Evidence
8 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-8).
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[1]research packet 522-packet.md (3 sources cited) [other_primary]
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Identity packet verdict: VERIFIED
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Evidence ID
- uss-lsm-r-501-lsmr501-pkt-522-packet-md
-
[2]NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive, USS LSM(R)-501 / Elk River (IX-501), history block [other_primary]
- Locator
- History block: construction, commissioning, decommissioning, redesignation, later status, struck date, final disposition
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- NavSource's live USS LSM(R)-501 / Elk River page records the hull as laid down 24 March 1945 at Brown Shipbuilding Co., Houston, Texas; launched 21 April 1945; commissioned 27 May 1945 as USS LSMR-501; decommissioned 1 August 1946 at Astoria, Oregon; named Elk River and redesignated IX-501 on 1 October 1955; converted to a Deep Submergence Support Ship; placed in special service in January 1969, active service in January 1973, and relegated to barracks craft in October 1986; struck 13 August 1999; and sunk as a target 24 February 2001.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1945-2001
- Population
- Ship's company and Navy conversion/support personnel, 1945-1986
- Limitations
- NavSource is an archival/volunteer presentation and credits its history extract to LSM-LSMR Amphibious Forces, Vol. II; it documents identity and service, not asbestos, insulation composition, hazmat condition, exposure, or causation. The cited .net page was live when checked; the dead navsource.org mirror was not used.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lsm-r-501-lsmr501-01
-
[3]NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive, USS LSM(R)-501 / Elk River (IX-501), specification block [other_primary]
- Locator
- LSM(R) specifications: dimensions, complement, armament, propulsion, generators
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- NavSource's hull-specific specification block gives 758 tons light, 993 tons attack, and 1,175 tons fully loaded displacement; 206 feet 3 inches length; 34 feet 6 inches beam; 13-knot speed; complement of 6 officers and 137 enlisted; one 5-inch/38 gun; two twin 40-mm mounts; four twin 20-mm mounts; ten twin continuous-loading 5-inch ship-to-shore rocket launchers; four 4.2-inch mortars; and propulsion by two General Motors 16-278A non-reversing diesel engines, direct drive, 1,440 BHP each, twin screws, 2,800 shaft horsepower combined.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1945-1986
- Population
- Ship's company and shipyard personnel
- Limitations
- The specification identifies a diesel plant but does not state that any system contained asbestos. It establishes equipment and propulsion, not material composition, quantity, condition, removal, or exposure.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lsm-r-501-lsmr501-02
-
[4]Naval History and Heritage Command, National Museum of the U.S. Navy, USS Elk River (LSMR-501, later IX-501) [museum_official]
- Locator
- Related-content history text for USS Elk River; official Navy photograph and model page
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- The Naval History and Heritage Command National Museum of the U.S. Navy identifies USS Elk River as LSMR-501 and states that it commissioned on 27 May 1945 as the lead LSM(R)-501-class ship, served in the Pacific before and after the Japanese surrender, was decommissioned on 1 August 1946, renamed and redesignated IX-501 in October 1955, converted to a test-range support ship, later served as a barracks craft, was struck in August 1999, and was sunk as a target in February 2001.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1945-2001
- Population
- Ship's company and later support-ship personnel
- Limitations
- Official NHHC museum history corroborates vessel identity and broad service/disposition but contains no asbestos, insulation, abatement, hazmat, exposure, or causation finding.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lsm-r-501-lsmr501-03
-
[5]Naval History and Heritage Command, K-81513 USS ELK RIVER (IX-501), National Archives photograph record [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- Caption and description for catalog K-81513; related 1982 support-ship photograph records
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- NHHC's official National Archives photograph catalog identifies USS Elk River (IX-501) supporting the SEALAB III project at Long Beach in November 1968 and identifies a 1 July 1982 official Navy photograph showing Elk River serving as a support ship.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1968-1982
- Population
- Elk River crew and SEALAB III/support personnel
- Limitations
- The photographic catalog establishes later service and identity only. It does not disclose ship materials, asbestos, abatement, exposure, or causation.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lsm-r-501-lsmr501-04
-
[6]U.S. Government Accountability Office, HRD-80-2, Navy Efforts To Protect Workers From Asbestos Exposure (1979), Navy ship thermal-insulation program context [gao]
- Locator
- GAO product page and indexed report discussion of Navy ship thermal insulation
- Finding type
- asbestos_application
- Finding
- The ship's 1945 construction and diesel machinery establish an era and equipment context in which machinery insulation, diesel-exhaust lagging, pipe insulation, electrical insulation, gaskets, packing, and fireproofing are possible asbestos-relevant applications. This is class/era inference only and does not establish that asbestos was installed aboard LSM(R)-501.
- Verification
- partial
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 1975-1979 review/policy period
- Population
- Navy ships and shipyard workers generally
- Limitations
- Program-level context does not name LSM(R)-501 or establish material presence, location, quantity, condition, or exposure aboard this hull. Direct automated retrieval of the GAO page was blocked with HTTP 403; the source is retained as a clearly limited contextual lead.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lsm-r-501-lsmr501-05
-
[7]Batch source-review negative finding; see search_ledger rows sl-uss-lsm-r-501-lsmr501-01 through -10 [other_primary]
- Locator
- Cross-source negative finding; source list and access gaps are recorded in search_ledger and gaps
- Finding type
- asbestos_application
- Finding
- No ship-specific asbestos documentation was located in the official NHHC pages, the NavSource hull record, or the archival leads reviewed for this hull. The sources identify construction, equipment, service, conversion, and disposition but do not document asbestos, insulation composition, abatement, a hazmat survey, or an individual exposure record.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 2026-09-30
- Limitations
- A negative public-source finding is not proof of absence. Non-digitized Navy yard work packages, ship files, deck logs, war diaries, surveys, and any non-indexed litigation were not reviewed; asbestos aboard this hull remains unknown.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lsm-r-501-lsmr501-06
-
[8]CourtListener API v4 helper stand-down via /Users/charlesfletcher/devin-prompts/cl-auth-search.py [court_record]
- Locator
- Required queries: exact name USS LSM(R)-501 and hull number LSMR-501 / LSM(R)-501, opinion and docket types; helper returned fleet pacing stand-down
- Finding type
- litigation_documented
- Finding
- The required authenticated CourtListener exact-name and hull-number searches could not be completed because the fleet-wide pacing limiter returned its stand-down message before permitting the requests. No litigation result, asbestos allegation, pleading, discovery record, trial finding, or judgment is asserted from this incomplete sweep.
- Verification
- partial
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-30
- Study period
- 2026-09-30
- Limitations
- This is an access gap, not a no-result finding. The helper authenticated successfully but refused to spend a pacing token because the fleet-wide request budget was momentarily spent. No litigation stage is classified, and no exposure conclusion is drawn.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lsm-r-501-lsmr501-07