Evidence
12 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-12).
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[1]research packet pq-packet.md (4 sources cited) [other_primary]
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Identity packet verdict: VERIFIED — real identity: USS LCI(L)-518 — Wikipedia USN LCI list (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_Navy_Landing_Craft_Infantry)
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Evidence ID
- uss-lci-l-518-lcil518-pkt-pq-packet-md
-
[2]NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive, USS LCI(L)-518 - construction, commissioning, flotilla assignments, campaigns, HECV service, disposal, specifications (live page verified 2026-09-30; history credited to Turner Publishing 'USS LCI Landing Craft Infantry' Vol. II, 1995) [other_primary]
- Locator
- NavSource 10/15/150518.htm header block, campaign table, disposition block, and specifications block
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Documented for this hull: LCI-351 Class Landing Craft Infantry (Large); laid down 14 November 1943 at New Jersey Shipbuilding Co., Barber, N.J.; launched 10 December 1943; commissioned USS LCI(L)-518, 15 December 1943. Assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater - LCI Flotilla Five, then LCI Flotilla Twenty Two (1944-45; CDR Paul McD. Smith USN 1944, CDR Marion M. Byrd 1944-45). Campaigns per NavSource: Luzon operation - Lingayen Gulf landing 4-18 January 1945; Consolidation of the Southern Philippines - Mindanao Island landings (printed '17 to 23 August 1945' - see correction row ev-06). Post-WWII Occupation service 8 Sep-13 Dec 1945 and China service (extended) 13 Dec 1945-8 Jul 1946 under Commander Yangtze Patrol Force, operating as pilot boat (HECV - Harbor Entrance Control Vessel) on the Whangpoo and Yangtze Rivers with a mixed US and Chinese naval crew. Decommissioned 8 July 1946; transferred to the State Department 8 July 1946; transferred to the Republic of China 10 July 1946; struck from the Naval Register date unknown; final disposition fate unknown. Two battle stars for WWII service; Philippine Presidential Unit Citation and Philippine Liberation Medal (2) among awards shown. Spec block: 236 t. light / 264 t. landing / 419 t. loaded; 158'5.5" x 23'3"; 16 kts max (14 continuous); 4 officers + 24 enlisted; troop capacity 6 officers + 182 enlisted; 75 tons cargo; 5 x single 20mm guns; endurance 4,000 miles at 12 kts; two sets of 4 GM 6051-series-71 diesels (4 per shaft), GM main reduction gears, two 30 kW 120V DC diesel-drive ship's service generators, twin variable-pitch propellers, 2,320 shp.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1943-1946
- Population
- NJSB construction trades (Nov-Dec 1943); crew 4 officers + 24 enlisted (1943-46); embarked troops up to ~188; mixed US/Chinese crew on Yangtze HECV duty (1945-46)
- Limitations
- NavSource is a volunteer secondary compilation - dates generally track official records but the page is not a primary registry; three factual claims on it are corroborated independently here (builder/delivery by the shipbuilding-history table; Lingayen and Parang operations by this hull's own digitized NARA action reports). The printed 'Mindanao Island landings, 17 to 23 August 1945' conflicts with this hull's 17 April 1945 Parang action report and sister-ship NavSource pages (see ev-06 correction). Contains no asbestos or material content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lci-l-518-lcil518-01
-
[3]Shipbuilding-history LCI(L) build table (Naval Marine Archive mirror of the Colton shipbuilding data), LCI(L)-518 row [other_primary]
- Locator
- navalmarinearchive.com/sbh/smallships/lcil.html, LCI(L) hull table row 518
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- The build table lists: LCI(L) | hull 518 | New Jersey SB, Barber NJ | 15-Dec-43 | 'To China 1946' - corroborating the builder, yard location, completion date, and China transfer on the NavSource page. Surrounding rows (513-519) show the same New Jersey Shipbuilding/Barber block; 513 and 515 later became AMCU-10 and AMCU-11/MHC-11 (Blackbird), 516 to US Army 1947, 517 to China 1948, 519 to NDRF 1947.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1943-1946
- Population
- NJSB Barber yard trades (1943)
- Limitations
- Secondary reference table - corroboration of builder/date/disposition, not a primary contract record. Yard contract or hull-number-level detail not carried. No asbestos or material content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lci-l-518-lcil518-02
-
[4]NavSource, 'History of LCI Flotilla 22' - first-person account by J.E. 'Jim' Talbert, President, USS LCI National Association [other_primary]
- Locator
- NavSource 10/15/150618f.htm, Flotilla 22 narrative paragraphs on Subic Bay convoy, Manila Bay convoy, and post-surrender assignments
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- A veteran staff member's account names this hull in three operations: (1) 'February 21st [1945], Commander Flotilla 22 in 618 with 433, 518, and 690 escorting 60 LCM's, 20 LCVP's and "J" boats of the 594th Engineer Special Brigade and 3 Army Tug Boats and 10 LCT's, proceeded to Subic Bay, Luzon'; (2) 'March 1st 1945, Commander Flotilla 22 in 618 with 518, 63 and 714 of Flotilla 24, USS Day (DE225) and USS JOY escorting 12 Liberty Ships and LST's 932, 592 and 593 into Manila Bay... This was the first merchant shipping in Manila Bay since 1941'; (3) post-surrender dispersal: 'The 433, 434, 435, 436, 518, 519, 445, 446, 776, 777, 1032 and 1033 were assigned to Commander Yangtze Patrol Force.' The flotilla operated in New Guinea, Morotai (16 Sep 1944), Lingayen (9 Jan 1945), Subic Bay base ops, and 22 subsequent Philippine combat landings including Legaspi (1 Apr), Parang Mindanao (17 Apr, landing the 24th Infantry Division), Zamboanga (11 May per narrative; see note), and Basilan (13 May).
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1944-1945
- Population
- LCI(L)-518 crew; embarked troops and Army engineer units on convoy escort
- Limitations
- A veteran's narrative hosted on NavSource - eyewitness but informal, with some internal typos ('cursing range', 'Byrde'). The Zamboanga entry 'May 11th' conflicts with the commonly cited 10 March 1945 date in secondary sources - not resolved, not attributed to this hull's participation. No asbestos or material content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lci-l-518-lcil518-03
-
[5]NARA catalog, NAID 139866606 - 'LCI(L)-518 - Rep of ops in the amphibious assault on Lingayen Gulf, Luzon Is, Philippines, 1/9-12/45' (RG 38, WWII War Diaries/Other Operational Records and Histories, series NAID 4697018; serial 139, dated 1/13/1945; 3 digitized images) [other_primary]
- Locator
- catalog.archives.gov/id/139866606 - file-unit description and 3-image viewer
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- A digitized US Navy action report authored by this hull covers her part in the Lingayen Gulf amphibious assault of 9-12 January 1945 - direct primary documentation of combat service in the Luzon operation consistent with the NavSource campaign credit.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- archival_lead
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1945-01-09 to 1945-01-13 (operation and report date)
- Population
- LCI(L)-518 crew during the Lingayen assault
- Limitations
- Catalog metadata verified live (title, NAID, series, serial 139, 3 images online); page-image contents not individually reviewed. An operational/action report - documents the operation, not material condition. No asbestos content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lci-l-518-lcil518-04
-
[6]NARA catalog, NAID 633411927 - 'LCI(L)-518 - Rep of ops in the assault landing at Parang, Mindanao Is, Philippines 4/17/45' (RG 38, same series; covers 17 April 1945; 2 digitized images) [other_primary]
- Locator
- catalog.archives.gov/id/633411927 - file-unit description and 2-image viewer
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- A digitized US Navy action report authored by this hull covers her part in the Parang, Mindanao Island assault landing of 17 April 1945 - direct primary documentation of her Consolidation of the Southern Philippines service, and contemporaneous evidence that the Mindanao-landings campaign window for this hull fell in April 1945 (see correction row ev-06).
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- archival_lead
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1945-04-17
- Population
- LCI(L)-518 crew during the Parang landing
- Limitations
- Catalog metadata verified live (title, NAID, coverage 'April 17, 1945', 2 images online); page-image contents not individually reviewed. An operational/action report - not a material record. No asbestos content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lci-l-518-lcil518-05
-
[7]Cross-source check: NavSource LCI(L)-518 campaign table ('Mindanao Island landings, 17 to 23 August 1945'); NavSource sister-hull pages LCI(R)-338 ('17 to 23 April 1945') and LSM-21 ('10 March 1945, 17 to 23 April 1945, 3 May 1945'); NARA NAID 633411927 (this hull's Parang action report, 4/17/45); Flotilla 22 narrative ('April 17th Parang Mindanao') [other_primary]
- Locator
- NavSource 10/15/150518.htm campaign table vs. 10/15/150338.htm and 10/14/14021.htm campaign tables; NARA NAID 633411927; NavSource 10/15/150618f.htm
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- CORRECTION: the LCI(L)-518 NavSource page prints her 'Consolidation of the Southern Philippines - Mindanao Island landings' credit as '17 to 23 August 1945'. That window post-dates the 15 August 1945 cessation of offensive operations and contradicts this hull's own digitized action report for the Parang, Mindanao assault landing dated 17 April 1945 (NAID 633411927), the Flotilla 22 narrative ('April 17th Parang Mindanao, where we landed the 24th Infantry Division'), and sister-ship NavSource pages carrying '17 to 23 April 1945' for the same campaign window. The August date is carried nowhere in this record; the April window is treated as the correct campaign date.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- correction
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1945
- Limitations
- Corrects a probable transcription error on one secondary page; the official campaign-table entry for this hull was not independently pulled (Navy awards manual/hyperwar not re-verified this session). Not a material or asbestos claim.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lci-l-518-lcil518-06
-
[8]NARA Special List No. 44, List of Logbooks of U.S. Navy Ships, Stations, and Miscellaneous Units, 1801-1947 - ship-number sequence, PDF page 24 [other_primary]
- Locator
- sl-44-ship-number.pdf, PDF page 24, row 'LCI(L)-518 | 12/15/1943 | 6/30/1945'
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Special List 44 (by ship number) lists Navy deck logs held by NARA for LCI(L)-518 covering 12/15/1943-6/30/1945 - i.e., logbook coverage running from her commissioning date through mid-1945 (log-coverage dates, not commissioning evidence).
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- archival_lead
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1943-12-15 to 1945-06-30
- Population
- LCI(L)-518 crew (1943-45 logging window)
- Limitations
- Archival lead: the list establishes that logs exist in NARA holdings for that window. A catalog search of the digitized WWII deck-log file units (series NAID 594258) returned no per-month file unit titled for LCI(L)-518 under any tested name form, so these logs were not located online - physical-holdings lead only. A deck log is an operational record, not a material survey; it would document location/moorage and noteworthy events, not insulation content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lci-l-518-lcil518-07
-
[9]NARA catalog, NAID 120246996 - 'LCI(L) 518 - Muster Rolls' (149 digitized images, Ancestry partnership, first image dated 31 December 1943); related index block NAID 118967602 'USS K-1 (SSK-1) to USS LCI(R)-651' (RG 24 Index to Muster Rolls); flotilla war diaries also digitized (e.g., COM LCI(L) FLOT 22 war diaries for 8/44, 3/45, 5/45, 8/45; COM LCI(L) FLOT 5, 4/44 and 6/44) [other_primary]
- Locator
- catalog.archives.gov/id/120246996 (149 images); /id/118967602 (2,586-image index block); /id/633437852, /id/101700941, /id/77583833, /id/78632482 (FLOT 22 war diaries); /id/78438041, /id/78484632 (FLOT 5)
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Digitized personnel and command records naming this hull: 149 muster-roll images for LCI(L) 518 are online (crew rosters by reporting period), the ship appears in the muster-roll index block covering hulls up to LCI(R)-651, and the war diaries of her flotillas (LCI(L) FLOT 5 and FLOT 22) are digitized in the same RG-38 series as her action reports.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- archival_lead
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1943-1946
- Population
- LCI(L)-518 crew (1943-46); Flotilla 5/22 staff
- Limitations
- Catalog metadata verified live; page-image contents not individually reviewed. Muster rolls and war diaries are personnel/operational records - no material or asbestos content. They are leads for building a crew roster and timeline, which this record does not do.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lci-l-518-lcil518-08
-
[10]Era inference built on: NavSource specifications block (GM 6051-series-71 diesel plant, diesel-drive generators - no steam plant); GAO HRD-80-2 (Navy asbestos-use era, ev-10); NARA physical logbook holdings (ev-07) [other_primary]
- Locator
- NavSource specifications block; shipyards.json yard list (no NJ Shipbuilding entry); GAO HRD-80-2 context
- Finding type
- asbestos_application
- Finding
- A diesel-powered landing craft built November-December 1943 sits squarely inside the Navy's documented asbestos-use era. Era-standard applications aboard a small diesel craft of this type were diesel exhaust and muffler lagging, gaskets and valve packing in engine and piping systems, electrical insulation on wiring and in control panels, and thermal insulation in the confined machinery spaces. As a diesel vessel she carried no steam plant - the boiler/turbine lagging pathway of steam ships does not apply.
- Verification
- inferred
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1943-1946
- Population
- NJSB construction trades (1943); crew 28 (1943-46); embarked troops (transient, up to ~188); mixed US/Chinese crew on HECV duty (1945-46)
- Limitations
- Class/era inference only - no hull-specific insulation schedule, material list, builder's spec sheet, or work package located for LCI(L)-518. Names era-standard applications, not confirmed installed materials. No quantity, no manufacturer attribution. New Jersey Shipbuilding is not in the Atlas shipyards.json dataset, so no yard-level product list was attached.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lci-l-518-lcil518-09
-
[11]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 US Navy 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 blocks automated fetch, HTTP 403, confirmed 2026-09-30) - content via product-page description.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lci-l-518-lcil518-10
-
[12]Batch-5239 search ledger (this record): NavSource hull page and Flotilla 22 narrative; shipbuilding-history build table; NARA catalog (action reports x2, muster rolls, muster-roll index block, flotilla war diaries); NARA Special List 44 PDF; NHHC DANFS and photo-index checks; NVR check; CourtListener (blocked); secondary web sweep [other_primary]
- Locator
- search_ledger rows sl-uss-lci-l-518-lcil518-01 through -11
- 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)-518 was found in the public sources searched. CAVEAT: CourtListener could not be queried when this record was drafted - the fleet pacing limiter returned 'budget momentarily spent' on every attempt (exit 2, paced ~114/hr shared across sessions); logged as blocked in search_ledger, not as a negative result. The hull's 1946 transfer to the Republic of China (fate unknown) forecloses the usual US-side abatement/museum/scrapping documentation trail that produces ship-specific asbestos records.
- 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 - and the litigation repository search is a genuine open gap (pacing-blocked, not run). Undigitized deck logs (SL44 window 12/15/1943-6/30/1945), NJSB build records, and ROC navy records are open leads. Does not establish or defeat any claim of exposure or legal eligibility.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lci-l-518-lcil518-11