USS Hansford (APA-106)

Evidence

16 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-16).

1. [1]research packet f-packet.md (6 sources cited) [other_primary]

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   Identity packet verdict: VERIFIED — real identity: USS Hansford; hull: APA-106; designation: attack transport; class/type: Bayfield-class, C3-S-A2 [MIRROR] — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Hansford

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Evidence ID

   uss-hansford-apa106-pkt-f-packet-md

2. [2]Bureau of Ships, Ships' Data, U.S. Naval Vessels, Vol. 3 (NAVSHIPS 250-012, 1945), auxiliaries - transports, attack (APA) tables, per-hull row 119 for HANSFORD APA-106 (shipscribe.com scan of the official BuShips publication) [other_primary]

   Locator

   SDB1945v3 APA tables (PDF pp. 276-281): dimensions row, personnel row, machinery row ('119 HANSFORD ... 1 do. 8,500 2 B. & W. "D" 465 765'), armament/cargo row, construction row; alphabetical index lists 'APA 106 HANSFORD'

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   Official BuShips Ships' Data 1945 Vol. 3 carries a per-hull row for HANSFORD APA-106 (ex-M.C. Hull 1551): 492'0" overall / 465'0" waterline; beam 69'6"; design speed 18.4 knots; trial displacement 11,760 tons; limiting displacement 16,100 tons; tons per inch immersion 59; limiting draft 26'6"; accommodations 41 officers + 437 enlisted, troop capacity 92 officers + 1,470 enlisted; largest boom 30 t; machinery 1 G.E. turbine, 8,500 shp, 1 propeller, 2 Babcock & Wilcox 'D' boilers at 465 psi / 765F; armament 2 x 5"/38 cal (D.P.) + 4 twin 40mm (ultimate authorized); cargo 180,500 cu ft non-refrigerated, 7,500 t total / 4,500 t DWT; built by Western Pipe & Steel Co., San Francisco, Calif.; acquired 12 Oct 1944 (construction-table convention - see ev-06); year built 1943-44; date of first commission 12 Oct 1944.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-25

   Study period

   1945

   Limitations

   Authoritative wartime BuShips publication naming this hull - confirms identity, machinery plant, manning, builder, and key dates. Contains no materials, insulation, or asbestos information; supports no asbestos claim. Armament figure is the ultimate authorized fit; actual fit may have differed. The machinery row's explicit 'B. & W. "D"' entry breaks the Foster Wheeler ditto chain of the adjacent WPS-built APA 110-116 rows - a deliberate per-hull distinction.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-hansford-apa106-01

3. [3]DANFS, 'Hansford (APA-106)' entry, Naval History and Heritage Command, rewritten and expanded by Mark L. Evans (live NHHC URL returns 404 - verbatim text retrieved via Internet Archive Wayback capture 20250225173033) [nhhc_danfs]

   Locator

   DANFS entry body text + spec block (Wayback capture 20250225173033)

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   NHHC records: Gladwin laid down 10 Dec 1943 at San Francisco by Western Pipe & Steel Co. under Maritime Commission contract (M.C. Hull No. 1551); launched 25 Apr 1944, sponsored by Mrs. Edward C. Cahill; transferred to the Navy and renamed Hansford (APA-106) 25 Aug 1944; commissioned Pier 27 San Francisco 12 Oct 1944, Cmdr. William A. Lynch. Final pre-commissioning drydock at Hunters Point Naval Drydock, San Francisco, ended 5 Oct 1944; sea trials completed 9 Oct. Shakedown San Pedro Shakedown Group 24 Oct-10 Nov 1944 (amphibious exercises off San Diego 4-10 Nov); post-shakedown availability Terminal Island Navy Yard, Long Beach, 11-19 Nov. Pearl Harbor 2 Dec; Transport Squadron 16 / Transport Division 47; embarked 1,055 Marines of 1st BLT, 27th Regiment, 5th Marine Division at Hilo 28 Dec. Iwo Jima: TF 53.1 via Eniwetok and Saipan, transport area 19 Feb 1945, assault-wave landings; beach party ashore 19-23 Feb, 17 casualties (4 KIA, 1 MIA, 12 WIA) + 3 boat-group wounded; Beachmaster Lt. Cmdr. James H. Ottley Bronze Star; LCI(L)-347 hull puncture 24 Feb; ~hundreds of casualties embarked; departed 25 Feb. Okinawa: Tulagi/Espiritu Santo staging (1,164 soldiers, 2d BLT 105th Inf, 27th Div); Ulithi; Kerama Retto 9 Apr; Hagushi 10 Apr as OTC/guide for TransDiv 47; Kikusui raids; sole casualty S1c Marvin L. Craft by exploding 20mm barrel 12 Apr; departed with 51 casualties 16 Apr. Leyte/Subic/Manila training with 81st and 40th Infantry Divisions May-Aug 1945; embarked Rear Adm. John L. Hall Jr. and Amphibious Group 12 staff + 911 soldiers; TF 33 to Tokyo Bay (Typhoon Ruth delay); entered Tokyo Bay 2 Sep, disembarked troops Yokohama 3 Sep; housed liberated POWs; Wakayama Oct; Magic Carpet from 9 Oct (79 officers + 1,320 enlisted to San Pedro 26 Oct); drydock repairs Consolidated Steel Corp., Wilmington, 31 Oct-18 Nov; Nagoya-Seattle run; propeller repairs Todd Shipyards, Seattle, Dec 1945; Yokosuka 20 Jan 1946; Shanghai 4 Feb; Magic Carpet ended San Diego 13 Mar 1946; Norfolk 2 May; decommissioned Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, 14 Jun 1946; stricken 3 Jul 1946; redelivered to WSA the following day; sold to Isthmian Lines 20 May 1947 (agreement date - title passed 11 Mar 1948 per MARAD card); renamed Steel Apprentice. Merchant career 1948-73: Jan 1949 boiler fire (4 economizer tube elements + casings/brickwork renewed, $10,235); 1950 barge collision ($17,000 propeller/shaft); Jan 1951 fender strike (Baltimore repairs); Feb 1952 Ninfeasa collision at Saigon; Sep 1952 dock strike; summer 1953 Baltimore drydock (propeller reconditioning + tailshaft); 8 Oct 1953 grounding at Bandar Shahpur; 20 Oct 1953 collision with Elbow of Cross Ledge Light in Delaware Bay fog (16 plates, 68 frames damaged; Baltimore repairs 24 Nov 1953-3 Mar 1954 incl. frames, plates, rudder stock, open HP turbine work); Dec 1954 Eugene T. Meseck tug sinking at Erie Basin; Jul 1955 Baltimore repairs; Feb 1956 Jalazad collision at Suez Roads (NY repairs, 5 bow plates renewed + 3 partial); Apr 1958 heavy-weather damage (Jan 1959 Baltimore repairs, 3 bottom plates; damage evaluated 'cumulative'; Jul 1959 Brooklyn repairs); Jun 1966 Sikatuna collision at Manila; Sep 1966 Philadelphia pier strike; New York repairs Oct 1966-Feb 1967 and May 1967; Jul 1967 Sylvia Lykes collision in Saigon River (Coos Bay/Seattle survey; Aug 1967 Yokohama repairs - 9 port shell plates, buckled bulkheads); 5 Jun 1968 PLAF B-40 rocket attack in Saigon River (hull damage, 6 dockside workers wounded); 3 Feb 1972 Arcadia Wien collision en route Calcutta-Houston; survey precluded further operation; Yokohama 5 Apr 1973; Kaohsiung 21 Apr; sold to Tai Kien Industry Co., Ltd. 4 May 1973; scrapped Taiwan. Awards: two battle stars (Iwo Jima, Okinawa); Navy Occupation Service Medal, Asia (2 Sep-12 Oct 1945 and 3-8 Dec 1945); China Service Medal; Navy Occupation Service Medal (19 Jan-26 Feb 1946). Spec block: dp. 8,100; l. 492'7.5"; b. 69'6"; dr. 26'6"; s. 16 k.; cpl. 479; trp. 1,500; a. 2 5", 8 40mm., 18 20mm.; cl. Bayfield; T. C3-S-A2.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-25

   Study period

   1943-1973

   Limitations

   Primary Navy historical entry - authoritative for service history, name history, and dates. Contains no asbestos or materials information; supports no asbestos claim. Live NHHC page 404s (standing link rot, cf. BATCH-01); the Wayback capture is the verbatim NHHC text. Spec-block figures (16 kt, cpl. 479, trp. 1,500) conflict with SDB per-hull values - see ev-06.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-hansford-apa106-02

4. [4]NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive - USS Hansford (APA-106), file 10/03/03106 [other_primary]

   Locator

   NavSource 03106.htm - specifications block, campaign table, occupation-service table, construction/disposal entries, photo captions

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   NavSource timeline corroborates DANFS and adds detail: Bayfield-class attack transport, MC type C3-S-A2, MC hull 1551; laid down 10 Dec 1943 as SS Sea Adder at Western Pipe and Steel Co., San Francisco, CA; 'Renamed Gladwin, date unknown'; launched 25 Apr 1944; acquired by the Navy 25 Aug 1944 and renamed Hansford; commissioned 12 Oct 1944, CDR William A. Lynch USN. Campaign table: Iwo Jima operation (19-25 Feb 1945) and Okinawa Gunto operation (10-16 Apr 1945). Occupation/China service table: Navy Occupation Service Medal 2 Sep-11 Oct 1945 and 3-8 Dec 1945; China Service Medal 19-26 Jan 1946. Decommissioned Norfolk 14 Jun 1946; 'Struck from the Naval Register, 15 June 1946' (conflicts with DANFS/shipscribe 3 Jul 1946 - see ev-06); 'Returned to the Maritime Commission, 16 June 1946' for NDRF James River, Lee Hall, VA (vs MARAD card custody 15 Jun); 'Sold into commercial service by the Maritime Commission, 11 March 1948, to Isthmian Steamship Co., renamed SS Steel Apprentice'; sold for scrapping in Taiwan 4 May 1973 to Tai Kien Industry Co., Ltd. Spec block: 8,100 t lt / 16,100 t fl; 492'6" x 69'6" x 26'6"; 18.4 kt trial; complement 41 off + 437 enl; troop accommodations 92 off + 1,470 enl; boom 30 t; cargo 4,500 DWT non-refrigerated / 180,500 cu ft; boats 12 LCVP + 4 LCM(Mk-6) + 3 LCP(L)(Mk-IV); armament 2 x 5"/38 DP, 4 twin 40mm, 18 single 20mm; fuel NSFO 8,510 bbls + diesel 750 bbls; propulsion 1 G.E. geared turbine, 'two Foster Wheeler D-type boilers' (class-templated - conflicts with SDB per-hull B&W entry, see ev-06), 8,500 shp, single propeller. Namesake Hansford County, Texas. Photo series includes 19-N and NH frames.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-25

   Study period

   1943-1973

   Limitations

   Specialist secondary compilation - detailed but non-official; consistent with DANFS/SDB except the strike date (15 Jun 1946 vs 3 Jul), return-to-custody date (16 Jun vs card 15 Jun), length (492'6" vs SDB 492'0"/DANFS 492'7.5"), and boiler maker (Foster Wheeler vs SDB B&W). Contains no asbestos information; supports no asbestos claim.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-hansford-apa106-03

5. [5]U.S. Maritime Administration, ShipHistory database - HANSFORD (APA-106), Ship History Detail 2086, including digitized vessel status cards [marad_nrc]

   Locator

   ShipHistory Detail 2086 registry block + milestones + Status Cards tab (card text read from scanned images)

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   MARAD ShipHistory registry for this hull: Year Built 1944; Official Number 252498; Shipyard 'Western Pipe & Steel Co.'; MARAD Type C3-S-A2. Digitized vessel status cards document the custody chain: 'Basis to W.S.A. 6-15-46 12Noon EDT @ Lee Hall, Va. from Navy Dept. - Surplus' (Reserve Fleet entry, Lee Hall, Va.); withdrawn 1-25-47, towed by Moran Towing; custody to Bethlehem Steel Co., Boston, Mass., 1-29-47 for merchant conversion; 'Sold to Isthmian SS Co / renamed STEEL APPRENTICE / Title passed to Isthmian 3/11/48 4 PM'; sold 5-4-73 to Tai Kien Industry Co. for scrapping. Card shipyard location field reads 'So. San Fran., Cal.' - resolving the builder-location variants in narrative sources (DANFS/NavSource 'San Francisco'; shipyards.json 'San Pedro' for the company generally).

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-25

   Study period

   1944-1973

   Limitations

   Authoritative MARAD registry plus digitized original status cards - the strongest source for custody chain, builder location, and merchant disposition. Contains no asbestos or materials information; supports no asbestos claim.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-hansford-apa106-04

6. [6]shipscribe.com U.S. Navy Auxiliary Ships - BAYFIELD (APA-33) class, Part 1, class data, construction/disposition tables, class notes, and per-ship notes (Stephen S. Roberts compilation) [other_primary]

   Locator

   APA34.html construction table row APA-106, disposition table row APA-106, class notes, ship notes table APA-106/MC#1551

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   shipscribe class-page row for APA-106 HANSFORD (MC# 1551): builder Western Pipe & Steel; keel 10 Dec 43; launch 25 Apr 44; acquired/renamed 25 Aug 44; commissioned 12 Oct 44; decommissioned 14 Jun 46; 'Strike 3 Jul 46'; MA sale 11 Mar 48. Ship note: 'APA-106 HANSFORD, MC# 1551: Ex merc. SEA ADDER. Ex USS GLADWIN 25 Aug 44. Merc. STEEL APPRENTICE 1948. Scrapped 1973.' Class notes place APA 106-109 in the second Western Pipe & Steel group of the class (MC hulls 1551-1554) and list later 40mm fit for the APA 106-116 group as '2-5"/38 2-40mmT 18-20mm' (actual fit vs SDB ultimate-authorized 4 twin 40mm). Unlike the Ingalls-built hulls, the WPS-built group was completed as APAs in-yard - no separate conversion yard.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-25

   Study period

   1943-1973

   Limitations

   Specialist secondary compilation (Roberts) consistent with DANFS, SDB, and the MARAD card on all overlapping data points. Contains no asbestos or materials information; supports no asbestos claim.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-hansford-apa106-05

7. [7]Source reconciliation - NHHC DANFS + BuShips SDB 1945 v3 + MARAD status card + shipscribe vs NavSource and templated secondary data [other_primary]

   Locator

   DANFS body/spec block; SDB1945v3 APA rows (PDF pp. 276-281); MARAD card images under Detail 2086; NavSource 03106.htm spec/disposal blocks; shipscribe APA34 construction/disposition/class tables

   Finding type

   historical_record

   Finding

   Source discrepancies resolved in favor of official/primary sources: (a) Strike date - NavSource 'Struck ... 15 June 1946' vs DANFS 'stricken from the Navy List on 3 July 1946' and shipscribe 'Strike 3 Jul 46'; adopted 3 Jul (NavSource's 15 Jun appears to transpose the MARAD card's WSA custody entry at Lee Hall, 6-15-46). (b) Custody - NavSource 'returned to the Maritime Commission 16 June 1946' vs MARAD card 'Basis to W.S.A. 6-15-46 @ Lee Hall' vs DANFS 'redelivered to the WSA the following day' (4 Jul, i.e. post-strike formal redelivery); card governs physical custody 15 Jun, DANFS the formal redelivery - both recorded. (c) Merchant sale - DANFS 'on 20 May 1947 sold to Isthmian Lines' vs MARAD card 'Title passed to Isthmian 3/11/48' and shipscribe 'MA Sale 11 Mar 48'; adopted: sale agreement 20 May 1947, title transfer 11 Mar 1948. (d) Boiler maker - NavSource 'two Foster Wheeler D-type boilers' (class-templated) vs SDB per-hull row 'B. & W. "D"' (explicit entry breaking the F.W. ditto chain of APA 110-116); adopted SDB B&W. (e) Builder location - DANFS/NavSource 'San Francisco' vs MARAD card 'So. San Fran., Cal.'; adopted South San Francisco (WPS's wartime yard; the shipyards.json 'San Pedro' entry reflects the company's other yard). (f) Acquisition - DANFS/NavSource/shipscribe 25 Aug 1944 vs SDB construction-row '12 Oct 44' (SDB's acquisition column repeats the commission date for this hull); adopted 25 Aug for MC-to-Navy transfer. (g) Complement/troops - DANFS cpl. 479/trp. 1,500 vs SDB 41+437/92+1,470 vs templated secondary 51+524/80+1,146 plus a 'flag 43+108' row that belongs to the relief-AGC group only; adopted SDB/DANFS, no flag fit for this hull. (h) Speed - DANFS 16 knots vs NavSource 18.4 kt trial and SDB design 18.4; both carried, unresolved (design/trial vs service figure). (i) Length - SDB 492'0" OA vs DANFS 492'7.5" vs NavSource 492'6"; adopted SDB, variants logged. (j) Naming sequence - DANFS lays down the hull as 'Gladwin'; NavSource 'Renamed Gladwin, date unknown'; shipscribe 'Ex merc. SEA ADDER. Ex USS GLADWIN 25 Aug 44'; adopted: MC name Sea Adder, launched as Gladwin, renamed Hansford on Navy acquisition 25 Aug 1944.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   correction

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-25

   Study period

   1943-1973

   Limitations

   Resolves secondary-source conflicts against primary sources (DANFS, BuShips, MARAD card). The 16-vs-18.4 kt speed spread and minor naming-sequence ambiguity remain noted in gaps. None of the compared sources contains asbestos information; this row supports no asbestos claim.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-hansford-apa106-06

8. [8]Consolidated era/design inference - BuShips SDB 1945 v3 machinery row for this hull + C3-S-A2 type data + documented refit/repair events (Hunters Point pre-commissioning drydock 1944; Terminal Island availability 1944; Consolidated Steel drydock 1945; Todd Seattle drydock 1945; Bethlehem Boston merchant conversion 1947-48; repeated merchant repairs incl. Baltimore rebuild 1953-54 with open HP turbine work; Yokohama repairs 1967; Kaohsiung breaking 1973) [other_primary]

   Locator

   SDB1945v3 machinery table row 119; shipscribe APA34 class notes + ship note; DANFS body (yard availabilities and merchant repair history); MARAD status cards (Bethlehem Boston custody 1-29-47)

   Finding type

   asbestos_application

   Finding

   Era/design inference: this hull carried a single-screw geared-steam plant (one General Electric turbine, two Babcock & Wilcox 'D'-type boilers at 465 psi / 765F superheat) built at the peak of WWII asbestos usage - the machinery configuration for which boiler and fireroom insulation, main and auxiliary steam-line lagging, turbine lagging, valve and flange gaskets, machinery packing, and accommodation joiner insulation of the period were commonly asbestos-containing. The documented work history concentrates the candidate disturbance points: the Hunters Point Naval Drydock pre-commissioning availability (Oct 1944); Terminal Island Navy Yard post-shakedown availability (Nov 1944); Consolidated Steel Wilmington drydock repairs (Oct-Nov 1945); Todd Shipyards Seattle propeller drydock (Dec 1945); the 1947-48 Bethlehem Steel Boston merchant conversion; a documented merchant repair history including the 1949 boiler-fire economizer renewal, the 1953-54 Baltimore rebuild (16 plates, 68 frames, rudder stock, open high-pressure turbine work), repeated Baltimore/New York/Yokohama repairs through 1967-68; and the 1973 breaking at Kaohsiung.

   Verification

   inferred

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   class_or_era

   Accessed

   2026-09-25

   Study period

   1943-1973

   Population

   Construction trades at Western Pipe & Steel South San Francisco (1943-44); Hunters Point and Terminal Island availability workers (1944); wartime crew, embarked troops, beach party, and treated casualties; Consolidated Steel Wilmington and Todd Seattle repair workers (1945); Bethlehem Boston conversion workers (1947-48); merchant crews and repair yards at Baltimore, New York, Yokohama, and other ports (1948-73); Taiwan breaking-yard workers (1973)

   Limitations

   Inference from the documented machinery plant, construction era, builder contract program, and documented refit/repair events - NOT a hull record. No survey, specification, material schedule, or asbestos record naming APA-106 or MC Hull 1551 was located; establishes no asbestos content, quantity, location, individual exposure, or causation.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-hansford-apa106-07

9. [9]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 construction program under which this C3-S-A2 hull was built.

   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 or class 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-hansford-apa106-08

10. [10]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

    2026-09-25

    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, or builder yard 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-hansford-apa106-09

11. [11]Franklin v. USX Corp., 87 Cal. App. 4th 615, 105 Cal. Rptr. 2d 11 (Cal. Ct. App. 2001) - CourtListener opinion 2287235 [court_record]

    Locator

    87 Cal. App. 4th 615, statement of facts and successor-liability analysis (CourtListener cluster 2287235)

    Finding type

    litigation_documented

    Finding

    Published appellate opinion documents that at the Western Pipe & Steel shipyard in South San Francisco during World War II, WPS 'entered into a contract with the United States Maritime Commission to again build ships for use in the war' and 'the contract required the use of ship building materials containing asbestos' - the same yard and the same Maritime Commission contract program under which MC Hull 1551 (this vessel) was built 1943-44. The underlying action was take-home exposure: plaintiffs' decedent Jeannette Franklin contracted mesothelioma from childhood secondhand exposure to asbestos carried home by her parents, who worked at the WPS yard during WWII. The successor-in-interest issue was tried on stipulated facts; a jury then returned a verdict against USX in excess of $5 million. The Court of Appeal reversed solely on successor liability, holding the 1946 purchase agreement unambiguously did not transfer WPS tort liabilities to USX - the exposure findings were not disturbed.

    Verification

    verified

    Role

    context

    Documentation level

    class_or_era

    Accessed

    2026-09-25

    Study period

    construction period 1942-45; opinion 2001

    Population

    WWII workers at Western Pipe & Steel South San Francisco and their household members (yard context)

    Limitations

    Yard-level litigation documentation, not a hull record: the opinion names the builder's Maritime Commission contract program and the South San Francisco yard, not MC Hull 1551 or this vessel; it establishes that asbestos materials were contract-required at the yard in the hull's construction period but not asbestos aboard any specific hull. Litigation stage: trial verdict (stipulated facts + jury) reversed on appeal on successor-liability grounds only; the take-home exposure findings stand as trial-stage record. Does not establish any exposure aboard this hull or any claim's merits.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-hansford-apa106-10

12. [12]Norfleet & Lane v. Isthmian Lines, Inc., 355 F.2d 359 (2d Cir. 1966) - CourtListener opinion 270390 [court_record]

    Locator

    355 F.2d 359, facts and instruction-error analysis (CourtListener cluster 270390; dockets 29433/29434)

    Finding type

    litigation_documented

    Finding

    Published appellate opinion naming this hull's merchant identity: on 16 December 1958, longshoremen William Norfleet and David Lane (Whitehall Terminal Corp. employees) were working aboard 'the vessel S.S. Steel Apprentice owned by' Isthmian Lines, berthed at Pier 1, Army Base, Norfolk, Va., when a padeye/collar attached to the ship's 30-ton jumbo boom broke and the boom rigging and part of the fractured padeye fell into the No. 5 hatch 'tween deck area, allegedly striking the plaintiffs. The case went to the jury solely on breach of the warranty of seaworthiness (negligence claim withdrawn); the jury returned a verdict for Isthmian. The Second Circuit reversed and remanded for a new trial because a supplemental instruction issued at the defendant's instance confused the jury and misstated controlling law; Isthmian's third-party claim against stevedore Whitehall was implicated.

    Verification

    verified

    Role

    context

    Documentation level

    ship_specific

    Accessed

    2026-09-25

    Study period

    injury 1958; opinion 1966

    Population

    Longshoremen aboard S.S. Steel Apprentice, Norfolk Army Base, 1958

    Limitations

    Non-asbestos personal-injury litigation - no asbestos content or exposure allegation anywhere in the opinion. Ship-specific (the vessel is the injury situs) but documents only that the hull was the site of a 1958 stevedoring accident suit. Disposition described exactly: jury verdict for shipowner reversed and remanded on instructional error; seaworthiness merits unadjudicated.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-hansford-apa106-11

13. [13]Iravani Mottaghi v. Barkey Importing Co., 134 F. Supp. 719 (S.D.N.Y. 1955, Noonan, J.) and 244 F.2d 238 (2d Cir. 1957) - CourtListener opinions 8738379 and 242178 [court_record]

    Locator

    244 F.2d 238 (voyage table and allocation analysis); 134 F. Supp. 719 (CourtListener clusters 242178, 8738379)

    Finding type

    litigation_documented

    Finding

    Published contract-litigation opinions naming this hull's merchant identity as carrying vessel: a wool-import contract dispute between Iranian exporter M. Shafi Iravani Mottaghi and New York importer Barkey Importing Co. over 1950-51 shipments. The opinions list S.S. Steel Apprentice as the carrying vessel on voyage #5 (departed Iran 21 Jul 1950, arrived New York 7 Sep 1950, ~124-130 tons of wool) and voyage #11 (departed 23 Nov 1950, arrived New York 4 Jan 1951, ~210 tons), with cargo allocations disputed between the parties' contracts. The vessel and its owner were not parties; the ship appears only as transport.

    Verification

    verified

    Role

    context

    Documentation level

    ship_specific

    Accessed

    2026-09-25

    Study period

    voyages 1950-51; opinions 1955, 1957

    Limitations

    Non-asbestos contract litigation - the hull is incidentally named as the carrying vessel; no claim against the ship, no asbestos content, no exposure allegation. Included only to complete the litigation surface for the hull's merchant identity.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-hansford-apa106-12

14. [14]Pruitt v. Air & Liquid Systems Corp., C.A. No. 18-1101-MN-SRF (D. Del., In re Asbestos Litigation / MDL-875 track) - Report and Recommendation (2020-07-30) and Memorandum Opinion, verified via ded.uscourts.gov opinion PDFs [court_record]

    Locator

    Report & Recommendation, Facts section (plaintiff's ship assignments); https://www.ded.uscourts.gov/sites/ded/files/opinions/18-1101_1.pdf

    Finding type

    litigation_documented

    Finding

    The located attack-transport asbestos docket names the lead ship of this same class: plaintiff John W. Pruitt Sr. alleged mesothelioma from asbestos exposure as a machinist mate stationed in 1958 on 'the USS Bayfield, an attack transport' (APA-33, Bayfield class - the class lead ship of Hansford's class) and in 1959 on USS Tolovana (AO-64, Cimarron-class oiler). No docketed asbestos opinion naming USS Hansford, APA-106, Gladwin, or Steel Apprentice was located in CourtListener or indexed sources.

    Verification

    verified

    Role

    context

    Documentation level

    context_only

    Accessed

    2026-09-25

    Study period

    opinions 2020; service 1958-1963

    Population

    Navy veterans of Bayfield-class APAs (class context)

    Limitations

    Same class but different hull - carried only to document that the Bayfield-class/APA asbestos-litigation surface exists while no Hansford-specific asbestos docket was found. Deposition-stage exposure descriptions are allegations, not findings; summary-judgment stage, no merits finding on exposure. CourtListener opinion sweeps for name, hull number, interim name, and merchant name all ran clean - see search_ledger.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-hansford-apa106-13

15. [15]Batch-2174 search ledger (this record): NHHC/DANFS via Wayback; NavSource 03106; MARAD ShipHistory Detail 2086 + status cards; BuShips SDB 1945 v3; shipscribe APA-34 class page; CourtListener opinion and docket sweeps; indexed-web litigation checks; NARA record-group guides [other_primary]

    Locator

    search_ledger rows sl-uss-hansford-apa106-01 through sl-uss-hansford-apa106-14

    Finding type

    historical_record

    Finding

    No qualifying ship-specific asbestos record located: no asbestos survey, abatement contract, hazmat disclosure, court finding, or docketed asbestos case naming USS Hansford / APA-106 / M.C. Hull 1551 / Gladwin / Steel Apprentice was found in the public sources searched (see search_ledger). CourtListener: 'Hansford' opinion sweep returned only name collisions (Hansford T. Johnson as Acting Secretary of the Navy and unrelated parties; personal bankruptcies); '"USS Hansford"' variants returned no qualifying hit; '"APA-106"' exact returned zero; '"Steel Apprentice"' returned three hits - two Mottaghi wool-contract opinions (carrying-vessel mention) and Norfleet v. Isthmian (longshore injury) - none asbestos-related; docket sweeps returned personal-bankruptcy collisions and zero precise-variant hits. Law-firm marketing pages list the hull in generic rosters (asbestos-ships.com publishes a templated 'Areas With Asbestos Exposure' section for this hull; Simmons Hanly Conroy and mesotheliomaasbestoshelpcenter.com ship lists) without primary support - excluded as sources per the no-law-firm-sources rule.

    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 1943-44 geared-steam transport built at a yard whose MC contract required asbestos materials is era-consistent with asbestos-containing materials, and her documented 1947-48 conversion, repeated merchant repairs (incl. turbine work), war-zone repair events, and 1973 Taiwan breaking are undocumented disturbance phases. Does not establish presence or absence; does not establish or defeat any exposure claim or legal eligibility.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-hansford-apa106-14

16. [16]NARA Guide to Federal Records: RG 24 (Records of the Bureau of Naval Personnel - Navy deck logs), RG 19 (Records of the Bureau of Ships), RG 178 (Records of the U.S. Maritime Commission), RG 357 (Records of the Maritime Administration); MARAD ShipHistory documents/cards for this hull (status cards retrieved; no additional documents listed) [other_primary]

    Locator

    https://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/024.html ; /groups/019.html ; /groups/178.html ; /groups/357.html ; MARAD Detail 2086 cards tab (retrieved)

    Finding type

    historical_record

    Finding

    Archival leads (not retrieved - requires research-room or reproduction order; no spend authorized): Navy deck logs for USS Hansford 1944-1946 (RG 24, NARA College Park); BuShips records incl. C3-S-A2 contract plans, Booklet of General Plans, and the Hunters Point/Terminal Island availability files (RG 19); USMC construction-contract records and hull correspondence for M.C. Hull 1551 at Western Pipe & Steel, South San Francisco (RG 178); MARAD/NDRF custody files covering the 1946 Lee Hall lay-up, the 1947-48 Bethlehem Steel Boston merchant conversion, the 1948 Isthmian title transfer, and the 1973 Tai Kien scrapping sale (RG 357); Western Pipe & Steel yard records (company collections, incl. any surviving So. San Francisco yard material).

    Verification

    unverified

    Role

    archival_lead

    Documentation level

    context_only

    Accessed

    2026-09-25

    Study period

    1943-1973 records

    Limitations

    Record-group 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-hansford-apa106-15