Evidence
11 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-11).
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[1]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 program under which this 1943 Maritime Commission P2-S2-R2 transport was built - and that wartime demand drove unprecedented asbestos utilization aboard government and merchant-type hulls.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-25
- 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, nor quantity, location, condition, exposure, or causation.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-general-w-a-mann-ap112-01
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[2]NavSource Online, USS General W. A. Mann (T-AP-112) specifications block (machinery data compiled from ship's official characteristics) [other_primary]
- Locator
- Specifications block - Propulsion section
- Finding type
- asbestos_application
- Finding
- The ship's documented machinery - four Foster Wheeler 'D'-type boilers supplying 465 psi/765 deg F superheated steam to two De Laval turbines (17,000 shp, twin screw) - is a high-pressure wartime steam plant of the type for which period insulation practice called for asbestos-containing lagging, gaskets, and packing; insulation products of this era were commonly manufactured with asbestos fiber.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-25
- Study period
- 1943-1965 service era
- Population
- Engine room and machinery-space personnel (class context)
- Limitations
- The equipment manifest is ship-specific documentation (this machinery was aboard this hull), but the asbestos link is era inference, not ship-proven - the source does not use the word 'asbestos,' so the row is classified class_or_era for asbestos purposes. Does not establish that asbestos was aboard, nor quantity, condition, exposure, or causation. NavSource is a volunteer-compiled archive; spec blocks derive from official ship data but the page itself is not a government publication.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-general-w-a-mann-ap112-02
-
[3]CourtListener RECAP docket index: Koog v. AW Chesterton (txsd 4:25-cv-01879); In re Asbestos Products Liability Litigation MDL-875 (jpml); Utterback v. Hexion (cand 3:08-cv-00983) [court_record]
- Locator
- Docket-level search matches within complaint/tag-along PDF text; pinpoint page position not verified (RECAP document text index, PDFs not pulled - CourtListener requests routed through authenticated search helper only)
- Finding type
- litigation_documented
- Finding
- CourtListener docket search returns the exact phrase 'General W. A. Mann' inside documents filed in three asbestos-matters dockets: Koog v. AW Chesterton Company (S.D. Tex. 4:25-cv-01879, filed 2025, nature of suit 368 P.I. Asbestos - matched inside amended complaints), In re Asbestos Products Liability Litigation (No. VI) (JPML MDL-875 - tag-along notices attaching complaints including Nash et al v. Huntington Ingalls, N.D. Cal. 3:11-cv-05356, and McIndoe et al v. Asbestos Corporation Limited, C.D. Cal. 2:11-cv-08970), and Utterback v. Hexion Specialty Chemicals, Inc. (N.D. Cal. 3:08-cv-00983, filed 2008, asbestos personal-injury complaint and 1407 tag-along notice). No opinion, order, or adjudicated finding names the hull.
- Verification
- partial
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-25
- Study period
- 2008-2025 filings
- Population
- Plaintiff(s) represented by Brayton Purcell (Utterback) and later filers (Koog); alleged exposure claimed in complaint documents
- Limitations
- PLEADING-STAGE ONLY. The vessel name occurs inside complaint-level documents - asbestos complaints routinely carry long vessel/exposure-site lists - so these are unadjudicated allegations, not findings that asbestos was aboard or that any plaintiff was exposed. Utterback terminated 2008-05-20 (disposition not determined from listing; typical cases remand or transfer to MDL-875). Koog was pending at filing of Third Amended Complaint (Oct 2025). No merits or appellate ruling on exposure naming this hull was located. Does not establish presence of asbestos, exposure, or causation.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-general-w-a-mann-ap112-03
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[4]Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, 'USS General W.A. Mann (AP-112),' Naval History Division (HyperWar/ibiblio transcription; live NHHC DANFS URL returned 404 on 2026-09-25 - standing NHHC link-rot issue) [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- Full DANFS entry, transcribed by Patrick Clancey, HyperWar Foundation
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- DANFS entry for AP-112: named for Major General William Abram Mann, USA; General John Pope-class P2-S2-R2 troopship built by Federal Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co., Kearny, NJ, 1942-43; commissioned on date of acquisition 13 October 1943. WWII service out of Norfolk to North Africa (Casablanca x4, Oran), Naples via Rio de Janeiro, Liverpool, Bombay via Suez; returned via Brisbane/New Guinea to San Pedro (Jan 1945); second India passage; San Francisco to Manila/Leyte; Marseilles-to-Pacific redeployment July 1945; Okinawa September 1945; Magic Carpet/'Diaper Run'/'Guam Ferry' duties to the Far East; MSTS transfer October 1949; Korea ROK-bullion passage Aug 1950; round-the-world voyage Jun-Sep 1951; trans-Pacific runs 1952-62; Cuban crisis standby Oct 1962; struck 1 December 1966 and transferred to MARAD NDRF Hudson River. Specs: 11,450 t light; 622'7" x 75'6" x 25'6"; 20.6 kts; complement 465; troops 5,142; armament 4x5", 16x1.1", 20x20mm.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-25
- Study period
- 1943-1966
- Limitations
- Authoritative Navy service history. Cited via mirror because the canonical NHHC page 404s (batch-01 documented the same link rot for Hornet/Midway/Missouri). DANFS compresses the two-stage commissioning to the acquisition date - see correction row. Contains no asbestos or materials statement; supports no asbestos claim.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-general-w-a-mann-ap112-04
-
[5]U.S. Maritime Administration, ShipHistory database - GENERAL W. A. MANN (AP-112 / T-AP-112), Ship History Detail 1846, incl. digitized MA-199 vessel status card and MA-383 reserve-fleet particulars cards [marad_nrc]
- Locator
- ShipHistory Detail 1846 milestone table; status-card scans /cards/1846_3417AF.jpg, /cards/1846_3417BF.jpg, /cards/8108d784-...png (MA-199)
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- MARAD ShipHistory record and vessel status cards: U.S. Official No. 0721041; MC hull 670; Federal Shipbuilding builder's hull 270; type P2-S2-R2; built/delivered 1943-10-13; USMC title loaned to U.S. Navy, then USMC-to-Navy permanent title 1946-10-15; MARAD custody entry Hudson River Reserve Fleet 1966-01-20 (Program III - dehumidification of interior spaces, MSTS reimbursable; title then MSTS); permanent transfer to Maritime Administration 1966-12-01; moved to James River Reserve Fleet (Fort Eustis) July 1969 due to closing of Hudson River anchorage (entered 7-18-69 per MA-383 card; transfer annotated 7-21-69 on MA-199 card); withdrawn 1987-05-26 - 'Sold for Scrap. Shippex Inc. (Liberian Corporation), 80 Broad Street, Monrovia, Liberia.' Card specifications: 622.5 ft x 75.5 ft; displacement 11,828 standard / 20,175 full load; troop capacity 5,500 (data source: Jane's Fighting Ships 1957-58).
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-25
- Study period
- 1943-1987
- Limitations
- Authoritative for government custody milestones, dimensions, and disposal. Contains no asbestos, insulation-material, or condition-survey information; supports no asbestos claim. James River entry date reads 7-18-69 on the MA-383 card vs transfer annotation 7-21-69 on the MA-199 card - minor internal discrepancy logged.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-general-w-a-mann-ap112-05
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[6]NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive, USS General W. A. Mann (T-AP-112) ex-AP-112 page (contributor Mike Smolinski; includes commanding-officer roster credited to Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves) [other_primary]
- Locator
- Chronology bullets, campaign tables, specifications block, commanding-officer table
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- NavSource compiled record: laid down 1942 under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 670) at Federal Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co., Kearny, NJ; launched - date unknown; acquired and placed in partial commission 13 October 1943 (CDR Robert H. Smith USN, ferry command) for transit to conversion at Maryland Drydocking Co., Baltimore; commissioned in full 16 November 1943 (CAPT Paul S. Maguire USNR). Commanding-officer roster lists 23 officers through CAPT Ben W. Blee (to 11 Dec 1965). Korean campaigns: North Korean Aggression (31 Jul-2 Aug, 26-27 Sep, 11-28 Oct 1950) and Communist China Aggression (12-13 Nov 1950). Occupation/China service qualifying periods 1945-53. Decommissioned 11 December 1965; struck 1 December 1966; delivered to Maritime Commission 20 December 1966 for NDRF Hudson River; custody to James River NDRF Fort Eustis 18 July 1969; sold for scrapping 10 April 1987 for $1,050,050, scrapped in Taiwan November 1987.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-25
- Study period
- 1942-1987
- Limitations
- Volunteer-compiled archive drawing on official records and contributor rosters - treated as secondary-but-reliable for the fleet; custody dates corroborated by MARAD status cards. The sale date (4/10/87, $1,050,050) precedes the MARAD withdrawal (5/26/87) - reconciled as contract/award vs fleet withdrawal; 'scrapped in Taiwan November 1987' is NavSource-reported only. No asbestos content. Supports no asbestos claim.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-general-w-a-mann-ap112-06
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[7]DANFS AP-112 entry vs NavSource AP-112 chronology + commanding-officer roster [other_primary]
- Locator
- NavSource chronology bullets and CO table; DANFS lead paragraph
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Commissioning-date reconciliation: DANFS states the ship was 'commissioned on the date of acquisition, 13 October 1943, Comdr. Paul S. Maguire, USNR, in command.' NavSource documents a two-stage event - partial commission on acquisition 13 October 1943 under CDR Robert H. Smith USN for ferry transit to the Maryland Drydocking conversion yard at Baltimore, and commissioning in full 16 November 1943 under CAPT Paul S. Maguire USNR - consistent with NavSource's commanding-officer roster (Smith 13 Oct-16 Nov 1943 'Ferry Command'; Maguire 16 Nov 1943-23 Jun 1945). The batch framing of a 16 November 1943 commissioning refers to the full commissioning.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- correction
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-25
- Study period
- 1943
- Limitations
- Resolves a publication-level compression in DANFS (single date + Maguire attached to it) against the staged record. Both dates are carried in the record; neither affects identity or custody. No asbestos content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-general-w-a-mann-ap112-07
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[8]OPNAVNOTE 1650, Navy unit commendation/campaign award master list (entry: GEN W A MANN T-AP 112, VS 23-AUG-1965 to 24-AUG-1965); NavSource campaign tables [other_primary]
- Locator
- OPNAVNOTE 1650 ship award entries (alphabetical T-AP section); NavSource awards/campaign bullets
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- OPNAVNOTE 1650 (CNO master list of unit/campaign awards, mirrored copy) lists 'GEN W A MANN T-AP 112' with Vietnam Service (VS) qualifying dates 23-24 August 1965 - the basis for the one Vietnam battle star reported for the ship; NavSource separately documents two Korean-service battle stars (North Korean Aggression and Communist China Aggression campaigns). Wikipedia's service history (secondary) places the ship under CAPT Ben W. Blee on trips to Da Nang, South Vietnam, August-December 1965.
- Verification
- partial
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-25
- Study period
- 1965
- Limitations
- OPNAVNOTE 1650 is an official CNO document but was consulted via a third-party document mirror (yumpu), not a navy.mil host - the entry itself is legible and consistent with NavSource. Qualifying dates establish presence in the Vietnam combat zone on two days in Aug 1965, not the nature of operations ashore. No asbestos content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-general-w-a-mann-ap112-08
-
[9]DOT OIG report MA-2000-067 (MARAD obsolete-vessel scrapping review); GAO NSIAD-99-18 'Federal Surplus Ships: Government Efforts to Address the Growing Backlog of Ships Awaiting Disposal' (Oct 1998); MARAD Annual Report FY1987, Ch. 10 'Asbestos Control' [gao]
- Locator
- OIG report body (fleet-condition findings); GAO NSIAD-99-18 pp. on ship hazards/scrapping channels; MARAD FY1987 annual report TOC 'Asbestos Control'
- Finding type
- environmental_record
- Finding
- Federal oversight documents the asbestos problem in the reserve-fleet population this ship belonged to: DOT OIG's MARAD ship-disposal review states NDRF vessels 'contain hazardous substances such as asbestos and solid and liquid polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)' and cites a James River Reserve Fleet vessel containing asbestos; GAO NSIAD-99-18 likewise describes federal surplus ships as containing asbestos, PCBs, lead, mercury, and cadmium and notes MARAD relied on overseas scrapping 1983-1994 - the channel through which this ship was sold in 1987. MARAD's own FY1987 annual report carries an 'Asbestos Control' program section (Safety Program) for the same year.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-25
- Study period
- 1983-2000 reports; vessel in NDRF 1966-1987
- Population
- NDRF preservation crews and foreign scrapping-yard workers (fleet context)
- Limitations
- Fleet/program-level documentation: describes asbestos in NDRF/surplus vessels generally, not aboard this hull; no vessel-level survey is named. The 1987 overseas sale predates the 1994 EPA-related suspension of overseas scrapping - the sale record itself contains no hazmat statement. Does not establish asbestos aboard, nor quantity or exposure.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-general-w-a-mann-ap112-09
-
[10]Batch-2043 search ledger (this record): DANFS (ibiblio mirror); NavSource; MARAD ShipHistory 1846 + status cards; CourtListener opinion/docket searches; OPNAVNOTE 1650; web source screening [other_primary]
- Locator
- search_ledger rows sl-uss-general-w-a-mann-ap112-01 through sl-...-10
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- No qualifying ship-specific asbestos record located: no asbestos survey, abatement contract, hazmat disclosure, or docketed adjudication naming the General W. A. Mann hull was found in the public sources searched - the MARAD ShipHistory record and digitized status cards contain no asbestos or insulation-material statement; DANFS and NavSource contain none; CourtListener opinion searches on the exact name and both hull numbers returned zero asbestos opinions (docket hits are pleading-stage complaint documents only - see ev-03). Marketing/legal-advertising pages making ship-specific equipment/asbestos claims (e.g., navyshipexposure.com's claimed '14-entry BUSHIPS equipment manifest') were excluded as non-authoritative - see batch report.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-25
- Study period
- 2026-09-25
- Limitations
- Absence of a located public record does not prove absence of asbestos aboard - a 1943 superheated-steam transport is era-consistent with asbestos-containing insulation, and the unverified vendor claim of a BuShips equipment manifest is a research lead, not evidence. This row establishes only that no qualifying public ship-specific record was located; it does not establish or defeat any exposure claim or legal eligibility.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-general-w-a-mann-ap112-10
-
[11]NARA History Hub forum answer (NARA staff), 'Seeking deck logs of USS General W A Mann' (RG 24); NARA Guide to Federal Records RG 178 (US Maritime Commission construction records) [other_primary]
- Locator
- History Hub thread (NARA staff reply citing RG 24 holdings); archives.gov RG 178 guide
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Archival leads (not retrieved - research-room or reproduction order required; no spend authorized): (a) NARA RG 24 Logbooks of U.S. Navy Ships and Stations, 1941-1983, hold AP-112 deck logs (a NARA History Hub staff answer confirms, e.g., October 1955); Muster Rolls and Personnel Diaries (RG 24, 1949-1971) for the ship are digitized in the Catalog. (b) RG 178 Records of the U.S. Maritime Commission - construction records for MC hull 670 (Federal builder's hull 270) may hold outfitting/insulation specifications. (c) Maryland Drydocking Co. conversion-yard records (Baltimore, Oct-Nov 1943) are not located in public sources. (d) The navyshipexposure.com claim of a '14-entry ship-specific BUSHIPS documentation' manifest is an unverified vendor claim; if a genuine BuShips machinery list exists it would be ship-specific equipment evidence, not an asbestos finding.
- Verification
- unverified
- Role
- archival_lead
- Documentation level
- context_only
- Accessed
- 2026-09-25
- Study period
- 1942-1987 records
- Limitations
- Record-group mapping and one NARA-staff forum confirmation only - no box-level retrieval performed; whether any of these files contain insulation/asbestos documentation for this hull is unknown until surveyed. Nothing in this row is an asbestos finding.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-general-w-a-mann-ap112-11