USS Giansar (AK-111)

Evidence

14 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-14).

1. [1]DANFS, 'Giansar' entry, Naval History and Heritage Command (published 2015-07-13; live NHHC URL returned 404 on 2026-09-20 - verbatim text retrieved via Internet Archive Wayback capture 20160304114237; hazegray transcription concurs) [nhhc_danfs]

   Locator

   NHHC DANFS 'Giansar' entry, full text + spec block (canonical slug danfs/g/giansar.html confirmed via Wayback CDX; mirror https://losthistory.net/hazegray/danfs/auxil/ak111.htm)

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   DANFS entry for Giansar (AK-111): 'A star of 4.1 magnitude in the constellation Draconis.' Spec block: 'AK-111: dp. 4023; l. 441'6"; b. 56'11"; dr. 28'4"; s. 12.5 k.; cpl. 254; a. 1 5"; cl. Crater.' 'Giansar was launched under Maritime Commission contract 19 January 1943 by the Oregon Shipbuilding Corp., Portland, Oreg.; sponsored by Mrs. Harry A. Dick; acquired 5 October 1943; commissioned 29 October 1943, Lt. Comdr. C. J. King, DSNR [sic], commanding.' Service narrative: sailed Los Angeles 10 Nov 1943 - aircraft to Pago Pago, general cargo to Funafuti, 500-lb bombs to Namomea (Gilberts), landing craft Apamama to Tarawa; Pearl Harbor 1 Feb 1944; tanks/guns/trucks/gasoline to Majuro 10 Feb - 12 Mar (>125 passengers returned); similar Majuro-Kwajalein cargo/mail run 13 Mar - 19 May; Pearl Harbor to San Francisco 21 May (arrived 29 May) with salvaged aviation material and 123 passengers; San Francisco round trip 9 Jun - 28 Sep to Pearl Harbor, Eniwetok, Saipan, Guam; provisions voyage 31 Oct 1944 - 9 Feb 1945 to Hawaii, Ulithi, Guam, returning to Los Angeles with 130 bluejackets; last logistic cruise departed Los Angeles 1 Mar 1945 via Hawaii and Marshalls, unloaded Ulithi, arrived San Pedro Bay 25 May 1945, remained 3 months discharging foodstuffs, store stock, and medical supplies, Ulithi round trip 13-25 Aug, departed 28 Aug for Seattle arriving 28 Sep; San Francisco 18 Oct, departed 20 Oct for Norfolk, moored Hampton Roads 8 Nov, decommissioned Norfolk 28 Nov 1945 and returned to the Maritime Commission the same day; name struck from the Navy List 19 Dec 1945.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-20

   Study period

   1942-1945

   Population

   Wartime crew (complement 254 per spec block); embarked passengers carried in cargo-transport status (>125 returned Mar 1944; 123 May 1944; 130 Feb 1945)

   Limitations

   Authoritative for identity, construction milestones, service chronology, and disposal outline; contains no asbestos, insulation, or materials information. Does not state the keel-laying date, the pre-acquisition merchant-service period, or the conversion yard - those come from MARAD/shipscribe rows. 'DSNR' is a typographical error for USNR (cf. NavSource 'Gerald J. King, USNR'); 'C. J.' vs NavSource 'Gerald J.' noted in gaps. Battle stars not mentioned; NavSource's awards list shows none.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-giansar-ak111-01

2. [2]U.S. Maritime Administration, ShipHistory database - THOMAS EWING, Ship History Detail 4819 (status-card scans 4819_8885AF.jpg, 4819_8885AB.jpg, 6XH_01.png, 4819_AF.jpg) and linked stub GIANSAR (AK-111), Detail 12550 [marad_nrc]

   Locator

   ShipHistory Detail 4819 registry block, milestone table, status-card scans at /cards/4819_8885AF.jpg, /cards/4819_8885AB.jpg, /cards/6XH_01.png, /cards/4819_AF.jpg; stub https://vesselhistory.marad.dot.gov/ShipHistory/Detail/12550

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   MARAD ShipHistory record for THOMAS EWING (Detail 4819) with four digitized status-card images read directly, plus linked stub GIANSAR (AK-111) (Detail 12550): U.S. Official No. 242832; built 1943 by Oregon SB Corp. at Portland, Ore.; type 'CARGO EC2' (web MARAD type EC2-S-C1); 7,180 gross / 4,370 net tons; bale 499,573 cu ft; grain 562,608 cu ft; DWT 10,844; MCE hull 625; completed 1-31-43 with 'Basis to W.S.A. 1-31-43 9:30AM PWT @ Portland, Ore. Owned'; allocated to J.H. Winchester & Co. on form of agreement 'GAA' (general agency agreement) at the same minute; allocated to 'Navy Dept.' on form 'BB' (bareboat charter) at San F., Calif., 10-5-43 6PM PWT; 'WSA Reserve Fleet' at Lee Hall, Va., 11-28-45 4:30PM EST; purchased by 'Bethlehem Steel Cp. (Scrap)' at James River 8-8-61 11:15am EST. Reserve-fleet data card: former name GIANSAR AK-111; fleet and unit 'JR S-13' (James River); 'Repair damage over $100,000, per Mar AD - Navy Planning Group 9/23/53'; '7th Group Libertys PDX-604 dated June 25, 1961 / Award July 31, 1961 / Beth. Steel Co. / Sale price approx. $70,000'; fuel oil at entry 151 bbls Bunker C, removed 1959 bbls Diesel; termination port of last voyage Norfolk; length 422.8 x breadth 57.0 x depth 34.8; withdrawn 8-8-61 1115 hrs EST, delivered to purchaser Beth. Steel Co. Card reverse: 7,180 Gr / 4,370 Net; draft 27' 8-7/8"; '2500 IHP; 2 WTB'; berthing notes alongside other James River hulls incl. Fairmont Victory (1-9-47). MA-20 Record of Ship Sales card: 'THOMAS EWING (ex-USS GIANSAR (AK-111))', official no. 242832; awarded to Bethlehem Steel Co., 701 E. 3rd St., Bethlehem, Pa., under PD-X-604, July 31-61; purchase price '$200,000.00 for four ships'; contract MA-2797; 'Built for MA by Oregon S/B Corp.'; remarks '6-23-61 - Advertised under PD-X-604, opened 7-21-61 - Scrap Hull-US'; location 'James River, Virginia ResFlt'.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-20

   Study period

   1943-1961

   Limitations

   Authoritative for government custody milestones, hull identity (ON 242832 = MCE 625 = ex-Giansar AK-111 printed on the cards), the 1943 WSA->Navy bareboat allocation, the 1943 J.H. Winchester general-agency merchant period, the James River lay-up, and the 1961 Bethlehem scrap sale; contains no asbestos, materials, or condition-survey information and supports no asbestos claim. Tonnage/dimension figures vary across the four cards (gross 7,180 vs 7,176; net 4,370 vs 4,380; DWT 10,844 vs 10,800; dimensions 422.8x57.0x34.8 vs 417'8"x56'10"x37'4") and the MA-20 'draft 47'8"' is impossible for this hull - flagged in gaps, not reconciled. Web milestone 'Entry 11/25/1945' predates the card's 11-28-45 fleet delivery by three days - administrative vs physical event, flagged. The handwritten 'MOTHERSHIP FLAGSHIP' scrawl atop the reserve card and the MA-20 type field '(Flag Ship)' are unexplained administrative annotations - logged, not interpreted.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-giansar-ak111-02

3. [3]NavSource Online, Service Ship Photo Archive, USS Giansar (AK-111) index page (volunteer-compiled index citing BuShips/DANFS figures and NARA photo captions) [other_primary]

   Locator

   NavSource 130111.htm - timeline, specifications block, awards table, commanding-officer table, photo captions

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   NavSource Service Ship Photo Archive page for Giansar (AK-111): Crater-class cargo ship; laid down 1942-12-27 as 'SS Thomas Ewing', MC type EC2-S-C1, MCE hull 625, at Oregon Shipbuilding Corp., Portland, OR; launched 1943-01-19; acquired by the US Navy 1943-10-05; commissioned 1943-10-29, LCDR Gerald J. King, USNR in command; decommissioned 1945-11-28 at Norfolk, VA and delivered to the Maritime Commission the same day; name reverted to SS Thomas Ewing, laid up in the NDRF; struck from the Naval Register 1945-12-19; sold for scrapping to Bethlehem Steel Corp. 1961-07-31, removed 8 August '1861' [typo for 1961], scrapping completed 1963-04-24 at Bethlehem Steel Corp., Sparrow Point. Spec block: 4,023 t. light / 14,550 t. full; 441'6" x 56'11" x 28'4"; 12.5 kts trial; complement 17 officers + 237 enlisted; largest boom 50 t.; cargo 7,750 DWT / 435,584 cu ft non-refrigerated; armament 1x 5"/38 DP + 1x 3"/50 DP + 2x 40mm AA + 6x 20mm AA; fuel 7,285 bbls NSFO; propulsion one Iron Fireman vertical triple-expansion engine, two Babcock & Wilcox header-type boilers (220 psi, 450 deg), one turbo-drive 60kW + three recip-drive 20kW 120V DC generators, single propeller, 2,500 shp. Radio call sign NHLX. Awards: American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, WWII Victory Medal, Philippines Liberation Medal - no battle stars listed. CO table: LCDR Gerald J. King USNR, 1943-10-29 to 1945-11-28 (sole wartime CO). Photo index: Navy Yard Mare Island photos 7171-43 and 7173-43 (plan views 'prior to conversion for Naval Service at San Francisco,' 16 Oct 1943) and 7535/7536/7538-43 (at anchor off San Francisco, 8 Nov 1943); U.S. National Archives Army Signal Corps photo SC 205887 (111-SCA-Album_2842_001) - Giansar entering Cebu Island harbor 29 May 1945, 'the first cargo ship to enter the harbor since the Japanese occupation... block loaded to support a U.S. Army division for 30 days.'

   Verification

   partial

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-20

   Study period

   1942-1963

   Population

   Ship's company (~254 per spec blocks); transient passengers

   Limitations

   Secondary compilation, not an official publication - consistent with DANFS, SDB 1945 v3, and the MARAD cards where they overlap (dates, dimensions, complement 254 total, Iron Fireman plant). Discrepancies logged in gaps: armament lists 2x 40mm + 6x 20mm (the Feb-1945 enhanced fit) but shipscribe's documented 40mm-upgrade roster does not include AK-111; 'removed 8 August 1861' is an obvious 1961 typo; 'Sparrow Point' breaking site is NavSource-only (MARAD documents the buyer, not the yard); full-load displacement 14,550 vs SDB 14,350 limiting. No asbestos or materials information.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-giansar-ak111-03

4. [4]Shipscribe U.S. Navy auxiliary ships data sheets, 'USS Crater (AK-70) Class' page (Stephen S. Roberts compilation from Navy registers, Auxiliary Vessels Board records, BuShips/SCB design files, and MARAD files) [other_primary]

   Locator

   AK-70 class page: characteristics block, construction table (AK-111 row), disposition table, class notes (AK 109-113 acquisition group; fleet issue ship modifications naming AK-111; armaments), ship notes (AK-111 row)

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   Ship-design compilation naming this hull in the Crater (AK-70) class tables and ship notes: construction row - AK-111 GIANSAR, acquired 5 Oct 43, builder Oregon SB, keel 27 Dec 42, launched 19 Jan 43, commissioned 29 Oct 43; disposition row - decommissioned 28 Nov 45, struck 19 Dec 45, disposal 28 Nov 45, fate MC/R (Maritime Commission/reserve), MA sale 31 Jul 61. Ship note: 'Ex merc. THOMAS EWING (completed 31 Jan 43). Converted by United Engineering, San Francisco. Modified as fleet issue ship mid-1944. To NDRF 1945 as merc. THOMAS EWING. To buyer 8 Aug 61, scrapped by 24 Apr 63.' Class-note acquisition context (AK 109-113 group): on 16 Sep 43 CinCPac requested ten EC2 freighters converted with an additional heavy boom aft, cargo-delivery boats, and accommodations for 56 Construction Battalion personnel; on 30 Sep 43 the Auxiliary Vessels Board recommended acquiring five immediately available (in civilian service) ships from WSA, Navy-manned with boatmen and stevedore gangs - Giansar's acquisition group. Class-note fleet-issue narrative naming this hull: 'In March 1944 AK-111 received a part load of dry provisions and ship's store stock, which was experimentally loaded in a manner to permit rapid discharge to the fleet. The experiment was a success, and in early June 1944 the ship took on a full load of cargo in this configuration. In July 1944 ComServPac stated that he intended to continuously employ AK-111, 124, 137, and 138 as fleet dry provisions and ships store issue ships, and he was authorized to make the necessary alterations.' Armament notes: AK-111 was among the hulls initially fitted with the older 5"/51 variant (AK-73, 99, 100, 103, 110, 111, 124, 126) and later upgraded to the standard armament with a 5"/38 (AK-70, 71, 100, 103, 110, 111, 113, 124, 128).

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-20

   Study period

   1942-1963

   Population

   Oregon Shipbuilding construction workforce (1942-43); J.H. Winchester & Co. merchant crew (Feb-Oct 1943); United Engineering conversion workforce (Oct 1943); wartime Navy crew; mid-1944 alteration workforce; NDRF James River caretakers (1945-1961); 1961-63 breaking-yard workers

   Limitations

   Compiled secondary transcription of official Navy board, register, design, and MARAD records, not the underlying records themselves - used where consistent with DANFS/SDB/MARAD. Documents the conversion yard (United Engineering, San Francisco) and the mid-1944 fleet-issue modification as events; the material/insulation scope of both is not stated. The acquisition-group narrative is class-level context - the 56-Seabee accommodation fit is documented for the group, not confirmed hull-by-hull. Contains no asbestos information; supports no asbestos claim.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-giansar-ak111-04

5. [5]Bureau of Ships, Ships' Data, U.S. Naval Vessels, Vol. 3 (NAVSHIPS 250-012, 1945), auxiliaries - cargo ship (AK) section, per-hull rows for GIANSAR AK-111 (shipscribe.com scan of the official BuShips publication) [other_primary]

   Locator

   SDB1945v3 AK tables - dimensions, personnel, armament, machinery, and construction rows (GIANSAR/AK-111); index entries (PDF text-verified; OCR columnar, cross-checked vs DANFS/NavSource/MARAD)

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   Official BuShips Ships' Data 1945 Vol. 3 carries per-hull rows for GIANSAR AK-111 (ex-Thomas Ewing, ex-M.C.E. Hull 625): dimensions row - 441'6" oa / 416'0" pp, beam 56'11", 12.5 kts, 14,350 t limiting displacement; personnel row - 17 officers + 237 enlisted; armament row - '1 5", 38 cal. (D.P.); 1 3", 50 cal. (D.P.)'; machinery row - 1 'Iron Fireman, vert. 3-exp.' engine; construction row - Oregon S.B. Corp., Portland, Oreg., acquired 5 Oct 43, commissioned 29 Oct 43. Index entries: 'Giansar (ex - Thomas Ewing)' and 'M.C.E. Hull 625 (now Giansar) .. AK111.'

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-20

   Study period

   1945

   Limitations

   Authoritative wartime BuShips publication naming this hull - confirms identity, machinery plant (Iron Fireman VTE - consistent with Oregon SB's Portland sourcing), manning (17/237 = 254), 1945 armament fit (5"/38 + 3"/50 - consistent with the shipscribe-documented upgrade from the initial 5"/51), builder, acquisition, and commissioning. OCR of the scanned tables is columnar and partially garbled; values cross-verified against DANFS and NavSource. Contains no materials, insulation, or asbestos information; supports no asbestos claim.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-giansar-ak111-05

6. [6]ShipbuildingHistory.com, 'Oregon Shipbuilding Corp., Portland OR' yard table; U.S. Merchant Marine (usmm.org), Oregon/Vancouver Liberty ship table [other_primary]

   Locator

   koregon.htm construction table row for hull 625 (way 5, dates, AK 111 disposition); usmm.org/l/oregonvanc.html table row 625; yard-history header text

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   Independent shipyard-table cross-checks: the ShipbuildingHistory Oregon SB yard table lists Oregon SB way 5, MC yard hull 625, 'THOMAS EWING' - 'EC2-S-C1' - keel 27-Dec-42, launched 19-Jan-43, delivered 31-Jan-43 (23/12/35 days build times), 'To USN as Giansar (AK 111), scrapped 1963'; the usmm.org Oregon/Vancouver Liberty table maps '625 | Thomas Ewing | AK 111 Giansar'. Yard context from the same source: Oregon Shipbuilding Corp. was one of the nine original USMC emergency yards, founded as a Todd-Kaiser venture in Portland; Kaiser bought out Todd's interest in 1941.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-20

   Study period

   1942-1963

   Population

   Oregon Shipbuilding workforce (yard context)

   Limitations

   Volunteer-compiled secondary tables, not official records - used as an independent cross-check against MARAD/DANFS/SDB values, which they match (keel 27 Dec 42, launch 19 Jan 43, delivery 31 Jan 43, MCE 625 -> AK-111). 'Scrapped 1963' consistent with NavSource's 24 Apr 63 completion date. No asbestos or materials information; supports no asbestos claim.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-giansar-ak111-06

7. [7]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 type documented for this hull by the MARAD record 'EC2-S-C1' and status card 'CARGO EC2') 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 hulls were built to emergency USMC specifications during the period when the federal government had reserved asbestos supply for shipbuilding.

   Verification

   inferred

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   class_or_era

   Accessed

   2026-09-20

   Study period

   1942-1943

   Population

   Construction trades (Oregon SB, Portland, 1942-43); merchant engine crew (J.H. Winchester period); Navy engine-room and maintenance crew; conversion-yard workers

   Limitations

   Class/design documentation, not a hull record - the manual names the type, not this vessel, and does not itself state 'asbestos' content (magnesia lagging of the era was typically asbestos-fiber-reinforced, but the manual text is silent on fiber). The October 1943 Navy AK conversion at United Engineering added armament and fittings whose material scope is undocumented. Does not establish quantity, present-day presence (hull scrapped 1961-63), individual exposure, or causation.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-giansar-ak111-07

8. [8]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 at Oregon Shipbuilding (one of the nine original USMC emergency yards) - and that wartime demand drove unprecedented asbestos utilization aboard merchant-type hulls.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   context

   Documentation level

   class_or_era

   Accessed

   2026-09-20

   Study period

   1940s era documented; article 1987

   Population

   WWII shipyard workers and ship crews (class context)

   Limitations

   Program/era-level scholarship; does not name this vessel or the EC2-S-C1 type 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-giansar-ak111-08

9. [9]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

   2026-09-20

   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, builder yard, or conversion yard (whether Oregon SB or United Engineering was among the surveyed yards is unverified) 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 - see the 2026 critique at DOI 10.1177/10482911261446696.)

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-giansar-ak111-09

10. [10]O'Neil v. Crane Co., 53 Cal. 4th 335 (2012), CourtListener opinion 844228 [court_record]

    Locator

    Opinion, 53 Cal. 4th 335 (No. S177401); cluster verified in batch-01

    Finding type

    litigation_documented

    Finding

    O'Neil v. Crane Co., 53 Cal. 4th 335 (2012): California Supreme Court 'bare metal' decision arising from a sailor's asbestos exposure aboard USS Oriskany (CV-34) - holds that a product manufacturer is not liable for harm caused by another manufacturer's asbestos-containing product used with its equipment. Establishes the doctrinal posture under which WWII-era Navy-ship asbestos product claims are litigated; for this hull the governing structure is the WSA-owned/Navy-operated bareboat arrangement documented on the MARAD status card ('Navy Dept. / BB / San F., Calif / 10-5-43') - sailors' claims proceed against product suppliers, not the government.

    Verification

    verified

    Role

    context

    Documentation level

    class_or_era

    Accessed

    2026-09-20

    Study period

    2012 (opinion); wartime exposure period

    Population

    WWII-era Navy sailors (class context)

    Limitations

    Doctrinal context only - the opinion does not name this hull, finds no asbestos conditions aboard any specific vessel, and establishes legal framework rather than exposure. No docketed case naming Giansar, AK-111, or Thomas Ewing (the vessel) was located (see negative-finding row and search ledger); CourtListener coverage was rate-limited, so that absence is partial. Does not establish or defeat any claim of exposure or legal eligibility.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-giansar-ak111-10

11. [11]In re Joint Eastern and Southern Districts Asbestos Litigation (Robinson v. United States), 891 F.2d 31 (2d Cir. 1989), CourtListener opinion 533004 [court_record]

    Locator

    Opinion, 891 F.2d 31 (No. 1547, docket 89-6109); cluster verified in batch-01

    Finding type

    litigation_documented

    Finding

    In re Joint Eastern and Southern Districts Asbestos Litigation (Robinson v. United States), 891 F.2d 31 (2d Cir. 1989): Second Circuit ruling on mesothelioma claims by a mariner aboard War Shipping Administration vessels; the court considered jurisdiction over a personal-injury claim against the United States for asbestos exposure aboard the WWII government merchant fleet, and claims against the government were barred on discretionary-function grounds. Relevant to this hull's documented ~8-month merchant phase: the MARAD card records WSA ownership from completion (1-31-43) with operation under J.H. Winchester & Co. on a general agency agreement ('GAA') until the Navy bareboat allocation (10-5-43) - the same WSA/general-agent structure Robinson addressed.

    Verification

    verified

    Role

    context

    Documentation level

    class_or_era

    Accessed

    2026-09-20

    Study period

    1989 (opinion); 1943 exposure window for this hull

    Population

    WWII merchant mariners aboard WSA hulls (class context)

    Limitations

    Fleet-level jurisdictional ruling; does not name this hull, does not find asbestos conditions aboard any specific vessel, and establishes only the litigation posture for WWII merchant-fleet claims. Carried because this hull's WSA-owned/GAA-operated merchant window (Feb-Oct 1943) is ship-specifically documented on the MARAD card - the ruling frames claims from that phase only, not the commissioned Navy phase. Does not establish or defeat any claim of exposure or legal eligibility.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-giansar-ak111-11

12. [12]Batch-800 search ledger (this record): NHHC DANFS via Wayback; MARAD ShipHistory Details 4819 + 12550 incl. four digitized status cards; NavSource 130111; BuShips SDB 1945 v3; shipscribe AK-70 class page; shipbuildinghistory + usmm.org Oregon SB yard tables; CourtListener API (blocked) + Google site: check; VA BVA index; NARA record-group guides [other_primary]

    Locator

    search_ledger rows sl-uss-giansar-ak111-01 through sl-uss-giansar-ak111-10

    Finding type

    historical_record

    Finding

    No qualifying ship-specific asbestos record located: no asbestos survey, abatement contract, hazmat disclosure, or docketed case naming Giansar, AK-111, or SS Thomas Ewing (MCE 625, ON 242832) was found in the public sources searched (see search_ledger). Direct CourtListener API searches were blocked by rate limiting on 2026-09-20 (HTTP 429, shared 125/day machine quota - the same outage logged by batches 788 and 796 the same day); a Google site:courtlistener.com check returned only name collisions (criminal defendants named Gianos, Gianis, Gissantaner) - no vessel or asbestos match. The hull appears on law-firm SEO ship lists (asbestos-ships.com dedicated hull page; freeasbestostesting.com auxiliary-ships list; duboselawfirm.com cargo-ship list; mesotheliomaasbestoshelpcenter.com Navy-ship list) - marketing compilations excluded per source rules; list presence is not documentation.

    Verification

    verified

    Role

    negative_finding

    Documentation level

    ship_specific

    Accessed

    2026-09-20

    Study period

    2026-09-20

    Limitations

    Absence of a located public record does not prove absence of asbestos aboard - a 1943 EC2-S-C1 hull operated through a 1961-63 breaking is era-consistent with asbestos-containing materials, and her ~16 years in James River custody, the undocumented October 1943 conversion, the mid-1944 fleet-issue modification, and the 1961-63 breaking are undocumented disturbance phases. Does not establish presence or absence; does not establish or defeat any claim of exposure or legal eligibility. Litigation coverage is partial: CourtListener opinion and RECAP docket searches were not run to completion due to the shared rate limit; the site: check is not a substitute.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-giansar-ak111-12

13. [13]NARA Guide to Federal Records: RG 24 (Navy deck logs), RG 178 (US Maritime Commission), RG 248 (War Shipping Administration), RG 357 (Maritime Administration); NHHC photo numbers and NARA SC 205887 via NavSource index [other_primary]

    Locator

    archives.gov record-group guides 024/178/248/357; photo numbers via NavSource 130111.htm

    Finding type

    historical_record

    Finding

    Archival leads (not retrieved - require research-room or reproduction orders; no spend authorized): NARA RG 24 WWII deck logs for USS Giansar (Oct 1943 - Nov 1945); NARA RG 178 (U.S. Maritime Commission) and RG 248 (War Shipping Administration) files for MCE hull 625, the J.H. Winchester & Co. general-agency file, and the 1943-10-05 WSA->Navy bareboat ('BB') allocation; RG 357 MARAD/NDRF custody records covering the 1945-1961 James River lay-up (incl. the 9/23/53 MarAd-Navy Planning Group repair-damage assessment noted on the status card) and the PD-X-604 / MA-2797 sale file - the disposal-era hazmat lead; NHHC / Navy Yard Mare Island conversion-period photos 7171-43, 7173-43, 7535-43, 7536-43, 7538-43 (Oct-Nov 1943, indexed via NavSource); U.S. National Archives Army Signal Corps photo SC 205887 (Cebu harbor, 29 May 1945).

    Verification

    unverified

    Role

    archival_lead

    Documentation level

    context_only

    Accessed

    2026-09-20

    Study period

    1942-1963 records

    Limitations

    Record-group and photo-index 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-giansar-ak111-13

14. [14]MARAD status cards + MA-20 sale card (Detail 4819) vs MARAD web milestones; DANFS via Wayback; NavSource AK-111; BuShips SDB 1945 v3; shipscribe AK-70 class page [other_primary]

    Locator

    Card scans /cards/4819_8885AF.jpg, /cards/6XH_01.png, /cards/4819_AF.jpg; web milestone table Detail 4819; NavSource 130111.htm; SDB1945v3 AK tables; shipscribe AK-70 class notes

    Finding type

    historical_record

    Finding

    Cross-source reconciliation: (a) Fleet-entry date - MARAD web milestone 'Entry 11/25/1945' predates the status card's 'WSA Reserve Fleet, Lee Hall, Va., 11-28-45 4:30PM EST' and DANFS's decommission/return of 28 Nov 1945 by three days; the card and DANFS carried as controlling (the 25th is plausibly an administrative entry). (b) Tonnage/dimension variance across MARAD artifacts - gross 7,180 (registry + status card) vs 7,176 (MA-20 sale card); net 4,370 vs 4,380; DWT 10,844 vs 10,800; dimensions 422.8' x 57.0' x 34.8' depth (reserve card) vs 417'8" x 56'10" x 37'4" (sale card) vs registry 417.60' x 56.80'; the MA-20 'draft 47'8"' is impossible for this hull and reads as a mislabeled field. (c) Armament - DANFS spec block '1 5"'; shipscribe documents AK-111 initially fitted with the 5"/51 variant then upgraded to the 5"/38 standard; SDB 1945 shows 1x 5"/38 + 1x 3"/50; NavSource lists the Feb-1945 enhanced fit (2x 40mm + 6x 20mm) but shipscribe's 40mm-upgrade roster omits AK-111 - NavSource's fit is likely the authorized-later standard, flagged not reconciled. (d) NavSource 'removed, 8 August 1861' is a typo for 1961. (e) CO name - DANFS 'Lt. Comdr. C. J. King, DSNR' vs NavSource 'LCDR Gerald J. King, USNR' - initials and the USNR typo noted; NavSource's CO table carried. (f) MARAD cards carry unexplained 'MOTHERSHIP FLAGSHIP'/'(Flag Ship)' annotations - unexplained administrative scrawl, logged not interpreted.

    Verification

    verified

    Role

    correction

    Documentation level

    ship_specific

    Accessed

    2026-09-20

    Study period

    1943-1963

    Limitations

    Resolves or flags identifier-, date-, tonnage-, and armament-level inconsistencies visible across primary and secondary sources; does not affect identity or the custody timeline materially. No asbestos content in any of these sources.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-giansar-ak111-14