Evidence
11 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-11).
-
[1]research packet pi-packet.md (2 sources cited) [other_primary]
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Identity packet verdict: VERIFIED — real identity: USS LCI(L)-463. Hull 463. Designation: LCI(L). Type/class: LCI(L)-351 class Landing Craft Infantry.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Evidence ID
- uss-lci-l-463-lcil463-pkt-pi-packet-md
-
[2]NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive, USS LCI(G)-463 ex USS LCI(L)-463 (history from 'USS LCI Landing Craft Infantry,' Vol. II, Turner Publishing, 1995) [other_primary]
- Locator
- NavSource 10/15/150463.htm header block, campaign table, specifications block, photo captions
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Documented for this hull: LCI-351 class; laid down 3 August 1943 at New Jersey Shipbuilding Co., Barber, N.J.; launched 9 September 1943; commissioned USS LCI(L)-463, 17 September 1943 (LTjg. M. F. Sheldon USNR in command as of May 1945); redesignated Landing Craft Infantry (Guns) LCI(G)-463, 15 June 1944. Pacific assignments: LCI Flotilla Three (1944); LCI Flotilla Six / Group Eighteen / Division Thirty-Five (1945, per Turner history - conflicts with NHHC 1 May 1945 fleet organization, see ev-02). Campaigns: Marianas operation (Saipan 15 June-28 July 1944), Tinian capture and occupation (24-28 July 1944), Western Caroline Islands operation (southern Palau Islands 6 September-14 October 1944). Navy Occupation service Far East 11 September-2 December 1945; decommissioned date unknown; struck from the Naval Register 17 April 1946; sold 5 December 1946, fate unknown. Three battle stars plus Navy Unit Commendation as a unit of LCI(G) Flotilla Three (see ev-06). Photo documentation: underway 19 October 1943; liberty ferry for USS Astoria (CL-90) sailors at Mog Mog, Ulithi, 28 January 1945; underway near Fassarai Islet, Ulithi, April/May 1945 (LIFE/Carl Mydans); hard aground at Buckner Bay, Okinawa, after Typhoon Louise, 9 October 1945. Specs: 246 t. light / 419 t. loaded; 158'5.5" x 23'3"; 16 kts max; propulsion two sets of 4 GM diesels, 4 per shaft, 1,600 bhp, twin variable-pitch propellers.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1943-1946
- Population
- New Jersey Shipbuilding construction trades (1943); LCI(L) crew ~28 / LCI(G) crew ~70 (1943-46); embarked troops (capacity 188); Astoria liberty passengers Jan 1945
- Limitations
- Volunteer secondary compilation, not a primary registry - milestone dates generally track Navy records but are uncorroborated here except where noted. No asbestos content. The Flotilla Six/Group 18/Div 35 May-1945 assignment conflicts with the contemporaneous NHHC Pacific Fleet organization (Flotilla 14/Group 42/Div 83) - both carried, unresolved (gaps). CO name rendered 'Sheldon' here vs 'Shelton' in the NHHC document. No DANFS entry exists for this hull (all candidate NHHC URLs 404, 2026-09-30).
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lci-l-463-lcil463-01
-
[3]NHHC / Navy Department Library, 'United States Pacific Fleet Organization, 1 May 1945' (landing craft flotillas section) [other_primary]
- Locator
- NHHC Pacific Fleet Organization 1 May 1945, 'LANDING CRAFT FLOTILLAS' section, LCI FLOTILLA FOURTEEN / LCI GROUP 42 / LCI DIVISION 83 table
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Contemporaneous fleet organization lists 'LCI 463 (G)' in LCI DIVISION 83 under LCI GROUP 42 (ComLCIGrp 42 Lt. Cdr. C. J. Starkus, USN-Ret.) under LCI FLOTILLA FOURTEEN (Capt. T. W. Rimer), with commanding officer Lt. (jg) M. F. Shelton (USNR). The '(G)' confirms the gunboat designation in fleet use. NOTE: this contradicts the NavSource/Turner assignment for the same month (LCI Flotilla Six / Group Eighteen / Division Thirty-Five, CO 'Sheldon'). The NHHC document's Division 35 under Group 18 does not contain hull 463.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1945-05-01
- Population
- Lt.(jg) M. F. Shelton USNR and LCI(G)-463 crew (~70 in gunboat fit); LCI Flotilla Fourteen organization
- Limitations
- Ship-specific administrative placement as of 1 May 1945; establishes unit assignment and CO, not movements or material condition. Conflicts with the secondary-source assignment chain (see gaps) - the contemporaneous document is carried as the stronger source for the May 1945 snapshot, but the ship may have transferred between organizations before or after; the full chain is unresolved. No asbestos content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lci-l-463-lcil463-02
-
[4]NARA, 'Special List #44, by Ship Numbers' - List of Logbooks of U.S. Navy Ships, Stations, and Miscellaneous Units, 1801-1947 (ship-number index) [other_primary]
- Locator
- sl-44-ship-number.pdf, PDF page 17 ('Special List #44, by Ship Numbers', LCI(L)(G)-463 row)
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Entry 'LCI(L)(G)-463 9/17/1943 6/30/1945' - NARA holds this hull's deck logs covering commissioning day through 30 June 1945. The log-coverage start date independently corroborates the 17 September 1943 commissioning. The logs are the primary route to her movements, availabilities, and any recorded material events; they are not digitized in the National Archives Catalog's online deck-log collection (checked 2026-09-30 - named-vessel list and catalog index do not include this hull).
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- archival_lead
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1943-09-17 to 1945-06-30 (coverage); July-December 1945 logs not listed for this hull
- Population
- Crew of record, 1943-1945 (log custodianship)
- Limitations
- Archival lead only: the index proves logs exist in RG 24 holdings; contents are unexamined and undigitized. Log-coverage dates are holdings ranges, not proof of commissioning/decommissioning dates (though here the start coincides with commissioning). Deck logs rarely record insulation material directly - they are a movements/events lead. No asbestos content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lci-l-463-lcil463-03
-
[5]NHHC / Navy Department Library, 'Typhoons and Hurricanes: Pacific Typhoon at Okinawa, October 1945' - narrative plus extract from CINCPAC report on the Surrender and Occupation of Japan, including Appendix III vessel casualty list [other_primary]
- Locator
- NHHC typhoon page, CINCPAC report extract (NESTOR paragraph) and Appendix III table row 'LCI 463 ... Refloated 10/22/45'
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- LCI 463 is named twice in the official Typhoon 'Louise' record: (1) in the CINCPAC narrative - while maneuvering in Buckner Bay under 80-kt winds on 9 October 1945, USS NESTOR (ARB-6) 'in clearing two more ships dragging anchor (ARD 22 and LCI 463), moved perilously close to the beach'; (2) in Appendix III (ship casualty list): 'LCI 463 - Refloated 10/22/45.' Storm totals: 12 ships and craft sunk, 222 grounded, 32 severely damaged; 107 amphibious craft grounded or damaged. NavSource photography independently shows LCI(G)-463 hard aground at Buckner Bay. She was therefore a refloated groundee, not a constructive loss.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1945-10-09 to 1945-10-22
- Population
- LCI(G)-463 crew during Typhoon Louise; ComServDiv 104 salvage crews (Oct-Nov 1945)
- Limitations
- Establishes grounding and refloat only; her post-refloat condition and any repair availability are undocumented. ComServPac judged most storm-damaged amphibs not worth salvage - whether any damage finding contributed to her unknown decommissioning date and 1946 sale is inference, not established. No asbestos content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lci-l-463-lcil463-04
-
[6]U.S. Third Fleet / Fifth Amphibious Force, Attack Landing Order ALE No. 17-44, TG 32.34 Peleliu Transport Group (ComTransGru 3, Pavuvu, Russell Is., 23 August 1944) - scanned original hosted by NavSource [other_primary]
- Locator
- ALE No. 17-44 p.1, section (h) 32.13.7 Gunboat Support Unit / unit under Lieut-Comdr. Eikel, OCR line '458, 459, 460, 463, 470'
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- The operation order for the Peleliu (Western Caroline Islands) landings lists LCI(G)s in the Gunboat Support Unit under Lt. Comdr. Eikel, USNR: '458, 459, 460, 463, 470' - placing this hull, by number and in gunboat fit, in the Peleliu assault organization five weeks after her 15 June 1944 conversion. This is contemporaneous operational documentation of the campaign line carried by NavSource (southern Palau Islands, 6 September-14 October 1944).
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1944-08-23 to 1944-10-14
- Population
- LCI(G) crews of the Peleliu gunboat support unit, Aug-Oct 1944
- Limitations
- Single-page scanned original (no text layer); hull list read by OCR (tesseract) 2026-09-30 - '458, 459, 460, 463, 470' is legible and in-context under the gunboat support unit. The document proves assignment to the operation, not which beach or day she fired. Scan is hosted on a volunteer site but the document itself is a U.S. Navy operational order. No asbestos content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lci-l-463-lcil463-05
-
[7]Secretary of the Navy Navy Unit Commendation to LCI(G) Flotilla Three, Amphibious Forces, Pacific Fleet (James Forrestal) - verbatim transcription hosted by NavSource [other_primary]
- Locator
- NUC transcription, 'All personnel serving in the Following ships ... LCI(G)'s 77 ... 463 ...'
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- The NUC citation commends LCI(G) Flotilla Three for service 31 January to 28 July 1944 - 'preceded the assault waves to deliver concentrated rocket and gunfire at perilously close range' at Kwajalein, Eniwetok, Saipan, Guam, and Tinian - and authorizes the ribbon to all personnel serving in the named hulls, which include 'LCI(G)'s ... 463 ...'. This documents her membership in Flotilla Three's gunboat force during the Marianas legs of the citation window.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1944-01-31 to 1944-07-28
- Population
- LCI(G) Flotilla Three crews, Jan-Jul 1944
- Limitations
- The citation window (from 31 January 1944) predates her 15 June 1944 (G) conversion and covers the Marshall Islands operations; her three battle stars correspond to Saipan, Tinian, and the Palaus only - whether this hull was present at Kwajalein/Eniwetok as an LCI(L) is not established by these sources. The award applies to flotilla personnel as listed; individual-hull participation per operation is unverified. No asbestos content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lci-l-463-lcil463-06
-
[8]Era inference built on: NavSource specifications for this hull (diesel propulsion: two sets of 4 GM diesels, 4 per shaft, 1,600 bhp; small steel landing craft); NHHC NMUSN LCI(L) class description (same hull modified into mortar, gunboat, and rocket fire-support variants); shipbuildinghistory.com yard record for New Jersey Shipbuilding/Barber (purpose-built LCI assembly line, Todd Shipyards management from 1942, closed post-war); GAO HRD-80-2 (see ev-08) [other_primary]
- Locator
- NavSource 10/15/150463.htm specifications; NHHC LCI(L)-10 class page; shipbuildinghistory.com/shipyards/emergencysmall/newjersey.htm; GAO HRD-80-2
- Finding type
- asbestos_application
- Finding
- A diesel-powered landing craft built in 1943 sits inside the Navy's documented asbestos-use era. As a small craft with a diesel plant and minimal accommodation, the era-consistent asbestos-relevant items aboard a hull of this type were engine exhaust and muffler lagging, machinery insulation, gaskets, valve packing, and electrical insulation - NOT boiler or main-steam lagging (no steam plant). The June 1944 gunboat conversion added 40mm guns, .50-cal machine guns, and ten Mk 7 rocket launchers (NavSource spec); no asbestos-bearing fit for that conversion is documented.
- Verification
- inferred
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1943-1946
- Population
- NJ Shipbuilding construction trades (1943); crew LCI(L) ~28 / LCI(G) ~70 (1943-46); gunboat-conversion trades (in-theater, 1944); salvage crews, Buckner Bay (Oct 1945); 1946 buyer/scrappers unknown
- Limitations
- Class/era inference only - no hull-specific insulation survey, material list, or work package located for LCI(L)-463/LCI(G)-463. Names era-standard applications for small diesel craft, not confirmed installed materials; no quantity; no manufacturer attribution. LCIs had far smaller crew/accommodation spaces and a far smaller machinery plant than combatants - the scale of any asbestos aboard was correspondingly smaller, and post-war disposal (sold 1946, fate unknown) leaves the material's downstream path undocumented.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lci-l-463-lcil463-07
-
[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, 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 entire construction (1943) and service era (1943-46).
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1979
- Population
- Navy shipyard workers; asbestos program review
- 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 2026-09-30) - content via product-page description.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lci-l-463-lcil463-08
-
[10]shipbuildinghistory.com (Tim Colton compilation), 'New Jersey Shipbuilding, Barber NJ' - yard record and hull list [other_primary]
- Locator
- shipbuildinghistory.com New Jersey Shipbuilding yard page (narrative + LCI delivery table)
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- The builder's yard was a purpose-built assembly line for LCIs on Arthur Kill at Barber, NJ (later absorbed into Perth Amboy, now the Maurer section); Todd Shipyards took over management in 1942 at the Navy's request, and the yard closed after the war. Its delivery table lists the LCI(L) series hulls through the 400s with September 1943 deliveries - consistent with this hull's 17 September 1943 commissioning at the builder.
- Verification
- partial
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1942-1945
- Population
- New Jersey Shipbuilding workforce, Barber NJ (1942-45); Todd Shipyards management
- Limitations
- Respected secondary compiler of shipbuilding records, not an official source; corroborates NavSource's builder data but is uncorroborated itself. Contains no asbestos, materials, or workforce-exposure data for this yard - the yard's asbestos environment is undocumented in sources consulted. Yard is not an Atlas shipyards.json entry (see gaps).
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lci-l-463-lcil463-09
-
[11]Batch-5181 search ledger (this record): NavSource hull page and NUC transcription; NHHC Pacific Fleet Organization 1 May 1945; NHHC Typhoon Louise page; NARA Special List 44 ship-number PDF; USN Attack Landing Order ALE 17-44 scan (OCR); DANFS URL sweep; NVR; GAO; CourtListener opinion search; secondary web litigation sweep; usslci.org [other_primary]
- Locator
- search_ledger rows sl-uss-lci-l-463-01 through -14
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- No qualifying ship-specific asbestos record located: no asbestos survey, abatement contract, hazmat disclosure, or verified litigation naming USS LCI(L)-463 / LCI(G)-463 was found in the public sources searched. CourtListener opinion search returned 0 hits for 'LCI(L)-463' and 0 for 'LCI(G)-463' (API v4, authenticated, 2026-09-30). The only 'asbestos' term surfaced anywhere near this hull is HMCS Asbestos, an unrelated Royal Canadian Navy corvette - a name collision, not a match. Secondary web sweeps surfaced no qualifying case and no marketing-listicle claim naming this hull.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 2026-09-30
- Limitations
- Absence of a located public record does not prove absence of asbestos aboard - no litigation repository was fully exhausted: the broader 'LCI-463'/'LCI 463' opinion queries and the RECAP docket index remained fleet-paced at session close (logged blocked/pending in search_ledger, not as negative results). Deck logs for July-December 1945 are not in SL44; the 1946 buyer and the hull's post-Navy material history are undocumented. Does not establish or defeat any claim of exposure or legal eligibility.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lci-l-463-lcil463-10