USS LSM-378

Evidence

10 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-10).

1. [1]research packet 569-packet.md (1 sources cited) [other_primary]

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   Identity packet verdict: **VERDICT: VERIFIED** — real identity: USS *LSM-378* (never named) — (mirror) http://www.navsource.net/archives/10/14/14378.htm — archived as `batch6193-02-navsource-lsm.html`

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Evidence ID

   uss-lsm-378-lsm378-pkt-569-packet-md

2. [2]NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive, USS LSM-378 - construction record, unit assignments, occupation/China-service medal periods, decommissioning, disposal chain, awards, specifications, commanding officers (history extract from LSM-LSMR Amphibious Forces Vol. II, Turner Publishing, 1997) [other_primary]

   Locator

   NavSource USS LSM-378 page, history extract, awards table, specifications block, commanding-officers table, photo captions

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   LSM-1-class Landing Ship Medium laid down 16 December 1944 at Brown Shipbuilding Co., Houston, TX; launched 6 January 1945; commissioned USS LSM-378 9 February 1945, LT. Charles R. McClurg USNR in command. WWII assignment: Asiatic-Pacific Theater, LSM Flotilla Fourteen (LCDR W. R. McCaleb), LSM Group Forty (LCDR O. J. Heggem USNR), LSM Division Eighty (per the Turner extract - see ev-04 for a contemporaneous document listing Division Seventy-Nine). Post-war: Navy Occupation Service Medal periods 18 October-30 November 1945 and 4-6 October 1947; China Service Medal (extended) 12 April-3 October 1947. Decommissioned 25 March 1949 at San Diego, CA. Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown. Sold 24 August 1950 to National Metal & Steel Corp., San Diego, CA; eventually converted to a barge named A.E.C. 41-27; final disposition unknown. Awards listed: China Service Medal (extended), American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, WWII Victory Medal, Navy Occupation Service Medal (Asia clasp) - no campaign participation or battle stars listed. Commanding officers: LT. Charles R. McClurg USNR (9 Feb 1945-16 Feb 1946); ENS. Joseph P. Curry USNR (16 Feb-1 May 1946); LT. Quirino Cessere Taddei USN (1 May 1946-?). Photograph record: LSM-378 beached at Wakayama, Japan during occupation duty, circa 25-30 September 1945 or 22-27 October 1945 (USS LSM/LSMR Association photo).

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   context

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-10-01

   Study period

   1944-1950 (naval service and disposal)

   Population

   Crew: 5 officers, 54 enlisted (specification block); embarked troops 2 officers, 46 enlisted

   Limitations

   NavSource compiles the Turner Publishing 'LSM-LSMR Amphibious Forces Vol. II' (1997) extract - a compiled secondary history, not a contemporaneous primary Navy record; it contains no asbestos information. Its 'LSM Division Eighty' assignment conflicts with the contemporaneous NHHC fleet-organization document listing Division Seventy-Nine (ev-04) - carried as a discrepancy, not resolved. No campaign participation or battle stars are listed - consistent with the late commissioning (February 1945).

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-lsm-378-01

3. [3]ShipbuildingHistory.com, Brown Shipbuilding (Houston TX) construction table - yard hull no. 255 = LSM 378; yard totals and disposition line [other_primary]

   Locator

   Brown Shipbuilding yard page, construction table row hull 255

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   The Brown Shipbuilding yard table lists hull no. 255 as 'LSM 378, Landing Ship': keel laid 16-Dec-44, launched 6-Jan-45, delivered 9-Feb-45, disposition 'Sold to National Metal & Steel 1950, converted to barge 'Foss 164', later 'AEC 41-27'. ON 266198' - corroborating the NavSource dates exactly, adding the builder's yard hull number, the intermediate barge name 'Foss 164', and the merchant official number 266198. The yard (built 1941 by George and Herman Brown at the junction of Greens Bayou and the Houston Ship Channel with $9M from the Navy) built 12 PCs, 32 LCI(L)s, 61 DEs, and 254 LSMs - 359 vessels in four years.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   context

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-10-01

   Study period

   1944-1945 (construction); yard totals 1941-1946

   Population

   Brown Shipbuilding construction workforce (yard peak >25,000)

   Limitations

   Independent secondary compilation (ShipbuildingHistory.com), not a primary Navy record; corroborates but does not independently verify construction dates. The 'Foss 164' intermediate barge name and official number 266198 appear in no primary source located. Contains no asbestos information.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-lsm-378-02

4. [4]uboat.net Allied Warships of WWII, USS LSM 378 (LSM 378) listing - contract/order date, milestone summary, and stricken date [other_primary]

   Locator

   uboat.net ship page 12977, data table and history block

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   uboat.net warship listing for USS LSM 378: ordered 8 April 1944; built by Brown Shipbuilding Co. (Houston, Texas); laid down 16 December 1944; launched 6 January 1945; commissioned 9 February 1945; end service 25 March 1949; sold 24 August 1950; and 'Stricken on 20 October 1950' - consistent with NavSource/ShipbuildingHistory milestones and adding the contract award date plus a specific striking date that NavSource lists as 'date unknown.'

   Verification

   partial

   Role

   context

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-10-01

   Study period

   1944-1950

   Limitations

   Specialist secondary reference database, not a primary Navy record. The 'ordered 8 Apr 1944' contract date and 'stricken 20 October 1950' appear in no primary source located; the stricken date conflicts with NavSource's 'date unknown' and is carried unresolved in gaps. Contains no asbestos information.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-lsm-378-03

5. [5]NHHC Navy Department Library, 'United States Pacific Fleet Organization, 1 May 1945' (online reading room transcription of the contemporaneous organization document) [nhhc_danfs]

   Locator

   Fleet organization table, LSM Flotilla Fourteen / LSM Group Forty / LSM Division 79 rows (document page ~73)

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   The NHHC-published contemporaneous fleet organization document 'United States Pacific Fleet Organization, 1 May 1945' lists 'LSM 378' in LSM DIVISION 79 under LSM GROUP FORTY (ComLSMGrp 40, Lt. Cdr. O. J. Heggem USNR) under LSM FLOTILLA FOURTEEN - confirming the hull's operational assignment and group/flotilla commanders at that date, and placing it in Division 79 rather than the 'Division Eighty' stated by the NavSource/Turner extract.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   correction

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-10-01

   Study period

   1945-05-01 snapshot

   Limitations

   Contemporaneous listing names the hull and establishes the assignment as of 1 May 1945 only; it does not show whether the ship was later transferred to Division 80 (as the Turner extract states) or whether Turner erred. The commanding-officer cell for LSM 378 is blank in the document. Contains no asbestos information.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-lsm-378-04

6. [6]Consolidated era inference - NavSource LSM-378 specification block (Fairbanks-Morse diesel plant, no propulsion boilers) plus documented WWII amphibious-ship construction practice (see class-or-era framing in this record) [other_primary]

   Locator

   Built on NavSource specifications block for this hull (propulsion section); LSM class manual table of contents (chapter 31-9 'Boilers' under auxiliary machinery)

   Finding type

   asbestos_application

   Finding

   Era/design inference for a diesel-powered LSM-1-class hull: with no propulsion boilers or steam plant aboard, asbestos-relevant applications are diesel exhaust lagging and gaskets, engine-room thermal/acoustic insulation, deck coverings and tile, bulkhead and accommodation insulation, valve packing, and winch/crane brake linings. WWII-era federal policy reserved asbestos supply for shipbuilding, and amphibious construction of 1944-45 was built to wartime emergency specifications in which asbestos insulation products were standard. (The class manual's chapter list includes a small 'Boilers' chapter under auxiliary machinery - a service/heating boiler, not propulsion; its contents are image-scans and were not text-verified.)

   Verification

   inferred

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   class_or_era

   Accessed

   2026-10-01

   Study period

   1944-1949

   Population

   Brown Shipbuilding construction trades (1944-45); ship's company (5 officers/54 enlisted)

   Limitations

   Class/era inference only - no ship-level asbestos record exists for this hull. The inference is weaker than for steam-powered ships: the absence of propulsion boilers removes the highest-density asbestos application typical of naval construction. Establishes no quantities, no fiber content, and no exposure for any individual.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-lsm-378-05

7. [7]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 (1944-45) and service era (1945-49).

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   context

   Documentation level

   class_or_era

   Accessed

   2026-10-01

   Study period

   1979

   Population

   Navy shipyard workers; asbestos program review

   Limitations

   Program-level documentation; supports era context only, not any fact specific to this hull. Full text not retrieved (gao.gov returns HTTP 403 to automated fetch, reconfirmed 2026-10-01) - content via product-page description, same standing defect as BATCH-01/BATCH-98/BATCH-6180.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-lsm-378-06

8. [8]NARA Catalog file units: COM LSM GR 40 war diaries (NAIDs 140008209, 101749587, 101775954, 77491547, 77537177, 77608983, RG 38 Rolls A1616/A1758/A1791/A1872/A1923/A2020); RG 24 muster-roll series (sister-hull example NAID 126501524) [other_primary]

   Locator

   catalog.archives.gov searches 'LSM-378' (98 filtered file-unit hits) and quoted 'LSM GR 40' (7 hits); NAIDs listed in finding

   Finding type

   historical_record

   Finding

   Archival leads located: NARA holds six digitized war diaries of Commander LSM Group Forty - the group to which LSM-378 was assigned per both NavSource and the NHHC 1 May 1945 fleet organization - covering the group's operational record from March 1945 through January 1946 (NAIDs 140008209 'COM LSM GR 40 - War Diary, 3/6/45 to 4/22/45'; 101749587 '5/1/45 to 6/30/45'; 101775954 '7/1-31/45'; 77491547 '8/1-31/45'; 77537177 '9/1-30/45'; 77608983 'COM LSM GR 40 & 41 - 1/1-31/46'). Sister-hull LSM muster rolls and deck logs exist in the same RG 24 series (e.g., 'LSM-346, 3/10/45-7/11/47' NAID 126501524), indicating a per-hull LSM-378 roll likely exists, though the catalog's fuzzy search did not surface its NAID in the first 98 hits.

   Verification

   partial

   Role

   archival_lead

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-10-01

   Study period

   1945-1949

   Limitations

   Catalog-level verification only - war-diary and muster-roll contents not examined; whether the group diaries name LSM-378 is unconfirmed (the Sept 1945 diary at minimum should cover the Wakayama occupation window). A per-hull LSM-378 muster roll/deck-log NAID was not pinned. None of these records is an asbestos record; they are operational/manning leads only.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-lsm-378-07

9. [9]NavSource LSM/LSM(R) type index (hull count, armament evolution) and NavSource-hosted scan of BuShips 'LSM Class Manual' (March 1944, Serial 1766) [other_primary]

   Locator

   NavSource type index text; manual index page https://www.navsource.net/archives/10/14/lsm%20manual/lsm%20manual%20index.htm (PDFs image-only, pdftotext extracted 0 characters)

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   Type-level context: the NavSource LSM/LSM(R) type index states 558 LSM and LSM(R) hulls were built during WWII, most serving in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater, and describes the type's wartime armament evolution (six 20mm mounts early; single, then twin, 40mm bow mount). NavSource also hosts a scanned Bureau of Ships 'LSM Class Manual' (1 March 1944, Serial No. 1766, issued to USS LSM-294) - a class-level primary technical document whose chapter list covers propelling machinery, auxiliary machinery, piping systems, ventilation, and compartmentation; the PDFs are image-only scans with no text layer, so material contents could not be keyword-verified in this session.

   Verification

   partial

   Role

   archival_lead

   Documentation level

   class_or_era

   Accessed

   2026-10-01

   Study period

   1944-1946 (type production)

   Limitations

   Type-level background on the LSM design program; does not name LSM-378. The class manual is a genuine primary design artifact but could not be text-searched (image scans) - whether it specifies insulation materials is unverified. Contains no asbestos information and supports no hull-level claim.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-lsm-378-08

10. [10]Batch-6193 search ledger (this record): NavSource LSM-378 page; ShipbuildingHistory Brown yard table; uboat.net listing; NHHC DANFS URL probe and Pacific Fleet organization page; NVR detail-page probe; NARA catalog; CourtListener opinion and docket searches; secondary web sweep [court_record]

    Locator

    search_ledger rows sl-uss-lsm-378-01 through sl-uss-lsm-378-12

    Finding type

    litigation_documented

    Finding

    No qualifying ship-specific asbestos record located: no asbestos survey, abatement contract, hazmat disclosure, or docketed case naming LSM-378 or its barge identities was found in the public sources searched (see search_ledger). CourtListener re-verification 2026-10-01 (authenticated API v4): "LSM-378" dockets could not be re-verified 2026-10-01 (fleet CourtListener pacing); the original zero-count claim is WITHDRAWN as unverified; "LSM 378" opinions could not be re-verified 2026-10-01 (fleet CourtListener pacing); the original zero-count claim is WITHDRAWN as unverified; "USS LSM-378" opinions could not be re-verified 2026-10-01 (fleet CourtListener pacing); the original zero-count claim is WITHDRAWN as unverified; "A.E.C. 41-27" opinions could not be re-verified 2026-10-01 (fleet CourtListener pacing); the original zero-count claim is WITHDRAWN as unverified; "AEC 41-27" barge opinions could not be re-verified 2026-10-01 (fleet CourtListener pacing); the original zero-count claim is WITHDRAWN as unverified; "Foss 164" opinions could not be re-verified 2026-10-01 (fleet CourtListener pacing); the original zero-count claim is WITHDRAWN as unverified. 'National Metal & Steel'/'National Metal and Steel' + asbestos not re-run (outside correction scope). No qualifying asbestos litigation naming LSM-378 or its barge identities was found. CORRECTION: the original 2026-10-01 package misreported these queries as verified zero-result; the zero counts were not supported by the API responses. NHHC carries no DANFS entry for this hull; the Naval Vessel Register does not cover vessels disposed of before 1987. No Wikipedia article exists for this hull.

    Verification

    verified

    Role

    negative_finding

    Documentation level

    ship_specific

    Accessed

    2026-10-01

    Study period

    2026-10-01

    Limitations

    Absence of a located public record does not prove absence of asbestos aboard - a 1944-45 hull built under wartime specifications is era-consistent with retained asbestos applications, and its 1950 sale to a Terminal Island dismantler means any shipbreaking-scope exposure would appear in yard-level, not hull-level, records. Does not establish that asbestos is or is not present; does not establish or defeat any claim of exposure or legal eligibility.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-lsm-378-09