Evidence
13 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-13).
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[1]research packet 519-packet.md [other_primary]
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Identity packet verdict: VERIFIED
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Evidence ID
- uss-lsm-r-194-lsmr194-pkt-519-packet-md
-
[2]NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive, USS LSM(R)-194 ship page (history/specifications; page notes its history extract is from LSM-LSMR Amphibious Forces, Vol. II) [other_primary]
- Locator
- History and specifications blocks; commanding-officers table; awards line; sections headed 'LSM(R)-188 Class Landing Ship Medium (Rocket)'
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- USS LSM(R)-194 was laid down 29 August 1944 at Charleston Navy Yard, Charleston, S.C., launched 7 October 1944, and commissioned 21 November 1944 with LTjg. Allen M. Hirshberg, USNR, in command (commanding-officer table: 'LTjg. Hirshberg, Allan Myers, USNR,' 21 November 1944 - 4 May 1945). NavSource records Asiatic-Pacific service with LSM Flotilla Nine (CDR. Dennis L. Frances, USN), participation in the Okinawa Gunto operation 26 March through 4 May 1945, and sinking by a Japanese kamikaze off Okinawa on 4 May 1945 while on radar picket duty. It records 5 officers and 76 enlisted, 1,175 tons fully loaded, two Fairbanks Morse 38D81/8X10 diesel engines at 1,440 BHP each at 720 rpm, twin propellers, 2,800 shp, one single 5"/38 dual-purpose mount, two 40-mm and three 20-mm AA mounts, seventy-five 4-rail Mk 36 and thirty 6-rail Mk 30 rocket launchers, and international radio call sign NVAF. NavSource states the ship earned the Navy Unit Commendation for her actions off Okinawa and one battle star.
- Verification
- partial
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1944-1945
- Population
- Charleston Navy Yard construction trades; ship's company (commissioned complement 5 officers, 76 enlisted); Okinawa operating crew
- Limitations
- Ship-specific historical and specification record, but the page identifies its history extract as a 1997 commercial unit-history compilation (Turner Publishing) rather than a Navy archival original, and its commanding-officer spelling ('Allan') differs from the NHHC Navy Cross citation ('Allen Myers Hirshberg'). It contains no asbestos or insulation content and does not establish material condition, exposure, or causation. NavSource gives decommissioned/struck dates as unknown. Propulsion attribution conflicts with secondary sources that say 'GM Cleveland' diesels (see gaps).
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lsm-r-194-lsmr194-01
-
[3]CTG 52.21 (Commander Dennis L. Francis, USN, Commander LSM Flotilla NINE, flagship LC(FF)-525), Action Report - Ie Shima and Southeastern Okinawa, 2 April through 20 April 1945, serial C010, dated 21 April 1945 (NavSource-hosted transcription, pages 0600001-0600010) [other_primary]
- Locator
- Action report transcription pages 0600002.htm (5 Apr, 7 Apr, 18 Apr, 20 Apr entries), 0600006.htm (BETTY engagement summary), 0600007.htm and 0600010.htm (suitability findings/recommendation)
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- The flotilla action report names LSM(R)-194 repeatedly in the 2-20 April 1945 window: on 5 April she 'received 20 mm shell holes from enemy suicide plane as it passed forward of the conning tower. One officer was wounded slightly by a small piece of shrapnel'; on 7 April she was assigned to Radar Picket Station 10; on 18 April, 'while on radar picket station 10 right, LSM(R) 194 opened fire at 1914 on a low flying BETTY. The plane crashes into sea a few seconds later' (elsewhere in the report: 'fired on a BETTY with 5"/38" and observed the plane going down in flames'); on 20 April LSM(R)-193 relieved LSM(R)-194 at Radar Picket Station 10 Right. The same report concludes that LSM(R)s 'are not particularly suited for this duty' on radar picket - no air-search radar, no director control for the 5"/38 battery or 40-mm guns, and a considerable quantity of explosive rockets in their magazines - and recommends 'LSM(R)'s should not be used as fire support ships for radar pickets against enemy aircraft.'
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1945-04-02 to 1945-04-20
- Population
- LSM(R)-194 crew during the 2-20 April 1945 reporting period
- Limitations
- Primary operational document (a wartime action report) accessed as a NavSource-hosted transcription; transcription quality is not independently verified against the NARA original, and the report predates the 4 May loss - it does not cover the sinking itself. It documents operations only; contains no asbestos, insulation, or material content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lsm-r-194-lsmr194-02
-
[4]Naval History and Heritage Command, H-Gram 046-2, 'Kikusui No. 5 - Chrysanthemums from Hell, 4 May 1945' (archived Wayback copy; live NHHC page returned 404 on 2026-09-30) [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- H-Gram 046-2 section 'Loss of Morrison (DD-560) and LSM(R)-194 on Radar Picket Station No. 1' and Navy Cross citation block for Lieutenant Allen Myers Hirshberg
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- NHHC records LSM(R)-194 on Radar Picket Station No. 1 on 4 May 1945 under Lieutenant (j.g.) Allen M. Hirshberg, USNR, stationed with destroyers Morrison (DD-560) and Ingraham (DD-694) and LCS(L)-21, LCS(L)-23, and LCS(L)-31 - the assisting amphibious craft known as 'pallbearers.' While maneuvering to aid the damaged Ingraham and Morrison survivors, LSM(R)-194 was hit in the stern at 0850 by a damaged Tony fighter that had been hit by fire from LCS(L)-21 (NHHC notes Japanese records indicate no Ki-61 Tonys participated). She sank quickly with 13 crewmen missing (later declared dead) and 23 wounded; a large explosion occurred as she went down, damaging LCS(L)-21 coming to her aid. LCS(L)-21 picked up 49 LSM(R)-194 survivors and LCS(L)-31 picked up the rest. NHHC states Morrison, Ingraham, and LSM(R)-194 were each awarded the Navy Unit Commendation, and prints Hirshberg's Navy Cross citation for directing damage control and continuing anti-aircraft fire until abandoning ship.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1945-05-04
- Population
- LSM(R)-194 crew during the 4 May 1945 action (13 dead/missing, 23 wounded; survivors rescued by LCS(L)-21 and LCS(L)-31)
- Limitations
- Official NHHC operational history documenting combat events and casualties, not asbestos, insulation, individual occupational exposure, or medical causation. Live page 404s; text verified against the 2025-12-08 Wayback capture (labeled archived). Casualty and aircraft-identification details carry NHHC's own caveats.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lsm-r-194-lsmr194-03
-
[5]Navy and Marine Corps Awards Manual, NAVPERS 15,790 (Rev. 1953), Part II, Unit Awards (HyperWar/ibiblio transcription, verified live; NHHC-hosted version returned 404 on 2026-09-30) [other_primary]
- Locator
- Part II, Section 2, Navy Unit Commendation list, entry 'USS LSM (R) 194'
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- The 1953 awards manual lists 'USS LSM (R) 194: 26 Mar - 4 May 45 - Okinawa Operation' in the Navy Unit Commendation section - an interval ending on the ship's documented loss date, consistent with the NavSource and NHHC loss chronology.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1945
- Population
- USS LSM(R)-194 crew
- Limitations
- Official award reference accessed via a reputable transcription (HyperWar), not the NHHC-hosted page (which 404'd). It records the unit award and participation interval only - no asbestos, material, or casualty content. Unlike the LSM(R)-190 entry in the same list (which ends 1 May 1945 and conflicts with that ship's loss), the LSM(R)-194 interval matches the loss date.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lsm-r-194-lsmr194-04
-
[6]HyperWar / ibiblio, Ships of the U.S. Navy 1940-1945, LSM(R)-194 page (compiled by Patrick Clancey from DANFS-era data and official sources) [other_primary]
- Locator
- LSM(R)-194 page, ship summary and loss paragraph
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- HyperWar's ship page records the class (LSM(R)-188-class Landing Ship, Medium (Rocket)), Charleston Navy Yard construction, 'converted while building from LSMs,' commissioning 21 November 1944, and loss on 4 May 1945 'in 325 fathoms of water at 27 deg N., 127 deg-58'E,' describing her as one of four 'Pallbearers' stationed on Radar Picket Station #1 with LCS-21, LCS-23, LCS-31 and destroyers Ingraham (DD-694) and Morrison (DD-560), and noting that survivors were recovered by LCS-21. Spec block: 968 tons loaded, 203'6", 34'6", 13.2 knots, complement 5 officers/76 enlisted, 2 diesels 1,440 BHP each (listed as GM).
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1944-1945
- Population
- LSM(R)-194 crew
- Limitations
- Compiled secondary reference, not an archival original - consistent with NavSource and NHHC on dates, station, and loss. Its engine attribution ('GM') conflicts with NavSource's Fairbanks Morse model number (see gaps). Contains no asbestos or insulation content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lsm-r-194-lsmr194-05
-
[7]National Archives at Atlanta, RG 181 Ship Commissioning Files, Sixth Naval District at Charleston, NAID 2694599 [other_primary]
- Locator
- Ship Commissioning Files table, Box 7, Landing Ship Medium, LSM-194 row; NAID 2694599
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- The NARA finding aid identifies a Charleston Navy Yard ship-commissioning-file series (correspondence, invitations, and instructions relating to commissionings at the yard, 1942-1945) and lists LSM-194 in Box 7 with a catalog date of 10/7/1944.
- Verification
- partial
- Role
- archival_lead
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1944
- Limitations
- Archival finding aid only: the box contents were not retrieved, and the catalog date (10/7/1944) matches the documented launch date rather than the 21 November 1944 commissioning date - the date field's meaning is unresolved and inconsistent across rows of the same table (LSM-190's entry shows 11/21/1944, near its 23 November commissioning). No asbestos content is visible in the finding aid.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lsm-r-194-lsmr194-06
-
[8]U.S. National Archives photo 80-G-373782 (captioned via NavSource) and U.S. Navy Yard Charleston photos 3515-44 and 3520-44 [other_primary]
- Locator
- NavSource 06194.htm photo captions (launching photo; Cooper River Bridge 2 Dec 1944 photos 3515-44/3520-44; Okinawa anchorage 10 March 1945, photo 80-G-373782)
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- NARA-held photography documents this hull entering the Okinawa anchorage for provisioning on 10 March 1945, photographed from USS Essex (CV-9) (photo 80-G-373782, 'a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives'). Official U.S. Navy Yard Charleston photographs 3515-44 and 3520-44 show the ship passing under the Cooper River Bridge on 2 December 1944, early in her commissioned life.
- Verification
- partial
- Role
- archival_lead
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1944-12-02 and 1945-03-10
- Population
- Charleston Navy Yard outfitting environment (Dec 1944); Okinawa operating area (Mar-Apr 1945)
- Limitations
- Archival lead only: photographs establish the ship's presence at the stated times and places; they contain no material, insulation, or asbestos information. Photo identifiers are transcribed from NavSource captions; the NARA catalog entry for 80-G-373782 was not independently fetched.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lsm-r-194-lsmr194-07
-
[9]National Archives, 'Researching Asbestos aboard U.S. Naval Vessels up through 1961' [other_primary]
- Locator
- Sections 'Beginning Research,' 'Other Specifications and Standards Series,' and 'Cartographic Branch'
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- NARA identifies Navy ship engineering drawings and specifications as relevant sources for vessel-specific asbestos research, including S39 insulation-and-lagging and S48 piping records, and describes deck logs, muster rolls, and related Navy records as research leads.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- archival_lead
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1940-1961 record series
- Population
- Researchers and Navy-vessel archival records
- Limitations
- Research guidance, not evidence that asbestos was aboard LSM(R)-194. No LSM(R)-194 S39/S48 drawing, deck log, or material record was retrieved in this session.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lsm-r-194-lsmr194-08
-
[10]U.S. Government Accountability Office, Navy Efforts To Protect Workers From Asbestos Exposure, HRD-80-2 (1979) [gao]
- Locator
- GAO product page highlights and linked HRD-80-2 report description
- Finding type
- gov_survey
- Finding
- GAO describes Navy use of asbestos in ship insulation and shipboard applications including gaskets, and records Navy policies beginning in 1975 and modified in 1979 to remove or replace some asbestos insulation.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1975-1979 policy period; report published 1979
- Population
- Navy shipyard workers and Navy ship maintenance personnel
- Limitations
- Navy-wide program context, not a record about LSM(R)-194, Charleston Navy Yard, or this hull's materials. It does not establish installation, quantity, condition, exposure, or causation for this vessel. gao.gov returned HTTP 403 to automated fetch on 2026-09-30 (standing block); content via product-page description.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lsm-r-194-lsmr194-09
-
[11]NIOSH/CDC, 100 Years of Respiratory Protection History [other_primary]
- Locator
- Section discussing World War II and the U.S. Navy's use of asbestos for pipe insulation
- Finding type
- asbestos_application
- Finding
- NIOSH states that U.S. Navy asbestos use increased during World War II for insulation of pipes in naval vessels and that the Navy continued using asbestos after 1946 with dust-control guidance.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- World War II through postwar period
- Population
- Navy shipyard workers and naval-vessel crews
- Limitations
- General historical context; it does not name LSM(R)-194, Charleston Navy Yard, or establish that asbestos was installed aboard this hull. It does not quantify material or establish exposure or causation.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lsm-r-194-lsmr194-10
-
[12]Batch-5842 search ledger (this record): NavSource ship page and transcribed CTG 52.21 action report; NHHC H-Gram 046-2 via Wayback; 1953 awards manual via HyperWar; NARA RG 181 finding aid and asbestos guidance; GAO product page; NIOSH history; CourtListener helper (blocked); secondary web sweep [other_primary]
- Locator
- search_ledger rows sl-uss-lsm-r-194-lsmr194-01 through -14
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- No qualifying ship-specific asbestos record located: no asbestos survey, abatement contract, hazmat disclosure, or material list naming USS LSM(R)-194 (LSMR-194) was found in the public sources searched (see search_ledger). CAVEAT: CourtListener opinion/docket searches could not be completed this session - the authenticated helper reported the fleet-wide pacing budget momentarily spent on repeated attempts; logged as blocked, not as a negative litigation result.
- 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-built vessel is consistent with era-standard materials. The litigation repository search is a genuine open gap (blocked, not run to completion). No exposure, causation, or legal-eligibility conclusion follows.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lsm-r-194-lsmr194-11
-
[13]CourtListener API v4 via /Users/charlesfletcher/devin-prompts/cl-auth-search.py; exact-name and hull-number opinion/docket queries [court_record]
- Locator
- search_ledger rows sl-uss-lsm-r-194-lsmr194-08 through -11
- Finding type
- litigation_documented
- Finding
- Litigation sweep INCOMPLETE: authenticated CourtListener requests for exact-name/hull-number opinion and docket searches ('USS LSMR-194', 'LSMR-194') were attempted through the helper and stood down when the fleet-wide pacing limiter reported its request budget momentarily spent (exit 2). No CourtListener result - positive or negative - was obtained this session.
- Verification
- partial
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 2026-09-30
- Limitations
- This is a blocked search, not a negative finding: no query completed, so nothing is known about litigation naming this hull. Re-run the exact variants ('USS LSMR-194', 'LSMR-194', 'USS LSM(R)-194', 'LSM(R)-194') across opinion and docket types when the fleet limiter permits. No exposure or eligibility conclusion follows.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lsm-r-194-lsmr194-12