Evidence
4 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-4).
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[1]DANFS, Grouper (SS-214) - live NHHC page (history.navy.mil, verified 2026-09-18); NavSource data block for 1968 decommission/stricken and 1970 sale [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- DANFS service narrative (ends 1967); http://www.navsource.net/archives/08/08214.htm data block
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Documented for this hull: launched by Electric Boat Co., Groton, 27 October 1941 (sponsor Mrs. Albert F. Church); commissioned at New London 12 February 1942, Lt. Comdr. C. E. Duke. Twelve war patrols including the Midway submarine screen (strafed and depth-charged 4 June 1942), Solomons/Bismarck operations, commando landings, and aviator rescues; stateside overhauls at San Francisco (1943 and 1945). First submarine fitted with a Combat Information Center (1946). Converted at Mare Island 5 March 1950 - 27 June 1951 into the Navy's first hunter-killer submarine (SSK-214, 2 January 1951); Submarine Development Group 2 research through 1957; reclassified AGSS-214 17 May 1958; Portsmouth N.H. Navy Yard laboratory conversion 28 November 1959 - June 1960 for the Naval Research and Underwater Sound Laboratories; Philadelphia Naval Shipyard overhauls December 1962 - May 1963 and November 1965 - May 1966. Decommissioned and struck 2 December 1968; sold for scrapping 11 August 1970. Ten battle stars.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-18
- Study period
- 1940-1970
- Population
- EB construction trades (1940-41); crew (1942-1946); Mare Island SSK-conversion trades (1950-51); Portsmouth NH yard trades (1959-60); Philadelphia NSY trades (1962-63, 1965-66); crew/scientific detachments (1946-1968)
- Limitations
- Ship-specific history only; contains no asbestos or material content. DANFS narrative ends in 1967 - the 1968 decommissioning and 1970 sale rest on the NavSource data block (disclosed).
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-grouper-ss214-01
-
[2]Gato-class profile (ships-worktrees class-f/gato-class.class.json) + NavSource spec block (propulsion: diesel-electric, no boilers) [other_primary]
- Locator
- class-f/gato-class.class.json row ev-gato-class-07; NavSource SS-214 spec block
- Finding type
- asbestos_application
- Finding
- Era/design inference for a diesel-electric fleet submarine of the Gato class: the boats have no boilers or steam plant - era-consistent asbestos-relevant applications are diesel-exhaust lagging, engine gaskets and packing, acoustic/thermal hull insulation, galley and refrigeration insulation, and electrical/battery materials. All construction and documented Navy-yard periods on this hull fall inside the Navy's peak asbestos-use era. This hull is the batch's longest-lived boat: built 1940-41 and repeatedly yarded - San Francisco overhauls 1943/1945, Mare Island SSK conversion 1950-51, Portsmouth NH laboratory conversion 1959-60, Philadelphia NSY overhauls 1962-63 and 1965-66 - all pre-substitution-era insulation events by GAO's framework.
- Verification
- inferred
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-18
- Study period
- 1940-1970
- Population
- EB construction trades (1940-41); San Francisco yard trades (1943, 1945); Mare Island trades (1950-51); Portsmouth NH trades (1959-60); Philadelphia NSY trades (1962-63, 1965-66); crew and laboratory detachments (1942-1968)
- Limitations
- Class/era inference only - does not establish that any asbestos-containing material is or was installed aboard this hull, and does not establish quantity, individual exposure, or present-day presence. No hull-specific insulation survey or material list was located.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-grouper-ss214-02
-
[3]GAO, Navy Efforts To Protect Workers From Asbestos Exposure, HRD-80-2 (Oct 18, 1979) [gao]
- Locator
- GAO product page HRD-80-2 (full text blocked, HTTP 403)
- Finding type
- gov_survey
- Finding
- GAO documented that the Navy used asbestos insulation extensively aboard ships and did not begin substituting alternative insulation materials until the early 1970s - meaning every construction, overhaul, and repair event on this hull (built 1940-41 and repeatedly yarded through 1966) predates the substitution era.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-18
- Study period
- 1979
- Population
- Navy shipyard workers; asbestos program review
- Limitations
- Program-level documentation; supports era context only, not any fact specific to this hull. Full text not retrieved (gao.gov blocks automated fetch, HTTP 403) - content via product-page description.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-grouper-ss214-03
-
[4]Batch-31 search ledger (this record): live NHHC DANFS; NavSource; site-scoped CourtListener index sweep; general web trace [other_primary]
- Locator
- search_ledger rows sl-uss-grouper-ss214-01 through -06
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- No qualifying ship-specific asbestos record located for SS-214: no asbestos survey, abatement contract, hazmat disclosure, or litigation naming THIS hull was found in the public sources searched. This is notable because Grouper is the batch's longest-lived boat (active through 1968, five documented postwar yard periods) - the most plausible candidate for worker exposure-sheet listings, yet none was located. CourtListener API search was rate-limit throttled on 2026-09-18 (HTTP 429; site search interface and feeds also blocked); site-scoped web searches of courtlistener.com for 'USS Grouper'/'SS-214'/'SSK-214'/'AGSS-214' returned no qualifying asbestos case for this hull.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-18
- Study period
- 2026-09-18
- Limitations
- Absence of a located public record does not prove absence of asbestos aboard or of filings - state-court and non-digitized records are not covered and the CourtListener API sweep could not be completed under rate limiting. Does not establish or defeat any claim of exposure or legal eligibility.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-grouper-ss214-04