 'Reserve Fleet' Suisun Bay 5-23-47 2:15pm PST; 'Levin Metals Corporation (Scrap) - Purchase' Suisun Bay 3/15/78; 'Physically Delivered 4/19/78 10:23AM PST'; second basis line '5-23-47 2:15pm PST @ Suisun Bay, Calif. from Navy - SURPLUS'. Reserve-fleet card (929_1688AF.jpg): name CHELEB (AK-138) former Lyman J. Gage, type 'EC2 Mil. Aux.', fleet SUISUN K-12, 'PERMANENTE #2 1943' [yard-number variance vs three other sources - correction row], hull no. MCE-520, 'Fuel oil entry fleet: 552 BBLS Bunker C', entered 5-23-47 1415 hrs; 'Sold for scrap under PD-X-1026, 3/27/78 to Levin Metals Corp. for $111,653.00'; 'Date withdrawn from fleet, delivered to 1023 PST 4/19/78'. MA-20 Record of Ship Sales card (929_AF.jpg front / 929_AB.jpg back): PD-X-1026; official no. 242,893; type EC2-S-C1; awarded to LEVIN METALS CORP 3-27-78, purchase price $111,653.00, contract no. MA-8999; year built 1943; dims 417'8" x 56'10" x 37'4" (registered); location 'Suisun Bay, Calif., Resflt.'; acquisition 'Built by Permanente Metals'; remarks 'Advertised under PD-X-970 - bid rejected / Advertised under PD-X-978 - bid rejected / Advertised under PD-X-987 - bid rejected / over'; back face: 'Advertised under PD-X-1025-dated-2-9-78-opened 3-15-78 under two condition: (1) NTU (2) SCRAP HULL. Award under condition (2) SCRAP HULL.' [advertisement number reads PD-X-1025 on the card back vs PD-X-1026 elsewhere - transcription variance noted]. Digitized document on Detail 9612: USCG 'Radio Sealing Report', Captain of the Port San Francisco (12th Naval District), dated 11/15/43, arrival 1455 San Francisco Bay - vessel LYMAN J. GAGE, class S.S., American, owner/operator 'War Shipping Adm.', master J.F. Fuellner, senior radio operator W. Gray; all-Federal Telegraph radio fit (150-AY main 200W + emergency 40W transmitters, 168-B lifeboat 5W, 128-AX/123-EX receivers, 106-B direction finder, 101-B auto-alarm); sealed per Directive 3001C20 Section 3-a. Detail-929 web milestones: Entry + Acquisition 5/23/1947; Withdrawal 4/19/1978. Detail-page fates read 'Sold - U.S. Operation' on both records - the genericized web fate; the MA-20 card establishes the actual condition was SCRAP HULL to Levin Metals.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-20

   Study period

   1943-1978

   Population

   Waterman Steamship Agency merchant crew (1943); Navy crew (1943-46); NDRF Suisun Bay caretaker workforce (1947-1978); Levin Metals Corp. scrapping workforce (1978)

   Limitations

   Authoritative government custody/sale record for this hull; cards read directly from scans. Establishes the Waterman GAA merchant period (2-6-43 to 12-3-43), the bareboat Navy delivery at Alameda 12-3-43 4:00PM, NDRF Suisun entry 5-23-47 1415 hrs, three rejected sale advertisements, the PD-X-1026 scrap-hull award to Levin Metals 3-27-78 for $111,653 (contract MA-8999), and physical delivery 4-19-78. Contains no asbestos, insulation-material, or condition-survey information - the sale card carries no hazmat annotation, noted as an absence not a clearance. 'PERMANENTE #2' on the fleet card conflicts with Yard No. 1 in NavSource/shipscribe/shipbuildinghistory (correction row). The genericized 'Sold - U.S. Operation' fate mislabels a documented scrap sale. Supports no asbestos claim.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-cheleb-ak138-04

5. [5]Shipscribe U.S. Navy auxiliary ships data sheets, 'USS Crater (AK-70) Class' page (Stephen S. Roberts compilation from Navy registers, BuShips records, and MC design files) [other_primary]

   Locator

   AK-70 class page: characteristics block; construction table row '138 CHELEB ... 3 Dec 43 ... Permanente Metals #1 ... 29 Dec 42 ... 29 Jan 43 ... 1 Jan 44'; disposal table row '138 CHELEB 25 Jul 46 | 22 May 47 | 23 May 47 | MC/R | 27 Mar 78'; ship-note table '138 CHE 520 Ex merc. LYMAN J. GAGE ... Converted by United Engineering Co., Alameda. Modified as fleet issue ship mid-1944. Laid up at Pearl Harbor July 1946 for use in Operation Crossroads but not used ...'; class notes 'Fleet issue ship modifications' paragraph (ComServPac July 1944, AK-111/124/137/138)

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   Ship-design compilation naming this hull in the class tables and ship notes (shipscribe.com, compiled from Navy registers, BuShips records, and Maritime Commission files): class CRATER (AK-70), design MC EC2-S-C1; class characteristics 4,023 t light / 14,550 t lim.; 441.5' oa x 416.0' wl x 56.9' e x 28.3' lim.; complement 133 (1944); 12.5 kts; 2,500 hp; machinery 'Vertical triple expansion, 1 screw'. Construction table row for AK-138 CHELEB: acquired 3 Dec 43; builder Permanente Metals #1; keel 29 Dec 42; launched 29 Jan 43; commissioned 1 Jan 44. Disposal row: decommissioned 25 Jul 46; struck 22 May 47; to MC/R 23 May 47; sold 27 Mar 78. Ship note (verbatim): 'Ex merc. LYMAN J. GAGE (completed 6 Feb 43). Converted by United Engineering Co., Alameda. Modified as fleet issue ship mid-1944. Laid up at Pearl Harbor July 1946 for use in Operation Crossroads but not used and towed to San Francisco during 1947 for disposal. To NDRF 1947 as merc. LYMAN J. GAGE. To buyer 19 Apr 78.' Class notes document the fleet-issue-ship program: 'in July 1944 ComServPac stated that he intended to continuously employ AK-111, 124, 137, and 138 as fleet dry provisions and ships store issue ships, and he was authorized to make the necessary alterations' - AK-138 named in the first group. The identical 'Operation Crossroads but not used' note appears for sisters Ascella (AK-137) and Situla (AK-140).

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-20

   Study period

   1942-1978

   Population

   Permanente Metals Yard 1 construction workforce (1942-43); United Engineering Co. conversion workforce (Dec 1943); NDRF Suisun caretakers (1947-78); Levin Metals breaking workforce (1978)

   Limitations

   Compiled secondary transcription of official Navy/MC records, not the registers themselves; figures used where consistent with DANFS and the MARAD cards (all keel/launch/commission/decommission/strike/sale dates agree). The 'Operation Crossroads but not used' claim conflicts with DANFS's 'after use in a special explosives test' - conflict carried unresolved in ev-07; the compiled note is consistent across three sister hulls (AK-137/138/140). Class-level complement 133 (1944) conflicts with DANFS 198 and NavSource 252 - all three logged. Contains no asbestos information.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-cheleb-ak138-05

6. [6]NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive, USS Cheleb (AK-138) page (compiled reference incl. DANFS transcription, awards table, CO list, specifications, captioned photo credits) [other_primary]

   Locator

   navsource.net/archives/09/13/130138.htm - full page incl. specifications block, commanding-officer table, awards, photo captions (Mare Island Navy Yard photos 8072-43, 90-44, 92-44, 94-44)

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   NavSource Online (Service Ship Photo Archive, AK-138 page) records: laid down 1942-12-29 as SS Lyman J. Gage (EC2-S-C1, MCE hull 520) at Permanente Metals Corp. Yard No. 1, Richmond, CA; launched 1943-01-29; delivered to Maritime Commission 1943-02-06; commissioned USS Cheleb (AK-138) 1944-01-01, LT Addison E. McKimmey USNR; assigned Asiatic-Pacific Theater; post-war occupation service Far East 1945-11-16 to 1946-04-02; decommissioned 1946-07-25 at Pearl Harbor, T.H.; 'retained by the Navy and used in a special explosives test, before being returned to the Maritime Administration'; struck from the Naval Register 1947-05-22; returned to the Maritime Commission 1947-05-23 for lay up NDRF Suisun Bay, Benicia, CA; 'Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 27 March 1978, (PD-X-1026) to Levin Metals, Corp. for $111,653. Removed from the Reserve Fleet, 19 April 1978.' CO table: LT McKimmey 1 Jan-3 Jan 1944; LCDR Matthias S. Clark 3 Jan 1944-8 Feb 1945; LCDR McKimmey 8 Feb 1945-25 Jul 1946. Call sign NHER. Awards: American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, WWII Victory Medal, Navy Occupation Service Medal (Asia clasp), Philippines Liberation Medal. Spec block: 4,023 t (lt) / 14,550 t (fl); 441'6" x 56'11" x 28'4"; 12.5 kts; complement 18 officers + 234 enlisted; cargo 7,800 DWT / 373,943 cu ft non-refrigerated; largest boom 30 t; armament 1x5"/38 DP + 1x3"/50 DP + 2 single 40mm + 6 single 20mm; fuel NSFO 9,660 bbls + diesel 2,010 bbls; one Joshua-Hendy vertical triple-expansion engine, two Combustion Engineering header-type boilers (220 psi, 450 deg F), three recip-drive 20 kW + one turbo-drive 60 kW 120 V DC ship's-service generators, single propeller 2,500 shp. Photo captions: USS Cheleb at Alameda, CA 1943-12-04 (Navy Yard Mare Island photo 8072-43); stern, broadside, and bow views off San Francisco 1944-01-03 (Mare Island photos 90-44, 92-44, 94-44).

   Verification

   partial

   Role

   context

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-20

   Study period

   1942-1978

   Population

   Ship's company 1944-1946

   Limitations

   NavSource is a privately compiled standard reference, not a government publication; used as cross-check and for detail absent elsewhere (call sign, occupation-service window, CO list, medal list, photo credits, spec block). Its propulsion manufacturer attributions (Joshua-Hendy engine; Combustion Engineering boilers) are NavSource-only and uncorroborated here - no MARAD machinery card is digitized for this hull. Complement 252 and several spec figures conflict with DANFS/MARAD/shipscribe (correction row ev-07). Contains no asbestos content; supports no asbestos claim.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-cheleb-ak138-06

7. [7]Cross-source reconciliation: DANFS entry (Wayback capture of official NHHC page + hazegray mirror); MARAD Details 929/9612 (custody, fleet, and MA-20 sale cards + USCG radio report); shipscribe AK-70 class page; NavSource AK-138 page; shipbuildinghistory kperm1 yard table; HyperWar AK-138 data page [other_primary]

   Locator

   DANFS entry text; MARAD cards 4MA_01.png / 929_1688AF.jpg / 929_AF.jpg / 929_AB.jpg; shipscribe.com/usnaux/AK/AK70.html construction/disposal/ship-note rows and class notes; navsource.net/archives/09/13/130138.htm spec block; shipbuildinghistory.com/shipyards/emergencylarge/kperm1.htm hull-520 row; ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/ships/AK/AK-138_Cheleb.html spec block

   Finding type

   historical_record

   Finding

   Source discrepancies logged, not merged: (a) 'Special explosives test' - DANFS 'after use in a special explosives test, she was turned over to the WSA' vs shipscribe ship note 'laid up at Pearl Harbor July 1946 for use in Operation Crossroads but not used and towed to San Francisco during 1947 for disposal' - whether a test occurred at all is unresolved; both statements carried verbatim. (b) Builder yard number - Permanente Metals Yard No. 1 (NavSource, shipscribe, shipbuildinghistory kperm1 way-5 row) vs 'PERMANENTE #2' on the MARAD reserve-fleet card - majority adopted, card variance logged. (c) Complement - 198 (DANFS spec block) vs 252 (NavSource 18 officers + 234 enlisted; Wikipedia concurs) vs 133 (shipscribe class-level 1944). (d) Speed - 12 k (DANFS) vs 12.5 kts (NavSource spec block and MARAD custody card 'Sp 12.5') vs 11.5 kts (HyperWar). (e) Draft - 28'4" (DANFS, NavSource) vs 30' (HyperWar) vs 37'4" depth figure on the MA-20 registered dims (different measure). (f) Full-load displacement - 14,550 t (NavSource, shipscribe, MARAD Detail 929) vs 11,565 t (HyperWar). (g) Cargo cubic - 373,943 cu ft non-refrigerated (NavSource) vs 444,206 cu ft (Wikipedia) vs MARAD bale 499,573 / grain 562,608 - measure-type differences at least partly. (h) MARAD web fate genericization - 'Sold - U.S. Operation' on both Detail pages vs the MA-20 card's documented scrap-hull condition award to Levin Metals. (i) Advertisement number - card back reads 'PD-X-1025-dated-2-9-78-opened 3-15-78' where card front, fleet card, and NavSource read PD-X-1026 - single-digit transcription variance on the card face, noted. (j) asbestos-ships.com (excluded source class) dates the keel '29 December 1943' - actual 1942 per DANFS/MARAD/yard table; its error corroborates the exclusion.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   correction

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-20

   Study period

   1942-1978 (dates reconciled 2026-09-20)

   Limitations

   Resolves nothing by fiat - records which source says what so downstream consumers inherit the conflicts honestly. The explosives-test conflict is material (a test use vs a not-used layup changes the disturbance-phase picture) and is carried as unresolved. No asbestos content in any reconciled source.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-cheleb-ak138-07

8. [8]Batch-829 search ledger (this record): DANFS (Wayback capture of canonical NHHC page + hazegray mirror); MARAD ShipHistory Details 929/9612 + four card scans + USCG radio-sealing PDF read verbatim; shipscribe AK-70 class page; NavSource AK-138; shipbuildinghistory kperm1 yard table; HyperWar ships page; NVR; CourtListener API v4 (throttled) + indexed-web check; VA BVA index; NARA digitized deck-log index; shipyards.json cross-check [other_primary]

   Locator

   search_ledger rows sl-uss-cheleb-ak138-01 through sl-uss-cheleb-ak138-13

   Finding type

   historical_record

   Finding

   No qualifying ship-specific asbestos record located: no asbestos survey, abatement contract, insulation specification, hazmat disclosure, court finding, or docketed asbestos case naming USS Cheleb / AK-138 / SS Lyman J. Gage / MCE hull 520 was found in the public sources searched (see search_ledger). Litigation surface: CourtListener API v4 queries were rate-limited throughout the session (HTTP 429, documented 125/day shared machine quota consumed by same-day prior batch work; responses 'Expected available in 3088/15530 seconds'); the fallback Google-indexed site:courtlistener.com sweep surfaced only unrelated asbestos filings naming other vessels/parties (Berman/Unterberg v. MOSAT; Swogger; LeBlanc/Avondale removal; Siegfried LBNSY) - no hull-naming opinion located by that route. VA BVA index returned no decision naming Cheleb, AK-138, or Lyman J. Gage (surfaced decisions name USS Oriskany, USS Sacramento - unrelated hulls). NVR carries no entry (pre-1987 disposals out of coverage; hull sold 1978). Law-firm marketing surfaces (asbestos-ships.com dedicated hull page with a keel-date error; freeasbestostesting.com and duboselawfirm.com bulk roster entries) assert era-typical asbestos content for this hull without primary support - excluded per the no-law-firm-sources rule and logged in the ledger.

   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 1943 EC2-S-C1 hull with documented conversion and repair availabilities is era-consistent with asbestos-containing materials aboard, and the 1978 scrapping occurred inside U.S. jurisdiction (PD-X-1026 scrap-hull sale) though the card carries no hazmat notation. Does not establish presence or absence; does not establish or defeat any claim of exposure or legal eligibility. The CourtListener sweep is INCOMPLETE - direct API queries were blocked by the documented quota; indexed-web checking is not a substitute for the opinion/docket/RECAP surfaces - 'no qualifying case located on completed surfaces' is the claim, nothing more.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-cheleb-ak138-08

9. [9]NARA record-group guidance: RG 24 deck logs (post-1941 at Archives II, College Park; digitized-logs index checked - no Cheleb entries); RG 178 (U.S. Maritime Commission) records; MARAD sale documentation (PD-X-1026 / MA-8999 referenced on the MA-20 card) [other_primary]

   Locator

   archives.gov/research/military/logbooks (post-1941 Navy deck logs at College Park); archives.gov/research/military/logbooks/navy-online digitized index (Ascella AK-137 1944 listed; no Cheleb); archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/178.html; MARAD cards (ev-04)

   Finding type

   historical_record

   Finding

   Archival leads (not retrieved - research-room or reproduction order required; no spend authorized): (a) NARA RG 24 WWII deck logs for AK-138 (Jan 1944-Jul 1946) at Archives II, College Park - the NARA digitized deck-log index lists sister Ascella (AK-137, 1944) but no Cheleb logs, so none are digitized; the logs would document every cargo/issue run and the post-decommissioning test-related layup at Pearl Harbor; (b) NARA RG 178 (U.S. Maritime Commission) construction files for MCE hull 520 at Permanente Metals Yard 1 - the likeliest surviving source of any outfitting/materials description; (c) BuShips/supervisor-of-shipbuilding records for the United Engineering Co. Alameda conversion (Dec 1943) and the Oakland fleet-issue-ship alteration (spring 1944, ComServPac-authorized July 1944) - the likeliest sources of any materials scope for the two documented conversions; (d) Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard / ComServPac records for the 1946-47 layup - could resolve the 'special explosives test' vs 'Operation Crossroads but not used' conflict; (e) the MARAD PD-X-1026 / contract MA-8999 sale file - the most promising disposal-era lead: a 1978 scrap-hull sale inside U.S. jurisdiction is exactly the era in which hazmat conditions began appearing in MARAD sale documents, and the file (not digitized) would show whether any asbestos term attached; (f) Levin Metals Corp. breaking records (Richmond-area scrapper) - workforce and handling undocumented.

   Verification

   unverified

   Role

   archival_lead

   Documentation level

   context_only

   Accessed

   2026-09-20

   Study period

   1942-1978 records

   Limitations

   Record-group and file 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-cheleb-ak138-09