Evidence
7 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-7).
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[1]research packet ez-packet.md (1 sources cited) [nhhc_danfs]
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Identity packet verdict: VERIFIED — real identity: USS Halford | hull: DD-480 | designation: destroyer (DD) | class: Fletcher
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Evidence ID
- uss-halford-dd480-pkt-ez-packet-md
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[2]Naval History and Heritage Command, Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, 'Halford (DD-480)' [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- DANFS specification block and full Halford (DD-480) narrative; official NHHC page found through the NHHC search index
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- NHHC DANFS identifies this hull as Fletcher-class destroyer Halford (DD-480), specification block: displacement 2,050; length 376 ft 5 in; beam 39 ft 8 in; draft 13 ft 9 in; speed 37 knots; complement 273. Launched 29 October 1942 by Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington, and commissioned 10 April 1943. Halford tested a cruiser catapult and scout plane from July through October 1943, then returned to Mare Island on 27 October 1943 for alterations replacing the catapult and plane. DANFS also records return to Mare Island after a collision on 14 February 1945, arrival 24 March 1945, and decommissioning at San Diego on 15 May 1946 after entry into the Pacific Reserve Fleet. It records 13 World War II battle stars.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-27
- Study period
- 1941-1946
- Population
- Puget Sound Navy Yard construction workforce; Halford ship's company (DANFS design complement 273); Mare Island yard workforce during 1943 and 1945 work
- Limitations
- DANFS establishes hull identity, dates, service events, complement, and documented alteration/overhaul periods. It contains no asbestos, insulation, hazardous-material, product, quantity, or exposure information; neither the Mare Island work nor any other event is evidence of asbestos work.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-halford-dd480-01
-
[3]National Archives, 'Researching Asbestos aboard US Naval Vessel up through 1961' [other_primary]
- Locator
- Beginning Research, RG 19 correspondence discussion, General Information Books (RG 19 Entry P 9), and Board of Inspection and Survey Reports sections
- Finding type
- asbestos_application
- Finding
- NARA's Navy-vessel asbestos research guide identifies 1941-1961 Navy materiel as an asbestos-research subject and directs researchers to hull-designation and class correspondence in Record Group 19. For a Fletcher-class destroyer, the guide specifically explains the DD hull filing and the DD445 Class filing, and identifies RG 19 Entry P 9 destroyer General Information Books and RG 38 Board of Inspection and Survey reports as potentially responsive records. These are archival leads for DD-480 and its class, not retrieved hull evidence.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- archival_lead
- Documentation level
- context_only
- Accessed
- 2026-09-27
- Study period
- 1941-1961 (guide scope); Halford service 1943-1946
- Limitations
- NARA's guide is research guidance, not a finding that Halford, the Fletcher class, Puget Sound Navy Yard, or Mare Island contained asbestos. It identifies record series capable of answering the question; no DD480 volume, correspondence, or inspection report was retrieved in this pass.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-halford-dd480-02
-
[4]NHHC DANFS, 'Halford (DD-480)' (Fletcher-class identification and service dates), read with National Archives asbestos-research guide [other_primary]
- Locator
- DANFS specification block ('cl. Fletcher'); NARA guide lines addressing class machinery, DD445 Class filing, and incomplete GIB coverage
- Finding type
- asbestos_application
- Finding
- Class/era inference: Halford was a WWII Fletcher-class destroyer in the 1941-1946 Navy-materiel period identified by NARA as a subject for asbestos research. Fletcher-class machinery was standardized by class, but no DD-480-specific General Information Book, material schedule, survey, or sample result was retrieved. Boiler and steam-line insulation, turbine lagging, gaskets, packing, fireproofing, and deck coverings are therefore retained only as period-standard applications to prioritize archival research, not as materials documented aboard this hull.
- Verification
- inferred
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-27
- Study period
- 1941-1946
- Population
- Halford construction, repair, and shipboard personnel, 1943-1946 (not a measured exposure population)
- Limitations
- This is class/era inference only. NARA explicitly cautions that General Information Book coverage is incomplete and that shipyard and subclass differences can matter. This row does not establish installation, location, product identity, quantity, condition, removal, individual exposure, causation, or legal eligibility aboard DD-480.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-halford-dd480-03
-
[5]Batch-3463 research ledger: NHHC DANFS/Halford photograph collection; National Archives Navy-vessel asbestos guide and its listed record series; official-source web searches [other_primary]
- Locator
- search_ledger rows sl-uss-halford-dd480-01 through sl-uss-halford-dd480-04
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Negative finding: no public ship-specific asbestos survey, abatement contract, hazmat disclosure, material schedule, sampled-material result, court finding, or other direct asbestos documentation naming USS Halford (DD-480) was located in the authoritative sources reviewed. The only authoritative hull history located, NHHC DANFS, documents history and alteration periods but does not mention asbestos or insulation material.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-27
- Study period
- research completed 2026-09-27
- Limitations
- A failure to locate a public record does not prove asbestos was absent. NARA identifies non-digitized or incompletely covered record series that may hold responsive hull or class material. This finding establishes neither presence nor absence of asbestos, exposure, causation, or legal eligibility.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-halford-dd480-04
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[6]CourtListener API v4 via /Users/charlesfletcher/devin-prompts/cl-auth-search.py: exact name 'USS Halford' and hull number 'DD-480', opinion search type; both returned helper pacing stand-down before HTTP response [court_record]
- Locator
- Authenticated helper diagnostics: 'COURTLISTENER PACING: the fleet-wide request budget is momentarily spent'; no result payload or docket/opinion locator returned
- Finding type
- litigation_documented
- Finding
- CourtListener authenticated API v4 sweep could not be completed: exact-name query 'USS Halford' and hull-number query 'DD-480' were submitted through the required fleet helper, but both exited before an HTTP search result because the fleet-wide pacing budget was momentarily spent. No CourtListener result is classified as qualifying asbestos litigation, other litigation, name collision, or no result in this pass.
- Verification
- unverified
- Role
- archival_lead
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-27
- Study period
- 2026-09-27
- Limitations
- This is a documented search gap, not a negative litigation finding. The helper's stand-down stated a momentary shared pacing limit rather than a multi-hour daily-quota wait; no retries were looped. A later authenticated v4 exact-name and hull-number sweep, including opinion and RECAP/docket indexes, remains required before any litigation conclusion.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-halford-dd480-05
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[7]Naval History and Heritage Command, USS Halford (DD-480) photograph collection; photograph 19-N-84891 [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- 19-N-84891 caption: USS Halford at Mare Island Navy Yard, 15 May 1945; circles mark recent alterations
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- NHHC's ship photograph collection independently identifies USS Halford (DD-480) and includes a 15 May 1945 Mare Island Navy Yard caption noting recent alterations, as well as wartime photographs and a circa-1960 reserve-fleet image identifying Halford. This corroborates the hull identification and the existence of a Mare Island alteration period; it provides no material-content information.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-27
- Study period
- 1945
- Population
- Mare Island Navy Yard workforce, May 1945; Halford ship's company
- Limitations
- The caption documents the photographed hull, date, place, and visible alterations only. It does not identify the alteration scope, any insulation, asbestos, product, quantity, or worker exposure.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-halford-dd480-06