Evidence
10 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-10).
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[1]research packet 488-packet.md [other_primary]
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Identity packet verdict: VERIFIED
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Evidence ID
- uss-lci-l-973-lcil973-pkt-488-packet-md
-
[2]DANFS, 'Oriole IV (LCI(L)-973)' - construction, WWII Pacific service, AMCU-33 conversion/recommissioning, disposal [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- DANFS Oriole IV entry - service narrative and spec block
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Documented for this hull: laid down 11 March 1944 at Consolidated Steel Corp., Orange, Tex.; launched 5 April 1944; commissioned 30 May 1944, Lt. (jg) Ernest J. Kirsch in command. Shakedown out of Galveston, Tex. June 1944, then San Diego; departed the West Coast in September for Hawaii and the southern Pacific, arriving Palau Islands 29 December. Picket duty with the Palau LCI Force to prevent reinforcement of or offensive action from bypassed enemy-held islands; March-June 1945 Kossol-Peleliu mail run; after a searchlight installation in June, nightly duty in the Middle Lagoon. After the Japanese capitulation, with LCI Group 37, arrived Guam 16 September to shuttle dischargees to Saipan; via Okinawa moored Tientsin, China 11 October; China service and occupation duty terminated 16 December. Decommissioned at Green Cove Springs, Fla. March 1946. In March 1952, while in the Reserve Fleet, named Oriole and designated AMCU-33; reactivated about three months later for the 5th Naval District and, after additional modification, recommissioned at Charleston, S.C., 20 February 1954. Assigned to the 4th Naval District 1 April; four months of mine-detection operations off Little Creek, Va. in 1954; participated in LANTMINEX March 1955; designation changed to coastal minehunter (MHC-33). Decommissioned 7 July 1955; struck from the Navy List 1 January 1960; sold 27 March 1961 to Ships and Power, Inc., Miami, Fla. Spec block: dp. 381; l. 159'; b. 23'8"; dr. 5'8"; s. 14.4 k.; cpl. 40; a. 5 20mm.; cl. LCI(L)-351.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1944-1961 (entry coverage)
- Population
- Construction trades (Consolidated Steel, Orange TX, 1944); LCI(L) crew (1944-46); Oriole AMCU-33 crew (1954-55)
- Limitations
- Ship-specific history only; no asbestos or material content. Commissioning date conflicts with NavSource (30 April 1944) - see gaps. Spec block differs from the NavSource class specification block (displacement, length, beam, complement, speed).
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lci-l-973-lcil973-01
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[3]NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive, LSIL-973 ex USS Oriole (MHC-33) ex USS Oriole (AMCU-33) ex USS LCI(L)-973 - designation timeline, flotilla assignments, conversion contract dates, specifications, awards [other_primary]
- Locator
- NavSource 10/15/150973.htm header block, timeline, LCI(L) specifications block, photo captions
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- NavSource timeline for this hull: LCI-351 class landing craft infantry (large); laid down 11 March 1944 at Consolidated Steel Corp., Orange TX; launched 5 April 1944; commissioned USS LCI(L)-973, 30 April 1944, LTjg. E.J. Kirsch, USNR, in command (May 1945). WWII Asiatic-Pacific Theater assignments: LCI Flotilla Thirteen (CDR M. B. Brown), LCI Group Thirty-Seven (LCDR P. W. Howard), LCI Division Seventy-Three. Post-war: Navy Occupation Service Medal 28 September - 16 December 1945 and China Service Medal (extended) 8 September - 16 December 1945. Decommissioned March 1946 at Green Cove Springs FL; laid up Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Green Cove Springs. Designation changed to Landing Ship Infantry (Large) LSIL, 28 February 1949. Authorized for conversion to Coastal Minesweeper (Underwater Locator) FY 1952; conversion contract placed 7 March 1952 with Charleston Naval Shipyard, Charleston, S.C.; conversion begun 15 September 1953, completed 16 March 1954. Commissioned USS Oriole (AMCU-33) 20 February 1954. Redesignated Coastal Minehunter (MHC-33) 7 February 1955. Decommissioned 7 July 1955; reverted to LSIL-973 (date unknown); struck from the Naval Register 1 January 1960; sold 27 March 1961 to Ships and Power Inc., Miami FL. Awards: China Service (extended), American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, WWII Victory Medal, Navy Occupation Service Medal. Class spec block: 236 t. light / 264 t. landing / 419 t. loaded; 158' 5.5" x 23' 3"; 16 kts max; propulsion two sets of 4 General Motors 6051-series-71 diesels (4 per shaft), single GM main reduction gears, twin variable-pitch propellers, 2,320 shp; two diesel-driven 30 kW 120 V DC ship's-service generators; five single 20 mm guns; complement 4 officers + 24 enlisted, troop capacity 6 officers + 182 enlisted. Photo captions: USS Oriole (AMCU-33) underway off Virginia Beach 1955 (NHHC photo catalog L45-219.03.03) and probably Chesapeake Bay circa 1955 (NARA via picryl.com).
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1944-1961
- Population
- Construction trades (1944); LCI(L) crew (1944-46); conversion trades at Charleston Naval Shipyard (1953-54); Oriole AMCU-33/MHC-33 crew (1954-55)
- Limitations
- NavSource is a volunteer secondary compilation, not a primary registry - milestone dates generally track DANFS but conflict on the commissioning date (30 April vs DANFS 30 May 1944) and the MHC-33 redesignation date (7 February vs 1 February 1955 in secondary sources). The 'LCI(L) Specifications' block is class-generic, not hull-measured. Contains no asbestos content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lci-l-973-lcil973-02
-
[4]Era inference built on: NavSource LCI(L) class spec block (all-diesel propulsion, no steam plant); DANFS spec block; GAO HRD-80-2 Navy asbestos-era documentation (ev-05); shipyard-exposure-map documented product list for charleston-naval-shipyard (conversion yard 1953-54) [other_primary]
- Locator
- NavSource LCI(L) specifications block; DANFS spec block; shipyards.json product list for charleston-naval-shipyard; GAO HRD-80-2 product page
- Finding type
- asbestos_application
- Finding
- A 1944 diesel-powered landing craft built at Consolidated Steel, Orange TX and converted at Charleston Naval Shipyard in 1953-54 sits inside the documented asbestos-use era for both yard types (Navy ship asbestos substitution did not begin until the early 1970s per GAO). With no boilers or steam plant, the boiler/turbine-lagging pathway does not apply; era-standard asbestos applications on a vessel of this type and period were limited to engine and exhaust lagging, sheet gaskets, valve and machinery packing, electrical insulation, and deck covering/paint compounds - inference only.
- Verification
- inferred
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1944-1955
- Population
- Consolidated Steel construction trades (1944); crew (1944-46, 1954-55); Charleston Naval Shipyard conversion trades (1953-54)
- Limitations
- Class/era inference only - no hull-specific insulation survey, material list, or conversion work package located for LCI(L)-973. Names era-standard applications, not confirmed installed materials. No quantity. Product names are normalized era terms; no manufacturer attribution for this hull.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lci-l-973-lcil973-03
-
[5]Pace v. Air & Liquid Systems Corp., No. 14-2416 (4th Cir. Mar. 30, 2016) (unpublished), affirming D.S.C. No. 2:11-cv-02688-BM; MDL-875 transferee district E.D. Pa. No. 2:11-cv-67744 (Robreno, J.) [court_record]
- Locator
- 4th Cir. No. 14-2416 unpublished opinion (J.A. 1246 recitation; disposition AFFIRMED); E.D. Pa. 2:11-cv-67744-ER orders of Apr. 19, 2013 (Gorman Rupp) and companion SJ orders
- Finding type
- litigation_documented
- Finding
- Litigation record for the conversion yard, not this hull: Pace alleged asbestos exposure while a marine machinist at Charleston Naval Shipyard (1971-1995). The Fourth Circuit recites that at the shipyard 'both asbestos containing and non-asbestos-containing gaskets, insulation, and packing materials were used with the pumps and valves' and that Pace attested he 'regularly worked with or in the vicinity of asbestos containing products' whose handling produced visible dust. The MDL-875 transferee court granted summary judgment to defendants Crane, Westinghouse, Goulds, and Buffalo on product-identification/causation grounds; the Fourth Circuit affirmed by unpublished opinion.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- context_only
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1971-1995 (alleged exposure); 2011-2016 (litigation)
- Population
- Charleston Naval Shipyard machinists/trades (litigated window 1971-1995)
- Limitations
- Yard-level litigation record, not hull evidence: Pace's alleged exposure window (1971-1995) post-dates this hull's 1953-54 conversion by roughly 17 years. A defense summary-judgment win is a merits-level negative for that plaintiff, not a finding of exposure conditions; the opinion's yard-material description is allegation-stage recitation, not an adjudicated exposure finding. Unpublished opinion - cited for its factual record, not as precedent.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lci-l-973-lcil973-04
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[6]GAO, Navy Efforts To Protect Workers From Asbestos Exposure, HRD-80-2 (Oct 18, 1979) - archived copy; live gao.gov returns HTTP 403 to automated fetches [gao]
- Locator
- GAO product page HRD-80-2, Highlights section (Wayback capture 20250210204441)
- Finding type
- gov_survey
- Finding
- GAO reviewed the Navy's efforts to protect workers from asbestos exposure at the Long Beach and Norfolk Naval Shipyards, including 'the use of asbestos in Navy ships, the cost of removing asbestos from Navy ships, and compensation programs for asbestos-related disabilities'; the Navy's 1975 policy was to remove and replace with nonasbestos materials only insulation that was damaged or had to be removed for repairs, modified in 1979 to selective replacement in high-maintenance areas.
- 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. Live gao.gov returns HTTP 403 (confirmed 2026-09-30) - cited from the archived product page; full-text PDF also blocked.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lci-l-973-lcil973-05
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[7]Board of Veterans' Appeals, Citation No. 9828426 (Sept. 23, 1998), Docket No. 94-15 783 (Houston RO) [court_record]
- Locator
- BVA Citation 9828426, Findings of Fact 1-3 and Reasons and Bases (veteran's testimony on pipe covering aboard ships; co-worker letters on Orange yard drilling work)
- Finding type
- litigation_documented
- Finding
- Two-sided adjudication record touching both this hull's builder and era ships: a veteran employed as a driller in the boilermaker department at Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas (1942-1944) then served aboard Navy vessels (May 1944 - February 1946). The Board found as fact that he 'was not exposed to asbestos during his periods of employment with Consolidated Steel Corporation in Orange, Texas' (corroborated by co-worker letters that drilling work on hull shells involved no asbestos) but 'was exposed to asbestos when serving aboard Navy vessels in service' - he described asbestos-coated pipes throughout the ships on which he served and sleeping within one foot of them; service connection for asbestos-related lung disease was granted. His named ships were USS Prince William (CVE-31) and AN-37 Teakwood, not this hull.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- context_only
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1942-1946 (exposure window); 1998 (decision)
- Population
- Consolidated Steel Orange boilermaker-department trades (1942-44); WWII-era Navy crew (era context)
- Limitations
- Single-claimant administrative adjudication; does not name LCI(L)-973 and does not find anything about this hull. The Consolidated Steel negative finding covers one claimant's job (driller on hull shells, 1942-44) - it does not prove the yard was asbestos-free. The Navy-side finding documents asbestos-wrapped pipe aboard WWII-era ships generally - era context, not a class or hull record.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lci-l-973-lcil973-06
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[8]Jemal A, Grauman D, Devesa S (NCI). 'Recent geographic patterns of lung cancer and mesothelioma mortality rates in 49 shipyard counties in the United States, 1970-94.' Am J Ind Med 2000;37(5):512-521. PMID 10723045 [other_primary]
- Locator
- PubMed abstract PMID 10723045; DOI 10.1002/(SICI)1097-0274(200005)37:5<512::AID-AJIM7>3.0.CO;2-M
- Finding type
- gov_survey
- Finding
- NCI epidemiology: lung cancer and pleural mesothelioma mortality rates were significantly elevated in U.S. counties with WWII shipbuilding industries versus non-shipyard counties (49-county analysis, 1970-94), extending the shipyard-county cancer association first documented for 1950-69 and attributed to asbestos exposure.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1950-1994 (mortality windows); published 2000
- Population
- Residents of 49 U.S. WWII-shipbuilding counties (mortality statistics)
- Limitations
- County-level geographic mortality association; the abstract does not itemize the 49 counties - Charleston County SC and Orange County TX membership was not verified from the abstract alone. No individual exposure data; does not name this hull or either yard.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lci-l-973-lcil973-07
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[9]National Archives, 'Navy Deck Logs Available in the National Archives Catalog' (RG 24 logbook digitization index) [other_primary]
- Locator
- archives.gov/research/military/logbooks/navy-online index page (LCI/AMCU/MHC entries checked)
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Archival lead only: LCI(L)-973's deck logs (commissioned-era logbooks are retained permanently at NARA College Park) are not in the Catalog's digitized list as of 2026-09-30; several sister AMCU/MHC conversions are digitized (Kestrel AMCU-26/LCI-874, Rail MHC-37, Minah AMCU-14). NARA textual reference (archives2reference@nara.gov) handles undigitized deck-log requests. Deck logs would fix the commissioning date and document maintenance events.
- Verification
- partial
- Role
- archival_lead
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1944-1955 (log coverage sought)
- Limitations
- Confirms where records live, not what they contain. Deck-log entries record ship events, not material content - no asbestos data should be expected from logs; they are the lead for resolving the 30 April vs 30 May 1944 commissioning conflict.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lci-l-973-lcil973-08
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[10]Batch-5621 search ledger (this record): NHHC DANFS; NavSource; NVR; NARA deck-log index; VA BVA decisions; CourtListener API v4; GAO (blocked, archived); secondary cross-checks [other_primary]
- Locator
- search_ledger rows sl-uss-lci-l-973-lcil973-01 through -12
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- No qualifying ship-specific asbestos record located: no asbestos survey, abatement contract, hazmat disclosure, conversion work package, or adjudicated case naming LCI(L)-973 / Oriole (AMCU-33) / MHC-33 / LSIL-973 was found in the public sources searched (see search_ledger). CourtListener opinion searches for 'LCI(L)-973'/'LCI-973'/'LCIL-973', 'AMCU-33', and 'USS Oriole' minesweeper/'MHC-33' variants returned zero hits; the docket-level search returned three name collisions unrelated to this vessel (see sl-06). Secondary web sweeps surfaced no ship-specific claims.
- 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 - a 1944 combatant converted at an asbestos-era naval shipyard is consistent with retained era materials. CourtListener coverage is complete for indexed opinions and RECAP dockets; unindexed complaint-level material may exist outside public search indexes. Does not establish or defeat any claim of exposure or legal eligibility.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lci-l-973-lcil973-09