Evidence
11 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-11).
-
[1]NavSource Online, USS LSM(R)-195 ship page (history/specifications; page notes its history extract is from LSM-LSMR Amphibious Forces, Vol. II, Turner Publishing, 1997) [other_primary]
- Locator
- History and specifications blocks; sections headed 'LSM(R)-188 Class Landing Ship Medium (Rocket)'
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- USS LSM(R)-195 was laid down 29 August 1944 at Charleston Navy Yard, launched 7 October 1944, and commissioned 21 November 1944 with LTjg. William E. Woodson, USNR, in command. NavSource records Asiatic-Pacific service with LSM Flotilla Nine (CDR Dennis L. Francis, USN), participation in the Okinawa Gunto operation from 26 March through 3 May 1945, and sinking by a Japanese kamikaze off Okinawa on 3 May 1945 while on radar-picket duty. It records five officers and 76 enlisted, displacements of 758/983/1,175 tons (light/attack/fully loaded), two Fairbanks Morse 38D81/8X10 diesel engines at 1,440 BHP each, twin screws, and the listed gun and rocket armament.
- 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; Okinawa operating crew
- Limitations
- Ship-specific historical and specification record, but the page identifies its history extract as a 1997 commercial unit-history compilation rather than a Navy archival original. It contains no asbestos or insulation content and does not establish material condition, exposure, or causation. NavSource gives the struck-from-register date as unknown. The propulsion specification conflicts with other compilations (see gaps).
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lsm-r-195-lsmr195-01
-
[2]Naval History and Heritage Command, H-Gram 046-1, 'Kamikaze Attack on USS Aaron Ward' (Samuel J. Cox, Director NHHC, May 2020). Archived Wayback Machine copy; the live history.navy.mil URL returned HTTP 404 at research time. [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- H-046-1 section on the 3 May 1945 action at Radar Picket Station No. 10
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- NHHC records LSM(R)-195 on Radar Picket Station No. 10 on 3 May 1945 alongside destroyer Little (DD-803), destroyer-minelayer Aaron Ward (DM-34), and LCS(L)-25, -14, and -83. Commanded by Lieutenant W. E. Woodson, LSM(R)-195 was attacked almost simultaneously by two Japanese aircraft, one on a strafing run and one in a suicide attack, and was hit by a twin-engine kamikaze identified as a Ki-45 'Nick'. The explosion knocked out the fire main and auxiliary pumps and caused secondary explosions among the ship's own rocket launchers (75 quadruple-rail Mk. 36); the commanding officer ordered abandon ship, and the ship sank after a massive explosion. NHHC reports nine dead and 16 wounded out of an 81-man crew, and records that most survivors were picked up by destroyer Bache (DD-470), which rushed from Radar Picket Station No. 9.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1945-05-03
- Population
- LSM(R)-195 crew during the 3 May 1945 action
- Limitations
- Official NHHC operational history; it documents combat events and casualties, not asbestos, insulation, individual occupational exposure, or medical causation. It does not provide a wreck position or a material survey. Cited via Wayback capture of 2020-10-18 because the live NHHC URL returned 404 on 2026-09-30.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lsm-r-195-lsmr195-02
-
[3]Naval History and Heritage Command, H-Gram 046-2, 'Kikusui No. 5' (Samuel J. Cox, Director NHHC, May 2020). Archived Wayback Machine copy; the live history.navy.mil URL returned HTTP 404 at research time. [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- H-046-2 narrative section discussing LSM(R) employment on radar picket stations
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- NHHC records that in April 1945 the commander of LSM Flotilla Nine formally recommended against using LSM(R)s on radar-picket duty because they were ill-suited for anti-aircraft defense (no radar), scarce (only 12 of them), and, with the large number of rockets aboard, had a vulnerability similar to ammunition ships. NHHC records that the recommendations were not implemented and that three of the vessels - LSM(R)-195, -194, and -190 - were lost in quick succession on 3 and 4 May 1945.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1945-04/1945-05
- Population
- LSM(R) crews on Okinawa radar picket stations
- Limitations
- Official NHHC operational context; names this hull in the loss list but describes no material condition, asbestos content, exposure, or causation. Cited via Wayback capture of 2020-10-18 because the live NHHC URL returned 404 on 2026-09-30.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lsm-r-195-lsmr195-03
-
[4]C.T.G. 52.21 (Commander LSM Flotilla NINE, CDR Dennis L. Francis, USN), Action Report - Ie Shima and Southeastern Okinawa, 2 April through 20 April 1945, serial LSMFlot9/A12/(wsc) C010 of 21 April 1945 (transcription hosted by NavSource Online) [other_primary]
- Locator
- Action report page 2, paragraph A, radar-picket assignment list
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- The flotilla action report records that on 7 April 1945 LSM(R) 195 reported to Radar Picket Station 10 as assigned by Commander Task Unit 52.9.1, maintaining the station under direction of an accompanying destroyer to screen the Okinawa area and provide close fire support.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1945-04-07
- Population
- LSM(R)-195 crew on picket assignment
- Limitations
- Primary Navy action-report transcription naming this hull; covers 2-20 April 1945 and therefore predates the 3 May loss it precedes. Contains no asbestos, insulation, or material-condition content. The report's formal recommendation against LSM(R) picket duty is dated in this period and is corroborated by NHHC H-046-2.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lsm-r-195-lsmr195-04
-
[5]Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, USS Bache (DD-470) entry (HyperWar/ibiblio transcription of the Naval History Division publication) [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- DANFS DD-470 entry, Okinawa operations paragraph
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- The DANFS entry for USS Bache (DD-470) records that on 3 May 1945 Bache 'went to the aid of the stricken LSM(R)-195 and rescued her crew of 74.'
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1945-05-03
- Population
- LSM(R)-195 survivors
- Limitations
- Official Navy ship-history publication naming this hull; documents the rescue count of 74, which sits alongside NHHC's account of nine dead and 16 wounded out of an 81-man crew. Contains no asbestos, insulation, or material-condition content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lsm-r-195-lsmr195-05
-
[6]Naval History and Heritage Command, Navy Decorations and Awards Manual (1953), Part II, Unit Awards (Navy Unit Commendation list). Archived Wayback Machine copy; the live history.navy.mil URL returned HTTP 404 at research time. [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- Part II, Navy Unit Commendation list, 'Landing ships and crafts' entries
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- The 1953 unit-awards manual lists Navy Unit Commendations for LSM(R)-188, -189, -190, -193, and -194 for Okinawa periods but does not list LSM(R)-195. The ship's documented award remains one battle star for World War II service (NavSource).
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1945
- Population
- USS LSM(R)-195 crew
- Limitations
- Absence from this unit-awards list documents only that no Navy Unit Commendation entry for this hull appears in the 1953 manual; it does not bear on asbestos, material condition, exposure, or causation. Cited via Wayback capture of 2025-12-08 because the live NHHC URL returned 404 on 2026-09-30.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lsm-r-195-lsmr195-06
-
[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-195 row; NAID 2694599
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- The NARA finding aid identifies a Charleston Navy Yard commissioning-file series and lists LSM-195 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 field is ambiguous - for this hull it equals the documented launch date (7 October 1944) rather than the commissioning date (21 November 1944), so the field's meaning is unresolved. No asbestos content is visible in the finding aid.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lsm-r-195-lsmr195-07
-
[8]National Archives, 'Researching Asbestos aboard US Naval Vessel up through 1961' [other_primary]
- Locator
- Sections 'Beginning Research' and 'Bureau of Ships General, Confidential, and Secret Correspondence'
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- NARA identifies Bureau of Ships (RG 19) correspondence filed by hull designation and ship class as the starting records for vessel-specific asbestos research, along with shipyard correspondence for the constructing yard (public yards filed under 'NY'), 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)-195. No LSM(R)-195 hull-specific RG 19 file, shipyard correspondence item, deck log, or material record was retrieved in this session.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lsm-r-195-lsmr195-08
-
[9]U.S. Government Accountability Office, 'Navy Efforts To Protect Workers From Asbestos Exposure,' HRD-80-2 (published 1979-10-18) [gao]
- Locator
- GAO product page highlights (Wayback capture 2025-04-02; live page 403 to automated fetch)
- Finding type
- gov_survey
- Finding
- GAO reviewed Navy 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, and compensation programs. It records the Navy's 1975 policy of removing and replacing with nonasbestos materials only insulation that was damaged or had to be removed for necessary repairs, modified in 1979 to include selective replacement in high-maintenance areas.
- 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)-195, 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 fetches at research time; content was verified against the 2025-04-02 Wayback capture of the same product page.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lsm-r-195-lsmr195-09
-
[10]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)-195, 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-195-lsmr195-10
-
[11]Public-source negative finding; CourtListener authenticated search and official-source sweep [court_record]
- Locator
- Search-ledger rows sl-uss-lsm-r-195-lsmr195-11 through -14
- Finding type
- litigation_documented
- Finding
- No ship-specific asbestos survey, abatement record, hazmat disclosure, or qualifying litigation record was located in the public sources completed for this session. Authenticated CourtListener queries completed with zero results: opinion searches for 'LSMR-195' and 'LSM(R)-195' and a docket search for 'LSMR-195'. The 'LSM(R) 195' opinion query and 'LSM(R)-195' docket query were subject to fleet-wide pacing limits at research time.
- Verification
- partial
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 2026-09-30
- Limitations
- This is not proof that no asbestos or litigation record exists. Any CourtListener variant logged as 'blocked' in the search ledger is an incomplete check, not a negative result. No exposure, causation, or legal-eligibility conclusion follows.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lsm-r-195-lsmr195-11