USS Creon (ARL-11)

Evidence

12 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-12).

1. [1]research packet be-packet.md (1 sources cited) [nhhc_danfs]

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   Identity packet verdict: VERIFIED

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Evidence ID

   uss-creon-arl11-pkt-be-packet-md

2. [2]DANFS, Creon (NHHC online entry; verbatim text confirmed identical in print DANFS Vol. II, archive.org item dictionaryofamer02wash) [nhhc_danfs]

   Locator

   DANFS Creon entry, full text (stat line + 4 paragraphs); live NHHC URL https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/c/creon.html returned 404 on 2026-09-26 - cited via Internet Archive capture of 2024-12-09; print DANFS Vol. II text at archive.org 'dictionaryofamer02wash' matches verbatim

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   DANFS entry for Creon (ARL-11), stat line '(ARL-11: dp. 2,125; l. 328'; b. 50'; dr. 14'; s. 12 k.; cpl. 255; a. 1 3"; cl. Achelous)': 'Creon was launched 24 August 1944 by Boston Navy Yard; sponsored by Mrs. M. A. Pratt; placed in partial commission 16 September 1944, Lieutenant M. G. Pooley, USNR, in command; sailed to Baltimore, Md., and decommissioned 26 September 1944 for conversion; and commissioned in full 27 January 1945, Lieutenant M. G. Pooley, USNR, in command. Clearing Norfolk 4 March 1945, Creon arrived at Biak, Shouten Islands, 4 May. Moving to Morotai the next day, she conducted amphibious training exercises, and on 1 July took part in the invasion of Balikpapan. She served off Borneo until arriving at Subic Bay 1 August to repair landing craft there until 18 December. After loading cargo at Guam, Creon arrived at Pearl Harbor for overhaul 22 January 1946. Assigned to the service group for Operation "Crossroads," the atomic weapons tests in the Marshalls, Creon arrived at Kwajalein 19 March 1946 and operated there and at the test site until 10 September when she departed for overhaul at San Pedro. She served as a repair ship for LSMs and LSM(R)s at San Diego from 15 December 1946 until 27 September 1948. Following an overhaul at Long Beach Naval Shipyard, Creon put out from San Diego 10 January 1949 for Kodiak, Alaska, to participate in a large-scale cold-weather exercise. Creon returned to San Diego 4 March and there was placed out of commission in reserve 8 June 1949. Creon received one battle star for World War II service.'

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-26

   Study period

   1944-1949

   Limitations

   Official Navy history establishes launch/partial-commission/conversion/full-commission dates, Pacific service (Biak, Morotai, Balikpapan invasion 1 Jul 1945, Subic Bay repair duty), Operation Crossroads service-group assignment, postwar San Diego LSM/LSM(R) repair duty, Kodiak cold-weather exercise, 8 Jun 1949 decommissioning, and one battle star. The entry gives no keel date, never mentions the LST-1036 hull designation, contains no strike/disposal information, and has no materials or insulation content; supports no asbestos claim.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-creon-arl11-01

3. [3]National Park Service, 'Ships Built by the Charlestown Navy Yard' dataset (nri-CNYShipsBuiltWeb.csv), rows 'Creon' and 'No Name / LST-1036' [nps]

   Locator

   Article page dataset download (CSV): rows for 'Creon' (cross-ref) and 'No Name' LST-1036 (keel 1944 Jul 10 / launched 1944 Aug 24 / commissioned 1944 Sep 15)

   Finding type

   historical_record

   Finding

   National Park Service Charlestown Navy Yard build table (Boston National Historical Park, prepared by park preservation specialist Stephen P. Carlson from his historic resource study) lists the hull as 'No Name', Tank Landing Ship, LST-1036: Keel Laid '1944 Jul 10', Launched '1944 Aug 24', Commissioned '1944 Sep 15', Fate 'Named Creon (1944); reclassified ARL-11 (1944); sold 1961'. A cross-reference row reads 'Creon ... see No Name (LST-1036)'.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-26

   Study period

   1944-1961

   Population

   Boston Navy Yard construction workforce (1944)

   Limitations

   Official NPS tabulation establishes keel date 10 Jul 1944 (not in DANFS), corroborates launch, and links LST-1036 -> Creon -> ARL-11 -> 'sold 1961'. Its 'Commissioned 1944 Sep 15' conflicts by one day with DANFS/NavSource partial-commission date of 16 Sep (delivery vs commissioning difference likely - see correction row ev-08). No materials or asbestos content.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-creon-arl11-02

4. [4]Bureau of Ships, Ships' Data, U.S. Naval Vessels, Vol. 2 (Jan 1945), index/roster (shipscribe.com scan) [other_primary]

   Locator

   SDB 1945 v2: landing-craft-force index entry 'LST1036 Now ARL11 LC(FF)786'; alphabetical index row 'Creon .. ARL11 Auxiliary - Repair Ship, Landing'

   Finding type

   historical_record

   Finding

   Bureau of Ships 'Ships' Data, U.S. Naval Vessels' Vol. 2 (January 1945) type index records 'LST1036 Now ARL11' under landing-ship contract block LC(FF)786, and the alphabetical index lists 'Creon .. ARL11 Auxiliary - Repair Ship, Landing'. This is the contemporaneous official roster tying the LST-1036 hull contract to the ARL-11 repair-ship identity and the Creon name.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-26

   Study period

   1944-1945

   Limitations

   Contemporaneous official record confirming the hull-number identity chain as of January 1945. Contains no build dates beyond the roster reference, no conversion details, and no asbestos, insulation, or materials statements; supports no asbestos claim.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-creon-arl11-03

5. [5]Shipscribe.com, USS CORONIS (ARL-10) class page - compiled register from BuShips Ships' Data / NVR-era official records (S. S. Roberts) [other_primary]

   Locator

   ARL10.html Construction table row 11 (CREON), Disposition table row 11, Class Notes, Ship Notes row for ARL-11

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   Shipscribe (S. S. Roberts) USN auxiliary register, CORONIS (ARL-10) class page: CREON row gives reclassification 14 Aug 44; builder NYd Boston; keel 10 Jul 44; launch 24 Aug 44; commission 27 Jan 45; decommission 8 Jun 49; strike 1 Jul 60; disposal 23 Feb 61, fate Sold. Ship note: 'Ex LST-1036 14 Aug 44. Ferry commission as LST-1036 16-26 Sep 44. Converted by Bethlehem Steel, Key Highway, Baltimore, Md. In USN reserve 1949-60. Merc. ATB-65 (barge) 1961.' Class notes record the ARL-10-onward design change ('elimination of the 3"/50 DP gun, retention of the bow doors ... and the provision of facilities to embark and repair LVTs', enlarged repair-shop space forward) and that many ARL 10-39 conversions were done at Bethlehem-Key Highway, Baltimore, with Gibbs and Cox as design agent for all LST conversions.

   Verification

   partial

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-26

   Study period

   1944-1967

   Population

   Conversion yard workforce (Bethlehem Steel, Key Highway yard, Baltimore), Sep 1944-Jan 1945

   Limitations

   Carefully compiled secondary register drawing on official Navy data (not itself a primary artifact). The 14 Aug 1944 reclassification, ferry-commission window, Bethlehem-Key Highway conversion yard, 1 Jul 1960 strike, and 23 Feb 1961 disposal are corroborated in part by NPS ('sold 1961', 'reclassified ARL-11 (1944)') and NavSource (chronology, barge registration) but no primary reclassification directive or disposal document was retrieved. 'Merc. ATB-65 (barge) 1961' contradicts 'scrapped 1961' in another secondary compilation (see ev-08). No materials or asbestos content.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-creon-arl11-04

6. [6]NavSource Online Amphibious Photo Archive, USS Creon (ARL-11) page [other_primary]

   Locator

   navsource.net/archives/10/19/1911.htm - chronology bullets, Asiatic-Pacific campaign table, JTF-1/TU 1.8.1 note, spec block, commanding officers table, launch-photo caption (christening by Mrs. Mary A. Pratt of LST-1036, 24 Aug 1944, Boston Navy Yard)

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   NavSource Online Amphibious Photo Archive USS Creon (ARL-11) page (10/19/1911): chronology - laid down as LST-1036 at Boston Navy Yard; launched 24 Aug 1944; partial commission as USS LST-1036 16 Sep 1944 (LT. Michael G. Pooley USNR) for transit to conversion yard Baltimore MD; decommissioned Baltimore 26 Sep 1944; commissioned USS Creon (ARL-11) 27 Jan 1945; Asiatic-Pacific campaign 'Borneo operation - Balikpapan operation, 1 to 20 July 1945'; assigned to Joint Task Force 1, Task Unit 1.8.1 Service Group - Repair and Service Unit for Operation Crossroads, July 1946; decommissioned 8 Jun 1949; laid up Pacific Reserve Fleet, San Diego Group; struck 'date unknown'; one battle star; registered 1963 by American Tug Boat Co., Everett, WA as freight barge 'A. T. B. 65', homeport Seattle; operated 1967 under the Canadian flag; final disposition unknown. Spec block: 3,900 t lt / 4,100 t fl; 328' x 50' x 11'2"; 11.6 kts; complement 22 officers + 233 enlisted; 1x3"/50, 2 quad 40mm, 6 twin 20mm; 2 x GM 12-567A diesels, Falk gear, 1,800 shp, twin screws/rudders. CO list: Pooley 16 Sep-26 Sep 1944 and 27 Jan 1945-Mar 1946; LTjg Cameron Sevier Jr. Mar-Jun 1946; CDR Harold Thomas Smith Jr. Jun-Dec 1946.

   Verification

   partial

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-26

   Study period

   1944-1967

   Limitations

   Compiled secondary archive (veteran/contributed material; DANFS-derived chronology). Adds the TU 1.8.1 task-unit detail, CO roster, spec block, and the commercial-barge identity chain (A. T. B. 65, American Tug Boat Co. 1963, Canadian flag 1967). 'Struck ... date unknown' is superseded for the record by shipscribe's 1 Jul 1960 (see ev-08). Its sponsor's given name 'Mary A. Pratt' expands DANFS's 'Mrs. M. A. Pratt'. No asbestos or materials content.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-creon-arl11-05

7. [7]Joint Task Force One / W. H. P. Blandy, 'Bombs at Bikini: The Official Report of Operation Crossroads' (1947), Appendix 8 Support Vessels, section (g) Service Group TG 1.8 [other_primary]

   Locator

   Appendix 8 (book pp. 186-187), section (g) Service Group vessel/CO list, row 'CREON (ARL-11) Lt. Comdr. H. T. Smith' (PDF text extraction)

   Finding type

   historical_record

   Finding

   The official Operation Crossroads report ('Bombs at Bikini: The Official Report of Operation Crossroads', 1947, prepared under Vice Admiral W. H. P. Blandy, Commander JTF-1) Appendix 8 'Support Vessels', section (g) 'Service Group (Task Group 1.8, commanded by Captain G. H. Lyttle (Navy))' lists: 'CREON (ARL-11) Lt. Comdr. H. T. Smith'. This is a contemporaneous official task-organization record naming this hull as a Crossroads support vessel and naming her commanding officer - corroborating DANFS's service-group assignment and NavSource's CO roster (CDR H. T. Smith Jr., Jun-Dec 1946).

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-26

   Study period

   1946

   Population

   Creon crew complement (~255) during Operation Crossroads deployment, Mar-Sep 1946

   Limitations

   Official task-organization roster; establishes Creon as a Crossroads support (non-target) vessel under TG 1.8 and corroborates the NavSource CO list. Does not document where the ship moored relative to the detonations, radiological conditions aboard, or any materials/asbestos content.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-creon-arl11-06

8. [8]Cross-source class/design inference: NavSource ARL-11 spec block; shipscribe CORONIS (ARL-10) class table + class notes (conversion scope, design changes); BuShips Ships' Data 1945 v2 machinery data [other_primary]

   Locator

   shipscribe ARL10 class table machinery/complement rows + class notes paragraph on ARL-10-subgroup design changes; NavSource 10/19/1911 spec block

   Finding type

   asbestos_application

   Finding

   Class/design inference for this hull: the ARL-10-subgroup conversion is diesel-powered with no boilers (NavSource spec block: 2 x GM 12-567A diesels, Falk reduction gear, 1,800 shp; shipscribe class table: 'G.M. diesels, 2 screws'), so the era's dominant steam-plant lagging pathway is narrowed; era-typical asbestos-relevant applications aboard diesel amphibious auxiliaries were engine-exhaust lagging, machinery gaskets and packing, deck coverings/tile, and bulkhead/accommodation insulation. The documented 1944-45 conversion at Bethlehem Steel's Key Highway yard installed the ARL repair-ship interior (added/enlarged repair-shop space forward on the tank deck per shipscribe class notes; LVT embark-and-repair facilities) - an interior construction and machinery scope characteristic of the period.

   Verification

   inferred

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   class_or_era

   Accessed

   2026-09-26

   Study period

   1944-1949

   Population

   Boston Navy Yard builders (1944); Bethlehem Key Highway conversion workforce (1944-45); ship's company ~255 (1945-49); Pearl Harbor/Long Beach overhaul workforces (1946, 1948-49)

   Limitations

   Design-level inference only - no source surveyed states that asbestos products were installed aboard this hull, and no ship-specific materials list exists in the record. The diesel plant removes the boiler/steam-lagging pathway but does not remove exhaust lagging, gasket/packing, deck covering, or accommodation insulation pathways typical of 1944-45 naval construction. Does not establish quantity, location, or present-day presence.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-creon-arl11-07

9. [9]Cross-source reconciliation: NPS Charlestown dataset; DANFS; shipscribe CORONIS register; NavSource 10/19/1911; shipbuildinghistory.com repair-ship list; Wikipedia USS Creon (secondary only) [other_primary]

   Locator

   Each source's chronology/disposition fields as quoted in this record's other evidence rows and the search ledger

   Finding type

   historical_record

   Finding

   Cross-source reconciliation of discrepancies: (a) Partial-commission date - NPS Charlestown dataset records 'Commissioned 1944 Sep 15'; DANFS, NavSource, and hazegray's Boston NYD production record all give 16 Sep 1944. Adopted 16 Sep 1944 (partial/ferry commission per DANFS), treating 15 Sep as the yard delivery date; (b) strike date - shipscribe gives 1 Jul 1960, NavSource reports 'date unknown'; adopted 1 Jul 1960 with conflict logged; (c) post-Navy fate - shipbuildinghistory's repair-ship list shows 'scrapped 1961', but shipscribe records 'Merc. ATB-65 (barge) 1961' and NavSource documents registration to American Tug Boat Co. in 1963 and Canadian-flag operation in 1967; adopted the barge-identity chain and rejected 'scrapped 1961' - final disposition unknown; (d) Wikipedia's infobox 'Commissioned 28 November 1944' conflicts with all other sources and matches sister ship Coronis (ARL-10)'s commission date (28 Nov 44 per shipscribe) - treated as a Wikipedia transcription error, not used.

   Verification

   partial

   Role

   correction

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-26

   Study period

   1944-1967

   Limitations

   Resolves publication-level discrepancies in favor of primary or multiply-corroborated records: partial commission adopted as 16 Sep 1944 (NPS's 15 Sep retained as a gap note); strike adopted as 1 Jul 1960 (shipscribe) over NavSource's 'unknown'; post-1961 barge identity adopted over 'scrapped 1961'; Wikipedia's '28 November 1944' commission rejected. The disposal instrument (sale document of 23 Feb 1961) and strike directive were not retrieved at primary level.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-creon-arl11-08

10. [10]CourtListener API v4 opinion search, queries '"USS Creon"', '"ARL-11"', '"LST-1036"', '"Creon"', '"Creon" asbestos' (see search_ledger for full list incl. remaining queries) [court_record]

    Locator

    search_ledger rows sl-uss-creon-arl11-07 through sl-uss-creon-arl11-12

    Finding type

    litigation_documented

    Finding

    CourtListener authenticated API sweeps (2026-09-26): '"USS Creon"' opinions -> 0 hits; '"LST-1036"' opinions -> 0 hits; '"LST 1036"' opinions -> 0 hits; '"Creon" asbestos' opinions -> 0 hits; '"ARL-11"' opinions -> 2 hits, both NAME COLLISIONS (Bayit Care Corp. v. Tender Loving Care, E.D.N.Y. 2012 - match on judge initials '(ARL)' in docket numbers, contract dispute; Tyrone Berry v. State, Tex. App. 2015 - match inside garbled OCR text, criminal appeal); '"Creon"' opinions -> 47 hits, first page (20) all name collisions - pharmaceutical/FDA and contract litigation over the pancreatic-enzyme drug CREON (Solvay, Teva, Axcan, Pediamed, Ethex matters), Social Security disability opinions citing the drug, and persons surnamed/named Creon (e.g., Marriage of Creon v. Creon, Mont. 1981; State v. Creon Davis, Iowa App. 2025); '"ATB-65"' and '"A. T. B. 65"' opinions -> 0 hits; '"Creon"' dockets (type=r) -> 274 hits, first page (20) all name collisions (bankruptcy debtors and criminal defendants named Creon; Solvay CREON trademark dockets; a prisoner civil-rights defendant named Creon). No qualifying asbestos litigation or other 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

    Sweep covers CourtListener opinion and RECAP-docket indexes under the queries run; bare-name 'Creon' queries were classified on their first pages (all collisions - drug brand name and personal names dominate; deeper pages unreviewed but pattern-consistent, logged in ledger). Does not cover unindexed state dockets, complaints never reaching opinion or never docketed in RECAP, or non-CourtListener repositories. Absence of a docketed case is not proof no claim was ever filed.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-creon-arl11-09

11. [11]Batch-2601 search ledger (this record) [other_primary]

    Locator

    search_ledger rows sl-uss-creon-arl11-01 through sl-uss-creon-arl11-14

    Finding type

    historical_record

    Finding

    No qualifying ship-specific asbestos record located for this hull: no asbestos survey, abatement contract, hazmat disclosure, or docketed asbestos case naming LST-1036, Creon (ARL-11), or the barge A. T. B. 65 was found in the public sources searched (DANFS online + print Vol. II, NPS Charlestown build dataset, BuShips Ships' Data 1945, shipscribe register, NavSource, HyperWar, official Crossroads report, MARAD vessel-history public search, CourtListener).

    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 1944-built hull converted to a repair ship in 1944-45 is era-consistent with asbestos-containing construction, and its conversion yard (Bethlehem Key Highway) is a recognized exposure site in plaintiff literature (non-qualifying source, not cited as evidence). The hull's post-1967 disposition is undocumented. Does not establish presence or absence and does not establish or defeat any exposure claim or legal eligibility.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-creon-arl11-10

12. [12]NARA record-group guidance - RG 24 (deck logs), RG 19 (BuShips), RG 181 (shore establishments); NARA military logbook research guidance [other_primary]

    Locator

    https://www.archives.gov/research/military/logbooks ; https://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/019.html ; https://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/181.html

    Finding type

    historical_record

    Finding

    Archival leads (not retrieved - require research-room or reproduction order; no spend authorized): NARA RG 24 (Bureau of Naval Personnel) deck logs for LST-1036 (ferry commission, Sep 1944) and USS Creon ARL-11 (Jan 1945-Jun 1949, including the Mar-Sep 1946 Crossroads deployment) would document the conversion transit, Crossroads station-keeping, and repair workload; RG 19 (Bureau of Ships) holds conversion correspondence and plan files for the ARL-10-class conversion pattern and the Bethlehem Key Highway contract work; RG 181 (Naval Districts and Shore Establishments) may hold Boston Navy Yard industrial-division build records for LST-1036; USCG merchant-vessel documentation history for barge A. T. B. 65 follows from its 1963 registration (Merchant Vessels of the U.S. listing not retrieved).

    Verification

    unverified

    Role

    archival_lead

    Documentation level

    context_only

    Accessed

    2026-09-26

    Study period

    1944-1967 records

    Limitations

    Record-group 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-creon-arl11-11