USS LSM-132

Evidence

15 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-15).

1. [1]research packet 532-packet.md (8 sources cited) [museum_official]

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   Identity packet verdict: VERIFIED — real identity: USS LSM-132

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Evidence ID

   uss-lsm-132-lsm132-pkt-532-packet-md

2. [2]NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive, USS LSM-132 (page history extract credited to LSM-LSMR Amphibious Forces, Vol. II, Turner Publishing Co., 1997) [other_primary]

   Locator

   Full page: header block, awards ribbon list, occupation-service table, specifications block, commanding-officer table, photo captions

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   NavSource Online (Amphibious Photo Archive) timeline for this hull, sourced to LSM-LSMR Amphibious Forces, Vol. II (Turner Publishing Co., 1997, ISBN 1-56311-389-9): laid down 1 March 1944 at Charleston Navy Yard, Charleston, S.C.; launched 13 April 1944; commissioned USS LSM-132, 22 May 1944, LTjg. John F. Torley USNR in command. WWII Asiatic-Pacific Theater assignment: LSM Flotilla One (flagship), LCDR. H. B. Taliaferro USN; LSM Group Three, LCDR. A. K. Ridgway, USNR; LSM Division Five. Post-war Navy Occupation service in the Far East for the periods 12-13 September 1945 and 16-27 October 1945. Decommissioned 2 August 1947 at Charleston Navy Yard; struck from the Naval Register, date unknown; sold 8 November 1948 to L. Chenman, Norfolk, VA, fate unknown. Photo captions place the hull unloading a road grader at Tsurimi, Japan, September 1945, and beached with USS LSM-180 at Legaspi, southern Luzon, P.I., 27-28 September 1945. Commanding officers listed: LTjg. John Frederic Torley, USNR (22 May 1944-December 1945); LT. John B. Barber, USNR (December 1945-March 1946); LTjg. Edwin J. Lorenc, USNR (March-April 1946); LT. Francis Prettyman Rhett, USN (USNA 1944) (April-15 June 1946); ENS. James J. McMahon, USNR (15 June 1946-?). Specifications: displacement 520 t (light), 743 t (landing), 1,095 t (fully loaded); length 203'6" oa; beam 34'6"; draft 3'6" fwd/7'8" aft light, 6'4" fwd/8'3" aft loaded; speed 13.2 kts max; complement 5 officers/54 enlisted plus troop accommodation for 2 officers/46 enlisted; armament one twin bow-mounted 40mm gun, four single 20mm mounts; vehicle/boat capacity 5 medium or 3 heavy tanks, or 6 LVTs, or 9 DUKWs; fuel capacity 1,225 bbls diesel; 10-lb STS splinter shield at gun mounts, pilot house, and conning station; endurance 4,900 mi at 12 kts; propulsion two Fairbanks Morse 38D81/8X10 reversible diesels with hydraulic clutches, direct drive, 1,440 BHP each at 720 rpm, twin propellers, 2,800 shp; ship's service generators two diesel-driven 100 kW 450 V AC plus one diesel-driven 20 kW 120 V DC.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-10-01

   Study period

   1944-1948

   Population

   Charleston Navy Yard construction trades (1944); ship's company and embarked troops (1944-1947)

   Limitations

   NavSource is a volunteer compilation crediting a published unit history (Turner Publishing), not a government primary record - it is the only detailed narrative source located for this hull (no DANFS entry exists; see ev-05). Page fetched via direct live request on 2026-10-01 (navsource.net resolves; navsource.org is the dead mirror per house citation-hygiene rule and was not used). Contains no asbestos, insulation, or hazmat content of any kind. Top-speed figure (13.2 kts) differs from the DANFS abbreviated class comparison for sister hull LSM-175 (12.5 kts) - see ev-08 and gaps.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-lsm-132-lsm132-01

3. [3]uboat.net, Allied Warships of WWII, USS LSM 132 (LSM 132) ship entry (Guðmundur Helgason compilation) [other_primary]

   Locator

   LSM 132 ship page, data table and History lines

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   Independent corroboration of build and disposition data: uboat.net's Allied Warships entry for USS LSM 132 (LSM 132), 'Medium landing ship of the LSM class,' lists: built by Charleston Navy Yard (Charleston, South Carolina); ordered 15 September 1943; laid down 1 March 1944; launched 13 April 1944; commissioned 22 May 1944; end service 2 August 1947; 'Decommissioned on 2 August 1947. Stricken on 23 June 1947. Sold on 8 November 1948.' This corroborates NavSource on builder, laid-down, launch, commission, decommission, and sale dates, and supplies an order date (15 Sep 1943) NavSource does not give.

   Verification

   partial

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-10-01

   Study period

   1943-1948

   Limitations

   Volunteer-compiled naval-history reference, not a government record; no asbestos or material content. It gives 'Stricken on 23 June 1947' where NavSource says the strike date is unknown and NavalCoverMuseum gives 23 June 1946 - a one-year variant carried in gaps, not resolved; the 1947 reading is more consistent with the 2 August 1947 decommissioning (strike normally follows or accompanies decommissioning), but neither secondary source is authoritative on the date.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-lsm-132-lsm132-02

4. [4]Naval Marine Archive, 'Landing Ships, Medium - LSM, LSM(R), LSV' small-ships disposition registry [other_primary]

   Locator

   LSM-132 table row (Type/Number/Shipbuilder/Location/Delivery/Disposition columns)

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   Independent disposition-table cross-check: navalmarinearchive.com's LSM/LSM(R)/LSV small-ships disposition registry lists LSM-132 - Shipbuilder: 'Charleston NSY'; Location: 'Charleston SC'; Delivery: '22-May-44'; Disposition: 'Sold to L. Chenman 1948.' This corroborates NavSource's builder, delivery/commission date, and 1948 sale to L. Chenman of Norfolk, VA.

   Verification

   partial

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-10-01

   Study period

   1944-1948

   Limitations

   Independent volunteer-compiled registry, not a government record; the page is a tabular disposition catalog only with no technical/insulation/material content and no asbestos content. Corroborates NavSource on builder, delivery date, and 1948 disposition.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-lsm-132-lsm132-03

5. [5]National Archives at Atlanta, finding aid for RG 181 Ship Commissioning Files, Charleston, SC (NAID 2694599) [other_primary]

   Locator

   Box 5 row, 'Landing Ship, Medium LSM-132 4/13/1944'

   Finding type

   historical_record

   Finding

   NARA Atlanta finding aid, RG 181 (Naval Districts and Shore Establishments), 'Ship Commissioning Files - Sixth Naval District at Charleston, South Carolina,' National Archives Identifier 2694599, describes a 1942-1945 series of 'correspondence, invitations, and instructions relating to the commissioning of naval vessels at the Charleston Navy Yard.' The box list names this hull directly: 'Box 5 | Landing Ship, Medium | LSM-132 | 4/13/1944.'

   Verification

   unverified

   Role

   archival_lead

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-10-01

   Study period

   1944

   Limitations

   Archival lead only - box contents were not retrieved (requires in-person research room visit or NARA reproduction order; no spend authorized). The date shown for LSM-132 in this 'Ship Commissioning Files' series is 4/13/1944, which matches NavSource's LAUNCH date, not the 5/22/1944 commissioning date - so the finding aid's per-row 'Date' column likely records something other than the actual commissioning (contents unknown until surveyed). Contains no asbestos content; establishes only that a commissioning-era file exists for this hull at NARA Atlanta.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-lsm-132-lsm132-04

6. [6]Batch-5933 search ledger (this record): direct NHHC fetch (404), Wayback availability check (empty snapshot list), HyperWar mirror fetch (404), NHHC museum photo-page fetch (404) [nhhc_danfs]

   Locator

   search_ledger rows sl-uss-lsm-132-lsm132-01 through -03 and -13

   Finding type

   historical_record

   Finding

   No DANFS entry exists for USS LSM-132: (a) the live NHHC URL pattern used for other LSM hulls (/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/l/lsm-132.html, and the /content/history/nhhc/ prefixed variant) returns HTTP 404; (b) the Wayback Machine availability API returns zero archived snapshots for that URL; (c) the HyperWar/ibiblio mirror of the historic DANFS 'dafs' series, which does carry entries for some other LSM hulls (e.g., LSM-448, LSM-467), returns HTTP 404 for lsm132.html. A separate NHHC museum photography-page URL pattern for named/numbered LSMs (ships-usn-l/uss-lsm-132.html) also returns 404.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   negative_finding

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-10-01

   Study period

   2026-10-01

   Limitations

   Absence of a DANFS entry for this specific hull number does not mean NHHC/NARA holds no records on it at all - deck logs, war diaries, and action reports in other record groups at NARA may exist and were not fully surveyed (see gaps). Not every LSM-1 class hull received an individual DANFS narrative; this is consistent with known DANFS coverage gaps for small amphibious craft, not a sign of data loss specific to this hull.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-lsm-132-lsm132-05

7. [7]Naval Vessel Register (NVR), homepage scope statement [other_primary]

   Locator

   NVR homepage, 'The Official Inventory of US Naval Ships and Service Craft' introductory paragraph

   Finding type

   historical_record

   Finding

   The Naval Vessel Register (NVR) carries no page for this hull. A direct guessed detail-page URL (SHIPSDETAIL_LSM_132.HTML) returns the NVR homepage rather than resolving to a ship record. The NVR homepage itself states its own scope limit: 'Ships and service craft disposed of prior to 1987 are currently not included, however the data is gradually being added along with other updates.' LSM-132 was disposed in 1948 (sold to L. Chenman), decades before this cutoff.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   negative_finding

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-10-01

   Study period

   2026-10-01

   Limitations

   This is a scope-based negative finding, not evidence that the vessel never existed in Navy records - NVR's own disclosed cutoff (pre-1987 disposals largely excluded) fully accounts for the absence. No asbestos content; NVR does not carry material/hazmat data of the kind this record seeks in any case.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-lsm-132-lsm132-06

8. [8]NavalCoverMuseum (National Naval Cover Museum project), LSM 132 designation-history page [museum_official]

   Locator

   LSM 132 page, 'Ship Name and Designation History' and 'Other Information' sections

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   NavalCoverMuseum's designation-history page for LSM 132 lists: 'USS LSM-132, Commissioned May 22 1944 - Decommissioned August 2 1947; Struck from Naval Register June 23 1946; Sold November 8 1948 to L. Chenman Norfolk, VA; Fate unknown' and confirms the award set (American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Navy Occupation Service Medal with Asia clasp, Philippines Liberation Medal). No postmarks or covers are reported for this hull.

   Verification

   partial

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-10-01

   Study period

   1944-1948

   Limitations

   Volunteer museum wiki, not a government record; corroborates commissioning, decommissioning, sale, and awards, but its strike date (June 23 1946) conflicts with uboat.net's (23 June 1947) while the ship remained in commission until August 1947 - variant unresolved, carried in gaps; NavSource leaves the date unknown. Contains no asbestos or material content.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-lsm-132-lsm132-07

9. [9]Naval History and Heritage Command, DANFS, 'Oceanside' (LSM-175) entry (accessed via Wayback Machine capture 20241216050942; live page returned HTTP 404) [nhhc_danfs]

   Locator

   Wayback capture 20241216050942, opening spec line and first service paragraph

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   Official NHHC DANFS entry for Oceanside (LSM-175) - a sister hull of the same LSM-1 class, built at the same yard (Charleston Naval Shipyard) within three months of LSM-132 - gives the class comparative spec block: 'LSM-175: dp. 1,095; l 203-6-; b. 34-6-; dr. 8-4-; s. 12.5 k.; cpl. 59; a. 2 40mm.; cl. LSM-1' and records LSM-175 (originally LCT(7)-1675) laid down 11 July 1944 at the Charleston Naval Shipyard, launched 3 August 1944, commissioned 25 September 1944. This is an authoritative NHHC cross-check of the LSM-1 class displacement, length, beam, and complement figures reported for LSM-132 by NavSource (1,095 t fully loaded; 203'6"; 34'6"; complement total 59 matches NavSource's 5 officers + 54 enlisted for LSM-132).

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   context

   Documentation level

   class_or_era

   Accessed

   2026-10-01

   Study period

   1944

   Population

   Charleston Naval Shipyard construction trades (1944, LSM-175 build)

   Limitations

   This entry documents Oceanside (LSM-175), NOT LSM-132 - it is class/era cross-check evidence only and establishes no fact specific to LSM-132. Oceanside's own spec block gives speed 12.5 kts versus NavSource's 13.2 kts (max.) reported for LSM-132 - an unresolved minor variant (design/cruising speed vs. trial maximum is the likely explanation, not investigated further). Live NHHC URL returned 404 on 2026-10-01; the Wayback capture is cited and labeled archived. No asbestos or insulation content in this entry.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-lsm-132-lsm132-08

10. [10]Naval Historical Center/NARA photograph 80-G-176520, Bureau of Ships camouflage plan for the LSM-1 class (HyperWar/ibiblio transcription) [nhhc_danfs]

    Locator

    NHHC Online Library picture-data page for 80-G-176520, Description and catalog fields

    Finding type

    historical_record

    Finding

    Naval Historical Center/National Archives photograph transcription 80-G-176520 documents a Bureau of Ships camouflage drawing, Camouflage Measure 31, Design 17L, approved by Captain Torvald A. Solberg, USN, dated 13 July 1944, 'intended for landing ships medium of the LSM-1 class.' This is official Navy/NARA class-level documentation from this hull's construction and service period.

    Verification

    verified

    Role

    context

    Documentation level

    class_or_era

    Accessed

    2026-10-01

    Study period

    1944

    Population

    LSM-1-class construction and operating personnel

    Limitations

    Class-level archival context only; the drawing is a paint-scheme plan, not a construction or material record for USS LSM-132, and does not mention asbestos or insulation.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-lsm-132-lsm132-09

11. [11]National Archives and Records Administration, 'Researching Asbestos aboard US Naval Vessel up through 1961' guided research topic [other_primary]

    Locator

    NARA guided-topic page, 'Beginning Research' and RG 19 correspondence sections

    Finding type

    historical_record

    Finding

    NARA's own public research guide, 'Researching Asbestos aboard US Naval Vessel up through 1961,' states that 'the use of asbestos in U.S. Navy materiel from 1941-1961 is a frequently requested topic' and prescribes the research path for documenting whether a particular US naval ship carried asbestos: ship history first (DANFS), then RG 19 (Bureau of Ships) general/confidential correspondence filed by hull designation under the Navy Filing Manual - for this hull the filing code would be 'LSM132,' with class correspondence under the namesake hull and type correspondence under 'LSM' - plus shipyard correspondence under 'NY' codes for public yards such as the Charleston Navy Yard.

    Verification

    verified

    Role

    archival_lead

    Documentation level

    context_only

    Accessed

    2026-10-01

    Study period

    records series span 1940-1961

    Population

    WWII naval vessel crews and shipyard workers (research topic population)

    Limitations

    NARA research-pathway documentation, not a hull record: it confirms (a) that asbestos in Navy materiel 1941-1961 is an acknowledged research topic and (b) which specific undigitized record series would hold hull- or class-specific material documentation for LSM-132 (RG 19 hull file 'LSM132,' LSM-1 class file, 'LSM' type file; Charleston Navy Yard 'NY' correspondence). No individual entry in those series has been retrieved or surveyed for this hull - this is the standing open archival lead. The guide itself documents no asbestos aboard any specific vessel.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-lsm-132-lsm132-10

12. [12]Corn, Jacqueline Karnell, and Jennifer Starr, 'Historical perspective on asbestos: Policies and protective measures in World War II shipbuilding,' American Journal of Industrial Medicine 11(3):359-373 (1987) [other_primary]

    Locator

    Abstract and article, AJIM 11(3):359-373

    Finding type

    asbestos_application

    Finding

    Peer-reviewed historical study documents that asbestos was used extensively as a fireproofing and insulating material in U.S. shipbuilding during WWII, the era and program under which this LSM-1 class hull was built at a Navy yard operating at wartime peak tempo.

    Verification

    verified

    Role

    context

    Documentation level

    class_or_era

    Accessed

    2026-10-01

    Study period

    1940s era documented; article 1987

    Population

    WWII shipyard workers and ship crews (class context)

    Limitations

    Program/era-level scholarly documentation of asbestos use in WWII shipbuilding generally; does not name this vessel, its class, or its builder, and does not establish that asbestos was or remains aboard this hull, nor quantity, location, condition, exposure, or causation. The DOI resolves live to the correct Wiley article page (onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ajim.4700110311) but Wiley's bot-check returns HTTP 403 to automated fetches - confirmed previously in this batch line; citation verified by resolution target and abstract metadata, not full-text retrieval this session.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-lsm-132-lsm132-11

13. [13]Era inference built on: NavSource specifications for this hull (two Fairbanks Morse 38D81/8X10 diesels, no steam plant); shipyard-exposure-map yard data for charleston-naval-shipyard (WWII peak employment; product list); Corn & Starr 1987 AJIM (see ev-11); NARA asbestos research guide framing the 1941-1961 asbestos window (see ev-10) [other_primary]

    Locator

    NavSource specifications block; shipyards.json charleston-naval-shipyard record (wwii_peak_employment and asbestos_products_documented fields)

    Finding type

    asbestos_application

    Finding

    Era inference built from the hull's own documented design and build context: a diesel-powered LSM-1 class Landing Ship Medium, laid down March 1944 and commissioned May 1944 at Charleston Navy Yard - a Navy yard then at wartime peak employment (25,948 workers in 1943, per shipyard-exposure-map yard data for charleston-naval-shipyard). The class carries no steam plant (two Fairbanks Morse 38D81/8X10 diesel engines per this hull's NavSource spec block; confirmed class propulsion type), so era-standard applications for a hull of this type and period center on: diesel exhaust lagging, machinery-space pipe insulation, gaskets, valve/pump packing, electrical insulation, and fireproofing/insulation in crew and pilot-house spaces - not boiler or turbine lagging.

    Verification

    inferred

    Role

    supporting

    Documentation level

    class_or_era

    Accessed

    2026-10-01

    Study period

    1944 (hull construction); yard asbestos documentation otherwise dated 1971-1990 and 2014-2018

    Population

    Charleston Navy Yard construction trades (1944); ship's company (1944-1947)

    Limitations

    Class/era inference only - no hull-specific insulation survey, material list, or work package located for LSM-132. The shipyard-exposure-map Charleston Naval Shipyard asbestos-product and litigation evidence (OSHA inspection, jury verdicts) dates to 1971-1990 and 2014-2018, three to seven decades after this hull's 1944 construction and 1948 disposal; it establishes that the yard handled asbestos-containing materials in later decades, not what materials were used on this hull's 1944 construction line. No quantity, no manufacturer attribution, no confirmed installed material for this specific hull.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-lsm-132-lsm132-12

14. [14]CourtListener API v4 searches, queries 'LSM-132' (type=o, 17 results reviewed) and '"USS LSM-132"' (type=o, 0 results), 2026-10-01 (via cl-auth-search.py fleet helper) [court_record]

    Locator

    search_ledger rows sl-uss-lsm-132-lsm132-09 and -11

    Finding type

    litigation_documented

    Finding

    CourtListener (API v4, authenticated searches via the required fleet helper) was searched on 2026-10-01. Opinion search for the exact string 'LSM-132' returned 17 results, none naming this vessel, its hull number, or any asbestos claim connected to it: the hits are unrelated civil/criminal opinions (Melody Faith Mazur, Etc. v. Crane's Mill Nursing Home; Kevin Terrell Tatum; Luberza Santiago v. Morales; James Doyle Collins, Jr. v. State; Rosado Vazquez v. Estado Libre Asociado; Laboy Camacho v. Morales Amaro; Doninger v. Niehoff (two opinions); Zafer Construction Company; Carver v. Casey; Sands v. Runyon (two opinions - 'LSM' there is a Postal Service letter sorting machine); Diaz, Ismeal Jr.; Amerace Esna Corp. v. United States; In re Managed Care Litigation; Conner, Stacy L.; Tyrone Berry v. State) where 'LSM' and '132' match incidentally inside citations, docket numbers, or unrelated case text. The exact-phrase opinion search '"USS LSM-132"' returned 0 results. Both are classified as clean negative results - no qualifying asbestos litigation naming this hull in indexed opinions - not blocked or throttled searches.

    Verification

    verified

    Role

    negative_finding

    Documentation level

    ship_specific

    Accessed

    2026-10-01

    Study period

    2026-10-01

    Limitations

    Covers CourtListener opinion searches only (type=o). The unquoted docket search (type=r) returned 1,228 loose-match results, none vessel-related; the exact-phrase docket searches were fleet-pacing limited at end of session - logged as open items in gaps, not asserted as searched. Absence of a hit does not prove no litigation exists naming this small, long-disposed hull, only that none was found in CourtListener's indexed opinions as of this date.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-lsm-132-lsm132-13

15. [15]Batch-5933 search ledger (this record): NavSource ship page; uboat.net; Naval Marine Archive; NavalCoverMuseum; NARA Atlanta RG 181 finding aid; NARA asbestos research guide; NHHC/DANFS checks; NVR scope check; CourtListener opinion/docket sweeps; Firecrawl web searches [other_primary]

    Locator

    search_ledger rows sl-uss-lsm-132-lsm132-01 through -17

    Finding type

    historical_record

    Finding

    No qualifying ship-specific asbestos survey, abatement record, hazmat disclosure, construction-material inventory, or asbestos litigation record naming USS LSM-132 was located in the reviewed public sources. Firecrawl web searches ('USS LSM-132' and 'USS LSM-132 asbestos') surfaced only law-firm marketing pages asserting asbestos for OTHER LSM hulls (asbestos-ships.com LSM-427 page, gorilaw.com landing-ships listicle, mesothelioma.com amphibious-warships page, mesothelioma.net USS Comstock LSD-19 page, freeasbestostesting.com, mesotheliomatreatmentcenters.org LST-542) - all banned-source class, none naming this hull, all excluded by source policy.

    Verification

    verified

    Role

    negative_finding

    Documentation level

    ship_specific

    Accessed

    2026-10-01

    Study period

    2026-10-01

    Limitations

    This is a bounded public-source research negative, not proof that asbestos was absent. Absence of a located record does not establish absence of asbestos aboard a 1944 Navy hull and does not defeat any exposure claim. Undigitized leads (RG 19 hull/class/type correspondence; RG 24 deck logs; RG 38 war diaries; RG 181 Box 5 commissioning file) were identified but not surveyed - see ev-10 and gaps.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-lsm-132-lsm132-14