Evidence
9 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-9).
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[1]U.S. Maritime Commission, Instruction Manual for Operating and Maintaining 2500 H.P. Triple Expansion Marine Steam Engines, EC2-S-C1 Cargo Vessels (mirrored excerpt) [other_primary]
- Locator
- Mirrored excerpt, engine-cylinder insulation section
- Finding type
- asbestos_application
- Finding
- The USMC operating manual for the EC2-S-C1 plant - the design of the hull on which this vessel was built - describes cylinder insulation of magnesia under sheet-iron lagging; insulation products of this era were commonly manufactured with asbestos fiber, and period steam-system gaskets, packing, and insulation felts commonly contained asbestos. Liberty hulls were built to emergency USMC specifications during the period when the federal government had reserved asbestos supply for shipbuilding.
- Verification
- inferred
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-22
- Study period
- 1944-1945
- Population
- Construction trades (Delta Shipbuilding, New Orleans, 1944); Navy engine-room crew
- Limitations
- Class/design documentation, not a hull record - the manual names the type, not this vessel, and does not itself state 'asbestos' content (magnesia lagging of the era was typically asbestos-fiber-reinforced, but the manual text is silent on fiber). Asbestos presence aboard this hull is era inference, not ship-proven. Does not establish quantity, present-day presence, individual exposure, or causation.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-hecuba-aks12-01
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[2]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 program under which this EC2-S-C1 hull was mass-produced - and that wartime demand drove unprecedented asbestos utilization aboard merchant-type hulls.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-22
- 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, the EC2-S-C1 type, or the Acubens conversion program and does not establish that asbestos was aboard this hull, nor quantity, location, condition, exposure, or causation.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-hecuba-aks12-02
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[3]DANFS, Hecuba II (AKS-12) entry - construction, conversion, and service narrative (verbatim transcription via NavSource; live NHHC page returns 404); HyperWar 'Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1940-1945' spec box [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- NavSource AKS-12 page (DANFS transcription + chronology + CO table); https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/ships/AKS/AKS-12_Hecuba.html; https://www.history.navy.mil/ (404)
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Hecuba (AKS-12), originally Liberty ship SS George W. Cable, was launched by Delta Shipbuilding Co., New Orleans, 6 November 1944 under Maritime Commission contract, sponsored by Mrs. J. Alfred Chard, acquired and converted to Navy use at Todd-Johnson Drydocks Corp., and commissioned 21 April 1945, Comdr. N. H. Castle in command. She departed New Orleans 31 May 1945, arrived Pearl Harbor 22 June, made her first fleet issue at Eniwetok 16 July, reloaded at Pearl Harbor, and issued stores at Ulithi (from 10 September), Leyte, and Okinawa until 28 November 1945, including Far East occupation duty 23 October - 29 November 1945; returned via San Francisco to Pearl Harbor 8 February 1946. She decommissioned at Pearl Harbor 26 March 1946 and was intended for use in the Pacific atomic tests of that summer (Operation Crossroads), but was instead towed to San Francisco in 1947 and placed in the NDRF at Suisun Bay until sold for scrapping 19 October 1964. Spec box: Acubens class, 10,660 tons full load, 441'6" x 57' x 28', 11 knots, 1x5"/38 DP, 1x3"/50 DP, 8x20mm, complement 195, reciprocating engines single screw.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-22
- Study period
- 1944-1946
- Population
- Navy crew (~195 wartime complement); Delta and Todd-Johnson yard trades
- Limitations
- Official Navy history establishes identity, construction, conversion yard, service, and disposal chain; contains no asbestos, insulation-material, or condition information - supports no asbestos claim. Live NHHC DANFS page unavailable (404); text accessed via NavSource DANFS transcription and HyperWar spec box; Wikipedia/en-academic reproduce the same DANFS text. Decommission year stated as 1946 in the DANFS narrative and NavSource; Wikipedia infobox and NavalCoverMuseum give 1947 - carried in gaps.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-hecuba-aks12-03
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[4]U.S. Maritime Administration, ShipHistory database - HECUBA (AKS-12), Ship History Detail 2131 (incl. digitized NDRF status card 2131_3960AF.jpg) [marad_nrc]
- Locator
- ShipHistory Detail 2131, milestone table + status card scan /cards/2131_3960AF.jpg
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- MARAD record and handwritten status card: present name HECUBA (AKS-12), former GEORGE W. CABLE; type EC2, military auxiliary; hull no. MCE-2821; built Delta S/B 1944; entered NDRF fleet at Suisun 7-10-47 (1515 hrs); fuel oil at entry 727 bbls Bunker C; sold for scrap on sale PD-X-676 dated Aug. 31, 1964, awarded Sep. 22, 1964 to Schnitzer Steel Products Co. (with ACUBENS & JAMES H. PRICE) for $150,250; withdrawn from fleet 10-19-64 11:45 hrs PDST and delivered to purchaser. Online record: length 441.50 ft, beam 56.80 ft, gross 7,176 tons, displacement 14,550 summer / 5,240 light; fate 'Sold - Scrap.'
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-22
- Study period
- 1944-1965
- Limitations
- Authoritative for government custody milestones and disposal; status-card handwriting read from the digitized scan (OCR-aided, manually verified). Contains no asbestos, materials, or condition-survey information; supports no asbestos claim. The grouped sale (with sisters Acubens and James H. Price) documents a common shipbreaking pathway but not the breaking yard's practices.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-hecuba-aks12-04
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[5]Marcel v. Delta Shipbuilding Co., 10-0168 (La. App. 4 Cir. 8/4/10), 45 So.3d 634 [court_record]
- Locator
- Opinion, 'Facts and Proceedings Below' section; cluster 2535769
- Finding type
- litigation_documented
- Finding
- Published Louisiana appellate opinion: children of Henry Marcel alleged he died January 1, 2008 of malignant mesothelioma contracted from exposure to asbestos fibers while working for Delta Shipbuilding Company - the yard that built this hull - from 1942 to 1948, a window spanning this hull's construction there (keel 27 September - delivery 30 November 1944). The suit was a direct action against Continental Insurance Company as Delta's former insurer; Delta was dissolved in 1946. The court of appeal reversed the trial court's granting of an exception of no right of action, allowing the direct action to proceed.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-22
- Study period
- Alleged exposure 1942-1948; opinion filed 2010-08-04
- Population
- Delta Shipbuilding workers 1942-1948 (alleged)
- Limitations
- Pleading-stage allegation, not a finding: the appeal decided only whether plaintiffs had a right of action under Louisiana's Direct Action Statute - it did not adjudicate whether asbestos exposure occurred at Delta or caused Marcel's disease. Names the yard, not this hull or any vessel. Establishes the builder's wartime-period litigation posture only.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-hecuba-aks12-05
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[6]Rodrigue v. Travelers Insurance Co. et al., No. 2019-CA-0713 (La. App. 4 Cir. 1/8/20) [court_record]
- Locator
- Opinion caption and 'Factual and Procedural History'; cluster 10610319
- Finding type
- litigation_documented
- Finding
- A March 2018 Orleans Parish petition for damages for mesothelioma named 'Puget Sound Commerce Center, Inc. (f/k/a Todd Shipyards Corporation, f/k/a Todd-Johnson Dry Docks, Inc.)' - the corporate successor of this hull's conversion yard - among its defendants; the case settled four working days before trial. The caption documents the corporate succession chain Todd-Johnson Dry Docks -> Todd Shipyards Corporation -> Puget Sound Commerce Center. The appeal decided only a jury-deposit refund dispute under La. C.C.P. art. 1734.1.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- context_only
- Accessed
- 2026-09-22
- Study period
- Petition 2018; settled 2019; opinion filed 2020-01-08
- Population
- Plaintiff (mesothelioma); yard-successor defendant
- Limitations
- Procedural disposition only - the opinion addresses clerk-of-court refund mechanics, not merits. The opinion does not state where Rodrigue was allegedly exposed and does not establish that any exposure occurred at Todd-Johnson's New Orleans yard; it establishes only that the yard's successor was a named defendant in a mesothelioma action that settled. Names no vessel.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-hecuba-aks12-06
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[7]NARA, 'Logbooks of the US Navy at the National Archives' - RG 24 Entry 118 (NAID 581208) and series 'Logbooks of U.S. Navy Ships and Stations, 1941-1978' (NAID 594258) [other_primary]
- Locator
- archives.gov/research/military/logbooks/navy and /military/logbooks
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Archival leads (not retrieved - require research-room or reproduction orders; no spend authorized): Hecuba's April 1945 - March 1946 deck logs fall within NARA's RG 24 deck-log series (WWII-era logs, Entry 118); digitization status for this hull unverified. NARA RG 19 (Bureau of Ships) and RG 178 (USMC Construction Division) are the candidate series for the AKS conversion contract, outfitting, and any material specifications at Todd-Johnson Drydocks and Delta Shipbuilding.
- Verification
- unverified
- Role
- archival_lead
- Documentation level
- context_only
- Accessed
- 2026-09-22
- Study period
- 1944-1946 records
- Limitations
- Record-group mapping only - no box-level retrieval performed; existence of asbestos-specific documents in these series is unknown until surveyed in person. Nothing in this row is an asbestos finding.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-hecuba-aks12-07
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[8]NavSource AKS-12 entry (secondary compilation) vs. MARAD status card 2131_3960AF.jpg and shipbuildinghistory.com EMC yard table [other_primary]
- Locator
- NavSource AKS-12 page; MARAD status card; shipbuildinghistory.com/merchantships/2libertyships8.htm (EMC 2821 row)
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- NavSource lists this hull as 'MCE 2825'; the primary record controls otherwise - the MARAD reserve-fleet status card reads 'MCE-2821' and the shipbuildinghistory.com EMC yard table lists EMC hull 2821 as Delta yard no. 147, George W. Cable, keel laid 27-Sep-44, launched 6-Nov-44, delivered 30-Nov-44, 'To US Navy as Hecuba (AKS 12), to NDRF 1947, scrapped 1965.' MCE-2821 is adopted; NavSource's 2825 is a transcription error.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- correction
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-22
- Study period
- 1944
- Limitations
- Corrects a secondary-source typo against a primary custody record; shipbuildinghistory.com is a private specialist reference (Tim Colton), not a government publication, but its keel/launch/delivery dates are corroborated in part by DANFS (launch 6 Nov 1944) and NavalCoverMuseum (acquired 30 Nov 1944). No asbestos content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-hecuba-aks12-08
-
[9]Batch-1119 search ledger (this record): NHHC DANFS (404, mirrors used); MARAD ShipHistory 2131 + status card; CourtListener opinion + RECAP sweeps ('Hecuba', 'USS Hecuba', 'AKS-12', 'AKS 12', 'George W. Cable', 'Acubens', 'Delta Shipbuilding' asbestos, 'Todd-Johnson' asbestos, 'Schnitzer' asbestos); NARA logbook guidance; NavSource cross-check [other_primary]
- Locator
- search_ledger rows sl-uss-hecuba-aks12-01 through sl-uss-hecuba-aks12-12
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- No qualifying ship-specific asbestos record located: no asbestos survey, abatement contract, hazmat disclosure, or docketed case naming USS Hecuba, AKS-12, or SS George W. Cable was found in the public sources searched (see search_ledger). All CourtListener 'Hecuba' opinion hits are name collisions - the closest, Hernandez v. Koninklijke Nederlandsche Stoomboot Maatschappij (S.D.N.Y. 1965), concerns a Dutch-owned S.S. Hecuba in a cargo-damage forum-non-conveniens dispute, not this hull and not asbestos; 'AKS-12' produced one coincidental token (U.S. v. Marchetti, 5th Cir. 2024). The 1964-65 shipbreaking at Schnitzer Steel Products Co., Portland, OR is documented as an event; its asbestos disturbance scope is undocumented.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-22
- Study period
- 2026-09-22
- Limitations
- Absence of a located public record does not prove absence of asbestos aboard - a 1944 EC2-S-C1 hull with a Navy conversion is era-consistent with asbestos-containing materials. Does not establish presence or absence; does not establish or defeat any claim of exposure or legal eligibility.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-hecuba-aks12-09