USS Exploit (AM-95)

Evidence

16 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-16).

1. [1]DANFS, 'Exploit' (AM-95) - verbatim transcription of the official NHHC text (losthistory.net/hazegray mirror; live NHHC page 404s - standing link rot - and no Wayback capture located, so the mirror is the only access path verified) [nhhc_danfs]

   Locator

   DANFS 'Exploit' entry, specifications block + service narrative (losthistory.net/hazegray/danfs/mine/am95.htm)

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   Official DANFS record for this hull: spec block 'AM-95: dp. 275; l. 173'8"; b. 23'; dr. 7'7"; s. 18 k.; cpl. 65; a. 1 3"; cl. Adroit'. 'The first Exploit (AM-95) was launched 7 September 1942 by Jakobson Shipyard, Inc., Oyster Bay, Long Island, N.Y.; sponsored by Mrs. G. J. Hossfeld; and commissioned 5 February 1943, Lieutenant S. A. Hill, USNR, in command. She was reclassified PC-1599 on 1 June 1944, and PCC-1599 on 20 August 1945.' Service narrative: 25 February - 12 May 1943 patrol, minesweeping, and amphibious exercises in Chesapeake Bay based at Norfolk; similar duty in Casco Bay, Maine, until 13 May 1944, then return to Norfolk for conversion to a submarine chaser. As PC-1599: sailed Norfolk 9 June 1944 on escort duty for the Pacific; arrived Eniwetok 1 October; five months local escort and patrol in the Marshalls and Marianas; arrived Iwo Jima 6 March 1945 escorting an LST; sailed from Ulithi 25 March escorting an Okinawa-bound convoy; primary control vessel for Yellow Beach during the initial landings 1 April 1945; continued patrol off Okinawa and screening of shipping lying off the island until 1 June. After a brief overhaul, cleared Kerama Retto 24 June 1945 bound for the west coast; decommissioned at San Francisco 14 December 1945; transferred to the Maritime Commission 18 March 1949 for disposal. PC-1599 received two battle stars for World War II service.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-22

   Study period

   1942-1949

   Population

   Jakobson Shipyard construction trades (1942); wartime crew (design complement 65)

   Limitations

   DANFS documents identity, builder, dates, service narrative, the AM-to-PC and PC-to-PCC redesignations, and disposal path - not materials or asbestos content. The official text is silent on laid-down date (NavSource/Colton/uboat supply 11 May 1942), stricken date, grounding casualty (implied only by the 'brief overhaul' after the 1 June patrol endpoint), the 1944 conversion yard, and the post-1949 disposition ('for disposal' is the last official word). DANFS's spec block (275 t, 7'7" draft, 18 kts) conflicts with NavSource's per-hull spec block (295 t, 6'6", 16 kts) - flagged in ev-08. Live NHHC page returns 404 and no Wayback capture exists for this entry, so the mirror text could not be cross-checked against an official capture (sibling Adroit records had Wayback verification; this one does not).

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-exploit-am95-01

2. [2]NavSource Online: Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive - PCC-1599 ex-PC-1599 ex-Exploit (AM 95), file 11/02095 [other_primary]

   Locator

   NavSource 11/02095 - chronology block, specifications block, propulsion line with engine serial numbers, six-officer CO roster, single-photo entry

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   NavSource per-hull record: 'Adroit Class Minesweeper'; PC-1599 call sign Nan-Able-Fox-Able; 'laid down 11 May 1942 by the Jakobson Shipyard, Inc., Oyster Bay, Long Island, NY'; launched 7 September 1942; 'Commissioned Exploit (AM 95), 5 February 1943'; 'Reclassified as a Submarine Chaser, PC-1599, 1 June 1944'; 'Damaged by grounding 1 June 1945 off Hagushi, Okinawa'; 'Reclassified as a Control Submarine Chaser, PCC-1599, 20 August 1945'; 'Decommissioned 14 December 1945 at San Francisco, CA'; 'Struck from the Naval Register 8 January 1946'; 'Transferred to the Maritime Commission for disposal 18 March 1949' with the note 'Naval Vessel Register of 1 January 1949 lists transfer to the War Shipping Administration as March 1948'; 'Acquired in 1956 to the Submarex Corp. of Santa Barbara, CA for use as an oil exploration vessel and renamed Exploit'; 'Out of documentation in 1966'; 'Fate unknown.' Spec block: 295 t.; 173'8"; 23' beam; 6'6" draft; 16 kts.; complement 65; armament one 3"/50 dual-purpose mount, one 40mm mount, five 20mm mounts, two depth-charge tracks and two depth-charge projectors; propulsion 'Two 900hp Cooper Bessemer GNB8 diesel engines (Serial No. 1987 and 1988), Farrel-Birmingham single reduction gear, two shafts.' Six-officer CO roster: LT Sherman Arthur Hill, USNR (5 Feb 1943); LT Peter Sheridan, USNR (16 Feb 1944); LTJG Alan R. Johnston, USNR (Jun - Nov 1944); LTJG Arthur F. Riedel, USNR (Nov 1944 - Aug 1945); LT James L. Milne, USNR (Aug - Oct 1945); LT Mark Richard Evarts, USNR (Oct - 14 Dec 1945). One photo of PC-1599 held (Bob Daly/PC-1181 collection).

   Verification

   partial

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-22

   Study period

   1942-1966

   Population

   Jakobson Shipyard trades (1942); U.S. crew Feb 1943 - Dec 1945; Maritime Commission/commercial handling workforce (1949-1966)

   Limitations

   Specialist secondary compilation - detailed but non-official. The spec block (295 t, 6'6", 16 kts) conflicts with DANFS's per-hull spec block (275 t, 7'7", 18 kts) - flagged in ev-08. The 'March 1948' WSA transfer date is quoted from the Naval Vessel Register against the 18 March 1949 disposal date printed elsewhere - unresolved (ev-08). 'Acquired in 1956 to the Submarex Corp.' conflicts with NavalCoverMuseum's and Wikipedia's 'resold in 1961' - unresolved (ev-08). The grounding detail 'off Hagushi' is consistent with the NHHC-published Official Chronology (ev-06). CO roster differs from uboat.net's (Snyder appears only in uboat; Milne/Evarts only in NavSource - ev-08). Contains no asbestos information; supports no asbestos claim.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-exploit-am95-02

3. [3]Shipbuilding History (Tim Colton compilation), 'Jakobson Shipyard' yard table - hull #290 row (AM 95 Exploit) + yard history header [other_primary]

   Locator

   shipbuildinghistory.com/shipyards/small/jakobson.htm - hull #290 row (Exploit AM 95); yard history header

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   Yard-table row for this hull: Jakobson Shipyard yard hull #290, U.S. official number 271807, 'Exploit (AM 95) | US Navy | Minesweeper | 1,250 | 5-Feb-43 | Later PC 1599, sold 1949 as Exploit, NLD' - corroborates builder yard, type, the 5 Feb 1943 commissioning/delivery date, the PC-1599 conversion, the 1949 sale, and commercial documentation under the name Exploit until 'No Longer Documented.' Yard history: Jakobson Shipyard, Inc. 'was established in Brooklyn's Mariners Harbor as Jakobson & Petersen, in 1895. The founder, Daniel Jakobson, was succeeded by his son Irving in 1925, and the company moved to Oyster Bay in 1938. The yard was acquired by Moran Towing after WWII but got out of active shipbuilding in 1984 and was closed in 1993 because of environmental problems. It was located where Roosevelt Park is today.'

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-22

   Study period

   1942-1949

   Population

   Jakobson Shipyard construction workforce (Oyster Bay, 1942)

   Limitations

   Compiler's yard table, secondary - corroborates builder, yard hull number (#290), official number (271807), delivery month/year, type, the PC-1599 conversion, and 1949 sale. The '1,250' column is the table's contract-series figure, unexplained at this level. 'sold 1949 as Exploit, NLD' names no buyer (NavalCoverMuseum supplies 'California Co. of New Orleans' - ev-07). Contains no asbestos information; supports no asbestos claim.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-exploit-am95-03

4. [4]uboat.net Allied Warships of WWII - USS Exploit (AM 95), ship 9258 [other_primary]

   Locator

   uboat.net/allies/warships/9258.html - data table, five-officer CO list

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   uboat.net per-hull record: Adroit-class minesweeper AM 95; 'Built by Jakobson Shipyard Inc (Oyster Bay, Long Island, New York, U.S.A.)'; ordered 1 Apr 1941; laid down 11 May 1942; launched 7 Sep 1942; commissioned 5 Feb 1943; end of service 14 Dec 1945; history line 'Reclassified as patrol craft PC-1599 on 1 June 1944. Decommissioned on 14 December 1945. Sold on 18 March 1949.' Five-officer CO roster (WWII coverage only): Sherman Arthur Hill, USNR (5 Feb 1943 - mid 1943); Donald Douw Snyder, Jr., USNR (mid 1943 - Dec 1943); Peter Sheridan, USNR (Dec 1943 - mid 1944); A. R. Johnston, USNR (mid 1944 - Nov 1944); A. F. Riedel, USNR (Nov 1944 - mid 45?).

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-22

   Study period

   1942-1949

   Population

   Wartime crew (secondary roster)

   Limitations

   Specialist secondary compilation - corroborates builder, dates, the PC-1599 conversion, decommissioning, and sale date. 'Ordered 1 Apr 1941' rests on this source alone - secondary-only, not carried into record fields (ev-08). The CO roster conflicts with NavSource's: Snyder (mid-1943 - Dec 1943) appears only in uboat, while Milne (Aug - Oct 1945) and Evarts (Oct - 14 Dec 1945) appear only in NavSource; Sheridan's start differs (uboat Dec 1943 vs NavSource 16 Feb 1944) - flagged in ev-08. Contains no asbestos information; supports no asbestos claim.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-exploit-am95-04

5. [5]HyperWar/ibiblio 'Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1940-1945' - PC-1599 (USS Exploit) stub + USN Sub Chasers table (PC-1586 class) [other_primary]

   Locator

   ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/ships/PC/PC-1599.html stub; companion USN Sub Chasers PC-1586-class conversion table

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   HyperWar compilation stub for this hull's post-conversion configuration: 'PC-1586 class Submarine Chaser (ex- Adroit class Minesweeper): Displacement: 450 tons; Length: 173'8"; Beam: 23'; Draft: 11'7"; Speed: 17 knots; Armament: 1 3"/50, 1 40mm; Complement: 105; Cooper Bessemer diesel engine, twin screws, 1,770 shaft hp. Built at Jacobson and commissioned as AM-95 1943. Converted to Sub Chaser (PC-1599) 1944.' The companion Sub Chasers table documents the class-wide conversion: PC-1586 through PC-1603 - all eighteen 'Converted from Minesweepers AM' in 1944 - matching the eighteen Adroit-class hulls AM-82 through AM-99.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   context

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-22

   Study period

   1943-1945

   Population

   Crew of the PC-configuration hull (1944-45)

   Limitations

   Secondary compilation - the PC-configuration figures (450 t, 11'7" draft, 17 kts, complement 105) reflect the converted subchaser fit, not the as-built minesweeper - carried as two documented configurations, not merged (ev-08). '1,770 shaft hp' is the combined-plant figure vs NavSource's 'two 900hp' per-engine print. HyperWar's stub prints 'Jacobson' - a spelling variant of Jakobson (ev-08). Contains no asbestos information; supports no asbestos claim.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-exploit-am95-05

6. [6]Robert J. Cressman (Naval Historical Center, Contemporary History Branch), 'The Official Chronology of the U.S. Navy in World War II,' revised 1999 - 1 June 1945 entry (HyperWar/ibiblio transcription) [nhhc_danfs]

   Locator

   USN-Chron-1945.html, 1 June 1945 entry ('PC-1599 ... damaged by grounding'); corroborating text at ibiblio.org/pha/chr/chr45-06.html

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   The NHHC-published official chronology records for 1 June 1945: 'Submarine chaser PC-1599 is damaged by grounding off Okinawa, 26 deg.25'N, 127 deg.43'E.' - the hull's only documented battle-area casualty, occurring at the end of her Okinawa screening period (DANFS: patrol 'until 1 June'); NavSource localizes the grounding 'off Hagushi.' DANFS records 'a brief overhaul' before she cleared Kerama Retto 24 June 1945 for the west coast - a documented damage-repair event in the hull's history.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-22

   Study period

   1945-06

   Population

   PC-1599 crew, June 1945; repair/overhaul workforce (location unverified)

   Limitations

   Documents the casualty event, date, and position, and (with DANFS) a subsequent repair period - not the repair's scope, location, or materials. A grounding-plus-overhaul is a maintenance-disturbance context only; no asbestos content is addressed by this source. The same entry appears in the wartime chronology submitted to the Pearl Harbor joint-committee record (ibiblio /pha/chr series).

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-exploit-am95-06

7. [7]NavalCoverMuseum wiki - PCC 1599 (ex-PC-1599, ex-USS Exploit AM-95) designation chronology and post-Navy disposition entries [other_primary]

   Locator

   navalcovermuseum.org/wiki/PCC_1599 - designation list, post-Navy disposition lines, cover entry 1943-06-02, namesake note

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   NavalCoverMuseum per-hull designation chronology: 'Adroit Class Minesweeper Keel Laid 11 May 1942 - Launched 7 September 1942; USS EXPLOIT AM-95 Commissioned 5 February 1943; USS PC-1599 Reclassified Submarine Chaser (PC) 1 June 1944 - Damaged by grounding 1 June 1945 off Hagushi, Okinawa; USS PCC-1599 Reclassified Control Submarine Chaser (PCC) 20 August 1945; Decommissioned 14 December 1945; Struck from the Naval Register 8 January 1946; Transferred to MARCOM for disposal 18 March 1949; Sold 18 March 1949 to the California Co. of New Orleans, LA; Resold in 1961 to the Submarex Corp. of Santa Barbara, CA and renamed Exploit; Fate unknown.' Postal record: a Locy Type 3z postmark dated 1943-06-02 'As AM-95. The ship had no postal facilities.' Namesake note: 'Two ships of the US Navy have born the name EXPLOIT - USS Exploit AM-95 and USS Exploit MSO-440.'

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-22

   Study period

   1942-1966

   Population

   Wartime crew; commercial crew 1949-1966

   Limitations

   Specialist secondary compilation - corroborates the full designation sequence and supplies the post-sale trail (California Co. 1949; Submarex resale 1961) that NavSource dates 1956 - the resale-year conflict is unresolved (ev-08). 'The ship had no postal facilities' is consistent with a small combatant. Contains no asbestos information; supports no asbestos claim.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-exploit-am95-07

8. [8]Source-discrepancy resolution - official DANFS (losthistory/hazegray mirror; live NHHC 404, no Wayback capture) vs NavSource 11/02095 vs Colton Jakobson #290 vs uboat.net 9258 vs HyperWar PC-1599 stub vs NavalCoverMuseum PCC_1599 vs Wikipedia USS Exploit (AM-95) article [other_primary]

   Locator

   losthistory.net/hazegray/danfs/mine/am95.htm vs navsource.net/archives/11/02095.htm; shipbuildinghistory.com/shipyards/small/jakobson.htm hull #290; uboat.net/allies/warships/9258.html; ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/ships/PC/PC-1599.html; navalcovermuseum.org/wiki/PCC_1599; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Exploit_(AM-95)

   Finding type

   historical_record

   Finding

   Source discrepancies logged, not silently merged: (a) As-built specs - DANFS prints 'dp. 275; dr. 7'7"; s. 18 k.' while NavSource prints 295 t, 6'6" draft, 16 kts (the figures NavSource prints match the Adroit-class standard and DANFS's own prints for sisters incl. AM-83's 295 t) - DANFS's 275/7'7"/18k block is anomalous within the class; both sets carried, unresolved at primary level. (b) Configuration split - as-built AM (cpl. 65) vs PC-conversion figures (450 t, 11'7" draft, 17 kts, cpl. 105 - HyperWar) carried as two documented configurations, not a conflict. (c) Propulsion print - NavSource 'two 900hp Cooper Bessemer GNB8 (Serial No. 1987 and 1988)' per-engine vs HyperWar '1,770 shaft hp' combined; the GNB8 + Farrel-Birmingham gear is carried per NavSource's hull-specific print. (d) Disposal/transfer dating - 'transferred to the Maritime Commission 18 March 1949 for disposal' (DANFS; NavalCoverMuseum; uboat 'sold 18 March 1949') vs NavSource's note that the Naval Vessel Register of 1 January 1949 'lists transfer to the War Shipping Administration as March 1948' - unresolved year conflict (1948 vs 1949). (e) Submarex resale year - 'Acquired in 1956 to the Submarex Corp.' (NavSource) vs 'Resold in 1961' (NavalCoverMuseum, Wikipedia) - unresolved; both printed. (f) Builder spelling - 'Jakobson' per DANFS, NavSource, Colton, uboat vs 'Jacobson' in the Wikipedia infobox and HyperWar PC stub - Jakobson carried (the company name per Colton's yard history); the variants are secondary typos. (g) CO roster - uboat lists Donald Douw Snyder, Jr. (mid 1943 - Dec 1943) who is absent from NavSource's six-officer roster, and NavSource lists Milne and Evarts (Aug - Dec 1945) who postdate uboat's WWII-only roster; Sheridan's tour start differs (uboat Dec 1943 vs NavSource 16 Feb 1944) - NavSource carried with flag. (h) 'Ordered 1 Apr 1941' rests on uboat.net alone - secondary-only, not carried into record fields. (i) Name gloss - DANFS provides the namesake gloss 'Deed, usually one of high accomplishment' and identifies AM-95 as 'the first Exploit.' (j) Grounding localization - 'off Okinawa' (Official Chronology, position 26-25N 127-43E) vs 'off Hagushi, Okinawa' (NavSource, NavalCoverMuseum) - consistent, not a conflict.

   Verification

   partial

   Role

   correction

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-22

   Study period

   1942-1966 (records); 2026-09-22 (resolution pass)

   Limitations

   Resolves publication-level discrepancies among the official DANFS text, the NHHC-published chronology, secondary compilations, and reference tables, adopting the better-supported values and flagging the rest. The DANFS-vs-NavSource spec split, the 1948/1949 transfer-year conflict, the 1956/1961 Submarex resale conflict, and the CO-roster differences remain unresolved at primary level - deck logs (NARA, ev-13), muster rolls, or the BuShips/Maritime Commission contract and disposal files are the resolution path (ev-16). No asbestos content in any of these sources.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-exploit-am95-08

9. [9]Design/era inference anchored to NavSource 11/02095 propulsion line + DANFS spec block + Colton Jakobson #290 + HyperWar PC-1599 stub [other_primary]

   Locator

   NavSource 11/02095 propulsion line; DANFS spec block; Colton jakobson.htm hull #290; HyperWar PC-1599 stub

   Finding type

   asbestos_application

   Finding

   Era/design inference: this hull is a 1942-built steel PC-461-hull minesweeper with a diesel direct-drive twin-screw plant (two Cooper Bessemer GNB8 diesels, serial nos. 1987/1988, Farrel-Birmingham single reduction gear) - no boilers, no steam distribution. Its insulation load was materially lighter than a steam combatant's, but machinery and construction materials of the wartime era were commonly asbestos-containing: exhaust-system and muffler lagging; machinery gaskets and packing; electrical-cable insulation; accommodation and galley joiner insulation; winch/windlass brake linings; deck composition; heat-resistant paints and cements around machinery spaces.

   Verification

   inferred

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   class_or_era

   Accessed

   2026-09-22

   Study period

   1942-1966

   Population

   Jakobson Shipyard trades (1942); wartime crew Feb 1943 - Dec 1945; Norfolk conversion workforce (May-Jun 1944); repair workforce (Jun 1945); Maritime Commission disposal and commercial workforce (1949-1966)

   Limitations

   Inference from documented design, machinery type, and construction era - NOT a hull materials record. No survey, specification, or material schedule naming AM-95 or PC-1599 was located; establishes no asbestos content, quantity, location, condition, individual exposure, or causation. The diesel (non-steam) plant makes even era-level inference weaker than for steam vessels of the same era. The 1944 Norfolk AM-to-PC conversion refit and the June 1945 grounding repair are undocumented at materials level.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-exploit-am95-09

10. [10]Declaration of Peter Neushul, Ph.D., Siegfried v. Owens-Illinois, No. 2:18-cv-01575 (C.D. Cal.) (RECAP gov.uscourts.cacd.702384.52.0) - WWII Navy/USMC fireproof-insulation requirements and Navy QPLs [court_record]

    Locator

    RECAP document 52-0, declaration paragraphs on WWII shipbuilding insulation requirements and Kaylo QPL listings

    Finding type

    asbestos_application

    Finding

    Expert declaration documents that during WWII the U.S. Navy and U.S. Maritime Commission required fireproof insulation on military and civilian vessels, and that asbestos-containing thermal insulation products (e.g., Owens-Illinois Kaylo block and pipe insulation) appeared on Navy Qualified Products Lists under military specifications Mil-I-2819 and Mil-I-2781. Exploit was laid down in May 1942 inside this procurement regime.

    Verification

    inferred

    Role

    supporting

    Documentation level

    class_or_era

    Accessed

    2026-09-22

    Study period

    1941-1945 (era); 2018 (filing)

    Population

    WWII Navy construction trades and crew (class context)

    Limitations

    Plaintiff-side expert declaration in asbestos litigation, not a court finding; describes Navy-wide procurement requirements and never names this hull. Pipe-covering findings are less applicable to a diesel (non-steam) minesweeper than to steam vessels. Asbestos presence aboard AM-95 is era inference only - does not establish that asbestos was installed aboard, nor quantity, nor any individual exposure.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-exploit-am95-10

11. [11]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); and Fleischer, W.E., et al., '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

    AJIM 11(3):359-373; J Ind Hyg Toxicol 28(1):9-16

    Finding type

    gov_survey

    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 wartime construction program under which this hull was built at Jakobson Shipyard, Oyster Bay. The USMC-commissioned 1944-45 industrial-hygiene survey of pipe-covering operations at Navy and contract yards documented that 'an important ingredient of pipe covering material used on U.S. Navy vessels is amosite.'

    Verification

    verified

    Role

    context

    Documentation level

    class_or_era

    Accessed

    2026-09-22

    Study period

    1941-1946 (survey era)

    Population

    WWII shipbuilding workforce (era context)

    Limitations

    Program/era-level documentation of asbestos use in WWII shipbuilding and naval-vessel construction generally; neither source names this vessel, class, or builder yard. Pipe-covering findings are less applicable to a diesel (non-steam) minesweeper than to steam vessels. Does not establish asbestos presence aboard AM-95.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-exploit-am95-11

12. [12]New York Times - 'Old-Style Drudgery Bests a Modern Foe; Workers Use Scoops and Scrapers To Get the Lead Out of Oyster Bay' (3 Sep 1995) and 'State Will Buy Old Shipyard For Oyster Bay Waterfront' (15 Mar 1997); Oyster Bay Cold Spring Harbor Protection Committee site history; Colton Jakobson yard history [reputable_press]

    Locator

    nytimes.com 1995-09-03 and 1997-03-15 articles; oysterbaycoldspringharbor.org site history; shipbuildinghistory.com jakobson.htm header

    Finding type

    environmental_record

    Finding

    Press and local-authority sources document the builder site's industrial history and contamination: Jakobson Shipyard operated at Oyster Bay from 1938, employed as many as 600 workers during the war building tugboats and small naval craft (NYT 1997), and was acquired by Moran Towing after WWII. The 5.2-acre waterfront site carried a half-century of industrial residue - rusting iron, oily rags, lead paint chips, and sandblasting grit in the bay bottom, remediated in 1995 by scraping and washing the sediment (NYT 1995); the site 'was removed from the state's hazardous waste site list in 1995 after a voluntary cleanup by the current owner, Moran Towing' (NYT 1997), then acquired for $5 million by New York State and the Town of Oyster Bay under the Environmental Quality Bond Act and redeveloped as the Western Waterfront public park (NYT 1997; Oyster Bay Cold Spring Harbor Protection Committee). Colton records the yard 'closed in 1993 because of environmental problems.'

    Verification

    verified

    Role

    context

    Documentation level

    context_only

    Accessed

    2026-09-22

    Study period

    1938-1997 (site history); 1995/1997 (articles)

    Population

    Jakobson Shipyard workforce (1938-1993 site history); remediation crews (1995)

    Limitations

    Site-level environmental documentation of the builder's property - the contaminants documented by name are lead, oil, paint chips, and blasting grit; NO asbestos finding for the Jakobson site was located (contrast the documented asbestos at Advent's Commercial Iron Works/Zidell site). Establishes nothing about materials installed aboard AM-95 in 1942, and no exposure pathway between the site and this hull. Wartime employment 'as many as 600' (NYT) vs 'over 700' (unverified secondary) - the NYT figure carried.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-exploit-am95-12

13. [13]National Archives, Special List No. 44, 'List of Logbooks of U.S. Navy Ships, Stations, and Miscellaneous Units, 1801-1947' - ship-number index entries for AM-95 and PC-1599 [other_primary]

    Locator

    archives.gov SL-44 ship-number PDF - AM section 'AM-95 (Exploit) 2/5/1943 - 6/30/1943'; PC section 'PC-1599 6/1/1944 - 12/14/1945'

    Finding type

    historical_record

    Finding

    NARA's official logbook index lists deck-log coverage naming this hull under both designations: 'AM-95 (Exploit) 2/5/1943 - 6/30/1943' and 'PC-1599 6/1/1944 - 12/14/1945' - i.e., the commissioning-to-mid-1943 minesweeper period and the entire submarine-chaser period through decommissioning are held. These are primary operations records for this specific hull.

    Verification

    verified

    Role

    archival_lead

    Documentation level

    ship_specific

    Accessed

    2026-09-22

    Study period

    1943-1945 records; 2026-09-22 index verification

    Population

    Crew of record (log signatories), Feb 1943 - Dec 1945

    Limitations

    Index-level verification only - the logbooks exist at NARA but were not examined (deck logs record positions, weather, and events, not materials; no asbestos content expected). Notable coverage gap: the SL-44 ship-number list holds no entry for this hull between 1 July 1943 and 31 May 1944 - the period it operated as AM-95 in Casco Bay - so that interval's logs are either filed under another entry, not held, or not indexed at ship-number level; unresolved.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-exploit-am95-13

14. [14]Batch-1447 search ledger (this record): official DANFS via losthistory/hazegray mirror (live NHHC 404; no Wayback capture located); NavSource 11/02095; Colton Jakobson #290; uboat.net 9258; HyperWar PC-1599 stub; NHHC Official Chronology (Cressman) 1945; NARA Special List 44; NavalCoverMuseum PCC_1599; NYT site coverage; NVR SHIPSDETAIL (no page); NARA catalog (JS shell); degraded site:courtlistener.com indexed queries [other_primary]

    Locator

    search_ledger rows sl-uss-exploit-am95-01 through sl-uss-exploit-am95-16

    Finding type

    historical_record

    Finding

    No qualifying ship-specific asbestos record located for USS Exploit / AM-95 / PC-1599 / PCC-1599: no asbestos survey, abatement contract, hazmat disclosure, preservation record, court finding, or docketed asbestos case naming this hull was found in the public sources searched (see search_ledger). The CourtListener API v4 sweep could not run this session - the authenticated request returned HTTP 429 ('Request was throttled. Rate limit exceeded: 2800/day. Expected available in 14324 seconds') on the first attempt; the shared daily quota was exhausted by prior batch work on this machine (same wall documented today by sibling batches incl. batch-1434), so the opinion/docket sweep is logged as blocked, not retried, per batch rules. Indexed-web substitute queries surfaced only name collisions ('Project 1599' election-disinformation filings; criminal opinions using 'exploit' as a verb) and generic asbestos filings - no hit naming this hull. Marketing-roster name mentions exist for BOTH ships of the name: mesothelioma.com's minesweeper jobsites table lists 'USS Exploit | AM-95 | Adroit | 2/5/1943 | To Maritime Commission, 1949' AND 'USS Exploit | AM-440 | Aggressive | 3/31/1954 | Sold, 2000' in the same generic table; mesotheliomahelp.org and mesothelioma.net list USS Exploit and PC-1599 similarly - excluded per source rules, no hull-specific evidence.

    Verification

    verified

    Role

    negative_finding

    Documentation level

    ship_specific

    Accessed

    2026-09-22

    Study period

    2026-09-22

    Limitations

    Absence of a located public record does not prove absence of asbestos aboard - a 1942-built vessel is era-consistent with asbestos-containing materials even accounting for its lighter diesel insulation load. IMPORTANT: the CourtListener sweep did not run (throttled, shared quota) - 'no qualifying case located' reflects the non-litigation repositories and degraded indexed queries only; a differently-phrased hull reference may exist in the opinion/docket indexes. NAME-COLLISION caveat for any future sweep: a bare 'USS Exploit' litigation hit without a hull number is ambiguous between AM-95 and AM-440/MSO-440 - the MSO had a 39-year career (1954-1993) spanning the peak asbestos-litigation era and is the more likely referent for post-1954 exposure windows. Does not establish presence or absence; does not establish or defeat any exposure claim or legal eligibility.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-exploit-am95-14

15. [15]Wineland v. Air & Liquid Systems Corp., 539 F. Supp. 3d 1149 (W.D. Wash. 2021), No. C19-0793RSL - diesel minesweeper engine-room litigation posture (defense summary judgments); doctrinal context incl. Air & Liquid Systems Corp. v. DeVries, 586 U.S. 446 (2019) [court_record]

    Locator

    Wineland v. Air & Liquid Sys. Corp., 539 F. Supp. 3d 1149, No. C19-0793RSL (W.D. Wash., Lasnik, J., 2021) - Crane Co. MSJ order (Dkt. 304); companion orders Alfa Laval (Dkt. 313), Puget Sound Commerce Center (Dkt. 302), Carrier (Dkt. 427); DeVries, 586 U.S. 446 (2019)

    Finding type

    litigation_documented

    Finding

    No case located names this hull (see negative_finding row and search_ledger - CourtListener sweep blocked this session). Nearest verified type context: a Navy veteran alleged mesothelioma from engine-room machinery work (diesel engines, pumps, air compressors, valves) aboard a series of Navy ships - including the post-war diesel-driven ocean minesweepers USS Dynamic, USS Pledge, USS Loyalty, and USS Esteem - and in Navy offices, 1963-1984. The court applied maritime law and granted the equipment defendants' summary judgments: plaintiffs failed to produce admissible evidence that exposure to the defendants' asbestos, if any, was a substantial contributing factor, and the defendants had no duty for other manufacturers' parts - a merits-level loss for that plaintiff, not exposure evidence for any vessel.

    Verification

    verified

    Role

    context

    Documentation level

    class_or_era

    Accessed

    2026-09-22

    Study period

    2021 decision (DeVries 2019)

    Limitations

    Doctrinal context only - the cited case names other (later, MSO-type) minesweepers, never this hull, and ended in defense summary judgment; it illustrates the causation and bare-metal defenses (DeVries framework) a claim arising from a diesel minesweeper's engine spaces would face. Per litigation-stage discipline a defense SJ win is a merits-level negative for that plaintiff, not affirmative evidence about any ship. Published reporter citation verified 2026-09-22 (539 F. Supp. 3d 1149); no CourtListener opinion URL located - cited by reporter and docket number. Does not establish or defeat any exposure claim or legal eligibility.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-exploit-am95-15

16. [16]Archival leads (not retrieved - require research-room or reproduction order; no spend authorized; NARA catalog returns only its JS application shell to automated fetch): (a) NARA RG 24 deck logs held per Special List 44 - AM-95 2/5/1943-6/30/1943 and PC-1599 6/1/1944-12/14/1945; the 7/1943-5/1944 interval as AM-95 is absent from the ship-number index (b) NARA WWII muster rolls for AM-95/PC-1599/PCC-1599 - commission Feb 1943 - Dec 1945 (~2.9 years); (c) NARA WWII War Diaries series - whether monthly diaries exist for this hull is unconfirmed (a sibling hull's June 1943 diary is cataloged; DPLA index check for this hull could not run - API key required, website search returned no entries); (d) NARA RG 19 BuShips records / General Information Books and the Navy contract file for the Jakobson Adroit block (yard hull #290; the AM-94/95 pair was Jakobson's only Adroit order) - the plausible home of hull-level material schedules and the resolution path for the spec and ordered-date variances; (e) Maritime Commission/War Shipping Administration vessel-status/disposal card and sale file for the March 1948-or-1949 transfer and the California Co./Submarex resales - the plausible resolution path for the transfer-year and resale-year conflicts and the post-1966 'fate unknown' (not located in digitized public sources); (f) the 1944 Norfolk conversion yard record - which facility performed the AM-to-PC refit is undocumented; (g) the June 1945 grounding-repair record - location (Kerama Retto area vs stateside) and scope undocumented; (h) U.S. Coast Guard merchant-vessel documentation file for ON 271807 (commercial Exploit, 1949-1966) - the plausible record of commercial configuration and documentation end. [other_primary]

    Locator

    archives.gov SL-44 ship-number PDF (verified); catalog.archives.gov (JS-shell blocked); NavSource 11/02095; Colton jakobson.htm; NavalCoverMuseum PCC_1599

    Finding type

    historical_record

    Finding

    Record-group mapping only: the archival repositories most likely to hold hull-level material, personnel, operations, repair, or disposal documentation for AM-95/PC-1599/PCC-1599, keyed to the documented events of her career (Oyster Bay construction 1942; U.S. commission Feb 1943 - Dec 1945; Chesapeake Bay and Casco Bay operations 1943-44; Norfolk AM-to-PC conversion May-Jun 1944; Marshalls/Marianas/Iwo Jima/Okinawa service Oct 1944 - Jun 1945; Yellow Beach control-vessel duty 1 Apr 1945; Hagushi-area grounding 1 Jun 1945 and subsequent overhaul; San Francisco decommissioning Dec 1945; striking Jan 1946; Maritime Commission disposal and commercial sales 1949/1956-or-1961; documentation end 1966).

    Verification

    unverified

    Role

    archival_lead

    Documentation level

    context_only

    Accessed

    2026-09-22

    Study period

    1942-1966 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. Deck logs, muster rolls, war diaries, contract files, conversion/repair records, and disposal files are personnel/operations/disposal records, not materials documentation. Nothing in this row is an asbestos finding.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-exploit-am95-16