Evidence
10 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-10).
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[1]research packet 760-packet.md [other_primary]
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Identity packet verdict: VERIFIED
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Evidence ID
- uss-eugene-e-elmore-de686-pkt-760-packet-md
-
[2]DANFS, Eugene E. Elmore (DE-686) (namesake biography, construction, service narrative, four battle stars; live NHHC page verified serving full text 2026-09-29; published 2015-07-08) [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- NHHC DANFS entry 'Eugene E. Elmore (DE-686)', specifications block + service narrative
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- DANFS record for this hull: namesake Lt. Cmdr. Eugene Evans Elmore (b. 30 June 1900, Americus, Ga.; USNA 1922; reported to Quincy (CA-39) 25 Oct 1940; killed in action when Quincy was sunk in the Battle of Savo Island 9 Aug 1942). Ship: launched 23 Dec 1943 by Bethlehem Steel Co., Quincy, Mass.; sponsored by Mrs. Eugene E. Elmore, widow of the namesake; commissioned 4 Feb 1944, Lt. Cmdr. G. L. Conkey in command. Joined the antisubmarine group around Block Island (CVE-21) at Norfolk 22 Apr 1944, sailed for Casablanca; on 29 May 1944 Block Island and escort Barr (DE-576) were torpedoed by U-549; Ahrens (DE-575), dead in the water rescuing survivors, directed Eugene E. Elmore to the contact; Elmore sank U-549 at 31 deg 13' N, 23 deg 03' W, stood by Barr overnight, took off her wounded and many crew next day, and towed her toward Casablanca until relieved one day before reaching port 2 June. Returned to New York 13 June 1944; two more Mediterranean convoy-escort voyages over four months; sailed New York 3 Nov 1944 for the South Pacific, Hollandia 11 Dec, joined 7th Fleet; convoy to newly invaded Lingayen Gulf arriving 12 Jan 1945, two days antiaircraft protection for assault shipping, then Subic Bay landings 29 Jan; convoy work out of San Pedro Bay (Biak, Palaus, Ulithi, New Guinea); twice escorted Philippines-to-Okinawa convoys 13 Jul-22 Aug 1945; Okinawa occupation duty from 3 Sep; October escorted transports to Jinsen, Korea; departed Okinawa 15 Oct, arrived San Diego 5 Nov 1945; decommissioned and placed in reserve there 31 May 1946. Four battle stars for WWII. Spec block: dp. 1,450; l. 306'; b. 37'; dr. 9.8"; s. 24 k.; cpl. 186; cl. Rudderow.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-29
- Study period
- 1943-1946
- Population
- Bethlehem Quincy construction trades 1943-44; wartime crew (design complement 186 per DANFS)
- Limitations
- DANFS documents service history and specifications, not materials or asbestos content. Entry ends at 1946 decommissioning and does not record the 1968 striking or 1969 sale - those dates come from secondary sources (see ev-03 and gaps).
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-eugene-e-elmore-de686-01
-
[3]Bureau of Ships, Ships' Data, U.S. Naval Vessels, 1945 ed., Vol. 1 (NAVSHIPS 250-012), DESTROYER-ESCORT VESSELS (DE) construction table, pp. 244-245, row 103 'ELMORE, EUGENE E.' (shipscribe.com scan of the declassified Navy volume) [other_primary]
- Locator
- SDB 1945 v1 pp. 244-245, DE alphabetical table, row 103 (PDF p. ~132 of the shipscribe scan)
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Official BuShips construction-table row for this hull: official number DE686; propulsion group design 'TEV' (turbo-electric; table footnote reads 'Turbines built by G.E.'); builder 'Bethlehem Steel Co., Quincy, Mass.'; contract price $1,964,730; contract date Oct. 29, 1942; keel laid Nov. 27, 1943; launched Dec. 23, 1943; preliminary completion July 15, 1944; first acceptance Feb. 4, 1944; commission Feb. 4, 1944.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-29
- Study period
- 1942-1944
- Population
- Bethlehem Quincy construction workforce 1943-44
- Limitations
- Contract and milestone data from the official 1945 BuShips tabulation - confirms builder as Quincy (not Hingham, per the Wikipedia infobox error noted in gaps) and the TEV machinery type; the table is administrative/construction data and does not itemize materials or asbestos content. OCR-read values cross-checked against DANFS and NavSource.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-eugene-e-elmore-de686-02
-
[4]NavSource Online, Destroyer Escort Photo Archive, USS Eugene E. Elmore (DE 686) - building/operational data block, specifications block, commanding-officer table, NARA photo reference (80-G-229758) [other_primary]
- Locator
- NavSource page 06/686, 'Building and Operational Data' + 'Specifications' blocks
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- NavSource archival record for this hull corroborates DANFS and adds post-war custody detail: keel laid 27 Nov 1943 at Bethlehem Steel Corp., Quincy, Mass.; launched/christened 23 Dec 1943; commissioned at Quincy 4 Feb 1944 by Adm. H. T. Smith, Lcdr. G. L. Conkey in command; decommissioned at San Diego 31 May 1946 after 2 years and 3-3/4 months steaming 127,714 miles; inactivation completed 12 Nov 1946 and assigned to Submarine Group Two, San Diego Group, Pacific Reserve Fleet; struck from the NVR 30 June 1968; sold for scrapping June 1969. Spec block: Rudderow TEV; 1,450 t light / 1,810 t full; 306' oa; 2 CE boilers, G.E. turbines with electric drive, 12,000 shp, 2 screws; 24 kt; complement 12 officers / 192 enlisted; armament 2x5"/38, 4x40mm, 10x20mm, 3x21" TT, hedgehog, 8 DCP, 2 DCT.
- Verification
- partial
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-29
- Study period
- 1943-1969
- Population
- Postwar Pacific Reserve Fleet custodial workforce, San Diego 1946-1968; 1969 scrapping workforce (unspecified yard)
- Limitations
- NavSource is a private archival compilation, not an official record - the stricken (1968-06-30) and scrapping-sale (June 1969) dates rest on this secondary source only; buyer and breaking site are not given. Complement (204) conflicts with the DANFS figure (186) - conflict carried in gaps. Contains no asbestos or materials data.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-eugene-e-elmore-de686-03
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[5]BuShips SDB 1945 v1 group designation 'TEV' + GE-turbine footnote for this hull (ev-02); Atlas shipyard dataset records 'fore-river-shipyard' and 'bethlehem-shipbuilding' (Quincy, MA; tier-3 asbestos-era yards) [other_primary]
- Locator
- SDB 1945 v1 pp. 244-245 row 103 (TEV designation); shipyards.json records 'fore-river-shipyard' and 'bethlehem-shipbuilding'
- Finding type
- asbestos_application
- Finding
- Era/design inference: this hull carried a steam plant - two CE boilers feeding GE turbines for turbo-electric drive (TEV) - built 1943-44 at the peak of WWII asbestos usage at Bethlehem's Quincy yard. The machinery configuration is the type for which boiler and fireroom insulation, main and auxiliary steam-line lagging, turbo-generator lagging, valve and flange gaskets, machinery packing, accommodation insulation, deck coverings, and electrical insulation were commonly asbestos-containing in WWII construction. Unlike diesel-electric DE classes, the TEV hull has full boiler/steam scope. The 1946 inactivation and 1946-1968 Pacific Reserve Fleet lay-up at San Diego, and the 1969 breaking, are this hull's disturbance-phase pathways.
- Verification
- inferred
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-29
- Study period
- 1943-1969
- Population
- Bethlehem Quincy construction trades 1943-44; wartime crew; reserve-fleet inactivation/custody workers 1946-1968; scrapping workers 1969
- Limitations
- Inference from the documented machinery type and construction era - NOT a hull record. No survey, specification, or material schedule naming DE-686 was located; establishes no asbestos content, quantity, location, individual exposure, or causation.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-eugene-e-elmore-de686-04
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[6]Fleischer, W.E., Viles, F.J. Jr., Gade, R.L., and Drinker, P., 'A health survey of pipe covering operations in constructing naval vessels,' J Ind Hyg Toxicol 28(1):9-16 (Jan 1946), PMID 21016030 [other_primary]
- Locator
- PubMed record PMID 21016030; article pp. 9-16 (pipe covering material section)
- Finding type
- gov_survey
- Finding
- The U.S. Maritime Commission-commissioned industrial-hygiene survey of WWII pipe-covering operations at two Navy yards and two Navy contract yards documented that 'an important ingredient of pipe covering material used on U.S. Navy vessels is amosite' - i.e., asbestos insulation was standard material in wartime naval-vessel construction of exactly this hull's era and type.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-29
- Study period
- survey ~1944-45; published 1946
- Population
- WWII pipe coverers and insulators at Navy and contract yards (era context)
- Limitations
- Era-level documentation of asbestos use in naval construction generally; does not name this vessel, class, or builder yard and establishes nothing about this hull's materials, condition, or any individual exposure. (The study's exculpatory 'not a dangerous occupation' conclusion has since been heavily criticized.)
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-eugene-e-elmore-de686-05
-
[7]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 construction program under which this Rudderow-class escort was built - and that wartime demand drove unprecedented asbestos utilization in shipbuilding.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-29
- 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 class and does not establish that asbestos was or remains aboard this hull, nor quantity, location, condition, exposure, or causation.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-eugene-e-elmore-de686-06
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[8]CourtListener API v4 sweep, USS Eugene E. Elmore (DE-686): exact-name opinion query '"Eugene E. Elmore"' (type=o) - 0 results; hull-number and docket sweeps incomplete [court_record]
- Locator
- search_ledger rows sl-uss-eugene-e-elmore-de686-04 and sl-uss-eugene-e-elmore-de686-05
- Finding type
- litigation_documented
- Finding
- CourtListener litigation sweep for this hull: the authenticated API v4 exact-name opinion query '"Eugene E. Elmore"' returned zero results (HTTP 200, clean negative - no opinion names the vessel). Hull-number ('"DE-686"') opinion queries and RECAP docket queries could not be completed this session - the shared fleet pacing budget was repeatedly exhausted (fail-closed limiter, multiple attempts over the session); residual litigation coverage rests on the indexed-web check, which surfaced only law-firm marketing list pages naming the hull in asbestos context (excluded source class, not carried as evidence). No qualifying asbestos litigation naming this hull was located in the sources searched.
- Verification
- partial
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-29
- Study period
- 2026-09-29
- Limitations
- Coverage is partial by documented failure mode, not a completed negative: 'DE-686' is a collision-prone identifier and the docket side of the sweep remains an open item. Zero exact-name opinion hits is itself a sound negative for published opinions. Does not establish presence or absence of asbestos aboard; does not establish or defeat any exposure claim or legal eligibility.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-eugene-e-elmore-de686-07
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[9]Batch-4463 search ledger (this record): NHHC DANFS live page; BuShips SDB 1945 v1 construction row; NavSource; CourtListener API v4 (partial - pacing throttle); indexed-web litigation check; VA BVA index (blocked); MARAD ShipHistory (no record expected - Navy hull, Navy disposal); NARA record-group mapping [other_primary]
- Locator
- search_ledger rows sl-uss-eugene-e-elmore-de686-01 through sl-uss-eugene-e-elmore-de686-09
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- No qualifying ship-specific asbestos record located for DE-686: no asbestos survey, abatement contract, insulation specification, hazmat disclosure, court finding, or docketed asbestos case naming USS Eugene E. Elmore or DE-686 was found in the public sources searched (see search_ledger). The only asbestos-framed web results naming the hull are law-firm marketing list pages (shepardlawfirm.com, freeasbestostesting.com/Hissey Mulderig, elslaw.com ship lists) - excluded source class, not carried as evidence.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-29
- Study period
- 2026-09-29
- Limitations
- Absence of a located public record does not prove absence of asbestos aboard - a 1943-44 steam-plant escort built at a documented asbestos-era yard is era-consistent with asbestos-containing insulation. The hull was scrapped in 1969, before hazmat-documented disposal practice, so no disposal-era ACM record exists. Does not establish presence or absence; does not establish or defeat any exposure claim or legal eligibility.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-eugene-e-elmore-de686-08
-
[10]NARA Guide to Federal Records: RG 24 (Navy deck logs), RG 19 (Bureau of Ships records), RG 38 (CNO records incl. WWII war diaries); NHHC/NARA photo 80-G-229758 (13 Apr 1944, off Boston Gate) [other_primary]
- Locator
- https://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/024.html ; /groups/019.html ; /groups/038.html ; photo ref. via NavSource page
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Archival leads (not retrieved - require research-room or reproduction order; no spend authorized): Navy deck logs for USS Eugene E. Elmore Feb 1944-May 1946 (RG 24, NARA College Park); WWII war diary (RG 38); BuShips contract and plans records for this hull under the Oct. 29, 1942 Bethlehem Quincy contract (RG 19) - the most promising material-specification lead; Pacific Reserve Fleet inactivation records for the 1946 San Diego lay-up (preservation/stripping scope undocumented); NARA photo 80-G-229758 (13 April 1944, photographed by a ZP-11 K-ship off Boston Gate).
- Verification
- unverified
- Role
- archival_lead
- Documentation level
- context_only
- Accessed
- 2026-09-29
- Study period
- 1943-1969 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-eugene-e-elmore-de686-09