Evidence
13 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-13).
-
[1]research packet ca-packet.md (1 sources cited) [nhhc_danfs]
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Identity packet verdict: VERIFIED. — real identity: USS Esselen · hull/designation: AT-147, then ATO-147 · type: fleet tug (converted civilian tug, NOT Abnaki-class) [D] https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/e/esselen.html
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Evidence ID
- uss-esselen-at147-pkt-ca-packet-md
-
[2]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 World War II, and that federal policy reserved and allocated asbestos supply for shipbuilding programs - the era covering this hull's naval service and any wartime refit period.
- 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 (which was scrapped in 2008), nor quantity, location, condition, exposure, or causation. The hull was built in 1896-97, decades before the wartime program this source documents - applicability is limited to her WWII service window and any wartime refit, not her original construction.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-esselen-at147-01
-
[3]NHHC DANFS 'Esselen' entry (live history.navy.mil page 404 at access date; verified verbatim via Internet Archive Wayback capture 2014-08-03 of history.navy.mil/danfs/e5/esselen.htm) [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- DANFS Esselen entry - namesake line, spec header, and two text paragraphs
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- DANFS establishes naval identity and service: 'Esselen - An Indian tribe of California.' Header: AT-147; l. 164'; b. 29'; s. 11 k. Text: 'Esselen (AT-147), was built as New York by Harlan and Hollingsworth Co., Wilmington, Del., in 1893, acquired by the Navy on 18 June 1943, and commissioned on 21 August 1943, Lieutenant F. H. Watts in command.' Assigned to the 10th Naval District, where she towed barges and performed general tug duties in the Caribbean for over a year; reclassified ATO-147 on 15 May 1944; sailed north to New York, decommissioned 11 November 1944, turned over to the War Shipping Administration.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-26
- Study period
- 1893-1944 (as stated)
- Limitations
- Authoritative for naval identity, dates, and service area. Contains no asbestos or insulation-material statement. DANFS 'built as New York ... in 1893' compresses/incorrectly states the build record - the hull was completed February 1897 as Catawissa and renamed New York only in 1941 (see correction row); header length 164' also conflicts with the registered 158' figure. 'Over a year' of Caribbean service is loose - commission to decommission totals ~15 months.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-esselen-at147-02
-
[4]NavSource Online Service Ship Photo Archive, USS Esselen (ATO-147) page 47147 (last updated 20 November 2015), incl. DANFS link and photo captions [other_primary]
- Locator
- NavSource 47147 page: chronology bullets, specifications block, awards bar, photo captions
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- NavSource archive page for USS Esselen (ATO-147) ex AT-147: laid down 1893 as civilian steam tug Catawissa by Harlan & Hollingsworth, Wilmington; completed 1897; designated ID-1118 in 1917, not acquired; renamed New York 1941; designated CGR-1902 in wartime merchant service; acquired by the Navy 18 June 1943; commissioned USS Esselen (AT-147) 21 August 1943, LT. Frank H. Watts; redesignated Fleet Tug, Old ATO-147 15 May 1944; decommissioned 11 November 1944 at New York; transferred to WSA same day for disposal, name reverted to New York; struck from the Naval Register 27 November 1944; sold for merchant service 1944; sold to Beth Tank Co., renamed Beth Tank Ship No. 2; downgraded to a hulk 1952 for steam-cleaning tanks of empty oil tankers; renamed Tank Master No. 1 1963; scrapped 2008 at Perth Amboy, N.J. Specs: 800 t light / 1,385 t full; 158' x 29' x 15'; 11 kts; one 3-cylinder triple-expansion steam engine; call sign NGFB; ribbon block: American Campaign Medal and World War II Victory Medal.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-26
- Study period
- 1893-2008
- Limitations
- Secondary compiled archive consistent with DANFS and shipscribe on all overlapping points; 'laid down in 1893' conflicts with the 1896 launch / February 1897 completion in shipyard records (flagged in gaps). No asbestos content. Full-load displacement 1,385 t is NavSource's figure; shipscribe gives 558 gross / 800 light.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-esselen-at147-03
-
[5]Shipscribe U.S. Navy Auxiliary Vessels register, 'USS Esselen (AT-147)' page (Stephen S. Roberts, compiled 17 May 2011) [other_primary]
- Locator
- shipscribe AT/AT147.html - spec header, construction/disposition tables, class notes, ship notes
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Shipscribe vessel register (Stephen S. Roberts) for AT-147: class 'ESSELEN (AT-147)', design 'Tug, 1896'; 800 light / 558 gross tons; 170' oa, 158.0' x 29.0' x 15'; 11 kts; 1,000 HP; 1 screw, 3-cylinder triple expansion; acquired 18 Jun 43; commissioned 21 Aug 43; decommissioned 11 Nov 44; struck 27 Nov 44; disposed to WSA 11 Nov 44. Class notes: Harlan & Hollingsworth built CATAWISSA (1896), GETTYSBURG and VALLEY FORGE (1898) for the Philadelphia & Reading Rail Road as the first three of an 11-tug 158-ft series (1896-1912) incl. CONESTOGA, MONOCACY, LYKENS (later Navy AT-54/55/56); CATAWISSA towed coal barges Philadelphia (Port Richmond) to East Coast power-plant ports between Charleston and Boston; by 1942 owned by Arundel Corp. of Baltimore, named NEW YORK; 'probably offered' to the Navy by WSA 3 Jun 43, accepted 18 Jun 43. Ship notes: ex NEW YORK ex CATAWISSA 1941 (ID-1118, completed Feb 1897); CGR-1902; to ATO-147 15 May 44; merchant NEW YORK 1944, BETH TANK SHIP No. 2 1952 (hulk for steam-cleaning tanks of empty oil tankers), TANK MASTER No. 1 1963; 'Scrapped 2008 at Perth Amboy, N.J. at 110 years of age after preservation efforts failed.'
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-26
- Study period
- 1896-2008
- Limitations
- Register-reconstruction source compiled from official lists (merchant registers, Navy lists); internally dated 'Design: Tug, 1896' vs the 1893 keel/1897 completion in other rows of the same record family - shipyard dates carried as discrepancies, not resolved. No asbestos content anywhere on the page.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-esselen-at147-04
-
[6]NPS NPGallery NRIS asset record 96000828, 'CATAWISSA (tugboat)' (asset 77629ae6-c473-4741-b476-54d198c47993) [nps]
- Locator
- NPGallery asset metadata block (NRIS ID, listing date, location, criteria, significance); the two linked PDF assets return the placeholder 'The PDF file for this National Register record has not yet been digitized'
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- NPS National Register of Historic Places: 'CATAWISSA (tugboat)' listed 1996-08-08, NRIS 96000828 - located Lock 3, NY State Barge Canal, Erie Division, Waterford, Saratoga County, N.Y.; criteria Event and Architecture/Engineering; areas of significance Maritime History and Social History; periods of significance 1875-1899, significant years 1897 and 1898; architect/builder Harlan & Hollingsworth. This is the same hull as USS Esselen (AT-147) - the NRHP record covers the hulk (ex Tank Master No. 1 / Beth Tank Ship No. 2 / New York / Catawissa) during the preservation attempt at Waterford.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-26
- Study period
- 1897-1996 (listing record)
- Limitations
- Establishes NRHP listing and survival of the hull to 1996 at Waterford. The nomination text itself is undigitized at NPGallery - a placeholder PDF is served - so no physical-description or materials detail was reviewed; whether the nomination mentions insulation or asbestos is unknown. Listing metadata contains no asbestos statement. Post-2008 NRIS delisting status not verified.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-esselen-at147-05
-
[7]NARA, Special List 44 - Named Vessels (archives.gov/research/military/logbooks/special-list-44-named), row 'Esselen (AT-147) 11/1/1943-11/11/1944'; NARA digitized Navy deck-log index (archives.gov/research/military/logbooks/navy-online) [other_primary]
- Locator
- SL44 named-vessel table row 'Esselen | (AT-147) | 11/1/1943 | 11/11/1944'; digitized index 'E' section searched - no Esselen listing
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- NARA Special List 44 (Named Vessels) records textual logbook holdings for Esselen (AT-147) covering 11/1/1943-11/11/1944 - positive in-scope holdings evidence spanning the hull's commissioned service. The NARA 'Navy Deck Logs Available in the National Archives Catalog' digitized index was searched alphabetically: no Esselen entry - these logs are not in the public digitized set.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-26
- Study period
- 1943-1944 records
- Limitations
- Holdings evidence only - the logs themselves are textual records at Archives II, not pulled or reviewed; they corroborate the commission window but contain no reviewed asbestos, maintenance, or materials statement. Coverage begins ~10 weeks after commissioning (Aug 21, 1943) - August-October 1943 logs are not on this index row.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-esselen-at147-06
-
[8]Dluhos v. Floating and Abandoned Vessel, Known as 'New York,' 979 F. Supp. 138 (N.D.N.Y. 1997), aff'd, 162 F.3d 63 (2d Cir. 1998), No. 97-9353, decided Nov. 20, 1998 [court_record]
- Locator
- 162 F.3d 63 opinion (Straub, J.; argued Aug. 12, 1998) - statement of facts reciting vessel history and cleanup; district disposition at 979 F. Supp. 138
- Finding type
- litigation_documented
- Finding
- Non-asbestos litigation naming this hull (as 'the floating and abandoned vessel known as New York,' ex official no. 127168 - the Esselen/Catawissa hull): Dluhos v. Floating and Abandoned Vessel, Known as 'New York,' 979 F. Supp. 138 (N.D.N.Y. 1997) - pro se admiralty in rem claim of title under the law of finds dismissed for lack of jurisdiction (vessel never arrested; $5,000 bond unposted); affirmed, Dluhos v. Floating and Abandoned Vessel, Known as 'New York,' 162 F.3d 63 (2d Cir. 1998). The opinions document the hull's history: 1896 build for the Pennsylvania-Reading Railroad; coal-tow career Boston-Charleston; sale to a Baltimore salvage company and conversion to steam-cleaning sludge from freighter tanks in New York Harbor; 1992 purchase by the Sandusky Maritime History Association for museum conversion; tow toward Lake Erie via the Erie Canal; grounding/trapping and oil leak near Waterford, N.Y.; abandonment after the Association dissolved; ~$500,000 oil-spill cleanup borne by state and federal authorities.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-26
- Study period
- 1992-1998 (litigated facts); opinions 1997-1998
- Limitations
- Admiralty title/jurisdiction litigation, NOT asbestos litigation - classified 'other litigation' under the sweep rubric. Establishes abandonment/cleanup and preservation-attempt facts for the hulk only; no exposure, materials, or asbestos finding of any kind; nothing about the hull's Navy period beyond background recital.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-esselen-at147-07
-
[9]Trueman v. Historic Steamtug New York, 120 F. Supp. 2d 228 (N.D.N.Y. 2000) [court_record]
- Locator
- 120 F. Supp. 2d 228, at 231-232 (facts section) and disposition
- Finding type
- litigation_documented
- Finding
- Second non-asbestos reported case on the same hull: Trueman v. Historic Steamtug New York, 120 F. Supp. 2d 228 (N.D.N.Y. 2000) - plaintiff's motion to establish title to the vessel under Local Admiralty Rule D denied; opinion recites the same abandonment narrative (1992 Sandusky Maritime History Association museum attempt, Erie Canal stranding and oil leak near Waterford, ~half-million-dollar cleanup) and the prior Dluhos dismissal.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-26
- Study period
- 2000 opinion; litigated facts 1992-2000
- Limitations
- Admiralty title litigation only - 'other litigation,' not asbestos; no exposure or materials finding. Useful solely as a documented disposition/history anchor for the hulk's Erie Canal period and competing ownership claims.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-esselen-at147-08
-
[10]CourtListener API v4 (authenticated helper cl-auth-search.py): q='Esselen' type=o (2026-09-26) -> 118 results, all name collisions (Esselen Associates / persons); remaining queries throttled [court_record]
- Locator
- search_ledger rows sl-uss-esselen-at147-08 through sl-uss-esselen-at147-11
- Finding type
- litigation_documented
- Finding
- CourtListener authenticated API v4 sweep, name search: 'Esselen' type=o returned 118 opinions - all reviewed hits are NAME COLLISIONS, not the ship: the token 'Esselen' in the opinion index resolves to Esselen Associates, Inc. / Gustavus J. Esselen, Inc. (a New York construction/engineering firm's bankruptcy and contract litigation, e.g. Esselen Associates, Inc. v. Crysen/Montenay Energy Co., S.D.N.Y. 1989; In re Crysen/Montenay Energy Co., 2d Cir. 1990; Gustavus J. Esselen, Inc. v. Visor, N.Y. App. Term 1943) and to bankruptcy/consumer opinions citing an 'Esselen' party or precedent - no opinion names the vessel, AT-147/ATO-147, or asbestos aboard her. Hull-number searches ('AT-147', 'ATO-147'), the docket (type=r) index, and the quoted-phrase USS-Esselen search, were fleet-throttled at run time (shared pacing budget spent) - deferred to quota reset, NOT a negative result. Hull-identifying litigation surfaced instead through open-web sources: the Dluhos and Trueman admiralty opinions above name the hull under her merchant name 'New York' (official no. 127168).
- Verification
- partial
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-26
- Study period
- 2026-09-26
- Limitations
- Sweep partially complete: the opinion index for the exact ship name is clear of vessel/asbestos hits (118 collisions), but docket search, hull-number variants, and quoted 'USS Esselen' were not re-run after fleet pacing blocked them; a repeat sweep at reset is the standing task. Absence of a located opinion is not proof of no litigation - district pleadings not in RECAP would not appear.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-esselen-at147-09
-
[11]Batch-2760 search ledger (this record): NHHC DANFS (Wayback), NavSource, shipscribe, NARA Special List 44 + digitized deck-log index, NPS NPGallery/NRIS, MARAD ShipHistory, CourtListener (partial), open-web litigation/history sweep [other_primary]
- Locator
- search_ledger rows sl-uss-esselen-at147-01 through sl-uss-esselen-at147-12
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- No qualifying ship-specific asbestos record located: no asbestos survey, abatement contract, hazmat disclosure, museum/Navy materials statement, or asbestos-litigation hit naming the Esselen hull (AT-147/ATO-147, Catawissa, New York, Beth Tank Ship No. 2, Tank Master No. 1) was found in the public sources searched (see search_ledger). The hull's documented later life - stationary steam-cleaning plant in New York Harbor 1952-c.1989, Erie Canal abandonment 1992-c.2005, Perth Amboy scrapping 2008 - produced no located materials statement in the sources consulted.
- 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 - an 1896-97 steam tug run as a stationary steam plant for decades is era-consistent with installed asbestos-containing insulation, and neither the NRHP nomination (undigitized) nor the deck logs (textual, unreviewed) has been read. Does not establish presence or absence; does not establish or defeat any exposure claim or legal eligibility.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-esselen-at147-10
-
[12]NHHC DANFS (Wayback) vs shipscribe AT-147 register vs Naval Marine Archive yard record (official no. U127168, yard no. 284, built 1897-02) vs NPS NRIS 96000828 metadata [other_primary]
- Locator
- NMA ship record 82916 (build date, yard no., official no., name-sequence remarks); shipscribe class notes; DANFS spec header
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Source discrepancies resolved: (a) Build identity - DANFS states 'built as New York by Harlan and Hollingsworth ... in 1893'; the shipyard record (shipscribe; Naval Marine Archive yard card 284) shows the hull launched 1896 as CATAWISSA and completed February 1897, renamed New York only in 1941 - 'built as New York' is a compressed/erroneous DANFS statement, and '1893' survives only as NavSource's keel claim, uncorroborated. (b) Dimensions - DANFS header gives length 164' while shipscribe gives 170' oa / 158' registered and NavSource 158'; beam 29' in DANFS/NavSource/shipscribe vs '19 ft' in the Wikipedia infobox traceable to the NRHP nomination summary - 29' adopted as the multi-source figure, 19' treated as probable nomination/transcription error. (c) Wikipedia's beam figure and 'built 1898' NRIS significant-year framing are secondary summaries only.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- correction
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-26
- Study period
- 1896-2008 records
- Limitations
- Resolves publication-level discrepancies in identity/dimension statements; does not affect the service timeline materially. No asbestos content in any of these sources.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-esselen-at147-11
-
[13]NARA SL44 named-vessel index; NPGallery placeholder response for NRIS 96000828; NARA merchant-vessel logbook guidance (RG 26); MARAD ShipHistory search endpoint response (error page) [other_primary]
- Locator
- SL44 Esselen row; NPGallery asset 77629ae6 placeholder text; archives.gov/research/military/logbooks/merchant-vessels-pl.html
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Archival leads (not retrieved - research-room level; no spend authorized): (a) NARA textual deck logs for Esselen (AT-147), 11/1/1943-11/11/1944, per Special List 44 - would document 10th Naval District towing assignments and any refit/maintenance entries; (b) the NRHP nomination for Catawissa (NRIS 96000828, prepared March 1996 per catalog references) is undigitized at NPGallery - retrievable via NARA NRHP records or NY SHPO; its Description section may state remaining machinery/fabric as of 1996; (c) Harlan & Hollingsworth builder records and the 1943 Navy conversion/acquisition file (Bureau of Ships / RG 19 vicinity) unlocated in public sources; (d) merchant logbooks for the New York/Catawissa periods, if extant, sit in NARA RG 26 regional holdings by port of submission (Philadelphia/Baltimore/New York); (e) MARAD ShipHistory public search endpoint errored on programmatic request - any custody record for the 1944 WSA disposal unverified.
- Verification
- unverified
- Role
- archival_lead
- Documentation level
- context_only
- Accessed
- 2026-09-26
- Study period
- 1896-2008 records
- Limitations
- Record-holdings mapping only - none of these records was pulled; existence of asbestos-specific documents for this hull is unknown until surveyed. Nothing in this row is an asbestos finding.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-esselen-at147-12