Evidence
18 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-18).
-
[1]research packet 452-packet.md (1 sources cited) [other_primary]
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Identity packet verdict: VERIFIED — real identity: USS LCI(L)-642 | Hull: 642 | Designation: LCI(L) |
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Evidence ID
- uss-lci-l-642-lcil642-pkt-452-packet-md
-
[2]NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive, USS LCI(R)-642 ex USS LCI(L)-642 - construction, commissioning, reclassification, flotilla assignments, campaigns, disposal, specifications (live page verified 2026-09-30) [other_primary]
- Locator
- NavSource 10/15/150642.htm header block, designation line, flotilla/group/division assignment, campaign table, disposition block, awards display, specifications block
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Documented for this hull: LCI-351 Class Landing Craft Infantry (Large); laid down 27 May 1944 at New Jersey Ship Building Corp., Barber, N.J.; launched 27 June 1944; commissioned USS LCI(L)-642, 3 July 1944. Reclassified Landing Craft Infantry (Rocket) LCI(R)-642, 15 March 1945. Assigned Asiatic-Pacific Theater - LCI Flotilla Sixteen (CDR. C. E. Coffin USN), LCI Group Forty-Eight, LCI Division Ninety-Five; NavSource identifies her as Group 48 flagship. Campaigns: Okinawa Gunto operation - assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 6 May to 30 June 1945. Post-war: Navy Occupation service in the Far East, 9 September to 29 October 1945. Decommissioned, date unknown; struck from the Naval Register, date unknown; transferred to the Maritime Commission 18 February 1948 for disposal; final disposition fate unknown; one battle star for WWII service; radio call sign NPNI. Spec block: 216 t. light / 234 t. landing / 389 t. loaded; 158'5.5" x 23'3"; draft light 3'1.5" mean, landing 2'8" fwd / 4'10" aft, loaded 5'4" fwd / 5'11" aft; 16 kts max (14 continuous); complements LCI(L) 3+21, LCI(R) 3+31; troop capacity 6 officers + 182 enlisted; cargo 75 tons; armor 2-inch plastic splinter protection on gun turrets, conning tower, pilot house; endurance 4,000 mi at 12 kts loaded, 500 mi at 15 kts, 110 tons fuel; LCI(L) armament four single 20mm + two .50 cal MG; LCI(R) armament one bow-mounted 40mm, four 20mm, two .50 cal MG, six 5-inch rocket launchers; fuel 935 bbl diesel + 200 gal lube oil; propulsion two sets of 4 GM 6051-series-71 diesels (4 per shaft), GM main reduction gears, two diesel-drive 30 kW 120V DC generators, twin variable-pitch propellers, 2,320 shp. Commanding officer shown: Lt. j.g. E. A. Rollins USNR, in command May 1945.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1944-1948
- Population
- NJSB construction trades (May-Jul 1944); crew 3 officers + 21 enlisted as LCI(L), 3 officers + 31 enlisted as LCI(R) (1944-48); embarked troops up to ~188 as LCI(L)
- Limitations
- NavSource is a volunteer secondary compilation - dates generally track official records but the page is not a primary registry. Key facts here are independently corroborated: builder/milestones by the shipbuilding-history build table (ev-02) and uboat.net; designation change by the official-derived HyperWar ships list (ev-03); unit assignment, flagship flag, and CO by the official 1 May 1945 Pacific Fleet organization document (ev-04) - which lists her under the pre-redesignation Group 63 / Division 125 (see ev-06 and gaps); Okinawa service window by the official awards manual (ev-09) and her own action report (ev-05). The page's own embedded chart placing LCI(R)-642 in Task Group 52.20.1 for the L-Day rocket bombardment conflicts with her documented late arrival - see correction row ev-10. Contains no asbestos or material content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lci-l-642-lcil642-01
-
[3]Shipbuilding-history LCI(L) build table (Naval Marine Archive mirror of the Colton shipbuilding data), LCI(L) hull 642 row; corroborated by the New Jersey Shipbuilding yard page [other_primary]
- Locator
- navalmarinearchive.com/sbh/smallships/lcil.html, LCI(L) hull table row 642; navalmarinearchive.com/sbh/shipyards/emergencysmall/newjersey.html
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- The build table lists hull 642 in the New Jersey Shipbuilding (Barber NJ) LCI block with an R-variant (rocket) marker and a disposition of 'Struck 1946'; the New Jersey Shipbuilding yard page confirms the yard built the LCI(L)/LCI(R) series at Barber. This corroborates builder, yard location, and the rocket conversion on the NavSource page.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1944-1948
- Population
- NJSB Barber yard trades (1944)
- Limitations
- Secondary reference table - corroboration of builder/date/disposition, not a primary contract record. The table's completion/delivery column reads August 1944 for this row, which does not match NavSource's 3 July 1944 commissioning - the discrepancy is carried in gaps; NavSource's exact dates are used elsewhere in this record. 'Struck 1946' likewise conflicts with NavSource's 'struck, date unknown' and is carried in gaps. No asbestos or material content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lci-l-642-lcil642-02
-
[4]HyperWar transcription of 'Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1940-1945' (official BuPers-era vessel list), landing-craft section, LCI(R) table [other_primary]
- Locator
- ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/ships/ships-lc.html, LCI(R) table, row 'LCI(R)-642-651 | 1945'
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- The official-derived list carries 'LCI(R)-642-651 | 1945' in the LCI(R) table - corroborating that hull 642 served under the rocket-ship designation in 1945 on a single hull, consistent with the NavSource designation sequence LCI(L)-642 -> LCI(R)-642.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1944-1945
- Limitations
- A HyperWar-hosted transcription of an official Navy list - corroborating reference, not the original document image. It confirms the designation block and year but does not give the exact 15 March 1945 reclassification date (that rests on NavSource, corroborated by uboat.net). No asbestos or material content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lci-l-642-lcil642-03
-
[5]NHHC, 'United States Pacific Fleet Organization, 1 May 1945' (official fleet organization document, transcription hosted on history.navy.mil) - LCI Group 63 / Division 125 (RCM) (R) listing [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- NHHC Pacific Fleet organization 1 May 1945, amphibious section, 'LCI GROUP 63 / LCI DIVISION 125 (RCM) (R) / LCI 642 (GF) | Lt. E. A. Rollins (USNR)'
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- The official 1 May 1945 Pacific Fleet organization lists this hull as 'LCI 642 (GF)' under LCI Group 63 (ComLCIGrp 63 Lt. Cdr. F. Thompson, Jr. USNR), LCI Division 125 (RCM) (R) - alongside division mates LCI 650, LCI 651, LCI 771, LCI 772, and LCI 1028 - with Lt. E. A. Rollins (USNR) as commanding officer. The (GF) mark confirms her group-flagship role, and the (RCM)(R) division tag confirms the rocket-ship configuration. The document was effective the same day the group was redesignated Group 48 under Flotilla 16 (see ev-06) - it reflects the pre-redesignation chain of command.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1945-05-01
- Population
- LCI(R)-642 crew (Lt. E. A. Rollins USNR commanding; 3 officers + 31 enlisted complement); ComLCIGrp 63 staff embarked (Lt. Cdr. F. Thompson, Jr. USNR)
- Limitations
- Official contemporary organization listing - verifies unit assignment, flagship flag, hull designation as of 1 May 1945, and CO name; it does not describe operations or material condition. The doc still shows the Group 63 / Flotilla 21 chain although ComPhibsPac letter serial 01454 (30 Apr 1945) had already ordered the redesignation to Group 48 / Flotilla 16 effective 1 May - the listing lag is documented by the group war diary (ev-06). NavSource carries the post-redesignation Group 48 / Division 95 / Flotilla 16 assignment. No asbestos or material content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lci-l-642-lcil642-04
-
[6]NARA catalog - NAID 101771234, hull-authored action report 'LCI(R)-642 - Report of operations in the occupation of Okinawa Gunto, Ryukyu Islands, 5/6/45-6/27/45' (3 digitized images, RG 38 series WWII War Diaries/Other Operational Records and Histories NAID 4697018, Roll A_1786); ship serial LCI(R)642/A16-3 dated 29 June 1945, signed E. A. Rollins, Lieut., USNR, Commanding [other_primary]
- Locator
- catalog.archives.gov/id/101771234 - images 0364.jpg (Part I-II), 0365b.jpg (Parts III-VII, signed Rollins), 0365a.jpg (enclosed group Part VIII, signed Thompson); microfilm roll A_1786
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- This hull's own action report (read page-by-page, images 0364/0365a/0365b) states: 'LCI(R) 642 did not participate in the initial assault on the island, having been delayed in Guam for repairs. This ship arrived in this area on 6 May and resumed duties as flagship on 8 May, 1945.' It documents service as Group Flagship for LCI(R) Group Forty-Eight and flagship for Commander Task Unit 52.20.1 (Lieut. Comdr. Frank Thompson Jr., USNR); Task Unit ships LCI(R)s 642, 650, 707, 771, 772, 1077. Operations: smoke and anti-aircraft screening of Hagushi Bay 7-15 May; moved to Nakagusuku Wan on the east coast 15 May for screening and fire support; rocket firing in support of the Army on 19-20 May in the vicinity of Yonabaru and Baten (target areas on high ridges unreachable by Army artillery or naval gunfire; no enemy opposition); screening and availability at Kerama Retto 1-15 June; rocket firing again 17 June - 410 rockets into target areas 7656, 7756, 7555, 7455, 7556 on the southern coast, secured to facilitate mass Japanese surrenders. Ammunition expended by this hull: 168 rockets + 60 rds 40mm on 19 May; 74 rockets + 56 rds 40mm on 20 May; 410 rockets + 108 rds 40mm on 17 June (seven 17-June rockets could not be fired and were jettisoned). No damage suffered, no casualties; TCS, SCR-608, SCR-610 used; signed E. A. Rollins, Lieut., USNR, Commanding. An enclosure on her flagship letterhead carries the group commander's Part VIII narrative (F. Thompson, Jr.) noting the Rocket Delivery Plan SUGAR ROGER BAKER was first used on 1 April LOVE Day - by the unit, while 642 was still en route - and recommending radar installation in LCI(R)s ('only two ships in this group of rocket ships are radar equipped').
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1945-05-06 to 1945-06-27
- Population
- LCI(R)-642 crew (3 officers + 31 enlisted) plus embarked ComLCIGrp 48 / CTU 52.20.1 staff, 6 May - 27 June 1945
- Limitations
- Primary hull-authored operational record - verified content, direct quotations transcribed from the digitized images. It documents operations and ammunition expenditure, not material condition; no asbestos or insulation content. The report's 6 May arrival date conflicts by one day with the group war diary's 'arrived Okinawa area' 7 May entry (ev-06) - minor discrepancy carried in gaps. The enclosed group-level narrative describes unit actions on 1 April that predate this hull's arrival - do not attribute L-Day firing to 642 (see ev-10).
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lci-l-642-lcil642-05
-
[7]NARA catalog - NAID 140066806, 'COM LCI(R) GR 48 - War Diary, 5/1/45-5/31/45' (RG 38, Roll A_1786); group diary letterhead 'LCI(L) GROUP SIXTY-THREE [struck through] FORTY-EIGHT / U.S.S. LCI(L) 642, FLAGSHIP', dated 6 June 1945, signed F. Thompson, Jr. [other_primary]
- Locator
- catalog.archives.gov/id/140066806 - images 1233.jpg (redesignation letter + daily movements) and 1234.jpg (19-20 May firing, fog generators, signature F. Thompson, Jr.)
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- The group war diary (read page-by-page, images 1233-1234), written on this hull's flagship letterhead, states: 'Commander Amphibious Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet, Confidential letter Serial: 01454 dated 30 April 1945 changed the designation of this group from LCI(R) Group Sixty-Three, Flotilla Twenty-One, to LCI(R) Group Forty-Eight, Flotilla Sixteen, effective 1 May 1945.' Movements: 1-6 May LCI(R) 642 underway Guam to Okinawa; '7 May 1945 - LCI(R) 642 arrived Okinawa area'; '8 May 1945 - Commander LCI(R) Group 48 moved aboard LCI(R) 642, permanent flagship'; 15 May 642(F) with the group steaming Hagushi Bay to Nakagusuku-Wan; 19-20 May the group fired approximately 1,010 + 432 spin-stabilized 5-inch rockets and 500 rounds 40mm into Yonabaru/Baten target areas; 31 May 642(F) and others underway to Kerama Retto for availability. Item 4 notes York-Hessen fog (smoke) generators in use by the rocket ships. This document resolves the NavSource 'Group 48 / Flotilla 16' assignment versus the fleet organization's 'Group 63' listing: both were true - the unit was redesignated effective 1 May 1945.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1945-05-01 to 1945-05-31
- Population
- LCI(R)-642 crew + embarked group staff; Group 48 ships (642, 650, 651, 707, 708, 771, 772, 1028, 1029, 1030, 1077, 1078)
- Limitations
- Primary command-level record authored aboard this hull - verifies the redesignation chain, flagship status, and unit movements. The 7 May arrival entry conflicts by one day with the hull report's 'arrived 6 May' (ev-05); awards credit runs from 6 May (ev-09). Operational record - no asbestos or material content. Smoke-generator note documents equipment fit, not insulation material.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lci-l-642-lcil642-06
-
[8]NARA catalog - NAID 139779847, 'COM LCI(L) GR 63 - War Diary, 11/1/44-11/30/44' (RG 38); companion Group 63 diaries NAID for July 1944 (Thompson assumes command aboard LCI(L)-642 at Solomons MD 25 July 1944) and December 1944 (group split for conversion work) also digitized [other_primary]
- Locator
- catalog.archives.gov/id/139779847 - images gr63nov_0937-0939.jpg (4 Nov 1944 conversion assignment); Group 63 July 1944 diary (Thompson boarding entry 25 Jul 1944); Group 63 December 1944 diary (yard split passage); series NAID 4697018
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- The Group 63 war diaries (read page-by-page) document this hull's rocket conversion and flagship origin: on 4 November 1944 the group reported to the Assistant Industrial Manager, San Francisco, for installation of Mark 51 5-inch rocket launchers and 40mm anti-aircraft guns; LCI(L)-642 and ten sister ships went to U.S. Naval Dry Docks, Hunter's Point, for the work. The December 1944 diary records the group split - 650, 1028, and 1078 moored at conversion yards in San Francisco for additional magazine space for the Mark 51 rockets while 642 and the remainder sailed for Pearl Harbor already rocket-fitted. The July 1944 diary records Lt. Cdr. F. Thompson, Jr., USNR boarding LCI(L)-642 at Solomons, Maryland on 25 July 1944 and assuming command of Group 63 - she was the group flagship from formation.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1944-07-25 to 1945-03-15
- Population
- LCI(L)-642 crew during the November-December 1944 conversion period; Hunter's Point Naval Dry Docks conversion trades
- Limitations
- Primary command-level records verified page-by-page. They document the conversion yard by name and the work scope (rocket launchers, 40mm guns, magazine space) but contain no work package, material list, or insulation detail - conversion at Hunter's Point is a documented ship-history event, NOT ship-specific asbestos evidence. Hunter's Point Naval Shipyard has documented asbestos products in the Atlas shipyard dataset; that yard-level evidence does not establish any material fact about this hull. Exact conversion completion date for 642 not stated (she was already rocket-fitted when she sailed for Pearl Harbor in December 1944 per the December diary).
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lci-l-642-lcil642-07
-
[9]NARA catalog - NAID 120196211 'LCI(L) 642 - Muster Rolls' (10 digitized images, RG 24) and NAID 120196222 'LCI(R) 642 - Muster Rolls' (50 digitized images, RG 24) [other_primary]
- Locator
- catalog.archives.gov/id/120196211 (10 images; forwarding sheet 32860_244815-00002.jpg) and /id/120196222 (50 images)
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Sixty digitized muster-roll images exist for this hull under both designations. The LCI(L) 642 forwarding sheet (image 2 of NAID 120196211) is headed 'MUSTER ROLL OF THE CREW OF THE U.S.S. LCI(L) 642' annotated 'Comm. 7-3-44 to 3-31-45', certified by Donald K. Walton, Ens., USNR, Executive Officer, and approved by E. A. Rollins, Lt (jg), USNR, Commanding Officer - corroborating the 3 July 1944 commissioning, the executive officer, and Rollins's command tenure.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- archival_lead
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1944-07-03 to 1945
- Population
- LCI(L)-642 / LCI(R)-642 crew rosters, 1944-45 (3 officers + 21 enlisted complement as LCI(L); 3 + 31 as LCI(R))
- Limitations
- Catalog metadata and the forwarding sheet verified; the individual crew name lists within the rolls were not transcribed. Muster rolls are personnel records - they document who served aboard, not material condition or asbestos content. The roll period ends 31 March 1945 for the LCI(L) rolls; the LCI(R) roll set continues under the rocket designation.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lci-l-642-lcil642-08
-
[10]Navy and Marine Corps Awards Manual, NAVPERS 15,790 (Rev. 1953), Part IV - campaign and service medals; Asiatic-Pacific Area, Okinawa Gunto operation table (HyperWar transcription); occupation service per Awards-IV-17 [other_primary]
- Locator
- ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/ref/Awards/Awards-IV-16.html, Okinawa Gunto operation P34-1 table, row 'LCI(R) 642 | 6 May 45 - 30 Jun 45'; Awards-IV-17 occupation table
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- The official awards manual credits 'LCI(R) 642' with participation in the assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto (operation P34-1) for the window 6 May 1945 - 30 June 1945 - matching her own action report's missed-L-Day narrative (ev-05) and the one battle star shown on NavSource. The manual's companion table covers the occupation-of-Japan service window NavSource carries (9 September - 29 October 1945).
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1945-05-06 to 1945-10-29
- Population
- LCI(R)-642 crew eligible for the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal engagement star and occupation service
- Limitations
- Official 1953 award-credit table - authoritatively bounds her credited Okinawa service to 6 May-30 June 1945; it does not describe her operations and does not prove she fired on L-Day (she did not - her own report says she arrived 6 May). HyperWar transcription of the official manual, not the document image. No asbestos or material content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lci-l-642-lcil642-09
-
[11]NavSource page-embedded Task Group 52.20 chart (LCI(R) rocket targets at the Okinawa L-Day operation) versus the hull's own action report (NAID 101771234) and the Navy awards manual P34-1 credit window [other_primary]
- Locator
- NavSource 150642.htm TG 52.20 chart; catalog.archives.gov/id/101771234 Part II; Awards-IV-16 P34-1 row
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- CONFLATION GUARD: the NavSource page displays a chart of LCI(R)s assigned to Task Group 52.20 for the Okinawa operation that places LCI(R)-642 in Task Unit 52.20.1 among the L-Day (1 April 1945) rocket bombardment units. Two primary sources resolve the conflict: her own action report states she 'did not participate in the initial assault on the island, having been delayed in Guam for repairs' and 'arrived in this area on 6 May'; the official awards manual credits her Okinawa Gunto service only 6 May - 30 June 1945. The chart is a unit-roster/planning artifact for the task organization her unit served in - it does not establish that this hull fired on L-Day. This record carries the 6 May arrival.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- correction
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1945-04-01 to 1945-05-08
- Limitations
- Correction row - prevents misattribution of the 1 April 1945 bombardment to this hull. The enclosed group narrative in her action report (Part VIII, signed Thompson) describes the unit's 1 April SUGAR ROGER BAKER barrage at group level while she was still at Guam. Minor residual discrepancy: hull report 'arrived 6 May' vs group diary 'arrived Okinawa area 7 May'.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lci-l-642-lcil642-10
-
[12]NARA catalog - three digitized anti-aircraft action reports authored by this hull: NAID 101734907 'LCI(R)-642 anti-aircraft action' (catalog title dated 4/18/45), NAID 101734911 (title dated 4/25/45), NAID 101734915 (title dated 4/28/45) - all RG 38, Roll A_1786 [other_primary]
- Locator
- catalog.archives.gov/id/101734907 (image 0489.jpg read), /id/101734911, /id/101734915; Roll A_1786
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Three digitized AA action reports on USS LCI(R) 642 letterhead document night air-defense actions at Nagusuku-Wan (Nakagusuku Wan), Okinawa. The first (image 0489; ship serial LCI(R)642/A16-3, dated 26 May 1945) reports the 18 May 1945 night engagement: one Oscar fighter picked up by naked eye under 5 miles, not attacking; two 20mm guns fired 66 rounds HEI + 32 rounds HET (.01% of allowance). The other two reports follow the same format for later May actions - the document dates are May 1945, consistent with her arrival 6 May.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1945-05-18 to 1945-05-28
- Population
- LCI(R)-642 crew, May 1945
- Limitations
- Catalog-title discrepancy flagged: NARA titles carry April dates (4/18, 4/25, 4/28) but the first report's document text is dated 26 May 1945 covering a 18 May action at Okinawa - she could not have filed an Okinawa AA report in April (she arrived 6 May). The cataloger likely misread '5/' as '4/'. Only the first report's first page was read in detail; the other two titles' documents follow the same May pattern per the series sequence. Operational records - no asbestos or material content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lci-l-642-lcil642-11
-
[13]NARA Special List No. 44, List of Logbooks of U.S. Navy Ships, Stations, and Miscellaneous Units, 1801-1947 - ship-number sequence [other_primary]
- Locator
- sl-44-ship-number.pdf, ship-number sequence, row 'LCI(L)(R)-642 7/3/1944 6/30/1945' (verified via pdftotext extraction)
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Special List 44 (by ship number) lists Navy deck logs held by NARA for 'LCI(L)(R)-642' covering 7/3/1944-6/30/1945 - logbook coverage running from her commissioning date through the end of the Okinawa campaign window (log-coverage dates corroborate the 3 July 1944 commissioning).
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- archival_lead
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1944-07-03 to 1945-06-30
- Population
- LCI(L)(R)-642 crew (1944-45 logging window)
- Limitations
- Archival lead: the list establishes that logs exist in NARA holdings for that window. No per-month digitized deck-log file unit titled for this hull surfaced in catalog searches, so these logs were not located online - physical-holdings lead only. Post-June-1945 coverage (occupation service through disposal) is not listed in SL44. A deck log is an operational record - location/moorage and noteworthy events, not insulation content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lci-l-642-lcil642-12
-
[14]NARA catalog - additional digitized records naming this hull or her units: COM LCI(R) GR 63 war diary 3/1-4/30/45 (NAID 140006373); COM LCI(R) FLOT 16 war diaries 6/1-30/45, 5/1-31/45, 9/1-11/30/45 (NAIDs 101749875, 140053659, 140086592); COM LCI(L) FLOT 16 war diary 4/1-30/45 (NAID 140008192); COM LCI(R) FLOT 16 operations in Okinawa 3/26-6/21/45 (NAID 101759418); COMTASK-UNIT 52.20.1 operations reports 4/1-21/45 and 5/20/45 (NAIDs 140041874, 140051319); COM LCI(R) GR 48 war diary 9/1-10/31/45 (NAID 140083576) [other_primary]
- Locator
- catalog.archives.gov/id/140006373; /id/101749875; /id/140053659; /id/140086592; /id/140008192; /id/101759418; /id/140041874; /id/140051319 (4 images); /id/140083576
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Beyond the three file units read page-by-page (ev-05, ev-06, ev-07), NARA holds roughly a dozen additional digitized file units covering this hull's chain of command: Group 63/48 and Flotilla 16 war diaries spanning March-November 1945, the Flotilla 16 consolidated Okinawa operations report, and two Task Unit 52.20.1 operational reports - the task unit she flagshipped. The 4-image TU 52.20.1 report dated 5/20/45 (NAID 140051319) covers the same firing window her own report documents.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- archival_lead
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1945-03 to 1945-11
- Population
- LCI(R)-642 crew and Group 48 / Flotilla 16 / TU 52.20.1 staff
- Limitations
- Catalog metadata verified live (titles, NAIDs, image counts); page-image contents not individually reviewed - these are leads for deepening the operational timeline. Command-level operational records - no material or asbestos content expected.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lci-l-642-lcil642-13
-
[15]Library of Virginia, WWII Separation Notices (Navy), via FromThePage transcription - separation record for Franklin Hoy Bowie, Electrician's Mate Second Class, listing USS LCI(L)-642 and LCI(?) 642 among service vessels/stations [other_primary]
- Locator
- fromthepage.com/lva/world-war-ii-separation-notices-navy/work-1140040-018-034-001 - Bowie, Franklin Hoy; service vessels field; civilian occupation field
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- A Virginia WWII Navy separation notice names this hull in an individual veteran's service history: Franklin Hoy Bowie, Electrician's Mate Second Class, lists USS LCI(L)-642 (and a second entry reading LCI(?) 642) among his service vessels/stations. The same record gives his pre-service civilian occupation as 'Asbestos Worker (General)'. This independently corroborates that a rated electrician's mate served aboard this hull.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- context_only
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1944-1946
- Population
- One documented crew member (EM2c Bowie); crew complement 3 officers + 21 enlisted
- Limitations
- Personnel context only. The 'Asbestos Worker' notation is the veteran's civilian occupation BEFORE military service - it does not establish that asbestos was aboard LCI(L)-642, that he worked with asbestos aboard, or that any shipboard exposure occurred. No exposure, disease, or material claim is made or implied by this row. Transcribed crowdsourced content - the 'LCI(?)' parenthetical reflects transcription uncertainty on one of two entries.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lci-l-642-lcil642-14
-
[16]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-16); documented November 1944 conversion at U.S. Naval Dry Docks, Hunter's Point (ev-07); Hunter's Point yard record in the Atlas shipyard dataset [other_primary]
- Locator
- NavSource specifications block; NAID 139779847 (conversion yard); shipyards.json yard list (hunters-point-naval-shipyard present; no NJ Shipbuilding entry); GAO HRD-80-2 context
- Finding type
- asbestos_application
- Finding
- A diesel-powered landing craft built May-July 1944 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. Her documented November 1944 conversion at U.S. Naval Dry Docks, Hunter's Point (installation of Mark 51 rocket launchers, 40mm guns, and magazine work) was exactly the kind of yard availability during which era insulation was typically disturbed - and Hunter's Point is a Tier-3 Atlas shipyard with documented asbestos products - but no work package, material list, or insulation record for her conversion was located.
- Verification
- inferred
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1944-1948
- Population
- NJSB construction trades (1944); Hunter's Point conversion trades (Nov-Dec 1944); crew 24-34 varying by configuration (1944-48 US service); embarked group staff; shipbreakers/scrappers (fate unknown)
- Limitations
- Class/era inference only - no hull-specific insulation schedule, material list, builder's spec sheet, conversion work package, or abatement record located for LCI(L)(R)-642. Names era-standard applications, not confirmed installed materials. No quantity, no manufacturer attribution. Yard-level asbestos documentation for Hunter's Point does not establish material facts about this hull. New Jersey Shipbuilding (Barber NJ) is not in the Atlas shipyards.json dataset, so no yard-level product list was attached for the builder.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lci-l-642-lcil642-15
-
[17]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 (1944), US Navy service era (1944-48), and her November 1944 conversion.
- 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-642-lcil642-16
-
[18]Batch-5367 search ledger (this record): NavSource hull page; shipbuilding-history build table and New Jersey Shipbuilding yard page; HyperWar official ships list; NHHC Pacific Fleet org document; NARA catalog (hull-authored action reports, muster rolls, group/flotilla/task-unit war diaries - 45-46 file-unit hits); NARA Special List 44 PDF; Navy awards manual; uboat.net ship entry; FromThePage/LVA separation notice; NHHC DANFS check; NVR check; Wikipedia check; CourtListener (opinions clean; dockets pacing-blocked - see gaps); secondary web sweep [other_primary]
- Locator
- search_ledger rows sl-uss-lci-l-642-lcil642-01 through -15
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- No qualifying ship-specific asbestos record located: no asbestos survey, abatement contract, hazmat disclosure, or litigation naming USS LCI(L)-642 or LCI(R)-642 was found in the sources searched. CourtListener returned count 0 for every hyphenated name form on BOTH layers - opinions 'LCI(R)-642', 'LCI(L)-642', 'LCI-642' and dockets 'LCI(L)-642', 'LCI(R)-642' (five authenticated queries, 2026-09-30) - a clean negative, not a blocked search; several intermediate calls returned the fleet pacing notice and were retried successfully. The secondary web sweep surfaced no qualifying case and no hull-specific asbestos material. Her 1948 transfer to the Maritime Commission (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. Undigitized deck logs (SL44 window 7/3/1944-6/30/1945), NJSB build records, Hunter's Point conversion work orders, and post-disposal records are open leads. The unhyphenated 'LCI 642' opinion form was pacing-blocked at session end - a minor residual gap; the hyphenated designation forms (the hull's actual printed designations) are covered on both layers. Does not establish or defeat any claim of exposure or legal eligibility.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lci-l-642-lcil642-17