Evidence
10 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-10).
-
[1]research packet bj-packet.md (3 sources cited) [other_primary]
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Identity packet verdict: PHANTOM (paper-only designation)
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Evidence ID
- uss-conus-arl44-pkt-bj-packet-md
-
[2]DANFS, 'LST-317' (Naval Historical Center / NHHC) [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- Live NHHC URL pattern returned 404 on 2026-09-26 (NHHC link rot, standing issue since Batch-01); text verified verbatim via Wayback Machine capture 2004-06-22 of history.navy.mil/danfs/l15/lst-317.htm
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- DANFS entry: LST-317 laid down 1942-10-15 at the New York Navy Yard; launched 1943-01-28, sponsored by Mrs. Florence Whitehouse; commissioned 1943-02-06. Assigned to the European theater; participated in the Sicilian occupation (July 1943), Salerno landings (September 1943), and Invasion of Normandy (June 1944). Decommissioned 1945-05-18 on return to the United States; struck from the Navy list 1946-03-12; sold 1947-01-22 to A. G. Schoonmaker. Earned three battle stars for WWII service.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-26
- Study period
- 1942-1947
- Limitations
- Establishes identity, construction, theater service, and disposal dates. The DANFS entry does not mention the ARL-44 conversion episode at all (decommissioning context comes from other sources). Contains no asbestos, insulation, or materials statement; supports no asbestos claim.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-conus-arl44-01
-
[3]Shipscribe (usnaux.shipscribe.com), USS Coronis (ARL-10) class page - construction table, class notes on the 1945 ARL 42-47 conversion program, and ship note 44 CONSUS (compiled by Stephen S. Roberts, 2002-2007, from official Navy records) [other_primary]
- Locator
- Construction table row ARL-44 CONSUS; fates table (conversion canceled 27 Aug 45); class notes (CNO direction of 30 Apr 45, approval of names/numbers 28 May 45, October 1945 inspection board, James River layup); ship note ARL-44 CONSUS
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Shipscribe CORONIS (ARL-10) class compilation (S. S. Roberts, from official Navy records): on 1945-04-30 CNO directed that six LSTs returning from Europe be converted to ARLs; the ships departed Plymouth, England 1945-04-16, arrived Norfolk 1945-05-05, and were decommissioned at Port Covington, Baltimore, MD between 16 and 29 May 1945. ARL hull numbers and names were approved 1945-05-28. Ship note for ARL-44 CONSUS: commissioned as LST-317 1943-02-06; decommissioned at Port Covington, Baltimore, 1945-05-18 for conversion by Bethlehem Steel, Key Highway, Baltimore, MD; reclassified ARL-44 1945-05-28; conversion canceled 1945-08-27; reclassification and name canceled 1945-09-12. When canceled her conversion was 34% complete and her anticipated recommissioning date was 1945-10-08. Struck as LST 1946-03-12; sold by Navy, to buyer 1947-01-22. The six partially converted ships were inspected at their conversion yards in October 1945; the board found them usable as neither LSTs nor ARLs and recommended striking and scrapping; they were towed to the James River for layup and disposal between 1945-12-29 and 1946-01-13.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-26
- Study period
- 1945-1947
- Population
- Bethlehem Steel Key Highway conversion-yard workforce (May-August 1945)
- Limitations
- Most detailed located source for the conversion episode - a scholarly compilation of official Navy records, not an official publication itself; the Bethlehem Steel Key Highway conversion-yard attribution conflicts with NavSource/Wikipedia's 'New York Navy Yard' claim (see correction row). Documents a yard-rework event on this hull (34% complete at cancellation) but contains no asbestos, insulation, or materials statement; supports no asbestos claim.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-conus-arl44-02
-
[4]NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive, USS LST-317 page (archives/10/16/160317.htm), via Wayback capture 2024-12-12 [other_primary]
- Locator
- Chronology block, campaign table, awards line, specifications block, commanding officers table (live navsource.org unreachable 2026-09-26, consistent with class-F session)
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- NavSource Online compiled record for USS LST-317: laid down 1942-10-15 at New York Navy Yard, Brooklyn NY; launched 1943-01-28; commissioned USS LST-317 1943-02-06, LT. B. Berner, USNR, in command. Europe-Africa-Middle East campaign table: Sicilian occupation 9-15 July 1943; Salerno landings 9-21 September 1943; Invasion of Normandy 6-25 June 1944. Decommissioned 1945-05-18 'for conversion to Landing Craft Repair Ship Conus (ARL-44) at New York Navy Yard, Brooklyn, N.Y.'; conversion canceled 1945-09-12; reverted to LST-317; struck 1946-03-12; sold 1947-01-22 to A. G. Schoonmaker, fate unknown. Three battle stars. International radio call sign NJOJ. Commanding officers: LT B. Berner USNR (Feb 1943-Sep 1943), LT Gerard J. Cassedy USNR (Sep 1943-Oct 1944), LT William F. Reynolds (Oct 1944-30 Apr 1945). Compiled specifications: 1,625 t light / 4,080 t full / 2,366 t beaching; 328 ft oa, 50 ft beam; 11.6 kt; complement 9 officers / 120 enlisted; troops 14 officers / 131 enlisted; six LCVP; armament 2 twin 40mm with Mk 51 directors, 4 single 40mm, 12 single 20mm.
- Verification
- partial
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-26
- Study period
- 1942-1947
- Population
- Ship's company (~129) plus embarked troops; commanding officers listed
- Limitations
- Volunteer-compiled archive reproducing official-derived data - fills campaign dates and specifications the terse DANFS entry omits, but is not itself an official publication; carries the 'Conus' misspelling and a 'New York Navy Yard' conversion-yard attribution conflicting with the Shipscribe/Roberts Bethlehem-Baltimore record (see correction row); contains no asbestos or materials information; supports no asbestos claim.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-conus-arl44-03
-
[5]Shipscribe/Roberts ARL-10 class page and NavalCoverMuseum LST 317 page vs NavSource LST-317 page and Wikipedia USS LST-317 - secondary-source discrepancy check [other_primary]
- Locator
- Name/designation lists across four compilations; NavalCoverMuseum postmark note '(Br. #16106) device prepared for CONSUS ARL-44 but never issued'
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Source discrepancies logged, not silently reconciled: (a) proposed ARL name spelled 'Consus' in the Shipscribe/Roberts official-derived table, the skyrocket.de auxiliary table, and the NavalCoverMuseum record (which documents a Type # postmark device 'prepared for CONSUS ARL-44 but never issued'), but spelled 'Conus' by NavSource, Wikipedia, and shipbuildinghistory - 'Consus' (the Roman grain-storage deity, matching the ARL mythological-name pattern) is the verified spelling; (b) conversion yard given as Bethlehem Steel, Key Highway, Baltimore, MD by Shipscribe (consistent with the Port Covington, Baltimore decommissioning of all six ARL 42-47 ships) but as 'New York Navy Yard, Brooklyn' by NavSource and Wikipedia - likely a conflation of the ship's actual builder with the conversion yard; (c) complement 9 officers / 120 enlisted (NavSource) vs 13 officers / 106 enlisted accommodations figure (BuShips SDB-1945 v2) - both carried with flag; (d) NavalCoverMuseum dates 'planned conversion May 25 1945' vs Shipscribe's approval date of 28 May 1945.
- Verification
- partial
- Role
- correction
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-26
- Study period
- 1945 documentation; compilations to 2026
- Limitations
- Documents publication-level discrepancies among compilations; 'Consus' adopted as the correct proposed name (official-derived spelling, mythological-name pattern, documented cachet device), 'Conus' retained as alias because it is the propagated form. The conversion-yard conflict is unresolved at primary-source level - Shipscribe's internally consistent Baltimore attribution carried, NavSource's Brooklyn claim flagged. No asbestos content in any compared source.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-conus-arl44-04
-
[6]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 (same citation carried in Batch-05 and Batch-2630 records)
- 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 in which this hull was built (1942-1943) and partially converted (1945) - and that wartime demand drove unprecedented asbestos utilization in ship construction.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-26
- 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 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-conus-arl44-05
-
[7]Bureau of Ships, Ships' Data, U.S. Naval Vessels, Vol. 2 (Jan 1945), LST design table (shipscribe.com scan); Shipscribe ARL-10 class notes on conversion design changes [other_primary]
- Locator
- SDB1945v2 LST design table; usnaux.shipscribe.com/ARL/ARL10.html class notes ('elimination of the 3"/50 DP gun, retention of the bow doors ... provision of facilities to embark and repair LVTs'; deckhouse and kingpost changes)
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- BuShips Ships' Data 1945 Vol. 2 official design table for the LST groups: 328 ft oa, 50 ft beam, ~2,366 t light / 3,960-4,080 t trial, 11.6 kt, 2 GM 12-567A diesels at 1,700 shp, accommodations 13 officers / 106 enlisted - establishing that this hull's plant was diesel with no boilers, which narrows the steam-lagging exposure pathway; asbestos-relevant applications concentrate in engine-room/exhaust lagging, gaskets, deck coverings, and accommodation insulation. The ARL conversion type (deckhouse front end moved forward for repair shops, kingposts raised, 3"/50 gun deleted, 40mm quadruple mount relocated aft, LVT embark/repair facilities per the Shipscribe class notes) would have added interior insulation scope had it been completed - aboard this hull it reached 34% before cancellation.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-26
- Study period
- 1942-1945
- Population
- Construction trades at New York Navy Yard (1942-1943); conversion-yard workforce (1945); ship's company
- Limitations
- Official class-level design data, not a hull record - establishes the plant type and design accommodations for the class but says nothing about materials aboard this specific hull; the conversion-design description is type-level. Asbestos content inference only; establishes no quantity, location, or exposure.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-conus-arl44-06
-
[8]CourtListener API v4 searches, 2026-09-26: type=o q="LST-317" (0); type=r q="LST-317" (0); type=o q="USS Conus" OR "Consus" OR "ARL-44" (14, all collisions) [court_record]
- Locator
- search_ledger rows sl-uss-conus-arl44-05 through sl-uss-conus-arl44-07
- Finding type
- litigation_documented
- Finding
- CourtListener API v4 sweep 2026-09-26 (authenticated, fleet-paced helper): opinion search '"LST-317"' returned 0 hits; docket search '"LST-317"' returned 0 hits; opinion search '"USS Conus" OR "Consus" OR "ARL-44"' returned 14 hits, all name collisions - 'consus' matched Latin/Spanish text fragments in Puerto Rico Supreme Court opinions and unrelated federal/state matters (El Pueblo de Puerto Rico v. Sharma; Remington Rand v. United States; In re Colton Fontan; Texas AG opinions; etc.), none involving a vessel or asbestos. No qualifying asbestos litigation naming this hull was located.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-26
- Study period
- 2026-09-26
- Limitations
- CourtListener covers published opinions and RECAP dockets; absence of a hull hit does not prove no suit was ever filed - unindexed filings, settled cases, MDL-875 complaint vessel lists not captured in searchable opinions, and state-court records are outside this sweep's reach.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-conus-arl44-07
-
[9]Batch-2637 search ledger (this record): DANFS entry; NavSource page; Shipscribe ARL-10 class page; NavalCoverMuseum; Naval Vessel Register; MARAD Vessel History Database index; CourtListener opinion+docket sweeps; web sweep [other_primary]
- Locator
- search_ledger rows sl-uss-conus-arl44-01 through sl-uss-conus-arl44-10
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- No qualifying ship-specific asbestos record located: no asbestos survey, abatement contract, hazmat disclosure, or docketed case naming the LST-317 / Consus (ARL-44) hull was found in the public sources searched - the DANFS entry contains no asbestos or insulation-material statement; the NavSource compilation contains none; the vessel is absent from the Naval Vessel Register (disposed 1947, NVR covers active and post-1987-disposal hulls) and no MARAD Vessel History Database entry for LST-317 was located in the indexed detail pages (consistent with a direct Navy-to-private-buyer sale never entering MARAD custody). The ship left Navy custody in 1947, before any Navy asbestos-management program existed (the program-level policies documented by GAO HRD-80-2 date from 1975/1979), so no abatement-era record could be expected.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-26
- Study period
- 2026-09-26
- Limitations
- Absence of a located public record does not prove absence of asbestos aboard - a 1942-43-built Navy amphibious ship that underwent partial yard conversion is era-consistent with installed asbestos-containing materials. Does not establish presence or absence; does not establish or defeat any exposure claim or legal eligibility.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-conus-arl44-08
-
[10]NARA records groups 19 (BuShips), 24 (deck logs), 181 (naval district/yard records) - holding-level identification; Shipscribe class notes document the October 1945 inspection board whose reports would reside in RG 19 [other_primary]
- Locator
- Holding-level identification only; no page-level retrieval performed
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Archival leads (not retrieved at page level): (a) NARA RG 19 (Bureau of Ships) records for the ARL 42-47 conversion program - the Shipscribe class notes cite NARA RG 19 for related conversion work, and the October 1945 conversion-yard inspection board reports and BuShips conversion work packages are plausible loci for material scope on the 34%-complete conversion of this hull; (b) NARA RG 24 deck logs for LST-317 (1943-1945) exist within the 'Logbooks of U.S. Navy Ships and Stations' series, though digitization status for this hull is unverified (the Blue Water Navy digitization prioritized Vietnam-era hulls); (c) New York Navy Yard wartime construction records (RG 181 / yard records) for the LST-314-block builds.
- Verification
- unverified
- Role
- archival_lead
- Documentation level
- context_only
- Accessed
- 2026-09-26
- Study period
- 1942-1947 records
- Limitations
- Holding-level identification only - no page-level review performed; record contents (and any asbestos-specific documentation they might contain, e.g., conversion material take-offs or the October 1945 board report) are unexamined. Nothing in this row is an asbestos finding.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-conus-arl44-09