Evidence
10 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-10).
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[1]research packet m-packet.md (6 sources cited) [nhhc_danfs]
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Identity packet verdict: VERIFIED. No name collision found. — real identity: USS Laurens; hull: APA-153; designation: attack transport (APA)
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Evidence ID
- uss-laurens-apa153-pkt-m-packet-md
-
[2]Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, 'Laurens (APA-153)' entry, Naval History and Heritage Command (live URL 404s 2026-09-25; verbatim text via Internet Archive Wayback capture 20250202151341 of the live NHHC page) [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- DANFS entry body text + stats line; Wayback capture 20250202151341
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- DANFS entry for Laurens (APA-153), named for 'Counties in Georgia and South Carolina': '(APA-153: dp. 6,720; l. 455'; b. 62'; dr. 24'; s. 17.7 k.; cpl. 519; a. 1 5", 12 40mm., 10 20mm.; cl. Haskell; T. VC2-S-AP5)'. Launched by Oregon Shipbuilding Corp., Portland, Oreg., under Maritime Commission contract; sponsored by Mrs. James C. Black; acquired by the Navy 7 September 1944 and commissioned the same day, Capt. A. R. Ponto in command. Service: shakedown California coast; departed Oakland 26 October 1944, Lae, New Guinea 12 November; training out of New Guinea and New Caledonia; Guadalcanal mid-December, loaded over 1,400 troops, proceeded to Manus; departed Manus 2 January 1945, landed troops off San Fabian in Lingayen Gulf 11 January, stood out on the 12th, returned to New Guinea 27 January; February run to Leyte; steamed out of Leyte Gulf 27 March for Okinawa, lay in transport area 9 miles offshore from 1 April, landed troops and cargo until sailing for Saipan 6 April, arriving 10 April; May repairs at Pearl Harbor and San Diego; Eniwetok 15 June; six weeks of inter-island troop and supply runs; loaded war veterans at Ulithi 31 July, arrived San Francisco one day before the end of the war; occupation troops to the Japanese home islands; 'Magic Carpet' fleet; final run completed Portland, Oregon, 8 January 1946; decommissioned 10 April 1946 at Norfolk, Va., returned to WSA 13 April 1946; entered the NDRF in the Hudson River, N.Y., 2 May 1956, where she remained 'into late 1967'; two battle stars for World War II service.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-25
- Study period
- 1944-1946; NDRF to 1967
- Population
- Ship's company and embarked troops/occupation forces, 1944-1946
- Limitations
- Authoritative Navy historical entry naming this hull - controlling source for identity, wartime employment, decommissioning, and NDRF entry through May 1956 (entry ends 'remained into late 1967'). Contains no asbestos, materials, or insulation information - supports no asbestos claim. Prints acquired/commissioned 7 September 1944 vs MARAD card delivery-to-USMC 6 September and SDB first-commission column 9 September (flagged in correction row).
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-laurens-apa153-01
-
[3]Bureau of Ships, Ships' Data, U.S. Naval Vessels, Vol. 3 (NAVSHIPS 250-012 series, Jan 1945), APA tables + ship index (shipscribe.com scan of the official BuShips publication) [other_primary]
- Locator
- SDB1945v3 APA section, table sequence no. 147: index/dimensions, personnel, machinery, armament/cargo, and construction rows naming LAURENS/APA153; ship index 'APA 153 LAURENS'; MC hull concordance 'M.C.V. Hull 119 (now Laurens) APA153'
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Bureau of Ships, Ships' Data U.S. Naval Vessels Vol. 3 (January 1945), attack-transport (APA) tables, carries per-hull rows for this ship at table sequence no. 147: index/dimensions 'LAURENS (ex - M.C.V. Hull 119) - APA153', length 455'0" overall / 436'6" waterline, beam 62'0", 17.7 knots trial speed, 14,837 tons trial displacement; personnel row limiting displacement 12,450 tons, limiting draft 24'0", ship's company 99 officers / 593 enlisted, troop capacity 80 officers / 1,440 enlisted, largest boom 35 tons; machinery row '1 [Westinghouse] turb.' (ditto of Westinghouse entry), 8,500 shaft horsepower, '2 C.E. hdr.' boilers - Combustion Engineering header-type - at 465 psi / 750 F; armament/cargo row 1 5"/38cal (D.P.), 4 twin + 1 quad 40mm mounts, 150,000 cu ft non-refrigerated cargo, 5,800 tons total / 2,900 tons cargo deadweight; construction row builder 'Oregon S. B. Corp., Portland, Oreg.', acquired 7 Sept 44, year built 1944, first commission 9 Sept 44.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-25
- Study period
- 1945
- Population
- Ship's company and embarked troops (as fitted 1944-45)
- Limitations
- Official wartime BuShips publication naming this hull - confirms identity, ex-M.C.V. Hull 119, the machinery plant (Westinghouse turbine + 2 Combustion Engineering header boilers at 465 psi/750 F - NOT the B&W units shown in class-typical listings), builder, and acquisition dates. Contains no materials, insulation, or asbestos information; supports no asbestos claim. First-commission column prints 9 Sept 44 vs DANFS 7 Sept (flagged in correction row); OCR of the scanned table is degraded - values read from the per-hull row, cross-checked against NavSource spec block (C.E. header boilers, 8,500 shp, 465 psi/750 F).
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-laurens-apa153-02
-
[4]U.S. Maritime Administration, ShipHistory database - LAURENS (APA-153), Ship History Detail 2966 + digitized status cards (4GD_01.png original VESSEL STATUS CARD custody ledger; 2966_5519CF.jpg Hudson River fleet card MA-383; 2966_5519DF.jpg James River vessel-data form; 2966_5519AF.jpg James River fleet card MA-383 rev. 7-83; 2966_5519BF.jpg James River fleet card MA-383 10-64; 2966_5519DB.jpg photo strip 'NEXT BOSQUE - synchronous generator and motor missing'; 2966_AF.jpg + 2966_AB.jpg Record of Ship Sales MA-20, contract MA-12379) [marad_nrc]
- Locator
- ShipHistory Detail 2966 registry block + milestones; status-card images at /cards/4GD_01.png (custody ledger), /cards/2966_5519CF.jpg (Hudson River fleet), /cards/2966_5519DF.jpg (James River vessel data), /cards/2966_5519AF.jpg (James River withdrawal-for-scrap), /cards/2966_5519BF.jpg (James River entry/stripping + PD-X-984 stamp), /cards/2966_5519DB.jpg (generator-missing strip), /cards/2966_AF.jpg + /cards/2966_AB.jpg (MA-20 sale card)
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- MARAD ShipHistory registry record and digitized vessel status cards for LAURENS (APA-153), type VC2-S-AP5, hull no. MCV-119, builder 'Oregon SB Corp.' at Portland, Ore., completed 9-6-44, 'Basis to W.S.A. 9-6-44 11:05AM PWT @ Portland, Ore. del. by builder to USMC'; delivered from Navy Dept. (Surplus) at Lee Hall, Va. 4-13-46 2:10PM EST into the James River reserve fleet; James River vessel-data form records entry fuel inventory 971 bbls Bunker C + 19 diesel, termination port of last voyage NORFOLK, and '1956 Repair Program / GAA-Farrell Lines' annotation. Custody ledger: withdrawn to Farrell Lines Inc. '(Repair Program)' under general-agent agreement at James River 2-1-56 11:30 a.m. EST; Reserve Fleet (Repair Program) Hudson River 5-2-56 8:30 a.m. EDST; withdrawn from Hudson River 10-3-69 1005 EDST 'Retention transferred to James River due to close down of Hudson facility'; entered James River 10-5-69 1005 EDST (status card logs 1:25PM); Frank W. Watts & K. E. Tureaud '(Nontransportation Use)' purchase, James River, 10/3/74. Fleet card records withdrawal 8-6-87 1400 EDT reason 'Navy Stripping' and arrival back at James River 12/7/87; a MARAD photo strip notes 'Synchronous generator and motor missing'; withdrawn 5-11-89 0945 EDT 'Sold for scrap / Going to Mainland China'. Card annotation (PD-X-984): 'Sold for NT use under PD-X-984, 10-3-74 to Frank W. Watts & K. E. Tureaud for $298,452.52. Buyer defaulted, sale cancelled 11-1-74. see telegram in ships file.' Record of Ship Sales (Form MA-20), contract MA-12379, LSW 6,481.1 tons, James River Reserve Fleet, dated 12-1-88: 'Pursuant to § 510(i) MM Act 1936, as amended, the LAURENS (APA-153), CANTON VICTORY and PRINCETON VICTORY traded-out to Farrell Lines, Inc., as partial exchange for trade-in of the EXPORT CHAMPION. The three trade-out ships were immediately resold by Farrell Lines, Inc. to China Resources Metals & Minerals Co., Ltd., a Hong Kong corporation, for scrapping in the People's Republic of China.' Registry Detail 2966: year built 1944, shipyard Oregon Shipbuilding Company, fate 'Sold -NTU', milestones Entry/Acquisition 4/13/1946, Disposition/Withdrawal 5/11/1989 '510i trade out to scrap'.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-25
- Study period
- 1944-1989
- Population
- NDRF lay-up/caretaker personnel (1946-1989); Farrell Lines repair-program workforce (1956); Navy stripping crew (1987); scrapping workers (1988-89)
- Limitations
- Authoritative MARAD custody record - documents lay-up at James River (1946, 1969-1989) and Hudson River (1956-1969), a mid-life repair-program availability under Farrell Lines GAA (February-May 1956), a 'Navy stripping' withdrawal August-December 1987, the cancelled 1974 non-transportation-use sale, and the December 1988 §510(i) trade-out to Farrell Lines with immediate resale for scrapping in the PRC. The cards document custody and events, not materials: no asbestos, insulation, or work-scope content appears; the 1956 repair availability and 1987 stripping are documented periods of work aboard the hull whose industrial scope is unknown from this source. Does not establish or negate asbestos presence.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-laurens-apa153-03
-
[5]shipbuildinghistory.com, 'Oregon Shipbuilding' yard production table (compiled from U.S. Maritime Commission records) + navypedia.org Haskell-class member table + NavSource APA-153 archive page [other_primary]
- Locator
- Oregon SB table row 1103; navypedia us_aws_haskell member table row APA153; navsource.net/archives/10/03/03153.htm
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Oregon Shipbuilding yard-record compilation (shipbuildinghistory.com, Tim Colton's table of USMC yard production) row for yard hull 1103: 'Laurens', type VC2-S-AP5, MC no. 119, keel laid 23-May-44, launched 11-Jul-44, delivered 6-Sep-44, 49 days on ways / 57 days in water / 106 total, disposition 'APA 153, scrapped'. Navypedia Haskell-class member table corroborates: APA-153 Laurens, yard no. 1103, Oregon SB Portland, laid 5.1944, launched 11.7.1944, commissioned 9.1944, fate 'to Maritime Comm. 4.1946'. NavSource APA-153 page prints acquired 6 September 1944 / commissioned 7 September 1944 (Capt. A. R. Ponto), TransRon Fourteen / TransDiv Forty-One, campaign table Lingayen Gulf landings 11-12 January 1945 and Okinawa Gunto assault and occupation 1-6 April 1945, Navy Occupation Service Medal periods, stricken 1 May 1946, and the same MARAD-sourced custody/sale milestones including 'resold, 1 December 1988, to Farrell Lines for resale to China Resources and Minerals Co. Ltd., Hong Kong for scrapping at Shanghai, China, removed 11 May 1989'.
- Verification
- partial
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-25
- Study period
- 1944
- Population
- Oregon Shipbuilding construction workforce, May-Sept 1944
- Limitations
- Secondary compilations of Maritime Commission yard records - the only located source for the keel-laying date (23-May-44) and yard hull number (1103, consistent with MARAD card hull no. 119 = MC number). NavSource's custody milestones match the primary MARAD cards except its '10 May 1969' Hudson-to-James transfer (cards print 10-5-69 = 5 October) and 'Assigned 5 February 1956' Hudson River entry (cards show the February event was the 2-1-56 Farrell Lines repair-program withdrawal; Hudson River entry was 5-2-56). Not a materials or asbestos source.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-laurens-apa153-04
-
[6]Cross-source reconciliation note (this record): DANFS vs MARAD status cards vs BuShips SDB vs NavSource [other_primary]
- Locator
- ev-uss-laurens-apa153-01 through -04
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Cross-source date conflicts for this hull: (a) acquisition/commissioning - MARAD status card shows builder delivery to USMC at Portland 1944-09-06 11:05 a.m. PWT; NavSource prints acquired 6 September / commissioned 7 September; DANFS prints acquired by the Navy and commissioned 7 September; BuShips SDB construction row prints acquired 7 Sept 44 but first commission 9 Sept 44 - unresolved window around delivery vs commissioning. (b) Hudson River entry - MARAD cards print 5-2-56 (consistent with DANFS 'entered the NDRF in the Hudson River 2 May 1956'); NavSource prints 'Assigned 5 February 1956' - the February event on the cards is the 2-1-56 Farrell Lines repair-program withdrawal at James River. (c) Hudson-to-James transfer - MARAD cards print withdrawn Hudson River 10-3-69 'due to close down of Hudson facility' and entered James River 10-5-69; NavSource prints '10 May 1969', a misread of the card's numeric date; DANFS 'remained into late 1967' reflects the entry's vintage, not the actual 1969 transfer.
- Verification
- disputed
- Role
- correction
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-25
- Study period
- 1944-1969
- Limitations
- Documents conflicts rather than resolving them; MARAD cards carried as controlling for custody dates. No asbestos relevance; carried for record integrity.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-laurens-apa153-05
-
[7]Consolidated era inference - BuShips SDB 1945 v3 per-hull machinery row (ev-uss-laurens-apa153-02) plus the documented Haskell/VC2 class plant and MARAD-documented disturbance events (ev-uss-laurens-apa153-03) [other_primary]
- Locator
- SDB1945v3 APA machinery table, LAURENS row (seq. 147); MARAD status cards
- Finding type
- asbestos_application
- Finding
- Era/design inference: the documented VC2-S-AP5 plant aboard this hull - single Westinghouse geared turbine at 8,500 shp fed by two Combustion Engineering header-type boilers at 465 psi / 750 F superheat - is a WWII emergency-construction superheated-steam installation built at the peak of wartime asbestos use. Typical applications for the type: boiler and fireroom insulation; steam-line and turbine lagging between boiler room and engine room; valve and flange gaskets; machinery packing; accommodation and troop-berthing insulation. Documented disturbance events aboard this hull - the February-May 1956 repair-program availability, the August-December 1987 Navy stripping (with 'synchronous generator and motor missing' noted), and the 1988-89 breaking in China - are consistent with insulation disturbance, though no materials scope is recorded for any of them. Asbestos presence aboard this hull specifically is inference from type and era, not a ship-proven finding.
- Verification
- inferred
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-25
- Study period
- 1944-1989
- Population
- Oregon Shipbuilding construction trades (1944); ship's company and embarked troops (1944-46); 1956 repair-program workforce; 1987 stripping crew; 1988-89 scrapping workers
- Limitations
- Class/era inference only - no ship-specific materials schedule, insulation survey, or asbestos record located for APA-153. Establishes no quantities, no product identifications, and no exposure for any individual.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-laurens-apa153-06
-
[8]SAIF Corp./Oregon Ship v. Johnson, 908 F.2d 1434 (9th Cir. 1990), No. 89-70412, argued/submitted 1990-06-06, decided 1990-07-13 (CourtListener cluster 8989348) [court_record]
- Locator
- Opinion paragraphs 1-9 (facts; exposure 'unquestionable'; building-way holding; affirmation of award)
- Finding type
- litigation_documented
- Finding
- Published appellate merits ruling documenting asbestos exposure at this hull's builder yard during the wartime construction era: claimant Grover Johnson was 'unquestionably exposed to asbestos in 1942 while constructing ships for petitioner Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation,' working as a brick mason helper (December 1941 - mid-1942) on building ways near the Willamette River - the same yard that built Laurens (keel May 1944). The Ninth Circuit held pre-1972 LHWCA did not cover building ways but applied the 1976 amendment (time of injury = manifestation, 1980) and affirmed the 40% disability award under the aggravation rule.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- context_only
- Accessed
- 2026-09-25
- Study period
- 1941-1942 (exposure); 1990 (opinion)
- Population
- Oregon Shipbuilding construction workforce (1941-42 claimant; yard operated 1941-1946)
- Limitations
- Yard-level documentation - does not name this hull and does not establish asbestos content aboard APA-153; the documented exposure occurred on building ways in 1941-42, before this hull's keel was laid. Establishes that airborne asbestos exposure during wartime hull construction at this builder is a litigated, affirmed fact pattern. Does not establish exposure for any Laurens worker, quantity, or product identification.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-laurens-apa153-07
-
[9]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 to automated fetch, HTTP 403; content via product-page description)
- Finding type
- gov_survey
- Finding
- GAO documented the Navy's asbestos-protection program: standing policy (1975) removed asbestos insulation only when damaged or required for repairs, modified 1979 to selective replacement in high-maintenance areas. Program-level context for the era; this hull was in MARAD reserve-fleet custody (1946-1989) rather than Navy custody during the policy window, so the record's relevance is background only.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- context_only
- Accessed
- 2026-09-25
- Study period
- 1979
- Population
- Navy shipyard workers; asbestos program review
- Limitations
- Program-level documentation, not ship-specific; the hull left Navy custody in April 1946, before the documented policy period. Establishes nothing about materials aboard APA-153.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-laurens-apa153-08
-
[10]Batch-2225 search ledger (this record): NHHC/DANFS via Wayback; BuShips SDB 1945 v3; MARAD ShipHistory detail 2966 + status cards + MA-20 sale card; Oregon SB yard table + navypedia + NavSource; CourtListener API v4 opinion and docket searches; GAO HRD-80-2 product page; NARA catalog (JS-gated, archival lead only) [other_primary]
- Locator
- search_ledger rows sl-uss-laurens-apa153-01 through -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 Laurens / APA-153 was found in the public sources searched. CourtListener: '"USS Laurens"' opinions 0, dockets 0; '"APA-153"' opinions 1 (Dos Republicas Coal Partnership v. Saucedo, Tex. App. 2015 - statutory/docket-reference collision, no vessel naming), dockets 17 - all Administrative Procedure Act / environmental-review collisions, no vessel naming. MARAD status and sale cards carry no asbestos or materials annotation; DANFS and the NHHC Online Library page carry none.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-25
- Study period
- 2026-09-25
- Limitations
- Absence of a located public record does not prove absence of asbestos aboard - a superheated-steam WWII hull that saw documented repair-program (1956), stripping (1987), and breaking (1988-89) events is era-consistent with retained ACMs; the finding is that no ship-specific asbestos documentation was located, not that none exists. CourtListener coverage is RECAP-indexed text; county-name hulls under-cover filings that omit the hull number. Does not establish or defeat any claim of exposure or legal eligibility.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-laurens-apa153-09