Evidence
6 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-6).
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[1]DANFS, Darter (SS-227) - Electric Boat construction; four war patrols; Palawan Passage attack on Kurita's Center Force; grounded on Bombay Shoal and abandoned 24 October 1944 (verbatim transcription; live NHHC page returned 404) [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- DANFS service narrative and spec block
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Documented for this hull: launched 6 June 1943 by Electric Boat Co., Groton (sponsor Mrs. E. B. Wheeler); commissioned 7 September 1943, Commander W. S. Stovall, Jr. in command. Four war patrols - Truk lanes, New Guinea/Davao, Halmahera-Mindanao (sank the minelayer Tsugaru off Morotai 29 June 1944), and the Celebes/South China Seas. On 23 October 1944 with Dace (SS-247) she made contact with the Japanese Center Force in Palawan Passage and flashed the contact report that opened the Battle for Leyte Gulf; Darter sank Admiral Kurita's flagship Atago and seriously damaged the cruiser Takao. While tracking Takao through Palawan Passage she grounded on Bombay Shoal just after midnight of 24 October; all efforts to free her failed, confidential papers and equipment were destroyed, and the entire crew was taken off by Dace. Demolition charges and Dace's torpedoes failed to destroy the wreck; she was then bombed by an enemy plane. Navy Unit Commendation and four battle stars; credited with 19,429 tons.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-18
- Limitations
- Ship-specific history only; no asbestos or material content. Yard-period asbestos disturbance is era inference, not a per-hull record.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-darter-ss227-01
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[2]NavSource Online Submarine Photo Archive, header 'as built' spec block and disposition line for this hull; corroborated by DANFS spec block (diesel-electric) and BuShips Ships' Data 1945 submarine machinery tables (via shipscribe.com, per Gato class profile) [other_primary]
- Locator
- NavSource page header spec block for this hull (https://www.navsource.net/archives/08/08227.htm)
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Machinery fit for this hull per NavSource 'as built' spec block: diesel electric reduction gear with four General Motors main generator engines (5,400 hp), four General Electric main motors (2,740 hp), two 126-cell main storage batteries, twin propellers. NO BOILERS and no steam plant - the asbestos-relevant machinery profile differs materially from steam classes (no boiler/furnace insulation, no steam-line lagging run-outs; exposure-relevant systems are diesel exhaust lagging, engine gaskets/packing, hull thermal/acoustic insulation, and auxiliary equipment).
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-18
- Limitations
- The NavSource spec block is a class-standard spec sheet, not a per-hull machinery survey - actual installed equipment is presumed class-typical and unverified for this specific hull. No hull-specific machinery or material list was located. Establishes propulsion type only, not fiber content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-darter-ss227-02
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[3]Gato class profile ev-gato-class-07 (era/design inference for diesel-electric fleet boats) built on navypedia member table and BuShips Ships' Data 1945; GAO HRD-80-2 for the Navy's era asbestos-use regime [other_primary]
- Locator
- class profile gato-class.class.json ev-07; GAO HRD-80-2 product page
- Finding type
- asbestos_application
- Finding
- Class/era inference for diesel-electric fleet boats of this build period: era-standard applications likely included asbestos-containing diesel exhaust lagging, engine gaskets and packing, hull thermal and acoustic insulation, insulation around galley/refrigeration equipment, and electrical/battery materials.
- Verification
- inferred
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-18
- Limitations
- CLASS/ERA INFERENCE ONLY - no ship-specific material schedule, insulation survey, or asbestos product list was located for this hull. Names era-standard applications, not confirmed installed materials; no quantity. Does not establish exposure or eligibility for any individual.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-darter-ss227-03
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[4]CourtListener API v4 (opinions type=o, RECAP dockets type=r) exact-name and hull-number searches; site:courtlistener.com index sweep as throttling fallback [court_record]
- Locator
- search_ledger rows for this vessel
- Finding type
- litigation_documented
- Finding
- Litigation sweep for this hull: CourtListener API queries were already throttled at the daily cap (HTTP 429, 125/day - quota exhausted by prior same-day batch work, expected available in ~3.7 hours), so the sweep ran on the site:courtlistener.com index fallback for "USS Darter" and "SS-227". The fallback sweep surfaced only general Navy asbestos litigation - nothing naming this hull. Note: a later USS Darter (SS-576, Tang class) was in service 1956-1989; any postwar 'USS Darter' litigation reference must be resolved against that namesake before attribution to this hull. No qualifying asbestos litigation - and no litigation of any kind verified as naming this hull - was located.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-18
- Limitations
- A negative result is bounded by the search mechanism: CourtListener coverage is not exhaustive for state-court pleadings, and the API throttle meant docket-text and opinion queries could not complete - the site:-index fallback is corroboration, not a substitute for docket search. Does not prove no litigation exists.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-darter-ss227-04
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[5]Negative finding: no qualifying non-litigation ship-specific asbestos record located across DANFS/NHHC (via hazegray/losthistory transcription and Wayback captures), NavSource, and ACM-survey/abatement/disposal sweeps [other_primary]
- Locator
- search_ledger rows for this vessel
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- No hull ACM survey, abatement contract, scrapping/disposal hazmat disclosure, or adjudicated exposure finding naming this vessel was located anywhere in the research sweep. The hull was lost to enemy action during WWII - no postwar material record is possible and none exists in located sources.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-18
- Limitations
- Absence of a located record is not proof no record exists. Does not establish that asbestos is or is not present aboard/within the hull, and does not establish or defeat any claim of exposure or legal eligibility.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-darter-ss227-05
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[6]DANFS Darter closing narrative + NavSource disposition/location data - Bombay Shoal grounding and abandonment [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- DANFS/NavSource disposition data
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- War-loss terminal event for this hull: grounded on Bombay Shoal in Palawan Passage just after midnight 24 October 1944 while tracking the damaged cruiser Takao; crew removed to Dace, classified material destroyed, demolition attempts failed, and the hulk was bombed by a Japanese aircraft. NavSource locates the wreckage at approx. 9.456 N, 116.933 E and reports nothing remains - probably scattered by typhoons - though wreckage was still visible above water as late as 1998. A grounding/abandonment loss ends any material-condition inquiry at 1944 - no postwar abatement, scrapping, or disposal record exists for this hull.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-18
- Limitations
- Documents the terminal event only; the shoal-site remains were never salvaged in located sources and are reportedly dispersed. Strike date not recorded in located sources (NavSource 'date unknown').
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-darter-ss227-06