Evidence
9 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-9).
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[1]research packet 365-packet.md (3 sources cited) [museum_official]
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Identity packet verdict: VERIFIED — real identity: USS Constellation (IX-20) — DANFS "II" ship of the name (I = 1797 frigate)
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Evidence ID
- uss-constellation-ii-ix20-pkt-365-packet-md
-
[2]National Park Service, National Historic Landmark updated documentation for USS Constellation, NRHP 66000918 (NHL designated 1963-05-23; update approved 2011-07-13; Maryland Historical Trust MIHP B-29 survey file) + DANFS Constellation II specification block [nps]
- Locator
- NHL updated documentation sections 7-8 (materials, construction, significance); MHT capsule summary B-29; DANFS spec line (tons 1,400; length 179 ft; beam 41 ft; draft 21 ft; complement 240; armament 16x8in shell guns, 4x32-pdr)
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Sail-powered sloop-of-war designed by Chief Constructor John Lenthall and built at the Gosport Navy Yard, Portsmouth VA: laid down 1853-06-25, launched 1854-08-26, commissioned 1855-07-28. NHL materials record: live-oak frames/stem/knees; white-oak keel, keelson, sternpost, and hull planking; yellow-pine ceiling/deck beams/deck planking/heavy spars; white-pine joiner bulkheads; spruce light spars; locust trunnels; copper fasteners below waterline, iron above. Last sail-only warship designed and built for the U.S. Navy - no propulsion machinery ever fitted.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-29
- Study period
- 1853-1855 (construction); 1855-1955 (naval service)
- Population
- Crew complement 240 (DANFS); ~230 designed for 22-gun sloop, at most 283 enlisted during Civil War (NHL documentation)
- Limitations
- Establishes identity, construction, materials, and the absence of propulsion machinery aboard this hull. Contains no asbestos or insulation-material statement; the documented wood/metal materials list supports no asbestos claim. Does not establish that no asbestos exists aboard - later additions are undocumented at materials level.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-constellation-ii-ix20-01
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[3]NPS NHL updated documentation for USS Constellation, NRHP 66000918 + DANFS Constellation II (service narrative) [nps]
- Locator
- NHL documentation sec. 7 'Historical Changes to the Vessel' (WWII heating modification) and sec. 8 (relief flagship duty); DANFS WWII paragraphs
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Recommissioned 1940-08-24 and classified miscellaneous unclassified auxiliary IX-20 on 1941-01-08. NHL updated documentation: in World War II 'modifications, particularly in the heating of the ship to accommodate the admiral of the Atlantic fleet in relative comfort, were made'; the Navy 'prepared new office spaces in her hull'; two small houses may have been added forward on the spar deck. Served at Newport as relief flagship for Admiral Ernest J. King (CINCLANT) from 1941-05-21, then Vice Admiral Royal E. Ingersoll 1942-01-19 to 1942-07-20 and again 1943-1944. This heating/office fit-out is the only documented mechanical-system addition to the all-sail hull and the only plausible era in which asbestos-containing materials could have been installed aboard.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-29
- Study period
- 1940-1944
- Population
- Atlantic Fleet flag staff and Newport personnel using offices aboard, 1941-1944
- Limitations
- Documents that a heating system and offices were installed aboard this hull during WWII - the sole documented asbestos-era vector. The source specifies no materials; it does not say 'asbestos,' does not describe the heating plant type (shipboard boiler vs. shore-supplied), and does not establish asbestos presence, exposure, or causation for anyone aboard.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-constellation-ii-ix20-02
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[4]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) - WWII-era shipboard asbestos context applied only to the documented 1940-41 heating/office fit-out period [other_primary]
- Locator
- AJIM 11(3):359-373 (WWII shipboard asbestos era documentation); NHL documentation sec. 7 for the fit-out event itself
- Finding type
- asbestos_application
- Finding
- Era-level inference only: WWII-era shipboard heating systems (steam or hot-water piping, equipment insulation) era-commonly incorporated asbestos-containing insulation, so the documented 1940-41 heating and office fit-out is the one period when asbestos-containing materials could plausibly have been installed aboard this hull. The inference applies only to that later fit-out: the ship's 1853-55 original construction predates industrial asbestos use in American shipbuilding and the hull has no propulsion machinery, so the standard steam-era applications (boiler insulation, steam-line lagging, machinery gaskets/packing) never applied to her as built.
- Verification
- inferred
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-29
- Study period
- 1940-1944
- Population
- Shipyard workers performing the 1940-41 fit-out; flag staff using the offices
- Limitations
- Era/context inference only - no hull-specific insulation or materials record located. Does not establish that asbestos was installed, remains aboard, or exposed anyone; the WWII heating plant's type and materials are undocumented, and its removal (during the 1955-65 reconfiguration or 1996-99 rebuild) is also undocumented.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-constellation-ii-ix20-03
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[5]Dana M. Wegner, Fouled Anchors (DTRC-91/C106, 1991) as summarized in Wegner, 'An Apple and an Orange: Two Constellations at Gosport, 1853-1855,' American Neptune 52(2):77-93 (1992), hosted by NAVSEA/NSWC Carderock; NPS NHL updated documentation (2011); DANFS Constellation II [other_primary]
- Locator
- Wegner article pp. 77-93 (via Wayback capture 2024-11-27; live navsea.mil fetch returned an error page); NHL documentation sec. 7 (identity discussion); DANFS closing paragraphs
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Identity correction documented at federal level: long promoted as the 1797 Baltimore-built frigate 'rebuilt,' the vessel was determined by the Navy's David Taylor Research Center investigation (Dana M. Wegner, Fouled Anchors: The Constellation Question Answered, DTRC-91/C106, September 1991) and the 2011-updated NHL documentation to be a new sloop-of-war built at Gosport 1853-55 while the old frigate was dismantled nearby; DANFS records that perhaps ~1% of timbers from the 1797 frigate may have been reused. This resolves which hull carries hull number IX-20 and matters for litigation classification: the carrier USS Constellation (CV-64) is a different hull with independent asbestos litigation exposure, and 'Constellation' name hits must be attributed by hull.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- correction
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-29
- Study period
- 1947-2011 (controversy and resolution)
- Limitations
- Identity/dating correction only - no asbestos content. The ~1% timber-reuse figure is DANFS's estimate, not a surveyed quantity.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-constellation-ii-ix20-04
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[6]DANFS Constellation II (NHHC, live page 404 on 2026-09-29 - verbatim Wayback capture 2021-01-17); Historic Ships in Baltimore official history; Maryland bond bill fact sheet (2021 Regular Session); Capital Gazette reporting (2022-10-24, 2022-12-20); NPS NHL updated documentation [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- DANFS Constellation II service narrative (Wayback 2021-01-17 capture); https://historicships.org/explore/uss-constellation ; https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2021RS/bond_initiatives/USS_Constellation.pdf ; NHL documentation sec. 7-8
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Service and preservation timeline: Mediterranean Squadron 1855-58; Africa Squadron flagship 1859-61 (seizures incl. Delicia 1859-12-21 and Cora 1860-09-26 with 705 Africans); Civil War Mediterranean patrol 1862-64; receiving ship Norfolk/Philadelphia to 1869; Naval Academy training cruises 1871-1893; stationary training ship Newport from 1894-05-22 (New York Navy Yard drydock June 1904); renamed Old Constellation 1917-12-01, name restored July 24 (DANFS 1925 vs other sources 1926); decommissioned for preservation 1933-06-16; recommissioned 1940-08-24, IX-20 1941-01-08, relief flagship Newport 1941-44; Boston 1946-10; final decommissioning Boston 1955-02-04; stricken Naval Register 1955-08-15 (per NavSource - DANFS gives no struck date); arrived Baltimore 1955-08-09 (NPS photo caption BOSTS-10725); transferred to Baltimore citizens group. Museum era: reconfigured to 1797-frigate appearance late 1950s-60s; Inner Harbor 1968; Navy condemnation as unsafe 1992; 1996-99 rebuild (~$9M, ~19 months, dry dock near Fort McHenry; ~50% hull structure preserved; approved by MD SHPO, US Navy, NPS); USCG Yard Curtis Bay drydock 2014-10 to 2015-02 (~$2M laminate-planking repair); 2022-10 to 2022-12 drydocked/painted at General Ship Repair (Locust Point) then hull-planking recaulked at Tradepoint Atlantic (Sparrows Point) (~$2.8M state/city-funded; back at Pier 1 2022-12-19).
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-29
- Study period
- 1855-2022
- Limitations
- Identity, service, and preservation history only - none of these sources contains any asbestos, insulation, hazmat, or abatement statement. Restoration records document timber/laminate structural work only. The DANFS name-restoration year (1925) conflicts with secondary sources (1926) - logged in gaps.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-constellation-ii-ix20-05
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[7]Batch-4759 search ledger (this record): NHL updated documentation NRHP 66000918; MHT MIHP B-29 file; HAER MD-168 (LOC); historicships.org; mgaleg.maryland.gov bond bill; Capital Gazette/DVIDS drydock coverage; CourtListener searches [other_primary]
- Locator
- all 16 search_ledger rows (sl-uss-constellation-ii-ix20-01 through -16)
- 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 was found in the public sources searched. The updated NHL nomination (~19-page narrative) and Maryland B-29 survey file contain zero asbestos/insulation/lagging statements; HAER MD-168 is a photographic recordation with no written materials data; museum and press records for the 1996-99, 2014-15, and 2022 drydockings describe timber and laminate hull work with no hazardous-materials disclosure (see search_ledger).
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-29
- Study period
- 2026-09-29
- Limitations
- Absence of a located public record does not prove absence of asbestos aboard - the WWII heating/office fit-out's materials are undocumented and could era-plausibly have included ACM; whether any such material survives the 1955-65 and 1996-99 reconfigurations is unknown. Does not establish presence or absence; does not establish or defeat any exposure claim or legal eligibility.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-constellation-ii-ix20-06
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[8]NARA record groups as cited in Wegner's Navy-investigation footnotes (RG 45, RG 19, RG 71; National Archives) plus standard NARA deck-log guidance (RG 24) [other_primary]
- Locator
- Wegner article footnotes (NA RG 45 Entry 320, RG 19, RG 71 Gosport log); NARA Guide to Federal Records RG 24
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Archival lead (not retrieved - requires research-room work or reproduction orders; no spend authorized): NARA RG 24 deck logs for this hull (1855-1955) could document 1940-41 work performed aboard; the Gosport yard records used by the Navy identity investigation (RG 45 Returns for repairs; RG 19 Bureau of Construction and Repair; RG 71 Bureau of Yards and Docks yard log/Shiphouse B entries; NARA DC) document original construction; Bureau of Ships/BuSandA work orders for the WWII heating and office fit-out are the one record set that could specify insulation materials installed aboard in 1940-41.
- Verification
- unverified
- Role
- archival_lead
- Documentation level
- context_only
- Accessed
- 2026-09-29
- Study period
- 1853-1955 records
- Limitations
- Record-group mapping only - no box-level retrieval performed; 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-constellation-ii-ix20-07
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[9]CourtListener v4 authenticated search, query '"USS Constellation" asbestos' run 2026-09-29 via fleet helper cl-auth-search.py: Little v. Hardie-Tynes Co. (Wash. Ct. App. Aug. 25, 2025) opinion/10660123; Dollas v. W.R. Grace & Co., 225 A.D.2d 319 opinion/6133941; Pace v. Air & Liquid Sys. Corp., 171 F. Supp. 3d 254 opinion/7319150 [court_record]
- Locator
- Pace opinion text ('the Constellation was a Kitty Hawk-class carrier'; Brooklyn Navy Yard construction 1959-60); Little opinion facts (Navy service 1970-74; 'boiler feed pumps'); Dollas (Brooklyn Navy Yard, App. Div. 1st Dept.)
- Finding type
- litigation_documented
- Finding
- CourtListener asbestos sweep (authenticated helper, query '"USS Constellation" asbestos', 2026-09-29): 3 opinion-level hits, zero qualifying for this hull. Every hit resolves to aircraft carrier USS Constellation (CV-64, built Brooklyn Navy Yard 1957-61) - a name collision, not this 1853-55 sloop: (1) Little v. Hardie-Tynes Co., Wash. Ct. App. 2025-08-25, No. 86318-5 - Navy records showed 'boiler feed pumps' for 'USS Constellation' supplied by Hardie-Tynes; plaintiff's Navy service 1970-74 and Puget Sound Naval Shipyard work 1974-79 postdate this hull's 1955 decommissioning/stricken and museum transfer, and the sloop carried no boilers or propulsion machinery, so the pumps can only have been CV-64's; (2) Dollas v. W.R. Grace & Co., 225 A.D.2d 319 (1st Dept. 1996) - Brooklyn Navy Yard construction-era asbestos litigation naming 'USS Constellation', i.e. CV-64 built there 1957-61; this hull was a stationary training ship/museum and never at Brooklyn Navy Yard in the asbestos era; (3) Pace v. Air & Liquid Systems Corp., 171 F. Supp. 3d 254 (S.D.N.Y. 2016), No. 13 Civ. 6227 (KPF) - opinion expressly states 'the Constellation was a Kitty Hawk-class carrier' under construction at Brooklyn Navy Yard when plaintiff's decedent worked aboard as an electrician's helper 1959-60; defendant Warren granted summary judgment. A companion exact-name opinion search '"USS Constellation"' returned 12 hits total - the same 3 asbestos collisions plus 9 post-1955 CV-64 or incidental matters (courts-martial, shipyard disputes, qui tam, terrorism case, domestic/criminal mentions) - no docketed opinion naming this hull (IX-20) was located.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-29
- Study period
- 1996-2025 (opinions classified)
- Limitations
- Name-collision classification verified by hull identity: CV-64 (Kitty Hawk-class, boilers fitted, built Brooklyn Navy Yard 1957-61, in service until 2003) vs IX-20 (no boilers ever, decommissioned 1955, museum since). Pace is a defense summary-judgment disposition - even for CV-64 it is a merits-stage dispute, not an exposure finding. Absence of an indexed opinion naming this hull is not proof no claim was ever filed or settled in non-indexed courts.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-constellation-ii-ix20-08