Evidence
12 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-12).
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[1]Naval History and Heritage Command, DANFS, 'Kern (AOG-2) (ex-Rappahannock) 1943-1958' (updated online entry, published 2019-08-10); live URL 404s - verbatim text retrieved via Internet Archive Wayback capture 2024-05-26 [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- Canonical NHHC URL https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/k/kern.html (live 404 on 2026-09-24); Wayback captures 2019-08-19 through 2024-05-26
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- NHHC DANFS (updated online entry, published 2019-08-10): Rappahannock (AOG-2) laid down 25 May 1942 at Tacoma, Wash., by Seattle-Tacoma Ship Building Co.; renamed Kern 18 July 1942; launched 7 September 1942; sponsored by Mrs. L. A. Oldin; commissioned at Seattle 9 March 1943, Lt. Cmdr. Lewis Williams in command. WWII: San Pedro shakedown; convoy to Pearl Harbor (arrived 22 Apr 1943); aviation-gas/diesel runs to Midway (8-12 Jun), Canton and Palmyra (27 Jun-11 Jul); a year of tanker ops out of Pearl Harbor; Eniwetok station tanker (arrived 31 Aug 1944); gasoline to Marianas and Ulithi; Kossol Roads, Palaus, 28 Oct; station tanker Kossol Roads Nov 1944-Jul 1945 with Peleliu/Angaur shuttle and Palaus-Ulithi runs; Guam overhaul (arrived 6 Aug 1945). Occupation: Ulithi 31 Aug 1945; Okinawa 17-21 Sep; Hiro Wan refueling; Jinsen, Korea station tanker (2 Feb 1946); Kobe 18 Apr; decommissioned Yokosuka 6 Aug 1946 and transferred to the Army the same day; stricken 23 Apr 1947. Reinstated on Navy List 1 Jul 1950, MSTS as T-AOG-2, civilian crew, Seventh Fleet supply during Korea; to NDRF Suisun Bay 28 Sep 1956; returned to Navy custody 30 Apr 1957 for Arctic replenishment north of Alaska; inactivated San Francisco 1 Oct 1957; stripped from 13 Mar 1958; permanent transfer to Reserve Fleet 9 Apr 1958; stricken 10 Apr 1958; sold for non-transportation use to National Metal & Steel Co. 2 Dec 1975.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-24
- Study period
- 1942-1975
- Limitations
- Authoritative Navy history naming this hull - establishes identity, construction, full service chronology, both stricken events (23 Apr 1947 and 10 Apr 1958), and 1975 sale. Internal typo: Hiro Wan arrival printed as '15 September' against a 13 October sailing (likely 15 October). Contains no asbestos, insulation, or materials information; supports no asbestos claim.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-kern-aog2-01
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[2]Bureau of Ships, Ships' Data, U.S. Naval Vessels, Vol. 3 (NAVSHIPS 250-012, 1945), Auxiliaries - Gasoline Tankers (AOG) section, per-hull row for KERN AOG2 (shipscribe.com scan of the official BuShips publication) [other_primary]
- Locator
- SDB1945v3.pdf, AOG section pp. 182-188, KERN row (PDF text-verified; OCR columnar, cross-checked vs DANFS, MARAD card, NavSource)
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- BuShips Ships' Data, U.S. Naval Vessels, Vol. 3 (NAVSHIPS 250-012, 1945) carries a per-hull row for KERN (ex-Rappahannock) AOG2 in the Auxiliaries - Gasoline Tankers section: 310'9" oa / 292'0" wl; beam 48'6"; trial speed 14.0 knots; trial/limiting displacement 4,335 tons; limiting draft 15'8"; complement 9 officers + 124 enlisted; machinery 2 propellers, 'G. M. Diesel, 16-278A', 3,300 shp; single Farrel-Birmingham main reduction gear; armament 4 x 3"/50 cal (D.P.); cargo incl. 667,000 gal gasoline; builder Seattle-Tacoma S. B. Corp., Tacoma, Wash.; keel 25 May 42, launched 7 Sept 42, commissioned 9 Mar 43.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-24
- Study period
- 1945 (publication); describes 1943-45 configuration
- Limitations
- Authoritative wartime BuShips publication naming this hull - confirms identity, machinery plant ('G. M. Diesel, 16-278A' - resolving the 'GE 12-278A' error in secondary sources), manning, builder, and dates. OCR of the scanned table is columnar and partially garbled; values cross-verified against DANFS and MARAD. Contains no materials, insulation, or asbestos information; supports no asbestos claim.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-kern-aog2-02
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[3]U.S. Maritime Administration, ShipHistory database - KERN (AOG-2), Ship History Detail 2863, incl. three digitized status-card scans (2863_5320AF.jpg, 2863_5320BF.jpg, 2863_5320CF.jpg) [marad_nrc]
- Locator
- ShipHistory Detail 2863, milestone table + /cards/ status-card scans
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- MARAD ShipHistory registry for KERN (AOG-2), Detail 2863, plus three scanned NDRF custody status cards (Form MA-383, Reserve Fleet - Ship Particulars): (a) entered Suisun Bay 28 Sep 1956 1330 PDST, service 'MSTS - Arctic', title 'MSTS - Ready Status', withdrawn 30 Apr 1957 for 'MSTS - Arctic Ready Status' ('Arctic resupply' noted, MSTS letter refs); (b) entered 1 Oct 1957 1400 PST, withdrawn 13 Mar 1958 'MSTS for stripping preparatory to permanent layup'; (c) entered 9 Apr 1958 1650 PST on permanent layup ('Permanent Transfer - Possible 1958 Arctic Use', Navy letter 7 Feb 1958, MARAD reply 3 Mar 1958; 'Ice strengthening features to be retained' per MSTS ltr). Card specs: builder Seattle-Tacoma S/B Corp., hull 'Bldrs. #13', built 1942, twin screw gasoline tanker, GM diesel engines, 9 officers + 124 enlisted, gasoline capacity 667,000 gals (~14,700 BBls) + oil cargo 1,000 BBls. Withdrawal annotation: 'Sold for nontransportation use under PD-X-1001, as amended 12-2-75, to National Metal & Steel Corp. for the lump sum amount of $528,529.19 for 4 ships. Withdrawn 1400 PST 12/16/75.' Registry milestones: Entry/Acquisition 9/28/1956 'PERMANENT LAYUP'; Disposition/Withdrawl 12/16/1975; Fate 'Sold -NTU'; MARAD Type T1-MT-M1; 2,782 gross tons.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-24
- Study period
- 1956-1975
- Population
- NDRF Suisun Bay custody 1956-1975; MSTS Arctic service 1956-57
- Limitations
- Primary custody documents for this hull - establish NDRF entries/withdrawals with hour-level timestamps, Arctic service and retained ice-strengthening features, and the complete disposal record (sale terms, buyer, price, withdrawal). Registry milestone table is summary-level ('PERMANENT LAYUP' at first entry vs. card's contemporaneous 'MSTS - Ready Status'). Contains no asbestos, insulation, or hazardous-material information; supports no asbestos claim.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-kern-aog2-03
-
[4]Carter, Worrall Reed, 'Beans, Bullets, and Black Oil: The Story of Fleet Logistics Afloat in the Pacific during World War II' (Department of the Navy / Naval History Division, 1953), Chapter XXI - HyperWar transcription [other_primary]
- Locator
- Chapter XXI, 'Logistic Support of the Third Fleet,' Ulithi fueling-section paragraph (~p. 250)
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- The official Navy history of Pacific logistics records Kern operating in the Ulithi fueling cycle during the Leyte-period operations: 'On the 22d the Kern, from the Marianas and the Mission San Antonio came in from Balboa with 103,000 barrels' - i.e., Kern arrived at Ulithi on 22 October 1944 from the Marianas, consistent with the DANFS chronology (carried gasoline to the Marianas and Ulithi before reaching Kossol Roads 28 Oct).
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-24
- Study period
- 1944-10
- Limitations
- Official Navy historical publication naming this hull in a dated operational context - corroborates DANFS chronology only. The sentence's list structure is ambiguous (Kern 'from the Marianas'; Mission San Antonio 'from Balboa with 103,000 barrels'). Contains no asbestos or materials information; supports no asbestos claim.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-kern-aog2-04
-
[5]Naval History and Heritage Command, DANFS, 'Sperry (AS-12)' entry (HyperWar transcription) [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- HyperWar DANFS mirror, Sperry (AS-12) entry, paragraph covering June 1943 Midway passage
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- A second official Navy source corroborates Kern's June 1943 Midway run: the DANFS entry for submarine tender USS Sperry (AS-12) records that Sperry 'steamed in company with Kern (AOG-2) and Coast Guard cutter Taney' and reached Midway Island on 12 June 1943 - matching the DANFS chronology for Kern's first Midway run (8-12 June 1943).
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-24
- Study period
- 1943-06
- Limitations
- Independent official-source corroboration naming this hull in a dated operational context; establishes only the convoy-in-company fact, not anything about this hull's materials. Contains no asbestos information; supports no asbestos claim.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-kern-aog2-12
-
[6]shipscribe.com U.S. Navy Auxiliary Ships, PATAPSCO (AOG-1) class page - construction/disposition tables, T1-MT-M1 design history from BuShips/MC records, AOG-2 ship note (secondary compilation of official records) [other_primary]
- Locator
- Class construction table (KERN row), Class Notes (1940-41 design history), Ship Notes (AOG-2)
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Shipscribe Patapsco-class (AOG-1) compilation documents: KERN ordered 3 Mar 1941 (first five AOGs ordered by the Navy directly from Seattle-Tacoma SB Corp.); class design T1-MT-M1 developed 1940-41 between BuShips and the Maritime Commission from a small-tanker arrangement plan, with the propulsion plant 'changed from diesel electric, single screw to direct drive diesel, twin screw' before construction; class machinery '2 screws, General Motors diesels'. Ship note for AOG-2: 'Ex USS RAPPAHANNOCK 18 Jul 42. Being operated for CINCAfPAC by May 1946. Decomm 6 Aug 46 and to Army (CINCAfPAC) as Y-483 same date, stk. 23 Apr 47. Reinstated on list as KERN (T-AOG-2) 7 Jun 50, from Army to MSTS 1 Jul 50. To NDRF 28 Sep 56 (MSTS Ready Reserve), from NDRF 30 Apr 57, to NDRF 1 Oct 57, from NDRF 13 Mar 58. To buyer 16 Dec 75.' Class notes also record that several class ships had bows strengthened for Arctic operations in the 1950s and that MSTS ships were laid up in Ready Reserve between operating seasons.
- Verification
- partial
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-24
- Study period
- 1940-1975
- Limitations
- Well-regarded secondary compilation (Colton, shipscribe) drawing on BuShips/General Board/MC records - names this hull with dates that cross-check against DANFS and MARAD cards (minor variance: reinstatement '7 Jun 50' vs DANFS '1 Jul 1950', likely order-vs-effective date). Not itself a primary document; no asbestos or materials information.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-kern-aog2-05
-
[7]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 program under which this T1-MT-M1 gasoline tanker was built (Navy-ordered 1941, wartime construction 1942-43) - and that wartime demand drove unprecedented asbestos utilization aboard naval and merchant-type hulls.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-24
- Study period
- 1940s era documented; article 1987
- Population
- WWII shipyard workers and ship crews (class context)
- Limitations
- Program/era-level scholarly documentation of asbestos use in WWII shipbuilding generally; does not name this vessel or class and does not establish that asbestos was or is aboard this hull, nor quantity, location, condition, exposure, or causation.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-kern-aog2-06
-
[8]Fleischer, W.E., Viles, F.J. Jr., Gade, R.L., and Drinker, P., 'A health survey of pipe covering operations in constructing naval vessels,' J Ind Hyg Toxicol 28(1):9-16 (Jan 1946), PMID 21016030 [other_primary]
- Locator
- PubMed record PMID 21016030; article pp. 9-16 (pipe covering material section)
- Finding type
- gov_survey
- Finding
- The U.S. Maritime Commission-commissioned industrial-hygiene survey of WWII pipe-covering operations at Navy and contract yards documented that 'an important ingredient of pipe covering material used on U.S. Navy vessels is amosite' - i.e., asbestos insulation was standard material in wartime naval-vessel construction of exactly this hull's era.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-24
- Study period
- survey ~1944-45; published 1946
- Population
- WWII pipe coverers and insulators at Navy and contract yards (era context)
- Limitations
- Era-level documentation of asbestos use in naval construction generally; does not name this vessel, class, or builder yard (whether Seattle-Tacoma was among the surveyed yards is unverified) and establishes nothing about this hull's materials, condition, or any individual exposure. (The study's exculpatory 'not a dangerous occupation' conclusion has since been heavily criticized.)
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-kern-aog2-07
-
[9]Inference row keyed to: BuShips SDB 1945 v3 KERN row (diesel plant type); Corn & Starr AJIM 11(3):359-373 (1987); Fleischer et al., J Ind Hyg Toxicol 28(1):9-16 (1946), PMID 21016030 [other_primary]
- Locator
- SDB1945v3.pdf AOG section KERN row (machinery); era surveys as cited in ev-06/ev-07
- Finding type
- asbestos_application
- Finding
- Era-consistent asbestos inference for this specific plant type: the hull's documented machinery is a geared direct-drive diesel installation (G.M. 16-278A engines, twin screws - BuShips SDB 1945 row), not a steam plant, so boiler and fireroom insulation scope does not apply; but WWII-era naval auxiliaries of this hull's period routinely carried asbestos-containing pipe covering on fuel/water/service lines, machinery gaskets and packing, engine and exhaust-system lagging, electrical cable insulation, accommodation fireproofing/joiner insulation, and deck coverings. Documented disturbance events whose asbestos scope is inference only: wartime Pacific operations (1943-46), Army transfer and ATS operation (1946-50), MSTS reactivation (1950), Arctic outfit incl. documented ice-strengthening features (1956-57), stripping for permanent lay-up (Mar 1958), and breaking at National Metal & Steel, Terminal Island (Dec 1975).
- Verification
- inferred
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-24
- Study period
- 1942-1976
- Population
- Construction trades (Seattle-Tacoma, 1942-43); commissioned crew (133); Army ATS crew (1946-50); MSTS civilian crew (1950-57); NDRF stripping/lay-up crews (1956-58); scrapping workers (1975-76)
- Limitations
- Era/design-level inference, not a hull record - no ship-specific document states asbestos content of this hull. The diesel (non-steam) plant materially narrows the era-typical scope versus boiler auxiliaries; listed applications are period-typical, not proven aboard. Does not establish quantity, location, condition, exposure, or causation.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-kern-aog2-08
-
[10]Reconciliation across: NHHC DANFS (2019 update); BuShips SDB 1945 v3 KERN row; MARAD status cards; shipscribe AOG-1 class notes; NavSource AOG-2 page; Wikipedia (secondary) [other_primary]
- Locator
- DANFS chronology; SDB1945v3.pdf machinery + construction columns; MARAD card 2863_5320AF; shipscribe AOG01 class notes and ship note; navsource.net/archives/09/20/2002.htm
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Source discrepancies resolved: (a) stricken dates - updated DANFS records striking 23 Apr 1947 (after Army transfer), reinstatement on the Navy List 1 Jul 1950 (shipscribe records reinstatement 7 Jun 50, likely order date vs. effective Army-to-MSTS transfer), and final striking 10 Apr 1958; NavSource prints 'struck ... date unknown' and Wikipedia carries only the 10 Apr 1958 date. (b) Machinery - BuShips SDB 1945 row reads 'G. M. Diesel, 16-278A' and the MARAD status card 'GM Diesel Engines'; NavSource prints 'four GE 12-278A Diesel engines' and Wikipedia 'General Electric diesel-electric engines'; class design notes record the pre-construction change 'from diesel electric, single screw to direct drive diesel, twin screw'. Official sources control: GM diesels, direct drive, twin screw. (c) Builder location - DANFS, SDB, and shipscribe give Tacoma, Wash. for the Seattle-Tacoma yard (NavSource's header line prints 'Seattle, WA'; the launch photo caption itself says the yard was in Tacoma). (d) Sponsor spelling - DANFS 'Mrs. L. A. Oldin'; NavSource caption 'Mrs. L.A. Odlin'.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- correction
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-24
- Study period
- 1941-1975 records
- Limitations
- Resolves publication-level discrepancies among official and secondary sources; does not affect identity or the custody timeline materially. The underlying 'GE vs GM' and engine-count question is only partly resolved (unit count per shaft remains unlegible in the SDB scan). No asbestos content in any cited source.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-kern-aog2-09
-
[11]Batch-1963 search ledger (this record): NHHC DANFS; BuShips SDB 1945 v3; MARAD ShipHistory 2863 + status cards; NavSource; shipscribe; HyperWar BBBO; NVR; VA BVA index; CourtListener API v4; indexed-web litigation check [other_primary]
- Locator
- search_ledger rows sl-uss-kern-aog2-01 through sl-uss-kern-aog2-11
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- No qualifying ship-specific asbestos record located: no asbestos survey, abatement contract, hazmat disclosure, or docketed case naming USS Kern, AOG-2, T-AOG-2, or Y-483 was found in the public sources searched (see search_ledger). CourtListener opinion search returned zero hits for '"USS Kern" asbestos' and one hit for '"AOG-2"' - an 1885 Michigan railroad case (OCR collision, non-qualifying); 'T-AOG-2' and docket sweeps remained blocked by fleet pacing at stand-down. Indexed-web checking surfaced only law-firm marketing ship lists (asbestos-ships.com, duboselawfirm.com) naming the hull without primary support - an excluded source class. The ship's three MARAD custody cards - the closest thing to a hull record in public sources - contain no asbestos or insulation-material entry.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-24
- Study period
- 2026-09-24
- Limitations
- Absence of a located public record does not prove absence of asbestos aboard - a 1942-43 naval auxiliary is era-consistent with asbestos-containing materials, and the litigation check is itself incomplete because direct CourtListener querying was blocked (indexed-web fallback only). Does not establish presence or absence; does not establish or defeat any exposure claim or legal eligibility.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-kern-aog2-10
-
[12]NARA guidance and record-group mapping: deck logs 1941-1959 incl. MSTS logs at Archives II (RG 24); RG 19 (BuShips); RG 178 (US Maritime Commission); RG 357 (MARAD); Army Transportation Service records for Y-483 [other_primary]
- Locator
- https://www.archives.gov/research/military/logbooks/navy-deck-logs-1941-1959 ; https://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/024.html ; /groups/019.html ; /groups/178.html ; /groups/357.html
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Archival leads (not retrieved - require research-room or reproduction order; no spend authorized): NARA RG 24 deck logs for USS Kern covering 1943-46 commission service (1941-1959 logs are at Archives II, College Park, and the series explicitly includes MSTS logs covering the 1950-57 period); RG 19 BuShips records incl. the T1-MT-M1 design file and Booklet of General Plans for hull 13; RG 178 U.S. Maritime Commission Construction Division records (the AOG-1 design was jointly developed Navy-MC 1940-41 and early ships were Navy-ordered); RG 357 MARAD/NDRF custody files incl. the PD-X-1001 four-ship sale file of 2 Dec 1975 (most promising disposal-era lead); U.S. Army Transportation Service records for the USAT Y-483 period (1947-50).
- Verification
- unverified
- Role
- archival_lead
- Documentation level
- context_only
- Accessed
- 2026-09-24
- Study period
- 1940-1975 records
- Limitations
- Record-group mapping only - no box-level retrieval performed; existence of asbestos-specific documents for this hull is unknown until surveyed in person. Nothing in this row is an asbestos finding.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-kern-aog2-11