USS Investigator (AGR-9)

Evidence

24 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-24).

This record consolidates retired designation record uss-investigator-yagr9 (redesignation of the same hull); entries carried over keep their original evidence ids and show the retired id as Source vessel.

1. [1]DANFS, Investigator (YAGR-9) - verbatim transcription (live NHHC page returned 404 on 2026-09-20) [nhhc_danfs]

   Locator

   DANFS entry 'Investigator' (YAGR-9), full text + specifications block

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   DANFS records: launched by J.A. Jones Co., Inc., Panama City, Fla., as Liberty Ship Charles A. Draper 1945-01-09 (sponsor Mrs. E. L. Cills), delivered 1945-01-24 to Polarus Steamship Co.; carried replacement aircraft and cargo until end of war; James River NDRF 1945-10-26; brief 1947 service then Mobile reserve fleet; acquired by Navy 1956-07-02; renamed Investigator, converted at Charleston Naval Shipyard, commissioned 1957-01-16; homeport Davisville, R.I.; North Atlantic picket cruises as seaward extension of Continental Air Defense Command air early-warning; reclassified AGR-9 effective 1958-09-28; decommissioned 1965-03-29; stricken 1965-04-01 and transferred same day to Maritime Commission Hudson River reserve fleet. Characteristics: dp. 10,760 f.l.; 441'6" x 56'11" x 24'; 11 k.; cpl. 150; Guardian class; T. Z-EC2-S-C5.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-20

   Study period

   1944-1965

   Population

   Navy crew (~150), 1957-1965

   Limitations

   Authoritative Navy history for identity, dates, and mission; contains no asbestos, materials, or condition-survey information and supports no asbestos claim by itself. Live NHHC page unavailable (404) - verbatim hazegray transcription cited; canonical NHHC URL needs re-locating before production use.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-investigator-agr9-01

2. [2]MARAD Vessel History Database - CHARLES A. DRAPER / INVESTIGATOR (AGR-9), Official No. 247053 (ShipHistory Detail 7260 and 5753); digitized status cards: James River card, Mobile card, Hudson River 'Reserve Fleet - Ship Particulars' card (Form MA-283), Record of Ship Sales card [marad_nrc]

   Locator

   Master vessel status card 18F_01/18F_02 (front/back) on ShipHistory Detail 7260; companion cards on Detail 5753 (031ea4bd James River, 9c81f4c0 Mobile, fe141bef Hudson River particulars); transfer PDF 'INVESTIGATOR.pdf' (Navy -> Maritime Administration 1965-03-29 2:15 PM EST, Hudson River)

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   MARAD status cards document the custody chain in the government's own hand: basis to WSA 1945-01-24 4:00 PM CWT at Panama City under Polarus SS Co. (GAA); James River laid-up fleet, Lee Hall, Va. 1945-10-26 (companion card: lay-up reason 'costly repairs', est. $13,500/10 days); withdrawn 1947-01-27 to Waterman SS Corp. pending delivery, then bareboat (MC/BB) at New York 1947-03-14 and GAA at Mobile 1947-09-25 - the 'brief period of service in 1947' was a Waterman operation; re-entered Mobile reserve fleet 1947-10-02; Navy Department took title at Mobile 1956-05-08 10:50 AM CST, card stamped 'For Conversion / For use as Ocean Station Radar Ship'; renamed INVESTIGATOR (AGR-9); Maritime Administration permanent transfer at Hudson River 1965-03-29 2:15 PM EST, particulars card 'Navy - DEW Line' service, title 'USMA Reimb. Navy'; withdrawn 1971-04-17 1430 EST.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-20

   Study period

   1945-1971

   Population

   Reserve-fleet caretakers James River/Mobile/Hudson River; Navy crew

   Limitations

   Primary custody record; authoritative for fleet-entry/withdrawal/transfer dates. Contains no asbestos information - the cards' only hazmat notations are locked-in sodium-chromate ballast water and 'to be scrapped'. The card records Navy title transfer 1956-05-08 at Mobile while DANFS gives 'acquired by the Navy 2 July 1956' - likely title transfer vs. formal acquisition acceptance; both dates stated precisely rather than merged.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-investigator-agr9-02

3. [3]MARAD Record of Ship Sales card - INVESTIGATOR (AGR-9), ON 247,053 (ShipHistory Detail 5753, card image 28059802) [marad_nrc]

   Locator

   Record of Ship Sales card, 'AWARDED TO Dawood Corporation Ltd. / DATE 12-23-70' block; remarks re PD-X-886/PD-X-891

   Finding type

   historical_record

   Finding

   The primary Record of Ship Sales card and status-card back document the full disposal chain: awarded for scrap under sale PD-X-891 dated 1970-12-23 to Dawood Corporation Ltd., Karachi 4, Pakistan c/o I.T.A.D. Associates, New York - contract MA-6197, $460,188 for a four-ship lot; earlier sale PD-X-886 drew no bids; 'Scrap Hull - Foreign'. Withdrawn from fleet 1971-04-17 2:30 PM EST on resale to Eckhart & Co., G.m.b.H. for scrapping in Germany; resold to Recuperaciones Submarinas, S.A. (scrapping in Spain). This corrects secondary compilations (NavSource, yagrs.org) that print the sale as '23 December 1971' - internally inconsistent with their own April 1971 resale and 15 May 1971 Santander scrapping dates; the 1970 award makes the sequence coherent.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   correction

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-20

   Study period

   1970-1971

   Population

   Scrapping workers, Santander (1971); foreign-flag tow

   Limitations

   Corrects the disposal-date error in secondary sources and documents the resale chain from the card itself (Eckhart resale at fleet withdrawal 1971-04-17; Recuperaciones Submarinas, S.A. for Spain); only the Santander arrival/scrapping-completion date (15 May 1971) rests on NavSource/Wikipedia compilations. Card gives lot price for four ships - per-hull price not stated. No asbestos content.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-investigator-agr9-03

4. [4]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 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. This hull (Z-EC2-S-C5) is the boxed-aircraft-transport variant sharing the same standard machinery plant.

   Verification

   inferred

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   class_or_era

   Accessed

   2026-09-20

   Study period

   1944-1945

   Population

   J.A. Jones Panama City construction trades (1944-45); WSA merchant engine crew; Navy Armed Guard

   Limitations

   Class/design documentation, not a hull record - the manual names the EC2-S-C1 type, not this vessel or the -C5 variant, and does not itself state 'asbestos' content (era magnesia lagging was typically asbestos-fiber-reinforced but the manual is silent on fiber). The Z-EC2-S-C5 differed in mission fit-out, not machinery spec. Asbestos presence aboard this hull is era inference, not ship-proven. Does not establish quantity, present-day presence at scrapping, individual exposure, or causation.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-investigator-agr9-04

5. [5]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 hull was mass-produced (1944-45) - and that wartime demand drove unprecedented asbestos utilization aboard merchant-type hulls.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   context

   Documentation level

   class_or_era

   Accessed

   2026-09-20

   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 type 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-investigator-agr9-05

6. [6]DANFS (conversion event) + MARAD Mobile-fleet card stamp 'For Conversion / For use as Ocean Station Radar Ship' (authorizing letter dated 3-16-56, signature partially legible) + NavSource Guardian-class compilation [nhhc_danfs]

   Locator

   DANFS conversion paragraph; Mobile card 'sea chest' stamp field 19; Hudson River particulars card 'damages/ballast' fields; NavSource 09/62/6209

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   Documented disturbance events on this hull: (1) 1956-57 Charleston Naval Shipyard conversion of the 1945 steam cargo hull to a radar picket ship - strip-out and naval re-fit at a federal yard in the peak asbestos-use era; Guardian-class practice included topside weight compensation (lead ship Guardian took 928 tons of deck concrete; this hull's fleet card records 50 tons concrete over plating plus 4,991 tons locked-in fresh-water ballast). (2) 1971 scrapping at Santander, Spain after foreign scrap sale - complete dismantling of whatever era material remained.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   context

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-20

   Study period

   1956-1957; 1971

   Population

   Charleston NSY conversion workers (1956-57); Navy crew; Santander scrapping workers (1971)

   Limitations

   The conversion and scrapping events are ship-specific verified; their asbestos scope is inference - no conversion work package, material schedule, or abatement record for this hull was located. Charleston NSY is a documented asbestos-exposure yard (Atlas shipyards.json) but yard-level exposure documentation does not establish material aboard this specific hull. Does not establish individual exposure or causation.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-investigator-agr9-06

7. [7]In re Joint Eastern and Southern Districts Asbestos Litigation (Robinson v. United States), 891 F.2d 31 (2d Cir. 1989) [court_record]

   Locator

   Opinion, 891 F.2d 31 (No. 1547, docket 89-6109)

   Finding type

   litigation_documented

   Finding

   Second Circuit ruling addressing mesothelioma claims by a mariner aboard War Shipping Administration vessels; claims against the government were barred on discretionary-function grounds. This hull operated under the WSA (Polarus Steamship Co., general agent) during its 1945 merchant service - the same operating agency and era as the class's characteristic litigation posture.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   context

   Documentation level

   class_or_era

   Accessed

   2026-09-20

   Study period

   1989 (opinion); wartime exposure period

   Population

   WWII merchant mariners (class context)

   Limitations

   Fleet-level jurisdictional ruling; does not name this hull or the EC2-S-C5 type, does not find asbestos conditions aboard any specific vessel, and establishes only the litigation posture for WWII merchant-fleet claims. Navy-era (1957-65) exposure claims would follow a different posture (feres/contractor doctrines) not addressed here. Reporter citation confirmed: 891 F.2d 31.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-investigator-agr9-07

8. [8]This record's search ledger: DANFS/NHHC (via hazegray mirror); MARAD ShipHistory incl. status-card scans and Record of Ship Sales; NavSource compilation; CourtListener API v4 (throttled) + web-index sweep; Guardian-class sources [other_primary]

   Locator

   search_ledger rows sl-uss-investigator-agr9-01 through -07

   Finding type

   historical_record

   Finding

   No qualifying ship-specific asbestos record located: no asbestos survey, abatement contract, hazmat disclosure naming asbestos, conversion work package, or docketed case naming USS Investigator (YAGR-9/AGR-9) or SS Charles A. Draper was found in the public sources searched (see search_ledger). The MARAD custody cards - which do carry hazmat notations (sodium-chromate ballast, 'to be scrapped') - contain no asbestos entry.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   negative_finding

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-20

   Study period

   2026-09-20

   Limitations

   Absence of a located public record does not prove absence of asbestos aboard - a 1945 steam hull converted at a naval shipyard in 1956-57 is era-consistent with asbestos-containing material, and scrapping-era dismantling at Santander is undocumented. CourtListener API was rate-limited (125/day) during this batch; web-index coverage of unreported dockets is incomplete - litigation negative is partial, not exhaustive. Does not establish presence or absence; does not establish or defeat any exposure claim or legal eligibility.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-investigator-agr9-08

9. [9]research packet 1019-packet.md [other_primary]

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   Identity packet verdict: VERIFIED

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Evidence ID

   uss-investigator-yagr9-pkt-1019-packet-md

   Source vessel

   uss-investigator-yagr9

10. [10]DANFS, Investigator (YAGR-9) - construction as Charles A. Draper, Charleston conversion, Davisville radar-picket service, disposal (verbatim transcription; live NHHC page 404s on all candidate URLs) [nhhc_danfs]

    Locator

    hazegray verbatim DANFS entry 'Investigator' (YAGR-9), full text + specifications block

    Finding type

    vessel_history

    Finding

    Documented for this hull: 'Investigator (YAGR-9) was launched by J. A. Jones Co., Inc., Panama City, Fla., as Liberty Ship Charles A. Draper 9 January 1945, sponsored by Mrs. E. L. Cills and delivered 24 January 1945 to Polarus Steamship Co., Inc. The ship carried replacement aircraft and cargo until the end of the war and entered the James River National Defense Reserve Fleet 26 October 1945. After a brief period of service in 1947 she entered the Reserve Fleet at Mobile, and was acquired by the Navy 2 July 1956. Renamed Investigator, she was converted to Navy use at Charleston Naval Shipyard and commissioned there 16 January 1957, Lt. Comdr. J. H. Mehus in command.' After Caribbean shakedown she departed Guantanamo Bay for home port Davisville, R.I., and began '3- to 4-week cruises in the North Atlantic as the seaward extension of the Continental Air Defense Command's air early warning system,' detecting, tracking, and reporting aircraft and controlling interceptor aircraft. 'The ship was reclassified AGR-9 effective 28 September 1958,' continued picket duties 'until decommissioned 29 March 1965. Her name was struck from the Navy List 1 April 1965. She was transferred the same day to the Maritime Commission and entered the Maritime Hudson River Defense Reserve Fleet, N.Y.' Spec block: dp. 10,760 (f.); l. 441'6"; b. 56'11"; dr. 24'; s. 11 k.; cpl. 150; cl. Guardian; T. Z-EC2-S-C5.

    Verification

    verified

    Role

    context

    Documentation level

    ship_specific

    Accessed

    2026-10-04

    Study period

    1944-1971

    Population

    J.A. Jones construction trades (1944-45); merchant crew (1945-47); Navy crew, ~150 complement (1957-65)

    Limitations

    Ship-specific history only; contains no asbestos or material content. Live NHHC DANFS page 404s on every candidate URL (/danfs/i/investigator.html, investigator-i.html, /content/... path, verified 2026-10-04) - verbatim hazegray transcription mirror used, same standing NHHC link-rot defect as BATCH-01; canonical NHHC URL needs re-locating before production use. DANFS's 'acquired by the Navy 2 July 1956' differs from the MARAD card's title-transfer entry 5-8-56 - likely formal acquisition vs title transfer; both stated precisely.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-investigator-yagr9-01

    Source vessel

    uss-investigator-yagr9

11. [11]MARAD Vessel History Database, CHARLES A. DRAPER detail 7260 + digitized master vessel status card front/back (18F_01/18F_02) and custody-chain document (CHARLES A. DRAPER.pdf) [marad_nrc]

    Locator

    Detail/7260 page fields (ON 247053, J.A. Jones, Z-EC2-S-C5, 441.50 ft x 56.11 ft, gross 7,176/net 4,380) + cards 18F_01.png/18F_02.png + CHARLES A. DRAPER.pdf custody transcript

    Finding type

    historical_record

    Finding

    Primary custody/operator record for this hull (U.S. Official No. 247,053; MARAD type Z-EC2-S-C5; MCE hull 2336; built J.A. Jones Const. Co., Panama City, completed 1-24-45). Master status card front (18F_01): 'Basis to W.S.A. 1-24-45 4:00PM CWT @ Panama City, Fla.' under Polarus SS Co., Inc. (GAA); JAMES RIVER laid-up fleet, Lee Hall, Va., entered 10-26-45; withdrawn 1-27-47 to Waterman SS Corp. (pending delivery, then MC/BB New York 3-14-47 noon EST, GAA Mobile 9-25-47); re-entered RES. FLEET Mobile 10-2-47; Navy Department took title at Mobile 5-8-56 10:50AM CST; renamed 'INVESTIGATOR' (AGR-9); Maritime Administration permanent transfer at Hudson River 3-29-65 2:15PM EST. Card back (18F_02) carries the disposal allocation chain (see ev-05). Detail-page milestone table is empty for this record; the custody entries are on the card image.

    Verification

    verified

    Role

    supporting

    Documentation level

    ship_specific

    Accessed

    2026-10-04

    Study period

    1945-1965

    Population

    Polarus merchant crews (1945); NDRF James River/Mobile custodial staff (1945-47, 1947-56); Waterman SS Corp. crews (1947 reactivation)

    Limitations

    Authoritative for government custody and operator milestones; handwritten card entries partially legible (read directly this session). The card's 'Jones-Wainwright' builder rendering (James River card) refers to the J.A. Jones Panama City facility built on the former Wainwright yard. Contains no asbestos, materials, or condition-survey information; supports no asbestos claim.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-investigator-yagr9-02

    Source vessel

    uss-investigator-yagr9

12. [12]MARAD Vessel History Database, INVESTIGATOR (AGR-9) detail 5753 + digitized companion status cards (James River entry card, Mobile reserve-fleet card, Hudson River MA-383 particulars card) and Navy-to-MarAd transfer memo (INVESTIGATOR.pdf) [marad_nrc]

    Locator

    Detail/5753 cards: 031ea4bd-...jpg (James River entry), 9c81f4c0-...jpg (Mobile), fe141bef-...jpg (Hudson River particulars); INVESTIGATOR.pdf (document b86736b0-...pdf); polluted milestone table on same page

    Finding type

    historical_record

    Finding

    Companion fleet cards for this hull: (a) James River entry card - fleet 'JAS. RIVER', entered 10-26-45, reason for lay-up 'Costly repairs', estimated cost $13,500 / 10 days to repair, builder rendered 'JONES-WAINWRIGHT', termination port New York, withdrawn 1-27-47 'DELIVERED TO OPER. DIV. NORFOLK'. (b) Mobile reserve-fleet card - re-entered 10-2-47, 960 bbls Bunker C fuel oil aboard at lay-up, 'Airplane Transport' penciled on type field, sea-chest field stamped 'For Conversion / For use as Ocean Station Radar Ship / Dolan ltr 3-16-56', withdrawn 5-8-56 1050 hrs CST 'delivered to Navy - Permanent Transfer'. (c) Hudson River MA-383 particulars card - ex-name CHARLES A. DRAPER, category 'Mil. Aux. / Radar Picket Ship', service prior to lay-up 'Navy - DEW Line', title 'USMA Reimb. Navy', entered fleet March 29, 1965 1415 EST, withdrawn 4-17-71 1430 EST 'SOLD SCRAP on PD-X-891 dated 12-23-70 to Dawood Corp. Ltd., Karachi, Pakistan c/o I.T.A.D. Associates, New York'. (d) INVESTIGATOR.pdf transfer memo - Department of Navy to Maritime Administration, 3/29/65 2:15 PM EST, Hudson River, permanent transfer. DATA-QUALITY CAVEAT: the detail-5753 milestone table and one card (17O_01.png) belong to a different vessel - CHACORNAC, ex-CADILLAC, ON 117134, a 1902 Great Lakes bulk carrier scrapped 1953 - and must not be used for this hull.

    Verification

    verified

    Role

    supporting

    Documentation level

    ship_specific

    Accessed

    2026-10-04

    Study period

    1945-1971

    Population

    NDRF custodial staff (1945-71); Navy conversion planners (1956); Hudson River tow/delivery crews (1971)

    Limitations

    Authoritative for fleet-entry/withdrawal/custody milestones, read directly from card images this session. Contains no asbestos information; the cards' only hazmat notations are the locked-in ballast and 'to be scrapped' (see ev-04). The 5-8-56 Mobile title transfer vs DANFS 'acquired 2 July 1956' discrepancy is stated, not merged. The CHACORNAC record pollution is flagged, not corrected - external-system data issue.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-investigator-yagr9-03

    Source vessel

    uss-investigator-yagr9

13. [13]MARAD status card MA-383 'Reserve Fleet - Ship Particulars', INVESTIGATOR (AGR-9), Hudson River fleet entry 1965 - sealed-ballast hazmat notation [marad_nrc]

    Locator

    Status card fe141bef-...jpg, 'DAMAGES' and 'OTHER DATA' fields

    Finding type

    environmental_record

    Finding

    The 1965 Hudson River layup particulars card for this hull documents a sealed hazardous-material condition aboard: damages field '4,991 tons locked-in "fresh water ballast" & 50 tons concrete'; OTHER DATA: 'Note - All hatches except one (1) are sealed. Sealed holds contain "fresh water ballast" which is composed of fresh water & sodium chromate. (This combination is deadly to marine life). DO NOT PUMP OUT THE LOCK-IN WATER BALLAST.' Card also records: 'To be scrapped.'; arrival-light draft fwd 18' / aft 18'3"; length over plating 442', breadth 57' 1-1/4"; displacement loaded 10,823.46 / light 8,827.

    Verification

    verified

    Role

    context

    Documentation level

    ship_specific

    Accessed

    2026-10-04

    Study period

    1965-1971

    Population

    NDRF Hudson River custodial and tug/tow crews (1965-71); Santander breakers (1971)

    Limitations

    Ship-specific primary documentation of a hazardous substance carried aboard this hull at layup (sodium chromate corrosion inhibitor in sealed ballast) - it is NOT an asbestos record and establishes nothing about insulation materials. It does demonstrate that (a) MARAD documented shipboard hazards on this specific hull and (b) the hull carried a documented toxic load when towed to the Spanish breakers in 1971.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-investigator-yagr9-04

    Source vessel

    uss-investigator-yagr9

14. [14]MARAD Record of Ship Sales card (MA-20), INVESTIGATOR (AGR-9), ON 247,053 - PD-X-891 award to Dawood Corporation Ltd. and resale chain [marad_nrc]

    Locator

    Record of Ship Sales card 28059802-...jpg 'AWARDED TO' and remarks blocks; master card back 18F_02.png resale entries

    Finding type

    historical_record

    Finding

    The primary Record of Ship Sales card documents the disposal chain: 'AWARDED TO Dawood Corporation Ltd., Karachi 4, Pakistan c/o I.T.A.D. Associates, New York / DATE 12-23-70 / for four ships $460,188.00', contract MA-6197; remarks 'Advertised under PD-X-886 - no bids received / Advertised under PD-X-891 - dated 11-24-70 - opened 12-22-70 - Scrap Hull - Foreign'; location of vessel 'Hudson River Facility, New York'. Master card back (18F_02) adds the resale chain: 'Resold to Eckhart & Co., G.m.b.H. for scrapping in Germany' 4/17/71 2:30PM EST, then 'Resold to Recuperaciones Submarinas, S.A. (scrapping in Spain)'. This corrects secondary compilations (NavSource, yagrs.org) that print the sale as '23 December 1971' - internally inconsistent with their own April 1971 resale and 15 May 1971 Santander scrapping dates; the 1970 award makes the sequence coherent.

    Verification

    verified

    Role

    correction

    Documentation level

    ship_specific

    Accessed

    2026-10-04

    Study period

    1970-1971

    Population

    Scrapping workers, Santander (1971); foreign-flag tow crews

    Limitations

    Corrects the disposal-year error in secondary sources and documents the resale chain from the cards themselves; only the Santander arrival date (15 May 1971) still rests on secondary compilations. Card gives a four-ship lot price - per-hull price not stated. Contains no asbestos or material-content information; 'Scrap Hull - Foreign' means breaking occurred outside U.S. jurisdiction.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-investigator-yagr9-05

    Source vessel

    uss-investigator-yagr9

15. [15]Shipscribe (T. Colton), USS Guardian (YAGR/AGR 1, Z-EC2-S-C5) Class - SCB Project No. 126 design data, construction/disposition tables, class notes, per-ship notes [other_primary]

    Locator

    shipscribe.com/usnaux2/AGR/AGR01.html - class header, construction/disposition tables row 9, class notes (SCB 126, YAGR 9-12 transfer, 5030.1A), ship notes row 9

    Finding type

    vessel_history

    Finding

    Ship note for this hull (AGR-9, MCE 2336): 'FY 1957. (ex-YAGR 9) (ex-CHARLES A DRAPER, compl. 24 Jan 1945). Converted at NSY Charleston, S.C. Renamed 7 Aug 1956 as YAGR. Served in the North Atlantic. To buyer 17 Apr 1971, BU in Spain.' Class program documentation (SCB Project No. 126): all 16 Guardian-class conversions were Z-EC2-S-C5 boxed aircraft transports built by J.A. Jones, Panama City; on 9 April 1956 the Navy asked MARAD for permanent transfer of four more Z-EC2-S-C5s from the Mobile reserve fleet as YAGR 9-12, approved 20 April 1956; classifications and names for YAGR 9-12 approved 7 August 1956; effective 28 September 1958 SECNAV Instruction 5030.1A reclassified YAGR 1-16 to AGR 1-16 ('Ocean Radar Station Ship (YAGR)' to 'Radar Picket Ship (AGR)', moving them from service craft to auxiliary vessels); RADRON 2 (Atlantic, ex-YAGR Division 21) operated YAGRs 1-4 and 9-12 homeported at Davisville, R.I. (changed from Newport in 1957); deactivation of RADRON 2 began February 1965. Disposition table: decomm 29 Mar 1965, strike 1 Apr 1965, disposal (to MA custody) 29 Mar 1965, MA sale 23 Dec 1970. Design: 8,760 t light / 10,760 full; 442' oa x 57' x 27'; 2-3"/50; 11 kts; 2,500 HP steam triple-expansion, 2 boilers (220 psi), 1 screw; designed complement 11 officers + 110 enlisted (accommodations 13 + 124).

    Verification

    verified

    Role

    supporting

    Documentation level

    ship_specific

    Accessed

    2026-10-04

    Study period

    1956-1971

    Population

    Conversion-yard trades (Charleston NSY, 1956-57); RADRON 2 crews (1957-65)

    Limitations

    Authoritative secondary compiler working from MARAD/NVR/ship-plan data; no asbestos content. 'BU in Spain' is consistent with the MARAD card naming Spanish scrapper Recuperaciones Submarinas S.A. The class note dates RADRON 2's Newport-to-Davisville shift 'in 1957'; DANFS narrates Davisville from shakedown - carried as shipscribe/yagrs.org dating.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-investigator-yagr9-06

    Source vessel

    uss-investigator-yagr9

16. [16]NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive, USS Investigator (AGR-9) ex (YAGR-9) - timeline, specifications, CO list, service photography [other_primary]

    Locator

    navsource.net/archives/09/62/6209.htm header timeline, specifications block, CO table, ribbon display, photo captions (09620106 Boston Sept 1960; hi-line w/ AGR-3 May 1962; Hudson River NDRF layup)

    Finding type

    vessel_history

    Finding

    NavSource timeline for this hull: laid down 28 Nov 1944 at J.A. Jones, Panama City (MCE 2336, Z-EC2-S-C5); launched 9 Jan 1945; delivered 24 Jan 1945 to Polarus Steamship Co. Inc.; returned to the Maritime Commission 26 Oct 1945 for NDRF layup James River, Fort Eustis, VA; acquired by the Navy 2 July 1956; 'Converted to a Radar Picket Ship at Charleston Naval Shipyard'; commissioned USS Investigator (YAGR-9) 16 Jan 1957 'LCDR. John H. Mehus USN in command'; redesignated AGR-9 28 Sep 1958; decommissioned 3 Mar 1965 (conflicts with DANFS/MARAD 29 Mar - see gaps); struck 1 Apr 1965; NDRF Hudson River; 'Sold to Dawoon Corp. of Karachi, Pakistan, 23 December 1971' (1971 is a secondary error - see ev-05); resold to Eckhardt Co. April 1971; final disposition 'sold for scrapping, 15 May 1971, at Santandar, Spain' (sic). CO list (5 commanding officers): LCDRs Mehus (1957-58), Edwards (1958-59), Lehning (1959-61), Norman (1961-63), Hinkley (1963-65). Specifications: 10,760 t (fl); 441'6" x 56'11" x 24'; 11 kts; complement 13 officers + 138 enlisted; two 3"/50; two 220-psi boilers, one 3-cylinder triple-expansion engine, 2,500 shp, single screw; capacities incl. ballast 1,326,657 gals fresh water. Call signs: international NTAA; JANAP tactical voice 'Award'. Ribbon display: Navy Expeditionary Service Medal (2-Cuba), National Defense Service Medal. Photography documents her pierside at Boston Sept 1960, underway 11 Sept 1960, positioning for a hi-line transfer with USS Skywatcher (AGR-3) on station in the North Atlantic circa May 1962, and (post-decommissioning) laid up with ex-Skywatcher and ex-Vigil in the Hudson River NDRF - corroborating the MARAD-documented Hudson River layup.

    Verification

    verified

    Role

    context

    Documentation level

    ship_specific

    Accessed

    2026-10-04

    Study period

    1944-1971

    Population

    Crew (1957-65); RADRON 2 operating population; NDRF caretakers (1965-71)

    Limitations

    NavSource is a volunteer secondary compilation, not a primary registry - its milestones generally track MARAD/Navy records but this page carries demonstrated errors (decommission 3 Mar 1965; sale '23 December 1971'; 'Dawoon'/'Santandar' spellings) - see ev-05 and gaps. The Cuba expeditionary ribbon is displayed without a cited basis or service dates - secondary-sourced service context only. No asbestos content. Page verified live at navsource.net 2026-10-04 (navsource.org is dead; plain-curl fetch returns 406 - fetched with browser headers).

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-investigator-yagr9-07

    Source vessel

    uss-investigator-yagr9

17. [17]YAGRs (Radar Picket Ships) Association, USS Investigator AGR-9 page - designation chronology, conversion/commissioning locations, homeport [other_primary]

    Locator

    yagrs.org/investigator.htm data table (live, verified 2026-10-04)

    Finding type

    vessel_history

    Finding

    The class association's page for this hull records: 'LIBERTY SHIP: SS JOHN A. DRAPER' (sic - Charles A. Draper per DANFS/MARAD/NavSource); built J.A. Jones Const. Co., Panama City, FL, MCE hull 2336; keel laid (28 Nov 1944 per NavSource/shipscribe); launched 9 January 1945; sponsored Mrs. E.L. Cills; placed in service 24 January 1945; fleet reserve 1947; 'CONVERSION 2 July 1956 at Charleston, SC' (conflating the DANFS acquisition date with conversion location); 'COMMISSIONED 16 January 1957 as YAGR-9'; 'HOMEPORT Davisville, RI'; 'RECLASSIFIED 28 September 1958 as AGR-9'; 'DECOMMISSIONED 29 March 1965'; status '23 December 1971 sold to Dawoon Corp. of Karachi, Pakistan. Resold to Eckhardt Co. of Germany in April of 1971. Again resold on 15 May 1971 and scrapped at Santandar, Spain' (sale-year error and spelling errors - see ev-05).

    Verification

    partial

    Role

    context

    Documentation level

    ship_specific

    Accessed

    2026-10-04

    Study period

    1944-1971

    Population

    RADRON 2 crew association members

    Limitations

    Veteran-association secondary source; useful corroboration for conversion location (Charleston), commissioning designation (YAGR-9), and homeport, but carries multiple demonstrated errors (merchant-name misspelling 'JOHN A. DRAPER', sale year 1971, 'Dawoon'/'Santandar' spellings) - see ev-05 corrections and gaps. No asbestos content.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-investigator-yagr9-08

    Source vessel

    uss-investigator-yagr9

18. [18]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; machinery continuity per shipscribe spec block and NavSource specs

    Finding type

    asbestos_application

    Finding

    The merchant plant of this hull: the Z-EC2-S-C5 was a boxed-aircraft-transport variant of the EC2 Liberty design sharing its standard machinery - shipscribe and NavSource both document 2 boilers and a 3-cylinder triple-expansion engine of 2,500 shp retained through the naval conversion. The USMC operating manual for that plant (EC2-S-C1 manual) 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 while the federal government had reserved asbestos supply for shipbuilding.

    Verification

    inferred

    Role

    supporting

    Documentation level

    class_or_era

    Accessed

    2026-10-04

    Study period

    1944-1965

    Population

    J.A. Jones construction trades (1944-45); merchant engine crew (1945-47); Navy engine-room crew (1957-65)

    Limitations

    Class/design documentation, not a hull record: the manual names the EC2-S-C1 type, not the S-C5 variant or this vessel, and does not itself state 'asbestos' content. Asbestos presence aboard this hull is era inference, not ship-proven; the 1956-57 conversion may have replaced or supplemented merchant-era insulation, and no conversion work package or hull survey was located. Does not establish quantity, present-day presence (hull scrapped 1971), individual exposure, or causation.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-investigator-yagr9-09

    Source vessel

    uss-investigator-yagr9

19. [19]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 Z-EC2-S-C5 hull was mass-produced at an emergency yard (J.A. Jones, Panama City, 1944-45).

    Verification

    verified

    Role

    context

    Documentation level

    class_or_era

    Accessed

    2026-10-04

    Study period

    1940s era documented; article 1987

    Population

    WWII shipyard workers and ship crews (class context)

    Limitations

    Program/era-level scholarly documentation; does not name this vessel, type, or yard and does not establish that asbestos was or remained aboard this hull, nor quantity, location, exposure, or causation.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-investigator-yagr9-10

    Source vessel

    uss-investigator-yagr9

20. [20]GAO, Navy Efforts To Protect Workers From Asbestos Exposure, HRD-80-2 (Oct 18, 1979) [gao]

    Locator

    GAO product page HRD-80-2 (full text blocked, HTTP 403)

    Finding type

    gov_survey

    Finding

    GAO documented that the Navy used asbestos insulation extensively aboard ships and did not begin substituting alternative insulation materials until the early 1970s - spanning this hull's naval conversion (1956-57, Charleston Naval Shipyard) and her entire commissioned service era (1957-65).

    Verification

    verified

    Role

    context

    Documentation level

    class_or_era

    Accessed

    2026-10-04

    Study period

    1979

    Population

    Navy shipyard workers; ship crews (program level)

    Limitations

    Program-level documentation; supports era context only, not any fact specific to this hull. Full text not retrieved (gao.gov returns HTTP 403 to automated fetch, confirmed 2026-10-04) - content via product-page description.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-investigator-yagr9-11

    Source vessel

    uss-investigator-yagr9

21. [21]Atlas shipyard record 'charleston-naval-shipyard' (shipyards.json): documented yard asbestos product list; EPA site ID SC0170022560; OSHA Inspection 100361849 (1988, Commander Charleston Naval Shipyard, citation under 29 CFR 1910.1001 asbestos standard) [other_primary]

    Locator

    shipyards.json charleston-naval-shipyard entry (asbestos_products_documented; OSHA inspection ev-charleston-naval-shipyard-osha-1988-100361849; litigation ev-06/-07)

    Finding type

    gov_survey

    Finding

    The yard that converted this hull in 1956-57 is documented as an asbestos-use environment: the Atlas yard record for Charleston Naval Shipyard carries a documented product list including magnesia pipe insulation, asbestos cement products, pipe insulation containing 5-50% asbestos, boiler external coatings with 15% asbestos, spray-on insulation for walls and ship interiors, asbestos gaskets in pumps and valves, packing materials for rotating equipment, thermal insulation for steam systems, fireproofing materials in living quarters, and electrical insulation throughout vessels; the yard record also carries an OSHA inspection record for the yard under the asbestos standard (Inspection 100361849, opened 1988, citation under 29 CFR 1910.1001) and litigation documentation (a 2014 jury verdict for Navy machinist Robert Whalen against John Crane, Inc.). DANFS, shipscribe's ship note, NavSource, and yagrs.org all record the conversion at Charleston Naval Shipyard - unlike some sister hulls, the conversion-yard attribution for this hull is uncontested.

    Verification

    verified

    Role

    context

    Documentation level

    class_or_era

    Accessed

    2026-10-04

    Study period

    1956-57 (this hull's conversion window); yard documentation era

    Population

    Charleston NSY conversion/shipyard trades (1956-57 for this hull)

    Limitations

    Yard-level documentation, not a hull record: it establishes the asbestos-materials environment in which the 1956-57 conversion occurred - it does not name this hull, does not list materials installed aboard her, and does not establish quantity, exposure, or causation. Yard product-list contents reflect that yard's documented era practices; no conversion work package for this hull was located. OSHA inspection page returns HTTP 403 to automated fetch (confirmed 2026-10-04) - carried via the yard dataset's verified citation.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-investigator-yagr9-12

    Source vessel

    uss-investigator-yagr9

22. [22]In re Joint Eastern and Southern Districts Asbestos Litigation (Robinson v. United States), 891 F.2d 31 (2d Cir. 1989) [court_record]

    Locator

    Opinion, 891 F.2d 31 (No. 1547, docket 89-6109)

    Finding type

    litigation_documented

    Finding

    Second Circuit ruling addressing mesothelioma claims by a mariner aboard War Shipping Administration vessels; claims against the government were barred on discretionary-function grounds - the litigation posture for the WWII government merchant fleet of which this hull's 1945-47 merchant phase (WSA general-agency operation by Polarus Steamship Co., then the 1947 Waterman reactivation under WSA/MC agreements) was a part.

    Verification

    verified

    Role

    context

    Documentation level

    class_or_era

    Accessed

    2026-10-04

    Study period

    1989 (opinion); 1945-47 merchant phase

    Population

    WWII merchant mariners (class context)

    Limitations

    Fleet-level jurisdictional ruling; does not name this hull, does not find asbestos conditions aboard any specific vessel, and establishes only the litigation posture for wartime merchant-fleet claims. This hull's Navy-phase exposures (1956-65) fall under different frameworks (Feres/contractor doctrines) not addressed here. Reporter citation confirmed: 891 F.2d 31.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-investigator-yagr9-13

    Source vessel

    uss-investigator-yagr9

23. [23]Designation/spelling cross-check: MARAD status cards and detail pages (CHARLES A. DRAPER; Z-EC2-S-C5; PD-X-891 award 12-23-70; Recuperaciones Submarinas S.A. 'scrapping in Spain'); shipscribe ('Converted at NSY Charleston'; 'Renamed 7 Aug 1956 as YAGR'; 'BU in Spain'); DANFS (delivered to Polarus 24 Jan 1945; commissioned 16 Jan 1957; decomm 29 Mar 1965); NavSource ('SS Charles A. Draper'; decomm '3 March 1965'; 'Dawoon Corp.' '23 December 1971'; 'Santandar'); yagrs.org ('SS JOHN A. DRAPER'; 'Dawoon'; 'Santandar'; '1971'); Wikipedia (lead 'acquired by the US Navy in 1954'; infobox decomm '3 March 1965' vs body '29 March 1965'); MARAD detail 5753 milestone table + card 17O_01 (CHACORNAC ex-CADILLAC, ON 117134); MARAD detail 5753 type field 'EC2-S-C1' vs cards' 'Z-EC2-S-C5' [other_primary]

    Locator

    NavSource 6209 header; shipscribe ship note row 9; MARAD cards 18F_01/02, fe141bef, 28059802, 031ea4bd; yagrs.org/investigator.htm; Wikipedia USS Investigator (AGR-9); MARAD detail 5753 milestone table

    Finding type

    historical_record

    Finding

    CORRECTIONS: (a) Scrap-sale year - NavSource and yagrs.org print '23 December 1971' for the Dawood sale; the MARAD Record of Ship Sales records award 12-23-70 under PD-X-891, physical delivery 4-17-71, and resale onward to Spain - the 1970 award resolves the sequence (ev-05). (b) Merchant name - yagrs.org renders 'SS JOHN A. DRAPER'; DANFS, MARAD cards, NavSource, and shipscribe all give CHARLES A. DRAPER. (c) Spelling drift - 'Dawoon' (NavSource, yagrs.org) and 'Santandar'/'Santander' and 'Eckhardt' (NavSource, yagrs.org) vs card readings Dawood Corporation Ltd., Recuperaciones Submarinas S.A. (Santander, Spain), Eckhart & Co. G.m.b.H. (d) Decommission date - NavSource '3 March 1965' and Wikipedia infobox '3 March 1965' vs DANFS '29 March 1965' corroborated by MARAD fleet-entry card (3-29-65 1415 EST) and transfer memo (3/29/65 2:15 PM EST); shipscribe and yagrs.org agree with 29 March. (e) MARAD record pollution - detail page 5753's milestone table and card 17O_01.png belong to CHACORNAC (ex-CADILLAC, ON 117134, a 1902 Great Lakes bulk carrier scrapped 1953); correct Investigator cards are under CHARLES A. DRAPER (detail 7260) and the GUID-named images on 5753. (f) MARAD type inconsistency - detail page 5753 lists 'MARAD Type EC2-S-C1' while its own status cards and detail 7260 say Z-EC2-S-C5; the S-C5 type is carried (consistent with the MCE-2336 boxed-aircraft-transport series). (g) Wikipedia lead 'acquired by the US Navy in 1954' - all primary sources date Navy custody 1956 (title 5-8-56 per card; formal acquisition 2 July 1956 per DANFS); 1954 conflates the first-batch YAGR program start.

    Verification

    partial

    Role

    correction

    Documentation level

    ship_specific

    Accessed

    2026-10-04

    Study period

    1944-1971 (record window)

    Limitations

    Corrects circulating secondary errors, not material claims. The decommission-date question is a genuine source conflict resolved in favor of DANFS + MARAD primary cards; the 3 March variant is retained in gaps rather than discarded. No asbestos content.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-investigator-yagr9-14

    Source vessel

    uss-investigator-yagr9

24. [24]Batch-8724 search ledger (this record): DANFS transcription (hazegray, live); MARAD ShipHistory details 7260/5753 + status-card images read directly + transfer/sale PDFs; shipscribe Guardian class page; NavSource 6209; yagrs.org; NVR (no entry); NARA catalog (JS-rendered lead); GAO product page (403); USMC EC2 manual; Corn & Starr; Robinson v. U.S.; CourtListener four base queries (fleet-paced at session time - see ledger); secondary web litigation sweep [other_primary]

    Locator

    search_ledger rows sl-uss-investigator-yagr9-01 through -16

    Finding type

    historical_record

    Finding

    No qualifying ship-specific asbestos record located: no asbestos survey, insulation/material list, abatement contract, hazmat disclosure naming asbestos, conversion work package, or docketed case naming USS Investigator (YAGR-9/AGR-9) or SS Charles A. Draper was found in the public sources searched. The MARAD custody cards - which do carry hazmat notations (sodium-chromate locked-in ballast, 'to be scrapped') - contain no asbestos entry. Secondary web sweeps surfaced only law-firm marketing content (asbestos-ships.com USS Investigator AGR-9 page asserting exposure and freeasbestostesting.com listicle - both excluded by source policy). CourtListener's opinion index returned zero hits for the exact name; the docket index and the hull-number queries were fleet-paced at session time - see search_ledger for the final status of the four mandated base queries.

    Verification

    verified

    Role

    negative_finding

    Documentation level

    ship_specific

    Accessed

    2026-10-04

    Study period

    2026-10-04

    Limitations

    Absence of a located public record does not prove absence of asbestos aboard - and this is a converted 1945 Liberty hull that received a full 1956-57 naval refit at Charleston Naval Shipyard in the peak asbestos era, so era exposure likelihood is high but unproven for this hull. SCB Project No. 126 conversion work packages (ship-plan archives), NARA RG 181 Charleston NSY records, and RG 24 deck logs are undigitized/unchecked leads. Does not establish or defeat any claim of exposure or legal eligibility.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-investigator-yagr9-15

    Source vessel

    uss-investigator-yagr9