USS Eridanus (AK-92)

Evidence

8 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-8).

1. [1]DANFS, Eridanus (AK-92) - verbatim transcription (hazegray DANFS mirror at losthistory.net; live NHHC page not located) [nhhc_danfs]

   Locator

   DANFS auxiliaries section, AK-92 Eridanus entry

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   DANFS entry for Eridanus (AK-92): named for a constellation of the Southern Hemisphere. Spec block: dp. 4,672; l. 44'6" [sic - transcription typo for 441'6"]; b. 56'11"; dr. 28'4"; s. 13 k.; cpl. 206; a. 1 5", 1 3"; cl. Crater. Launched 9 April 1943 by Permanente Metals Corp., Richmond, Calif., as Luther Burbank; sponsored by Mrs. Luther Burbank; acquired by the Navy 22 April 1943; commissioned 8 May 1943, Lieutenant Commander F. W. Johnson, USCGR, in command. Service narrative: carried cargo and passengers between west coast ports and bases in the southwest Pacific, the Hawaiians, New Zealand, the Philippines, and the Palaus from 26 June 1943 to 3 February 1946, often making lengthy tows in addition to cargo operations; almost constantly at sea supporting Navy, Marine, and Army operations; February 1944 brought cargo and passengers to Bougainville for troops seizing islands in the northern Solomons. Last service was 'a long and difficult towing job' - took a section of a dry dock from Eniwetok, sailing 4 February 1946, to Hampton Roads, Va., arriving 16 April. Decommissioned at Baltimore 8 May 1946; returned to her owner 15 May 1946. One battle star for World War II service.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-21

   Study period

   1943-1946

   Population

   U.S. Coast Guard crew (1943-46, complement 206 per spec block)

   Limitations

   Verbatim DANFS transcription on a mirror - the live NHHC DANFS page for Eridanus was not located (404 on URL patterns; hazegray.org/danfs/auxil/ak92.htm carries identical text). Establishes identity, construction, service narrative, decommissioning. Spec-block length '44'6"' is a transcription typo for 441'6" (NavSource and Shipscribe both give 441'6"). The commanding officer's USCGR affiliation is itself evidence of the Coast Guard crewing. Contains no asbestos or materials information; supports no asbestos claim.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-eridanus-ak92-01

2. [2]U.S. Maritime Administration, ShipHistory database - LUTHER BURBANK (AK-92) Detail 3119 (status-card scans 4LW_01.png, 3120_5807AF.jpg) [marad_nrc]

   Locator

   ShipHistory Detail 3119 (milestones + 2 status-card scans); card images read directly at /cards/4LW_01.png and /cards/3120_5807AF.jpg

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   MARAD ShipHistory record and two digitized status cards for this hull (LUTHER BURBANK (AK-92), Detail 3119). Database fields: year built 1943; U.S. official no. 243280; shipyard Permanente Metals Corporation; type General Cargo/Break Bulk, MARAD type EC2-S-C1; net 4,380, gross 7,176; cargo capacity 499,573 cu ft; fate 'Sold - No Further Info'; milestone Entry/Acquisition 5/15/1946. WSA-era vessel status card (4LW_01.png): O.N. 243280; name LUTHER BURBANK annotated 'Now Eridanus'; flag American, type cargo; former/re-named Eridanus; D.W.T. 10,860; gross 7,176; net 4,380; bale 499,573 cu ft; grain 562,608; Sp 12.5; hull no. 1099; built by Permanente Metals Corp at Richmond, Cal.; completed 4-22-43; 'Basis to W.S.A. 4-22-43 11:15AM PWT @ Richmond, Cal. Owned.' Custody rows: Navy Dept. (Renamed ERIDANUS), form BB, at Richmond, Cal., 4-22-43 11:15AM; Reserve Fleet, Lee Hall, Va., 5-15-46 10:30AM EDT; Dichmann, Wright & Pugh, Inc., form GAA, Lee Hall, Va., 1-30-47 11AM EST; John G. P. Livanos, form Purch., Newport News, 2-17-47 5PM EST; '(Title passed @ Washington DC 2-14-47 4:45pm EST)'; handwritten 'Panagiotis' and sales price approx. $544,5xx (see ev-06 for figure ambiguity). Reserve Fleet vessel-data card (3120_5807AF.jpg): name LUTHER BURBANK, former Eridanus AK 92; type EC2; fleet and unit JR (James River); date entered fleet 5-15-46; ships papers 'FINAL ALLOC. 175 1/13/47'; date withdrawn from fleet 1-30-47, delivered to operator.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-21

   Study period

   1943-1947

   Population

   NDRF James River custody/maintenance personnel (1946-47); Dichmann Wright & Pugh general-agent workers (Jan-Feb 1947); Greek merchant crew (1947-55); Japanese salvage/rebuild workers (1956-57); Korean crew (1957-72); Masan breakers (1972) - exposure at these stages is era-consistent but undocumented

   Limitations

   Authoritative for government custody milestones, tonnage, official number, and the 1946-47 disposal chain; card handwriting read directly from scans (partially legible - sale price and one red withdrawal annotation uncertain, see ev-06). Confirms the same-day WSA/Navy-bareboat transfer pattern (completed and bareboated 4-22-43 at 11:15AM PWT). Contains no asbestos, materials, or condition-survey information; supports no asbestos claim.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-eridanus-ak92-02

3. [3]U.S. Maritime Commission, Instruction Manual for Operating and Maintaining 2500 H.P. Triple Expansion Marine Steam Engines, EC2-S-C1 Cargo Vessels (mirrored excerpt) [other_primary]

   Locator

   Mirrored excerpt, engine-cylinder insulation section

   Finding type

   asbestos_application

   Finding

   The U.S. Maritime Commission instruction manual for the EC2-S-C1 plant (the design of this vessel's hull) describes cylinder insulation of magnesia under sheet-iron lagging; insulation products of this era were commonly manufactured with asbestos fiber, and period steam-system gaskets, packing, and insulation felts commonly contained asbestos. Liberty-type hulls were built to emergency USMC specifications during the period when the federal government had reserved asbestos supply for shipbuilding. The Navy's April-May 1943 AK conversion by Matson Co., San Francisco added naval outfitting (armament, communications, berthing for a ~200-man complement, towing engine, 30-ton boom) whose insulation scope is undocumented.

   Verification

   inferred

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   class_or_era

   Accessed

   2026-09-21

   Study period

   1943; conversion 1943

   Population

   Construction trades (Permanente Metals Yard No. 2, Richmond, Mar-Apr 1943); conversion workers (Matson Co., San Francisco, Apr-May 1943); USCG crew (~206, 1943-46); NDRF caretakers (1946-47); foreign merchant crews, rebuild workers, and breakers (1947-72)

   Limitations

   Class/design documentation, not a hull record - the manual names the type, not this vessel, and does not itself state 'asbestos' content. Asbestos presence aboard this hull is era inference, not ship-proven. Does not establish quantity, present-day presence (hull scrapped 1972 after a foreign rebuild), individual exposure, or causation. Conversion material scope is an open archival lead, not a finding.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-eridanus-ak92-03

4. [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) [other_primary]

   Locator

   Abstract and article, AJIM 11(3):359-373

   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 and emergency program under which this EC2-S-C1 hull was mass-produced - and that wartime demand drove unprecedented asbestos utilization aboard merchant-type hulls.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   context

   Documentation level

   class_or_era

   Accessed

   2026-09-21

   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 or type and does not establish that asbestos was aboard this hull, nor quantity, location, condition, exposure, or causation.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-eridanus-ak92-04

5. [5]NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive, USS Eridanus (AK-92) page (navsource.org/archives/09/13/130092.htm); Shipscribe Crater-class page (shipscribe.com/usnaux/AK/AK70.html); corroborated by shipbuildinghistory AK table, shipindex.org vessel citations, NavalCoverMuseum ERIDANUS AK 92 page [other_primary]

   Locator

   NavSource AK-92 page (construction/spec/campaign/merchant sections, CO list); Shipscribe AK-70 class page (construction/disposition tables, class notes incl. AK 90-97 program and armaments, ship note 1099); shipbuildinghistory.com/navalships/ak.htm row AK-92; shipindex.org/ships/panagiotis + /vessels/Q11699514; navalcovermuseum.org/wiki/ERIDANUS_AK_92

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   NavSource Service Ship Photo Archive entry for USS Eridanus (AK-92) confirms the construction/commissioning chain (laid down 'date unknown' as SS Luther Burbank, MCE hull 1099, Permanente Metals Corp. Yard No. 2 Richmond; launched 9 Apr 1943; acquired 22 Apr 1943; commissioned 8 May 1943, LCDR F. W. Johnson USCGR; decommissioned Baltimore 8 May 1946; struck 21 May 1946; returned to WSA 15 May 1946, name reverted; NDRF James River Group, Lee Hall, VA) and documents: USCG manning throughout WWII; commanding officers LCDR F. W. Johnson USCG (8 May 1943-1944) and LCDR Lucius E. Wadman USCG (1944-8 May 1946); call sign NJTD; campaign 'Consolidation of northern Solomon Islands, 1-7 February 1944' (1 battle star); full merchant-service chain (sold $544,546 14 Feb 1947 to John P. G. Livanos Athens, removed 17 Feb 1947, renamed SS Panagiotis; grounded Kunsan Korea bound Baltimore-Inchon with coal 15 Nov 1955, broke in two 21 Nov 1955, total loss; sold 18 Sep 1956 to Far Eastern Marine Transport, Inchon; both parts refloated, towed via Pusan/Shimonoseki to Tokyo, rejoined and lengthened by I.H.I. to 449 ft, 7,321 grt, 11,000 dwt; resumed as South Korean SS Silla; laid up Masan 31 Jan 1972; scrapped Masan Sep 1972); spec block incl. 16 officers + 190 enlisted, Joshua Hendy VTE engine, 2 B&W header-type boilers 220psi/450F, 7,285 bbls NSFO, armament 1-5"/38 + 1-3"/50 + 2-40mm + 6-20mm; Mare Island photos dated 8 May 1943; a 1944 Thanksgiving menu with crew roster is hosted. Shipscribe's BuShips-derived class record (shipscribe.com/usnaux/AK/AK70.html) adds: keel 12 Mar 1943; 'Converted by Matson Co., San Francisco. Merc. LUTHER BURBANK (MC) 1946, PANAGIOTIS (Greek) 1947. Scrapped 1972 as SILLA'; disposition table (decomm 8 May 46, strike 21 May 46, disposal 15 May 46, MC/D, MA sale 14 Feb 47); class acquisition program for AK 90-97 (Com-12 urged 9 Jan 43; SecNav asked MC 27 Feb 43; AVB recommended 1 Mar 43 acquisition at ~1 per 10 days; minimal conversion plus extra 30-ton cargo boom and towing engines for towing the eight ABSD-1 sectional drydock sections); armament notes placing AK-92 among the ships upgraded under the 24 Feb 45 CNO change to 1-5"/38, 1-3"/50, 2-40mm singles, 6-20mm singles. shipbuildinghistory's AK table corroborates: AK-92, Luther Burbank, Permanente No. 2, hull 1099, EC2-S-C1, delivered as AK 8-May-43, 'Sold 1947, broke in two 1955, repaired, scrapped 1972' (conversion-yard cell '???'). shipindex.org corroborates the name chain (Luther Burbank 1943 -> Eridanus (U.S.S.) 1943 -> Panagiotis 1947 -> Silla 1957; AK.92). NavalCoverMuseum corroborates USCG manning and the merchant chain.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-21

   Study period

   1943-1972

   Population

   Conversion workers (Matson Co., Apr-May 1943); USCG crew (1943-46)

   Limitations

   NavSource, Shipscribe, shipbuildinghistory, shipindex, and NavalCoverMuseum are compiled references (Shipscribe/shipbuildinghistory derive from BuShips and Auxiliary Vessels Board records), not government publications - the Matson Co. conversion attribution is single-source (Shipscribe ship note; shipbuildinghistory's conversion cell is '???'), and the merchant-service chain rests on NavSource/NavalCoverMuseum compilations consistent with the primary MARAD custody card through the 2-17-47 delivery. Laid-down 12 Mar 1943 is Shipscribe/Wikipedia against NavSource's 'date unknown'. No asbestos information in any of these sources; supports no asbestos claim.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-eridanus-ak92-05

6. [6]DANFS Eridanus (AK-92) entry vs MARAD ShipHistory status cards/milestones (Detail 3119), Shipscribe Crater-class tables and ship note 1099, NavSource AK-92 page, shipindex.org name chain [nhhc_danfs]

   Locator

   MARAD status cards (fleet-entry 5-15-46; GAA 1-30-47; title 2-14-47 4:45PM EST; delivery 2-17-47 5PM EST); Shipscribe construction/disposition tables row AK-92; DANFS spec block; NavSource spec block and merchant-service section

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   Date/figure conflicts resolved or flagged. (a) Laid-down date: Shipscribe construction table and Wikipedia give 12 Mar 1943; NavSource prints 'date unknown.' Carried as 1943-03-12 on Shipscribe's BuShips-derived table with the variance noted. (b) Spec-block length: DANFS transcription prints 'l. 44'6"' - an obvious typo for 441'6" (NavSource 441'6", Shipscribe 441.5' oa); flagged, not carried. (c) Speed: DANFS 13 k. vs MARAD status card 'Sp 12.5', NavSource 12.5, Shipscribe class 12.5 - DANFS carried in spec context, 12.5 likely more accurate; variance noted. (d) Displacement: DANFS 4,672 vs NavSource 4,023 lt / 14,550 fl vs Shipscribe 4,023 light / 14,550 lim - different load bases or a DANFS figure variance; noted, not reconciled. (e) Complement: DANFS 206 = NavSource 16 officers + 190 enlisted (206) - concurring; Shipscribe class table lists 133 (1944), a class-level figure, noted. (f) Sale price: MARAD card handwriting reads approximately $544,506-$544,546 (partially legible); NavSource/Wikipedia print $544,546 - carried as 'approximately $544,5xx' with the ambiguity flagged. (g) Disposal dates: decommission 8 May 46 (all sources); WSA return/fleet entry 15 May 46 (DANFS 'returned to her owner'; MARAD cards 5-15-46 10:30AM EDT, Shipscribe 'Disposal 15 May 46, MC/D'); stricken 21 May 46 (NavSource, Shipscribe - consistent); MA sale 14 Feb 47 = title-passed date on MARAD card (2-14-47 4:45PM EST), physical delivery 2-17-47 5PM EST Newport News - all consistent once title vs delivery is distinguished. (h) Greek-flag name: Shipscribe/Wikipedia/shipindex print PANAGIOTIS; the MARAD card's handwritten annotation appears to read 'Panagiotis' - consistent.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   correction

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-21

   Study period

   1943-1947; 2026-09-21 (reconciliation)

   Limitations

   Corrects and reconciles conflicting secondary-source figures; does not itself bear on asbestos. Primary custody documents (MARAD cards) control the operative disposal dates; the single-source items (laid-down date, Matson conversion, machinery specifics) are flagged rather than silently adopted.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-eridanus-ak92-06

7. [7]Batch-964 search ledger (this record): DANFS transcription; MARAD ShipHistory + status cards; Shipscribe; NavSource; shipbuildinghistory; shipindex; NavalCoverMuseum; CourtListener API (throttled) + Google-indexed CL corpus; NVR; marketing-page check [other_primary]

   Locator

   search_ledger rows sl-uss-eridanus-ak92-01 through sl-uss-eridanus-ak92-13

   Finding type

   historical_record

   Finding

   No qualifying ship-specific asbestos record located: no asbestos survey, abatement contract, hazmat disclosure, or docketed case naming USS Eridanus, AK-92, SS Luther Burbank, SS Panagiotis, or SS Silla was found in the public sources searched (see search_ledger). Live CourtListener API v4 was rate-limited during research (HTTP 429 - shared authenticated 2,800/day quota exhausted, ~6,400 s retry-after; not retried to avoid a ban); Google-indexed CourtListener content for the ship's names and hull number shows only unrelated collisions (United States v. Luther Burbank Savings, 2:12-cv-07809 - a bank; school-district captioned cases listing 'Luther Burbank S.D.'; generic Navy-asbestos authorities naming other hulls). Marketing pages (asbestos-ships.com, freeasbestostesting.com, gorilaw.com) list the ship with boilerplate claims and were excluded as non-authoritative - one asserts 'Everyone who served on the USS Eridanus (AK-92) inhaled the asbestos fibers.'

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   negative_finding

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-21

   Study period

   2026-09-21

   Limitations

   Absence of a located public record does not prove absence of asbestos aboard - a 1943 emergency-built steamship is era-consistent with asbestos-containing materials. The litigation check is a partial negative: CourtListener's own index was unreachable under rate limit, and only the Google-indexed subset of CL content was swept. Does not establish presence or absence; does not establish or defeat any exposure claim or legal eligibility.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-eridanus-ak92-07

8. [8]NARA Guide to Federal Records: RG 19 (Bureau of Ships), RG 24 (naval deck logs), RG 38 (war diaries), RG 178 (US Maritime Commission), RG 248 (War Shipping Administration); USCG Historian's Office asset page for Eridanus (access-blocked) [other_primary]

   Locator

   archives.gov record-group guides; USCG Historian's Office Eridanus page via NavSource link (HTTP 403)

   Finding type

   historical_record

   Finding

   Archival leads (not retrieved - require research-room or reproduction orders, or are access-blocked; no spend authorized): NARA RG 19 (Bureau of Ships) holds WWII conversion specifications and contract records that may document the April-May 1943 Matson Co. AK-conversion material scope for this hull (the class program called for deliberately minimal conversion plus towing engine and 30-ton boom); RG 24 holds USS Eridanus deck logs and RG 38 holds WWII war diaries (operational detail, not materials); RG 178 (USMC Construction Division) and RG 248 (WSA) hold MCE hull 1099 construction/acquisition files. The U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office maintains a USS Eridanus (AK-92) asset page (linked from NavSource) covering her USCG-manned service - returned HTTP 403 to automated fetch and has no Wayback capture; USCG Historian records are the natural primary source for her Coast Guard complement. NavSource hosts a 1944 Thanksgiving menu with crew roster - a located artifact of the USCG crew.

   Verification

   unverified

   Role

   archival_lead

   Documentation level

   context_only

   Accessed

   2026-09-21

   Study period

   1943-1972 records

   Limitations

   Record-group mapping only - no box-level retrieval performed; existence of asbestos-specific documents for hull 1099/AK-92 is unknown until surveyed in person. The USCG Historian page exists but could not be read; its contents are unverified. Nothing in this row is an asbestos finding.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-eridanus-ak92-08