USS Hector (AR-7)

Evidence

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

1. [1]research packet av-packet.md (5 sources cited) [nhhc_danfs]

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   Identity packet verdict: VERIFIED

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Evidence ID

   uss-hector-ar7-pkt-av-packet-md

2. [2]Board of Veterans' Appeals, Citation Nr. 0104870, decision date 2001-02-16, Docket No. 98-10 077A (Winston-Salem RO) - full text read at va.gov [court_record]

   Locator

   BVA decision text: Introduction (service dates); REMAND recital (asbestos claim theory; machinist's-mate duties; 'USS HECTOR (AR-7)' service; repair-vessel reasoning; express finding 'the veteran was exposed to asbestos in-service'); remand directives 1-4

   Finding type

   litigation_documented

   Finding

   Official VA Board of Veterans' Appeals decision naming this hull by hull number: Citation Nr. 0104870 (decided 2001-02-16; Docket No. 98-10 077A; appeal from the Winston-Salem, N.C. RO; Board member Derek R. Brown). The veteran (active duty April 1943-April 1946 and September 1950-February 1952; Navy machinist's mate) 'served on board the USS HECTOR (AR-7) during World War II'; his widow claimed his fatal COPD resulted from asbestos exposure 'in the course of his work with pipe insulation.' The Board wrote: 'By definition the veteran's job entailed working in the "bowels" of his ship. Hence, it must be conceded that he was exposed to steam pipes, etc. which were insulated with asbestos. Additionally, as he served on board a repair vessel, it is highly likely that he worked on board other ships and at times was required to remove pipe insulation to effectuate a repair of disabled vessels. Hence, the Board finds that the veteran was exposed to asbestos in-service.' The claim was REMANDED for a pulmonologist nexus opinion; the decision states it 'intimates no opinion, either legal or factual, concerning the ultimate disposition' and 'does not constitute a decision of the Board on the merits.'

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-26

   Study period

   service 1943-1946, 1950-1952; claim adjudicated 1997-2001

   Population

   One Navy veteran (machinist's mate aboard AR-7, WWII service) and widow-appellant

   Limitations

   Stage discipline: administrative benefits adjudication, not a tort finding - the in-service exposure finding is made at the conceded/occupational-presumption level ('it must be conceded'; 'highly likely'), covering service across WWII and Korea that was not isolated to this hull, and the claimed disability (COPD) claim was remanded without a merits disposition on asbestos causation; the exposure finding nonetheless is an adjudicated Board finding naming AR-7. The decision's parenthetical describing Hector as 'a modified VULCAN Class Liberty ship' repeats the erroneous DANFS phrase (see correction row ev-uss-hector-ar7-08). Establishes no material inventory, no exposure for other crew, no product identification, and no legal eligibility outcome.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-hector-ar7-01

3. [3]Complaint, Exhibit A (plaintiff exposure recitals), Halseth v. General Electric Co., No. 3:07-cv-02543-EMC (N.D. Cal. May 14, 2007), ECF No. 1-2 - RECAP PDF read in full [court_record]

   Locator

   RECAP gov.uscourts.cand.192004.1.1.pdf pp. 1-4 (Halseth recital: 'USS HECTOR (AR-7)', turbine insulation removal, valve/boiler gasket work) and pp. 3-4 (Wagenman recital: 'U.S.S. HECTOR (AR 7)', Pier 9 Long Beach, incorporated Clarke County asbestos duties)

   Finding type

   litigation_documented

   Finding

   Pleading-stage asbestos litigation naming this hull by hull number for two plaintiffs: complaint Exhibit A vessel/exposure recitals in Halseth v. General Electric Co., No. 3:07-cv-02543-EMC (N.D. Cal., filed 14 May 2007; Brayton Purcell LLP; cause 28:1332 Diversity-Asbestos Litigation; docket terminated 13 Jun 2016). Plaintiff Michael Halseth (Machinist's Mate, USS HECTOR (AR-7), 1963-1965; also USS Mispillion AO-105, 1965-66; diagnosed asbestosis 2006-10-13 and asbestos-related pleural disease 2007-02-09) stated: 'On the USS HECTOR, plaintiff removed asbestos insulation from WESTINGHOUSE turbines, which would release a lot of dust'; he 'rebuild[ed]... steam valves by installing asbestos packing and gaskets' (recalling GARLOCK packing, CRANE CO. valves, GARLOCK/FLEXITALLIC/VICTOR gaskets), 'worked with asbestos insulation for valves and boilers,' served as a firefighter in the engine room, and was 'around shipyard workers when they were repairing BABCOCK & WILCOX boilers'; his listed exposure locations include Naval Repair Facility San Diego (32nd St. Annex), Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, Long Beach Naval Shipyard, and NAS Alameda. Plaintiff Robert Wagenman (Electrician, 'U.S.S. HECTOR (AR 7), Pier 9, Long Beach,' 9/1964-6/1965; diagnosed asbestos-related pleural disease and asbestosis 2005-08-22) incorporated the asbestos duty description given for USS Clarke County (LST-601) - 'pipes were wrapped with asbestos cloth and mud,' asbestos-wrapped exhaust and steam pipes, asbestos arch shields and wrapped wiring - recalled a fire aboard Hector he helped contain, and cleaning electrical systems aboard her 'with a brush.'

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-26

   Study period

   alleged exposure 1963-1965; complaint filed 2007; docket terminated 2016

   Population

   Two USS Hector crew members (Machinist's Mate 1963-65; Electrician 1964-65) among consolidated plaintiffs

   Limitations

   Stage discipline: PLEADING ALLEGATIONS in a consolidated complaint - the filing is authentic and verified, but every exposure statement is an unadjudicated claimant recollection; no merits ruling on the AR-7 allegations was located (the docket shows termination 2016-06-13 without an opinion adjudicating exposure aboard this hull; no published opinion names 'USS Hector' in CourtListener). Allegation-level discrepancies preserved: the pleading says 'WESTINGHOUSE turbines' while the documented plant is Allis-Chalmers (NavSource/Shipscribe). Establishes that asbestos was claimed aboard this hull by two crew members - not that it was present, nor quantity, causation, or any other person's exposure.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-hector-ar7-02

4. [4]Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Naval History Division), 'Hector III (AR-7)' - verbatim HyperWar/ibiblio transcription (live NHHC page 404 on 2026-09-26, same link-rot pattern as Batch-01) [nhhc_danfs]

   Locator

   DANFS AR-7 entry full text; transcription by Patrick Clancey, HyperWar Foundation

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   DANFS entry for Hector III (AR-7): launched 11 November 1942 by Los Angeles Shipbuilding & Drydock Co., sponsored by Mrs. Schuyler F. Heim; commissioned 7 February 1944, Comdr. J. W. Long in command. Header statistics: dp. 9,140; l. 529'5"; b. 73'4"; dr. 23'4"; s. 19 k.; cpl. 1,108; a. 4 5", 8 40mm.; cl. Vulcan. Narrative: Pearl Harbor repairs Apr-Jun 1944; Eniwetok summer 1944; Ulithi from 30 Sep 1944 including repair of torpedoed cruiser Houston (alongside 27 Oct, completed by end of year despite typhoons); Tarragona, Leyte Gulf from 21 Feb 1945; return to Ulithi 30 Mar; Saipan from 22 May 1945; post-war return-preparation duty; Long Beach from 3 Feb 1946; first WestPac May 1947; Korean War service from Yokosuka 18 Sep 1950 and Inchon 25 Sep 1950, alternating Korea/Japan repair duty with Long Beach; postwar alternating Long Beach duty and WestPac cruises as intermittent flagship for Service Squadrons 1 and 3; Far East operations Jun 1963-Jan 1964; modernization overhaul at Long Beach Jul 1965-Feb 1966; Subic Bay and Far East repairs Aug 1966-Mar 1967; bracketed note records decommissioning 31 March 1987.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-26

   Study period

   1942-1987 (entry narrative ends mid-1967; bracketed decommissioning note added)

   Limitations

   Authoritative for identity, construction sponsor/dates, and service narrative through mid-1967 (where the published entry ends). Contains one demonstrable error - the phrase 'a modified Liberty ship' - corrected in row ev-uss-hector-ar7-08. Contains no asbestos, materials, survey, or abatement statement; supports no asbestos claim. Post-1967 history documented by other rows.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-hector-ar7-03

5. [5]Shipscribe (U.S. Naval auxiliary vessel reference), USS Vulcan (AR-5) class page - construction and disposition tables, class notes [other_primary]

   Locator

   Class header data; Construction table row AR-7 HECTOR; Disposition table row AR-7; Class Notes (design history; FY-program notes)

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   Shipscribe AR-5 (Vulcan) class record: per-hull construction table gives HECTOR ordered 4 Nov 1940, builder Los Angeles SB & DD, keel 28 Jul 1941, launch 11 Nov 1942, commission 7 Feb 1944; disposition table gives decommission 31 Mar 87, strike '19 Aug 94,' disposal/transfer '20 Apr 89' (fate 'Trf.'). Class data: design 'Navy AR-5' (purpose-designed repair ship - class notes document the 1933-1936 General Board characteristic process); complement 1,032 (1944); speed 19.2 kt; propulsion 11,000 HP, 'NYSB turbines (Allis-Chalmers in AR 6-8), 2 screws'; armament evolution including 4-5"/38 4-40mmT 8<14-20mmT (1946-56, all), 'none (1972-74: AR 7-8),' and 4-20mmS (1975-79, all).

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-26

   Study period

   1940-1995

   Limitations

   Specialist scholarly reference compiled from official construction/custody records - not itself a government publication; the keel date (28 Jul 1941) is the only laid-down date located and is carried as secondary-scholarly (flagged in gaps). Strike date conflicts with NavSource's 1 Jul 1994 - carried unresolved. No asbestos content; the documented 'Navy AR-5' design provenance refutes the 'modified Liberty ship' error.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-hector-ar7-04

6. [6]U.S. Maritime Administration, ShipHistory database - HECTOR (AR-7), Ship History Detail 5501, incl. digitized MA-20 Record of Ship Sales status card (5501_AF.jpg) [marad_nrc]

   Locator

   ShipHistory Detail 5501 fields; status card image https://vesselhistory.marad.dot.gov/cards/5501_AF.jpg (read in full)

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   MARAD ShipHistory record and digitized vessel status card for HECTOR (AR-7): database fields list year built 1942, shipyard 'Los Angeles Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Corporation,' type Naval Auxiliary / AR Repair Ship, length 529 ft, beam 73 ft, missions WWII/Korean War/Vietnam War, fate 'Sold - No Further Info.' The status card (Form MA-20, Record of Ship Sales) records: type 'Tender (Navy Design)'; AWARDED TO Ruby Enterprises Inc. c/o A. L. Burbank (Shipbrokers) Ltd.; DATE 9-9-94; PURCHASE PRICE $1,601,000.00; CONTRACT NO. MA-12934; YEAR BUILT '1943'; dimensions Length 529'03", Breadth 73'03", Depth 63'10"; gross tons LSW 8,166; LOCATION OF VESSEL Singapore; remarks 'Pursuant to Section 510(i) (as amended by Public Law 101-595, enacted Nov. 16, 1990) of the Merchant Marine Act, 1916, as amended (EXC-8632).'

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-26

   Study period

   1942-1994

   Population

   Shipbreakers at the destination yard (unidentified Indian yard per NavSource)

   Limitations

   Authoritative for government custody milestones and the sale contract terms. Card's 'YEAR BUILT 1943' conflicts with the database field's 1942 and the documented launch (11 Nov 1942) - logged in gaps. Card establishes sale for scrapping under the section 510(i) overseas-scrapping authority at Singapore; it does not name the breaking yard (NavSource reports India's coast). Contains no asbestos, materials, or condition-survey information; supports no asbestos claim.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-hector-ar7-05

7. [7]NavSource Online, Service Ship Photo Archive, USS Hector (AR-7) page (contributed by Al Grazevich) - Wayback capture of 2024-12-11 read in full (live page not retrievable 2026-09-26) [other_primary]

   Locator

   NavSource AR-7 page: specifications block; awards ribbon table; campaign tables; disposition chronology; photo caption captions (Mare Island 1975/1977; Hunters Point 1981 overhaul)

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   NavSource service-ship archive page for USS Hector (AR-7): decommissioned 31 March 1987 at San Diego; laid up Pacific Reserve Fleet; leased to Pakistan 20 April 1989 and renamed Moawin; returned to U.S. custody at Singapore 1994; struck from the Naval Register 1 July 1994; custody transferred to MARAD 7 July 1994; sold 9 September 1994 for scrapping to Ruby Enterprises of India c/o Burbank Enterprises (Shipbrokers Inc.) for $1,601,000 under MARAD contract MA-12934; final disposition cut up for scrap on the coast of India. Campaign/award table: China service 25 May-24 Oct 1947; Korean War North Korean Aggression campaign 23 Sep-4 Oct 1950; Vietnam campaigns - Counteroffensive Phase VII 24 Jul-18 Aug 1970, Consolidation II 21 Feb-16 Mar and 14-30 Apr 1972, Ceasefire 12-16 Jul 1972; one Korean battle star, three Vietnam campaign stars, MUC, Battle 'E', three Humanitarian Service Medals (New Life; Diego Suarez; Boat People). Specifications: 9,430 lt/16,200 fl tons; 529'5" x 73'4" x 26' max; 19.2 kts; 65 officers/1,043 enlisted; 4 x 5"/38 and 4 twin 40mm; propulsion - 2 Allis-Chalmers steam turbines, 4 Babcock & Wilcox 3-drum boilers 400 psi/730 deg, double Falk main reduction gears, 6 x 750 kW 450 V AC generators, 2 propellers 11,000 shp.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-26

   Study period

   1942-1994

   Limitations

   Volunteer-compiled archive aggregating official data (Navy campaign lists, NVR-style milestones, U.S. Navy photos) - treated here as a corroborating secondary index, not a primary record; the MARAD card independently verifies the 9-9-94 sale terms. The 1 Jul 1994 strike date conflicts with Shipscribe's 19 Aug 94 - unresolved. Photo captions document Mare Island returns (Aug 1975, Oct 1977) and the 1981 Hunters Point overhaul - establishing those yard relationships. No asbestos content.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-hector-ar7-06

8. [8]NHHC command operation reports archive (history.navy.mil): Passumpsic 1968 COR PDF; Camden 1970 COR PDF [nhhc_danfs]

   Locator

   Passumpsic 1968 COR, April chronology section ('21-25 Repair availability with USS HECTOR (AR 7)'); Camden 1970 COR, December 1970 Sasebo upkeep narrative; companion file https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/archives/command-operation-reports/vietnam/CAMDEN%201970.pdf

   Finding type

   historical_record

   Finding

   Official Navy command operation reports hosted by NHHC document this hull performing its repair function on fleet units: the USS Passumpsic (AO-107) 1968 Vietnam command operation report records '21-25 Repair availability with USS HECTOR (AR 7)'; the USS Camden (AOE-2) 1970 report records a December 1970 Sasebo upkeep period in which 'the Repair Ship USS HECTOR (AR-7)' and Ship Repair Facility Sasebo assisted with problems including overhaul of several main engine pumps and removal/re-work of cargo cranes. A BVA decision (Citation Nr. 1040405, 2010 - see context row) likewise records that in April 1972 'the USS Higbee was bombed by a MiG-17 and traveled for two days to reach Da Nang Harbor for inspection and repair by the USS Hector.'

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-26

   Study period

   1968-1972

   Population

   AR-7 repair crews performing availability work on client ships (1968-1972 documented events)

   Limitations

   Official Navy operational documents naming AR-7 performing repair availabilities on other hulls (pump overhauls, crane re-work, battle-damage repair) - corroborates the repair-vessel pathway described in BVA 0104870 (crew working on disabled ships' machinery). Contains no asbestos, insulation, or materials statement; documents work performed, not exposure. Supports the occupational-context claim only.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-hector-ar7-07

9. [9]DANFS AR-7 entry (claim) vs. Shipscribe AR-5 class record (design provenance) and documented dimensions (DANFS header; MARAD MA-20 card); EC2 Liberty standard dimensions for comparison [nhhc_danfs]

   Locator

   DANFS opening paragraph + bracketed editorial note; Shipscribe class notes (design history); MARAD card dimension fields

   Finding type

   historical_record

   Finding

   Correction: the DANFS text describes Hector (AR-7) as 'a modified Liberty ship,' and the BVA decision 0104870 repeats the phrase as 'a modified VULCAN Class Liberty ship.' Both are wrong on the record's own numbers: the same sources give her dimensions as 529'5" x 73'4" (MARAD card: 529'03" x 73'03", 8,166 LSW gross tons) versus the EC2 Liberty standard of ~441'6" x 56'10"; the Shipscribe class record documents a purpose-designed 'Navy AR-5' repair-ship design developed through the 1933-36 General Board characteristics process, and no other Vulcan-class unit (AR-5, AR-6, AR-8) carries the Liberty-ship description. The HyperWar transcription carries a bracketed editorial note flagging the same discrepancy.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   correction

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-26

   Study period

   1941-2001 (publication history of the error)

   Limitations

   Resolves a repeated descriptive error in the source chain (DANFS -> BVA recital) that could otherwise propagate into asbestos-era framing ('Liberty ship conversion'). Does not itself bear on asbestos; kept so downstream readers do not conflate this hull with EC2 construction.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-hector-ar7-08

10. [10]NavSource AR-7 specifications (plant data) + Shipscribe AR-5 class machinery table + DANFS repair-mission narrative; asbestos material inference per Corn & Starr 1987 (see ev-uss-hector-ar7-10) [other_primary]

    Locator

    NavSource specifications block (boilers/turbines/gears/generators); Shipscribe class table; DANFS narrative (repair function)

    Finding type

    asbestos_application

    Finding

    Era-consistent asbestos inference for the documented plant and mission: this hull's machinery is documented as four Babcock & Wilcox 3-drum boilers (400 psi, 730 deg F) feeding two Allis-Chalmers geared steam turbines, 11,000 shp twin-screw, with six 750 kW turbogenerators - the high-pressure steam plant configuration for which boiler insulation, steam-line/turbine lagging, flange gaskets, valve packing, and generator insulation were commonly asbestos-containing in 1941-44 U.S. naval construction; as a repair ship she additionally carried shop spaces (foundry, machine, pump/valve, welding, diesel) whose work routinely disturbed lagging, gaskets, and packing on client vessels' machinery (the removal-of-pipe-insulation pathway the BVA decision describes).

    Verification

    inferred

    Role

    supporting

    Documentation level

    class_or_era

    Accessed

    2026-09-26

    Study period

    1942-1987 service life

    Population

    AR-7 engineering watchstanders and repair-shop ratings; yard workers at documented overhauls (Long Beach 1965-66; Todd San Pedro 1969-70; Hunters Point 1980-81)

    Limitations

    INFERENCE ONLY: the machinery is hull-documented but no source located states that this hull's insulation contained asbestos - the asbestos content is era/design inference, consistent with (not established by) the claims records. Does not establish quantity, location, condition, present-day presence (hull scrapped 1994-95), individual exposure, or causation.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-hector-ar7-09

11. [11]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); plus DVB Circular 21-88-8 as cited in BVA 0104870 [other_primary]

    Locator

    Abstract and article, AJIM 11(3):359-373; DVB circular recited within the BVA decision text

    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 program under which this purpose-built repair ship was constructed (ordered Nov 1940, keel Jul 1941) - and that wartime demand drove unprecedented asbestos utilization aboard U.S. naval and merchant hulls; the BVA decision for this hull likewise cites DVB Circular 21-88-8 (Asbestos-Related Diseases, May 1988) recognizing chrysotile, amosite, and crocidolite use in WWII military ship construction.

    Verification

    verified

    Role

    context

    Documentation level

    class_or_era

    Accessed

    2026-09-26

    Study period

    1940s era documented; article 1987; circular 1988

    Population

    WWII shipyard workers and ship crews (class context)

    Limitations

    Program/era-level scholarly and agency documentation of asbestos use in WWII shipbuilding generally; does not name this vessel and does not establish that asbestos was or remained aboard this hull, nor quantity, location, condition, exposure, or causation.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-hector-ar7-10

12. [12]GAO/NSIAD-99-18, 'Federal Surplus Ships: Government Efforts to Address the Growing Backlog of Ships Awaiting Disposal' (Dec 1998) [gao]

    Locator

    NSIAD-99-18: scope summary (Navy/MARAD surplus ships), ship-scrapping hazard narrative, Table/notes on 1983-1994 MARAD overseas sales and PCB-export suspension

    Finding type

    environmental_record

    Finding

    GAO program-level documentation of the disposal channel this hull passed through: from 1983 through 1994 'MARAD sold almost all of its ships for overseas scrapping'; ship scrapping is 'a labor-intensive industry with extremely high risks with respect to environmental and worker safety issues,' and 'ships typically contain environmentally hazardous materials such as asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), lead, mercury, and cadmium,' with remediation required before and during dismantling; overseas scrapping was later constrained by the EPA PCB-export prohibition (1994) and a 1997 Navy-EPA resumption agreement. Hector's sale (MARAD MA-20 card, Singapore, 9 Sep 1994, section 510(i) authority) sits inside the documented 1983-94 overseas-scrapping window, and NavSource records final breaking on India's coast.

    Verification

    verified

    Role

    context

    Documentation level

    context_only

    Accessed

    2026-09-26

    Study period

    1983-1998 (program window); hull sold 1994

    Population

    Overseas shipbreaking workers (program-level context)

    Limitations

    Program-level disposal documentation - establishes the hull's disposal channel and that ships of this cohort 'typically' contained asbestos/PCBs at scrapping; does not document materials aboard THIS hull, the receiving yard's conditions, or any exposure at the Indian breaking site.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-hector-ar7-11

13. [13]Board of Veterans' Appeals, Citation Nr. 1040405, decision date 2010-10-27, Docket No. 04-43 873 (Oakland RO) - full text read at va.gov [court_record]

    Locator

    BVA decision text: service-record recital (USS Hector Mar 1972-Jul 1973, marine mechanic, USN/RVN ship repairs; Vung Tau/Da Nang/Subic windows; Higbee battle-damage repair)

    Finding type

    litigation_documented

    Finding

    A second docketed Board of Veterans' Appeals decision names this hull on a NON-asbestos issue: Citation Nr. 1040405 (decided 27 Oct 2010; Docket No. 04-43 873; Oakland, Cal. RO - a PTSD stressor claim, denied). The veteran served aboard USS Hector March 1972-July 1973 as a 'marine mechanic' whose 'duties involved repairing ships belonging to both the U.S. Navy and the Navy of the Republic of South Vietnam'; the decision records the ship at Vung Tau (Feb-Mar 1972), Da Nang (two weeks April 1972; one week July 1972), and Subic Bay during the period, and that 'in April 1972 the USS Higbee was bombed by a MiG-17 and traveled for two days to reach Da Nang Harbor for inspection and repair by the USS Hector.'

    Verification

    verified

    Role

    context

    Documentation level

    ship_specific

    Accessed

    2026-09-26

    Study period

    service 1972-1973; claim adjudicated ~2004-2010

    Population

    Ship's company 1972-1973 (the veteran's service window)

    Limitations

    Non-asbestos adjudication - recorded to document the hull's claims-record surface and to corroborate the repair mission in Vietnam waters, including work on a battle-damaged ship. Classified 'other litigation'; carries no asbestos content and does not establish any exposure.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-hector-ar7-12

14. [14]CourtListener API v4 opinion and RECAP docket searches, all via authenticated fleet-paced helper (2026-09-26) [court_record]

    Locator

    search_ledger rows sl-uss-hector-ar7-06 through sl-uss-hector-ar7-11

    Finding type

    litigation_documented

    Finding

    CourtListener sweep results: opinion search 'USS Hector' returned 0 hits; 'AR-7' alone returned 423 hits that are all name collisions (docket-number fragments e.g. 'AR 07-5448', Arkansas/AR reporter citations, and the ArmaLite AR-7 rifle appearing in non-ship cases); 'Hector' AND asbestos returned 109 hits, all surname collisions (Hector Leon, Hector Laurel, et al.); 'AR-7' AND asbestos returned 5 hits, all collisions. Docket (RECAP) search for 'USS Hector' returned 4 dockets whose indexed full text contains the phrase: Halseth v. GE (qualifying pleading, ev-uss-hector-ar7-02); Watts v. 84 Lumber (S.D. Ill. 3:13-cv-00311 line, order at doc 290) and Coad v. Crane Co. (D. Del. 1:22-cv-00727, notice of removal) - both asbestos matters whose matching documents are not retrievable from RECAP storage (filed-level hits uncharacterized); and the MDL-875 JPML master docket via a tag-along complaint schedule (unverified for this hull).

    Verification

    verified

    Role

    context

    Documentation level

    ship_specific

    Accessed

    2026-09-26

    Study period

    2026-09-26

    Limitations

    Sweep result, not a finding on the merits: one qualifying pleading-stage complaint (Halseth) located; no published opinion names the hull; three additional full-text docket hits could not be characterized because the matching RECAP documents are unavailable - logged as pending rather than claimed. Absence of a published opinion does not mean no filings exist.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-hector-ar7-13

15. [15]Batch-2529 search ledger (this record): all rows sl-uss-hector-ar7-01 through sl-uss-hector-ar7-16 [other_primary]

    Locator

    search_ledger rows sl-uss-hector-ar7-01 through sl-uss-hector-ar7-16

    Finding type

    historical_record

    Finding

    Negative finding for hull-specific asbestos documentation: beyond the claims records above, no asbestos survey, insulation specification, abatement contract, hazmat disclosure, or NRHP/NHL documentation was located for this hull in the public sources searched (DANFS, Shipscribe class record, NavSource, MARAD ShipHistory 5501 + status card, GAO disposal reports, NHHC command operation reports, CourtListener opinion/docket indexes, VA BVA decisions). The hull no longer exists - scrapped in India 1994-95 - so no present-day ACM condition is assessable.

    Verification

    verified

    Role

    negative_finding

    Documentation level

    ship_specific

    Accessed

    2026-09-26

    Study period

    2026-09-26

    Limitations

    Absence of a located public record does not prove absence of asbestos aboard - a 1941-keeled high-pressure steam plant plus four documented yard availabilities are era-consistent with asbestos-containing materials, and the BVA exposure finding + complaint allegations argue for it - but no survey-grade document exists. Does not establish presence or absence; does not establish or defeat any exposure claim or legal eligibility.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-hector-ar7-14

16. [16]NARA record-group mapping (RG 24 deck logs; RG 19 Bureau of Ships); USS Hector AR-7 Association archive description (usshector.com photos/documents pages) [other_primary]

    Locator

    NARA RG 24 guide; RG 19 BuShips; association site's described holdings (construction photos, cruise books, removed-at-decommissioning documents)

    Finding type

    historical_record

    Finding

    Archival leads (not retrieved - no research-room visit or reproduction order performed): USS Hector (AR-7) deck logs 1944-1987 are held by the National Archives (NARA II, College Park - RG 24 Bureau of Naval Personnel series for WWII-era and RG for post-1959 deck logs by year); BuShips/BuC&R design and construction records for the AR-5 design are in RG 19; Los Angeles Shipbuilding/Todd San Pedro contract and overhaul records may surface in NARA Navy-shore-establishment or maritime records; the USS Hector Association site (usshector.com) maintains veteran-collected documents incl. deck-log extracts, a 1975 cruise book work-photos set, and papers removed at decommissioning - a private-collection lead for materials/shop documentation.

    Verification

    unverified

    Role

    archival_lead

    Documentation level

    context_only

    Accessed

    2026-09-26

    Study period

    1941-1994 records

    Limitations

    Record-group/collection mapping only - no box-level retrieval performed; whether asbestos-specific documents (insulation specs, overhaul work packages) exist for this hull is unknown until surveyed. Nothing in this row is an asbestos finding. The association archive is a private collection, not an official repository.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-hector-ar7-15