Evidence
10 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-10).
-
[1]research packet ew-packet.md (5 sources cited) [other_primary]
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Identity packet verdict: VERIFIED
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Evidence ID
- uss-hambleton-dd455-pkt-ew-packet-md
-
[2]DANFS, Hambleton (DD-455) (namesake, builder, dates, specifications block, full service narrative; live NHHC page returns 404 - Wayback capture 2025-12-09 of history.navy.mil cited as canonical text, corroborated by hazegray.org transcription) [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- DANFS entry, specifications block + full service narrative (Wayback 2025-12-09 capture of history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/h/hambleton.html; mirror https://hazegray.org/danfs/destroy/dd455txt.htm)
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- DANFS record for this hull: named for Purser Samuel Hambleton (1777-1851), War of 1812 Lake Erie veteran commended by Perry; laid down by Federal Shipbuilding & Drydock Co., Kearny [text: Kearney], N.J., 16 December 1940; launched 26 September 1941, sponsored by Mrs. Nannie Hambleton Martin, great-grandniece; commissioned 22 December 1941, Cmdr. Forrest Close in command. Spec block: dp. 2,200; 347'11" x 36'1" x 15'8"; 37 kt; cpl. 272; 4x5", 4x1.1", 5x20mm, 5x21"tt, 2 dct., 6 dcp.; 'cl. Gleaves'. Panama-Canal shakedown with Emmons (Jan-Mar 1942); 15 March 1942 rescued six survivors of torpedoed SS Ceiba; escorted Augusta and Ranger on April Gold Coast P-40 ferry run; collided with Ellyson (DD-454) 17 May 1942, repaired San Juan and Charleston; July 1942 Ireland deployment, plane guard HMS Duke of York; Operation Torch - screened carrier Sangamon off French Morocco 8 November 1942; torpedoed amidships port side by a U-boat while anchored by Winooski off Fedala, evening of 11 November 1942, 12-degree list; towed to Casablanca where Seabees cut the ship in two, removed a 40-foot section, and rejoined the halves; reached Boston 28 June 1943 for permanent repairs; convoy to Oran April 1944; sank U-616 17 May 1944 with seven other destroyers and British scout planes after a 4-day pursuit; Normandy - LST convoy to the beaches 7 June (D+1), Omaha Beach bombardment/screening, 4-hour running battle 9 June vs five E-boats (sank one, severely damaged another), Cherbourg bombardment 25 June; southern France - 11 August bombardment ahead of Operation Anvil; sailed for Boston 25 October, arrived 8 November; converted to high-speed minesweeper, redesignated DMS-20 15 November 1944; emerged from the yard 19 December; sailed for the Pacific 30 December; Ulithi 9 March 1945; off Okinawa 23 March clearing channels and anchorages for the 1,200-ship invasion; kamikaze near-miss damage 3 April; East China Sea sweeps mid-July; Tokyo Bay 28 August ahead of occupation; swept 184 mines in Japanese fields; four typhoons (60-foot waves); Norfolk late December 1945; Charleston-based 1946-54 with 6th Fleet Mediterranean deployments 1949, 1952, 1954; decommissioned 15 January 1955 and entered the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, berthed Orange, Tex.; 'reclassified DD-455 the same day.' Seven battle stars.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-27
- Study period
- 1940-1955 (entry written during Orange, Tex. reserve berth)
- Population
- Federal Shipbuilding construction trades 1940-41; wartime and postwar crew (design complement 272, wartime ~276); Boston Navy Yard repair/conversion workforce 1943-44
- Limitations
- DANFS documents service history and specifications, not materials or asbestos content. Entry predates the 1971 strike/1972 sale (cutoff 'At present she is berthed at Orange, Tex.'). NHHC text itself carries OCR artifacts ('Sambleton' at the 9 June action; 'cleared more than 600 miles' for the East China Sea sweep - almost certainly a misprint for 'mines', carried in gaps). Wayback capture of the live NHHC page cited because live URL 404s; hazegray transcription corroborates but garbles the spec-block hull number as '(DD-445'.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-hambleton-dd455-01
-
[3]NavSource Naval History, Destroyer Photo Index DD-455 USS Hambleton (as-built data, operational/building data, photo index incl. NHHC- and NARA-sourced images; commanding officers list) [other_primary]
- Locator
- NavSource DD-455 page: 'As Built' block, 'Operational and Building Data' block, photo captions (NH 50095, NH 107298, 80-G-21886), commanding-officers list
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Secondary compilation for this hull: 'CLASS - GLEAVES'; As Built - 2,395 t full, 348'4"(oa) x 36'1" x 13'2" max; 4x5"/38AA, 6x0.5" MG, 10x21" tt (2x5); machinery 50,000 shp, Westinghouse geared turbines, 2 screws; 35 kt; crew 208; call sign NIXZ. Building data: Federal Shipbuilding, Kearny NJ (yard no. 196); contract awarded 1 July 1940 (NOD-1430); laid down 16 December 1940; launched 26 September 1941; commissioned 22 December 1941; reclassified DMS-20 15 November 1944; 'Reverted to DD-455 16 January 1955' (conflicts with DANFS 'same day' - carried in gaps); decommissioned 15 January 1955; stricken 1 June 1971; sold 22 November 1972 and broken up. Photo documentation places the hull: dual launch with Rodman (DD-456) at Kearny 26 September 1941 (NHHC NH 50095); trials late 1941 (NHHC NH 107298); Brooklyn Navy Yard winter 1942 detail views (Life Magazine, George Strock); torpedo damage at Casablanca November 1942 (NARA 80-G-21886, with George Clymer, Henry T. Allen, and merchant De La Salle); July 1943 from Wilkes (DD-441). CO list: Cmdr. Forrest Close, then LCDR James B. Hogle; DMS-20 era LCDR Arthur H. Berndtson (Feb-Aug 1946); postwar LCDRs William A. Robie and George W. Kingston.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-27
- Study period
- 1940-1972
- Population
- n/a
- Limitations
- Secondary compilation - cited for as-built fit, contract/yard-number detail, disposal dates, and yard-presence photo documentation, not asbestos content. Fit and speed figures conflict with the DANFS spec block (4x5"/38 vs 4x5" consistent, but 35 vs 37 kt; crew 208 vs 272); variants carried unmerged in gaps. 'Reverted 16 January 1955' conflicts with DANFS 'reclassified DD-455 the same day' (15 January 1955).
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-hambleton-dd455-02
-
[4]NavSource Naval History, Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive - Hambleton (DD 455) ex-DMS-20 (post-conversion specifications, NARA-identifier photo documentation of the Boston Navy Yard reconstruction and conversion) [other_primary]
- Locator
- NavSource DMS-20 page (archives/11/0920.htm): specifications block, operational data, photo captions NARA IDs 38329767 / 38329785 / BS 54741 / 80-G-382799 / 19-LCM-DMS20-1
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Minesweeper-era compilation for this hull: 'Gleaves Class Destroyer/Ellyson Class Highspeed Minesweeper'; as DMS-20 - 1,630 t lt / 2,575 t fl, 348'3" x 36'1" x 13'9", 37.4 kts, complement 272, three 5"/38 mounts and two quad 40mm; propulsion 'Four Babcock and Wilcox boilers, two 50,000shp turbines (Port turbine - Boston Navy Yard turbine, Starboard turbine - Westinghouse turbine), De Laval double reduction gears, two shafts.' Decommissioned 15 January 1955 at Charleston, SC and laid up Atlantic Reserve Fleet Texas Group, Orange, TX; struck from the Navy Register 1 June 1971; sold for scrap 22 November 1972. NARA-identifier photo documentation of yard events: torpedo-damaged hull at Casablanca ca. 11/1942 (National Archives Identifier 38329767); 'after Being Cut in Half in Dry Dock No. 1, Boston Navy Yard, Boston, Massachusetts, 1943' (38329785); repaired between 28 June 1943 and early 1944 at Boston Navy Yard (NARA BS 54741, BuShips collection); underway off Boston Navy Yard December 1944 post-conversion (80-G-382799; 19-LCM-DMS20-1); Algiers 20 May 1954.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-27
- Study period
- 1943-1972
- Population
- Boston Navy Yard repair and conversion workforce 1943-44; DMS-20 crew (complement 272) 1944-55
- Limitations
- Secondary compilation - cited for post-conversion fit, the port-turbine Boston Navy Yard replacement detail (engineering-space reconstruction after the torpedo hit), disposal dates, and the NARA-documented yard events, not asbestos content. The photos document that major structural work happened aboard this hull at Boston Navy Yard in 1943-44; neither the photos nor the captions speak to materials or insulation. 'Ellyson Class' minesweeper label is NavSource convention.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-hambleton-dd455-03
-
[5]HyperWar, 'Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1940-1945' - DMS-20 USS Hambleton wartime listing (compiled by Patrick Clancey) [other_primary]
- Locator
- ibiblio DMS-20_Hambleton.html specification block
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Wartime-listing spec block for this hull (filed under minesweepers): 'Ellyson Class Fast Minesweeper (ex Gleaves Class Destroyer)'; 1,630 t; 348'4"; 36'0"; draft 17'5"-17'6"; 37 kt; 4x5"/38, 5x4 21" torpedo tubes; complement 276; 'High-pressure super-heated boilers, geared turbines with twin screws, 50,000 h.p.'; built at Federal, Kearny and commissioned (DD-455) 1941; converted to Fast Minesweeper, 1944.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-27
- Study period
- 1941-1945
- Population
- Wartime crew (~276 per listing)
- Limitations
- Wartime-configuration listing - complement 276 vs 272/208 and armament figures reflect wartime fit; conflicts with the DANFS spec block carried unmerged in gaps. No materials or asbestos information.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-hambleton-dd455-04
-
[6]Era/yard inference - class profile benson-gleaves-class (ships-worktrees/class-f): BuShips Ships' Data 1945 'No. 421 Class' machinery data + Atlas shipyard dataset, Federal Shipbuilding-Kearny record (incl. 1944 Owens-Illinois industrial-health survey of insulation work at the yard); Boston Naval Shipyard record (Atlas evidence_tier 3) [other_primary]
- Locator
- HyperWar DMS-20 spec block ('High-pressure super-heated boilers, geared turbines with twin screws, 50,000 h.p.'); shipyards.json records 'federal-shipbuilding-kearny' and 'boston-naval-shipyard'; class-f benson-gleaves-class.class.json; NavSource NARA photo captions (ev-03)
- Finding type
- asbestos_application
- Finding
- Era/yard inference: a Gleaves-class destroyer built 1940-41 with four superheated Babcock & Wilcox boilers and ~50,000-shp geared turbines would have carried period-standard asbestos boiler casing and fireroom insulation, steam-pipe and turbine lagging, valve/flange gaskets and packing, deck tile, and accommodation insulation; builder Federal Shipbuilding & Drydock (Kearny) is documented at yard level in the Atlas dataset, including an Owens-Illinois industrial-health survey of insulation work at the yard (30 August-2 September 1944: Johns-Manville Superex pipe covering, Kaylo boiler insulation, Monokote fireproofing, Garlock gaskets); the 1943-44 torpedo-damage reconstruction and November-December 1944 DMS-20 conversion at Boston Navy Yard are documented events (ev-01, ev-03) whose asbestos scope - removal/reinstallation of insulation in cut-open engineering spaces - is inference; NARA RG 19 'General Information Books' holding per-vessel material specifications are an archival lead for hull-level specs.
- Verification
- inferred
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-27
- Study period
- 1940-1971
- Population
- Federal Shipbuilding construction trades 1940-41; Boston Navy Yard rebuild/conversion workforce 1943-44; crew 1941-55; reserve-fleet caretakers to 1971
- Limitations
- Class/era and builder-yard inference only - NOT a hull-specific finding. The 1944 Kearny yard survey postdates this hull's September 1941 launch and documents yard practice, not materials installed aboard DD-455. Boston Navy Yard work is documented as events; no work package, materials list, or survey for either yard period was located. Does not quantify material or establish any individual exposure. The class profile documents no ship-specific asbestos record for any of the 96 Benson/Gleaves members.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-hambleton-dd455-05
-
[7]GAO, Navy Efforts To Protect Workers From Asbestos Exposure, HRD-80-2 (Oct 18, 1979) [gao]
- Locator
- GAO product page HRD-80-2
- Finding type
- gov_survey
- Finding
- GAO documented the Navy's asbestos-protection program: standing policy (1975) removed asbestos insulation only when damaged or required for repairs, modified 1979 to selective replacement in high-maintenance areas - i.e., original-era insulation typically remained in place for decades unless a yard period disturbed it. The report places this hull's construction (1940-41) and entire commissioned service (1941-55) inside the documented asbestos-use era.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- context_only
- Accessed
- 2026-09-27
- Study period
- 1979
- Population
- Navy shipyard workers; asbestos program review
- Limitations
- Program-level documentation, not hull-specific; the report's fieldwork yards (Long Beach, Norfolk) are not among this hull's documented yards, and its policy window (1970s) postdates this hull's commissioned service - she was in reserve from 1955 and stricken 1971. gao.gov returns HTTP 403 to automated fetches; product-page description used, full text not retrieved.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-hambleton-dd455-06
-
[8]CourtListener API v4 sweeps, 2026-09-27 (see search_ledger sl-05 through sl-09) [court_record]
- Locator
- search_ledger rows sl-uss-hambleton-dd455-05 through sl-uss-hambleton-dd455-08b
- Finding type
- litigation_documented
- Finding
- No qualifying asbestos litigation naming this hull located, after review of every surface hit: 'USS Hambleton' opinion search returned 0 hits; 'USS Hambleton' RECAP docket search returned 0 dockets; 'DD-455'/'DD 455' opinion search returned 2 hits that are both non-ship collisions (Daniels, Raymond, Tex. App. 2015 - habeas proceeding, 'DD 455' is a form/document reference in garbled OCR; United States v. Borneman, N-M Court of Military Review 1980 - 'DD 455' is a form reference in a discharge-vacation opinion); 'DMS-20'/'DMS 20' opinion search returned 1 hit that is a non-ship collision (Williams v. Department of Management Services, Division of Retirement, Fla. 4th DCA 2021 - 'DMS' is the appellee agency abbreviation). Name-variant and contextual sweeps are logged in the search ledger.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-27
- Study period
- 2026-09-27
- Limitations
- Sweep covers CourtListener-indexed opinion and RECAP docket text only; un-indexed dockets, state-court filings, and non-digitized records are outside coverage. Absence of located litigation does not mean none exists. Fleet pacing limited the number of queries executable this session - remaining sweep items are logged honestly in the ledger.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-hambleton-dd455-07
-
[9]Batch-3438 search ledger (this record): DANFS (Wayback capture of NHHC page + hazegray mirror); NavSource DD-455 and DMS-20 compilations; HyperWar wartime listing; GAO product page; CourtListener sweeps; law-firm list pages screened as exclusions [other_primary]
- Locator
- search_ledger, this record (sl-01 through sl-11 and sl-08b)
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- No qualifying ship-specific asbestos record located for DD-455 in the public sources searched (see search_ledger): no asbestos survey, abatement contract, materials inventory, hazmat disclosure, or qualifying asbestos case naming this hull. The hull was stricken 1 June 1971 and sold 22 November 1972 for scrap - before modern asbestos documentation was routine and with no museum-disclosure channel; the class profile's member sweep likewise located no ship-specific asbestos record for any Benson/Gleaves hull. Documented yard events (Boston Navy Yard cut-in-half reconstruction 1943-44 and DMS-20 conversion 1944; Charleston collision repairs 1942; Brooklyn Navy Yard presence winter 1942) are recorded as events only - no materials scope for any is documented.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-27
- Study period
- 2026-09-27
- Population
- n/a
- Limitations
- Absence of a located public record does not prove absence of asbestos aboard - era-standard applications are documented at class level (ev-05) and litigation coverage is limited to CourtListener-indexed text (ev-07). The hull no longer exists, so present-day ACM status is moot.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-hambleton-dd455-08
-
[10]NARA archival leads (not retrieved - require research-room or reproduction order): RG 24 Navy deck logs covering this hull's 1941-55 service; RG 19 Bureau of Ships records incl. 'General Information Books' per-vessel material specs and Boston Navy Yard repair/conversion work packages for the 1943-44 rebuild and 1944 DMS-20 conversion; named NARA still-photo identifiers already located via NavSource: 38329767 (torpedo damage, Casablanca), 38329785 (severed hull, Dry Dock No. 1, Boston Navy Yard, 1943), BS 54741 (post-repair, Feb 1944), 80-G-382799 and 19-LCM-DMS20-1 (post-conversion, Dec 1944), 80-G-21886 (Casablanca); NHHC NH 50095 (dual launch) and NH 107298 (trials, late 1941) [other_primary]
- Locator
- archives.gov RG-24 guide page; NavSource DMS-20 page photo captions (NARA IDs 38329767, 38329785, BS 54741, 80-G-382799, 19-LCM-DMS20-1)
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Record-group mapping only: NARA RG 24 deck logs for this hull (1941-55) would carry engineering-casualty and yard-availability detail; RG 19 General Information Books and Bureau of Ships repair records may hold per-vessel material specifications and the Boston Navy Yard work packages for two major documented yard events - the 1943-44 cut-in-half torpedo-damage reconstruction (Dry Dock No. 1) and the November-December 1944 conversion to high-speed minesweeper DMS-20. These are the archival leads where hull-level insulation schedules and yard-period material disturbance would surface.
- Verification
- unverified
- Role
- archival_lead
- Documentation level
- context_only
- Accessed
- 2026-09-27
- Study period
- 1941-1955 (records created)
- Population
- n/a
- Limitations
- Record-group mapping only - not evidence about this hull's materials. No box-level retrieval performed; the NARA Catalog is a JavaScript-only application and could not be queried programmatically this pass. Photo identifiers are NavSource-captioned.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-hambleton-dd455-09