Evidence
12 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-12).
-
[1]research packet 1084-packet.md (16 sources cited) [museum_official]
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Identity packet verdict: VERIFIED
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Evidence ID
- uss-donacona-yn39-pkt-1084-packet-md
-
[2]DANFS, Donacona (YN-39) - acquisition, in-service date, Naval District assignments, reclassifications, striking (verbatim transcription; live NHHC page 404) [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- DANFS entry 'Donacona', complete text
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Documented for this hull by DANFS: 'Donacona (YN-39), formerly Peter Moran, was acquired by the Navy on 9 November 1940 and placed in service on 13 November 1940 first in the 6th and later in the 10th Naval Districts. She was reclassified YNT-7 on 8 April 1942, and subsequently, YTM-733 on 4 August 1945. Donacona was stricken from the Navy List on 28 August 1946.' Entry header identifies the namesake only as 'a noted Huron Indian chief.'
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-05
- Study period
- 1940-1946
- Population
- crew, 6th then 10th Naval Districts (1940-46)
- Limitations
- Ship-specific history only; no asbestos or material content. DANFS dates conflict with NavSource/shipscribe on three points: acquisition (DANFS 9 Nov 1940 vs 9 Oct 1940), YNT-7 redesignation (DANFS 8 Apr 1942 = reclassification directive date vs effective 1 May 1942), and YTM-733 redesignation (DANFS 4 Aug 1945 vs 2 Aug 1945) - see gaps. The DANFS namesake line ('Huron Indian chief') is less precise than NavalCoverMuseum's (Chief Donnacona of Stadacona). Live NHHC DANFS page returned 404 on 2026-10-05 and no Wayback capture exists at the canonical URL; verbatim transcription used.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-donacona-yn39-01
-
[3]NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive, Donacona (YTM-733) ex (YNT-7), ex (YN-39) - construction, timeline, specifications, disposal, merchant registry chain (live fetch verified) [other_primary]
- Locator
- NavSource 14/11733.htm header block and specifications block
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- NavSource timeline for this hull: built by Pennsylvania Shipyards, Inc., Beaumont, TX (yard no. 211); completed May 1939 for Tug Peter Moran, Inc., New York, NY, as tug Peter Moran (ON 238462); acquired by the Navy from Moran Towing & Transportation Co., New York, NY, 9 October 1940; converted for naval service at New York Navy Yard; placed in service as Yard Net Tender Donacona (YN-39) 13 November 1940; allocated to the Tenth Naval District 1941-1945; redesignated Yard Net Tender Tug YNT-7 1 May 1942; redesignated Harbor Tug Medium YTM-733 2 August 1945; placed out of service 9 August 1946; struck from the Naval Register 28 August 1946; transferred to the Maritime Commission for disposal 14 February 1947. Merchant registration chain reported: James McWilliams Blue Line, New York, as tug Sagamore, 1947; Motor Tug Chancellor, Inc., New York, 1961; Universal Shipping Co., Washington, DC, late 1960s; Jack Ray Bartlett, New Orleans, renamed Buck Allen, 1973; Bisso Towboat Co., New Orleans, renamed Charlie Mentz, October 1978; out of documentation 1980s. Specifications: 137 gross / 60 net tons; 88'4" waterline, 93'0" overall; beam 22'0"; draft 9'1"; General Motors diesel engine, diesel-electric drive, single propeller, 750 shp; speed, complement, armament unknown. Awards: American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal. IRCS NEMB. NavSource holds no photographs of this hull.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-05
- Study period
- 1939-1980s
- Population
- builder yard trades (1939); Moran commercial crew (1939-40); New York Navy Yard conversion trades (Oct-Nov 1940); Navy crew (1940-46); Maritime Commission/merchant crews (1947-1980s)
- Limitations
- NavSource is a volunteer secondary compilation, not a primary registry - its milestone dates generally track official records and agree with shipscribe's primary-derived table on acquisition (9 Oct 1940) and redesignation effective dates (1 May 1942 / 2 Aug 1945), conflicting with DANFS on the same three points (see gaps). Merchant registration chain conflicts with NavalCoverMuseum on sequence/dates (see gaps). Contains no asbestos content. Disposal to the Maritime Commission predates modern ACM-handling regulation; no hazmat or material record for the transfer or later merchant conversions was located.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-donacona-yn39-02
-
[4]shipscribe.com (S.S. Roberts), 'USS Small Acquired YN's (YN 33-56)' - construction/disposition table and per-vessel notes compiled from Navy records; class notes on the 24-vessel acquisition group [other_primary]
- Locator
- shipscribe YN33-56 construction table (YN-39 row), disposition table (YN-39 row), per-vessel notes (YN-39), class notes
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- shipscribe row for this hull: acquired 9 October 1940; builder 'Pennsylvania SY' (Pennsylvania Shipyards, Beaumont, TX); completed 1939; placed in service 13 November 1940. Per-vessel notes: 'Ex merc. PETER MORAN. 137 tg, 93.0' x 22.0' x 10.75', 750 hp. Conversion by New York Navy Yard completed 30 Nov 40. To YNT-7 1 May 42, to YTM-733 2 Aug 45. Merc. SAGAMORE 1947.' Disposition: out of service 9 Aug 46; struck 28 Aug 46; disposal 14 Feb 47 (Maritime Commission); MA sale ca Feb 47. Class context: CNO on 3 July 1940 directed acquisition of these 24 vessels under the District Craft Act of 26 June 1940; all but one (YN-51, steam) were diesel propelled, and six units including YN-38 and YN-39 were diesel-electric; all had one screw.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-05
- Study period
- 1939-1947
- Population
- New York Navy Yard conversion trades (Oct-Nov 1940); Navy crew (1940-46)
- Limitations
- Secondary compilation - but constructed from primary Navy records and consistently more precise than DANFS on milestone dates (reconciles the YNT-7 redesignation: reclassified 8 Apr 42 effective 1 May 42). Names the hull but contains no asbestos or material content. The conversion note documents WHERE the conversion happened (New York Navy Yard), not what materials were used.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-donacona-yn39-03
-
[5]NavalCoverMuseum, DONACONA YTM-733 - namesake, designation history, awards, 1941 postal cover evidence [other_primary]
- Locator
- NavalCoverMuseum DONACONA_YTM_733 page: designation history, postmarks (Locy Type SLK 1941-04-01), namesake note
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Documents for this hull: namesake 'Chief Donnacona (died c. 1539 in France), chief of the village of Stadacona, located at the present site of Quebec City, Quebec, Canada'; designation history matching DANFS dates (in service 13 Nov 1940; YNT-7 8 Apr 1942; YTM-733 4 Aug 1945; struck 28 Aug 1946); awards 'American Defense Service Medal, the American Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory Medal'; and a documented naval cover with Locy Type SLK postmark dated 1941-04-01 under the YN-39 designation (Jacques Minkus cachet, Jay Milewski collection) - philatelic evidence the ship's post office was active by April 1941.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-05
- Study period
- 1940-1946 (Navy service); namesake 16th century
- Population
- crew (postal cover era, 1941)
- Limitations
- Volunteer philatelic compilation - secondary, but the postmarked cover is dated physical evidence of the YN-39 designation in use April 1941. Namesake detail (Stadacona/Quebec) is consistent with DANFS's terse 'Huron Indian chief' but goes beyond it; not independently verified against a primary ethnohistorical source. Merchant chain on this page (Moran 1947 -> Peter Moran; McWilliams 1957 -> Sagamore) conflicts with NavSource's (McWilliams 1947 -> Sagamore) - see gaps. No asbestos content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-donacona-yn39-04
-
[6]NARA Catalog, digitized WWII muster rolls (Record Group, 'Muster Rolls of U.S. Navy Ships, Stations, and Other Naval Activities', NAID 594996) - catalog full-text search matched 'Donacona (YNT-7)' inside muster rolls of St. Thomas, V.I. units [other_primary]
- Locator
- catalog.archives.gov search q="Donacona (YNT-7)" - 13 file-unit results; record pages NAID 191083777 and 185113205 verified (135-165 digitized images each)
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- NARA catalog full-text search for 'Donacona (YNT-7)' returns 13 file units whose digitized text mentions this hull, documenting her presence in the Tenth Naval District operating area: muster rolls of the Net Depot & Target Repair Base (NS) St. Thomas, Virgin Island Part 2, 8/12/41-7/31/44 (NAID 191083777, Roll S-5954); Local Defense & District Craft, Naval Operating Base St. Thomas, 10th Naval District, San Juan, P.R., 3/24/43-7/1/45 (NAID 191003785, Roll S-5538); Section Base, Naval Operating Base St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, 5/11/42-3/5/44 (NAID 185113205, Roll S-7532); Frontier Base, San Juan, P.R., 8/12/41-7/1/46 (NAID 190717381); and Small Craft Commander, Caribbean Sea Frontier, NOB St. Thomas, 3/24/43-6/30/44 (NAID 185139275). The Net Depot & Target Repair Base rolls are consistent with her net-tender function in the St. Thomas harbor-defense establishment.
- Verification
- partial
- Role
- archival_lead
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-05
- Study period
- 1942-1945 (roll coverage)
- Population
- YNT-7 crew listed/attached at St. Thomas-area bases (1942-45)
- Limitations
- Archival lead only: the catalog's OCR full-text match proves the string 'Donacona (YNT-7)' appears inside these digitized microfilm rolls, but the matching frames were not pinpointed page-by-page this session; muster rolls of shore establishments typically name attached craft and personnel rather than detailing the vessel's own operations. No asbestos content. St. Thomas stationing is corroboration of the 10th Naval District allocation in DANFS/NavSource, not a work record.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-donacona-yn39-05
-
[7]NARA Catalog, WWII war diaries (RG 38, 'World War II War Diaries, Other Operational Records and Histories') - catalog full-text search matched 'Donacona (YN-39)' in Tenth Naval District command diaries [other_primary]
- Locator
- catalog.archives.gov search q="Donacona (YN-39)" - 11 file-unit results; NAID 133886451 (Roll A6) among the hits
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- NARA catalog full-text search for 'Donacona (YN-39)' returns 11 file units, including the Commander Inshore Patrol, Tenth Naval District war diary covering 7 Dec 1941-31 Mar 1942 (NAID 133886451, Roll A6), additional COMINSHPAT/COMINCHPAT 10th ND monthly diaries into 1943, and submarine-base and station diaries for St. Thomas and Antigua - placing this hull in the Tenth Naval District's Caribbean inshore-patrol/harbor-defense records during the first war years.
- Verification
- partial
- Role
- archival_lead
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-05
- Study period
- 1941-1943 (diary coverage)
- Population
- YNT-7 crew; 10th ND inshore-patrol command staff (1941-43)
- Limitations
- Archival lead only: OCR full-text matches establish that the vessel's name appears in these digitized diaries; the individual frames were not reviewed, so the operational detail the diaries record about her movements is not captured here. No asbestos content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-donacona-yn39-06
-
[8]NARA deck-log holdings for this hull - batch lead asserts NARA inventories U.S. Navy deck logs for YNT-7 covering 11/13/1940-12/31/1942; online catalog searches did not surface a Donacona-titled logbook file unit this session [other_primary]
- Locator
- catalog.archives.gov searches q="Donacona", q="YNT-7", search-within/594258, search-within/581208; archives.gov/research/military/logbooks/navy-online and special-list-44-named (both searched, no Donacona entry)
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- A NARA deck-log inventory references logbooks for this hull covering 11/13/1940-12/31/1942 (batch research lead; the start date matches her 13 November 1940 in-service date). Verification attempt this session: National Archives Catalog name searches ('Donacona', 'YNT-7', 'YN-39'), search-within both logbook series (NAID 594258 'Logbooks of U.S. Navy Ships and Stations, 1941-1992' and NAID 581208 'Logbooks of U.S. Navy Ships, ca. 1801-1940'), the Special List 44 named-vessel index, and the digitized deck-logs list at archives.gov - none surfaced a Donacona-titled logbook file unit. The holding may sit in a series not indexed by vessel name online (e.g., RG 181 Naval District records), in an uncataloged card inventory, or described under a different title.
- Verification
- unverified
- Role
- archival_lead
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-05
- Study period
- 1940-1942 (asserted coverage)
- Population
- YNT-7 crew (1940-42 log period, if held)
- Limitations
- UNVERIFIED LEAD: the asserted coverage dates (11/13/1940-12/31/1942) could not be confirmed against a catalog file unit this session. Sister hull Canasatego (YN-38) DOES have digitized 1941-42 deck logs in series 594258 (NAIDs 146176189/146176266/146176313/146176433, container 1634), showing same-group vessels' logs survive. Log coverage dates are not asserted to be commissioning/decommissioning dates. No asbestos content either way.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-donacona-yn39-07
-
[9]Era inference built on: NavSource specifications (GM diesel, diesel-electric drive, single screw, 750 shp); shipscribe class notes (diesel-electric acquired harbor tug, YN 33-56 group); shipscribe conversion note (New York Navy Yard conversion completed 30 Nov 1940); GAO HRD-80-2 Navy asbestos program context (see ev-09) [other_primary]
- Locator
- NavSource 14/11733.htm specifications; shipscribe YN33-56 class notes and YN-39 conversion note; GAO HRD-80-2 product page
- Finding type
- asbestos_application
- Finding
- A 137-ton steel diesel-electric harbor tug built in 1939 and naval-converted in 1940 sits squarely inside the documented Navy asbestos era. Era-standard applications aboard a small diesel tug of this period were thermal insulation around the engine and exhaust runs, exhaust muffler lagging, gaskets and flange packing, valve stem packing, electrical insulation, fireproofing/deck covering compounds, and brake linings on winch and towing machinery. As a diesel-electric craft she carried no steam plant - the boiler/turbine lagging pathway of steam vessels does not apply. Conversion at the New York Navy Yard (Oct-Nov 1940) placed yard trades working aboard inside a yard with documented asbestos-era operations.
- Verification
- inferred
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-10-05
- Study period
- 1939-1980s
- Population
- Pennsylvania Shipyards construction trades (1939); New York Navy Yard conversion trades (Oct-Nov 1940); Navy crew (1940-46); Maritime Commission and merchant crews/yard trades at each resale/refit (1947-1980s)
- Limitations
- Era inference only - no hull-specific insulation survey, material list, or conversion work package located; no vessel-type design document located (unlike the O'Brien EC2 manual, no type spec exists for these one-off acquired tugs). Names era-standard applications, not confirmed installed materials. No quantity. Does not establish asbestos presence aboard this hull, individual exposure, or present-day material.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-donacona-yn39-08
-
[10]GAO, Navy Efforts To Protect Workers From Asbestos Exposure, HRD-80-2 (Oct 18, 1979) [gao]
- Locator
- GAO product page HRD-80-2 (full text blocked, HTTP 403)
- Finding type
- gov_survey
- Finding
- GAO documented that the Navy used asbestos insulation extensively aboard ships and did not begin substituting alternative insulation materials until the early 1970s - spanning this hull's entire Navy service era (1940-46) and most of her subsequent commercial career.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-10-05
- Study period
- 1979
- Population
- Navy shipyard workers; asbestos program review
- Limitations
- Program-level documentation; supports era context only, not any fact specific to this hull. Full text not retrieved (gao.gov blocks automated fetch, HTTP 403, confirmed this session) - content via product-page description.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-donacona-yn39-09
-
[11]Batch-9211 search ledger (this record): DANFS transcription (live NHHC 404); NavSource 14/11733; shipscribe YN33-56; NavalCoverMuseum; NARA Catalog full-text and series searches; NARA logbook indexes; NVR ship-detail check; CourtListener (see ledger for per-query status); secondary web sweep [other_primary]
- Locator
- search_ledger rows sl-uss-donacona-yn39-01 through -16
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- No qualifying asbestos record located at any level for this hull: no ship-specific asbestos survey, abatement contract, hazmat disclosure, or docketed asbestos case naming Donacona (any designation) was found in the public sources searched. Unlike most Navy hulls this record covers, even the law-firm marketing layer is absent - no mesothelioma/asbestos listicle content naming this vessel was located at all. CourtListener status: 'Donacona' opinion = 0 results; 'Donacona' docket = 0 results; 'YN-39' opinion and 'YN-39' docket = BLOCKED - fleet-wide request pacing remained saturated for the session's full retry window (approximately 50 minutes across spaced attempts); logged as blocked in the search ledger, not as a negative result.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-05
- Study period
- 2026-10-05
- Limitations
- Absence of a located public record does not prove absence of asbestos aboard - a 1939 tug of this era plausibly carried era-standard asbestos materials, but nothing located documents it for this hull. Deck logs and any conversion work package are undigitized leads. Does not establish or defeat any claim of exposure or legal eligibility.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-donacona-yn39-10
-
[12]Designation/builder cross-check: NavSource designation history (YN-39 -> YNT-7 -> YTM-733); DANFS; shipscribe; tugboatinformation.com USCG-documentation listing (prints 'YTM-732'); radiotvpix.blogspot.com Bisso-family account (prints 'DONOCANA YTB-733') [other_primary]
- Locator
- tugboatinformation.com tug.cfm?id=789; radiotvpix.blogspot.com 2008/03 'Mystery Ships Of The Great Lakes: Sagamore'; Adams v. The Peter Moran, 94 F. Supp. 520 (S.D.N.Y. 1950), via syfert.com text mirror
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- CORRECTIONS: (1) tugboatinformation.com's USCG-documentation-derived listing prints her final designation 'YTM-732' - YTM-732 was Canasatego (ex YN-38), this hull's sister; the documented designation is YTM-733 (NavSource, shipscribe, DANFS). (2) A Bisso-family account reprinted at radiotvpix.blogspot.com prints 'DONOCANA YTB-733' - 'YTB' was the large-harbor-tug series; Donacona went straight to the YTM series, never held a YTB designation. (3) The same listing names the builder 'Bethlehem Steel Company of Beaumont, Texas' where NavSource and shipscribe name Pennsylvania Shipyards, Inc., Beaumont - unresolved source conflict (see gaps). (4) The published collision opinion Adams v. The Peter Moran, 94 F. Supp. 520 (S.D.N.Y. 1950), involves a Moran tug Peter Moran towing dead destroyers off Buzzard's Bay in July 1945 - while this hull was still Navy YNT-7 in the Tenth Naval District and did not revert to the name Peter Moran until after her 1947 disposal; the case therefore involves a different Moran tug of the same name and is excluded as a name collision.
- Verification
- partial
- Role
- correction
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-05
- Study period
- 1945 (collision) - 1980s (disposal chain)
- Limitations
- Corrects circulating designation/builder errors and a name-collision case, not a material claim. tugboatinformation.com is a hobbyist compilation (its USCG doc fields are plausible but the 'Bethlehem Steel' attribution conflicts with two better sources). The radiotvpix account is a personal blog carrying a named Bisso-family source - used only to surface the ~1983 scrapping lead, carried as unverified in gaps. No asbestos content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-donacona-yn39-11