Evidence
15 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-15).
-
[1]research packet 663-packet.md [other_primary]
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Identity packet verdict: VERIFIED
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Evidence ID
- uss-lst-34-lst34-pkt-663-packet-md
-
[2]DANFS, LST-34 (NHHC live page, published 2015-07-30) [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- DANFS LST-34 narrative
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Documented for this hull: laid down 15 March 1943 at Pittsburgh, Pa., by the Dravo Corp.; launched 15 June 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Verne C. Cobb; commissioned 26 July 1943. Asiatic-Pacific theater service: Gilbert Islands operation (November-December 1943); Marshall Islands operation - occupation of Kwajalein and Majuro Atolls (January-February 1944) and Eniwetok Atoll (February-March 1944); Marianas operation - capture and occupation of Saipan (June 1944); Leyte landings (October-November 1944); Lingayen landings on Luzon (January 1945); Okinawa Gunto operation - assault and occupation (May 1945). Postwar: occupation duty in the Far East March to November 1946; 'returned to the United States and was decommissioned on 15 November 1946 and transferred to Military Government, Ryukyus'; struck from the Navy list 23 December 1947; ran aground in the Far East January 1949, hulk abandoned. Earned six battle stars for World War II service.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-02
- Study period
- 1943-1949
- Population
- Dravo construction trades (1943); ship's crew and embarked troops (1943-1946)
- Limitations
- Ship-specific official history; contains no asbestos, material, or insulation content. Internal inconsistency: 'returned to the United States and was decommissioned on 15 November 1946 and transferred to Military Government, Ryukyus' - the decommission date (15 Nov) conflicts with NavSource (1 Dec 1946) and the 'returned to the United States' clause sits awkwardly with the Ryukyus transfer (see correction row and gaps).
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lst-34-01
-
[3]NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive, USS LST-34 (10/16/160034) - timeline, unit assignments, specifications, commanding-officer list, awards [other_primary]
- Locator
- NavSource 10/16/160034.htm header block, campaign table, commanding-officer list, awards block
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- NavSource timeline for this hull: laid down 15 March 1943 at Dravo Corp., Neville Island, PA; launched 15 June 1943; commissioned USS LST-34, 26 July 1943, LT. James J. Davis Jr., USNR, in command. Assigned Asiatic-Pacific Theater, LST Flotilla Sixteen / LST Group Forty-Six / LST Division Ninety-One. Campaign dates itemized: Gilbert Islands 20 Nov-5 Dec 1943; Kwajalein and Majuro Atolls 31 Jan-8 Feb 1944; Eniwetok 19 Feb-2 Mar 1944; Saipan 15-24 Jun 1944; Leyte 20 Oct and 4-29 Nov 1944; Lingayen Gulf 4-18 Jan 1945; Okinawa Gunto 2-18 May 1945. Occupation service in the Far East 26 March to 18 November 1946; decommissioned 1 December 1946 and transferred to Military Government, Ryukyus; struck from the Naval Register 23 December 1947; six battle stars; final disposition - ran aground in the Far East January 1949, hulk abandoned. Commanding officers: LT. Davis Jr. (26 Jul 1943-12 Aug 1944), LT. Kane (12 Aug 1944-Sep 1945), LTjg. Houghton (Sep 1945-Jun 1946), LTjg. Shellum (Jun-Sep 1946), LTjg. Asken (Sep 1946-1 Dec 1946). Awards: American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (6), WWII Victory Medal, Navy Occupation Medal (Asia clasp), Philippines Liberation Medal (2); call sign NGBB.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-02
- Study period
- 1943-1949
- Population
- Dravo construction trades (1943); ship's crew and embarked troops (1943-1946); Military Government Ryukyus / Army crews (1946-1949)
- Limitations
- NavSource is a volunteer secondary compilation, not a primary registry; its milestone dates generally track DANFS/NVR. Decommission date here (1 Dec 1946, corroborated by the commanding-officer list ending 1 Dec 1946) conflicts with DANFS (15 Nov 1946) - flagged in gaps. Contains no asbestos content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lst-34-02
-
[4]NavSource USS LST-34 specifications block (same page, specifications section) [other_primary]
- Locator
- NavSource 10/16/160034.htm 'Specifications' block
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Specifications published for this hull's LST-1-class design: displacement 1,625 t light / 4,080 t full (sea-going draft w/1,675-ton load) / 2,366 t beaching; 328 ft o.a., 50 ft beam; speed 11.6 kt trial; endurance 24,000 miles at 9 kt; complement 13 officers / 104 enlisted; troop accommodations 16 officers / 147 enlisted; 2 LCVP; cargo capacity 1,600-1,900 tons; propulsion - two General Motors 12-567A 900 hp diesel engines, single Falk main reduction gear, three diesel-drive 100 kW 230V D.C. ship's-service generators, two propellers 1,700 shp, twin rudders; fuel diesel 4,300 bbls. Diesel plant - no boilers.
- Verification
- partial
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-10-02
- Study period
- 1943-1946
- Population
- Ship's company and embarked troops (class-level capacity figures)
- Limitations
- Class-design specifications republished on this hull's NavSource page - applies to the LST-1 design group, not individually measured for this hull. Complement figure (13/104) is not verified against DANFS/NHHC (DANFS carries no spec block for this hull; BuShips SDB-1945 v2 class table gives ~106 enlisted) - carried here as sourced class data and flagged in gaps, not treated as verified crew. No asbestos content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lst-34-03
-
[5]DANFS, Clamp (ARS-33) - salvage operations narrative naming LST-34 twice [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- DANFS Clamp (ARS-33) narrative, Funafuti (Dec 1943) and Tinian (Aug 1944) passages
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Another hull's DANFS entry documents two salvage events for LST-34: (1) during the Gilbert Islands operation, salvage ship Clamp (ARS-33) 'conducted salvage operations on LST-34, and assisted Hoel (DD-533) off Betio Point, 2 December [1943]' from her Funafuti base; (2) 'She also salvaged LST-34 aground off Tinian, in August [1944]' during Clamp's Marshalls/Marianas salvage work.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-02
- Study period
- 1943-1944
- Population
- Crew; Clamp salvage parties working aboard (Dec 1943, Aug 1944)
- Limitations
- Documents two groundings/salvage events aboard this hull but gives no damage or repair detail and no material content. Both events predate and postdate amphibious landings; the August 1944 Tinian grounding sits between her Saipan (June 1944) and Leyte (Oct-Nov 1944) campaign credits. No asbestos content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lst-34-04
-
[6]NHHC, United States Pacific Fleet Organization, 1 May 1945 (online reading room) - LST Flotilla Sixteen / Group 46 / Division 91 roster [other_primary]
- Locator
- NHHC Pacific Fleet Organization 1 May 1945, 'LST FLOTILLA SIXTEEN - LST GROUP 46 - LST DIVISION 91' table (page '--54--' vicinity in the web text)
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- The official Pacific Fleet organization table of 1 May 1945 lists LST 34 (Lt. J. E. Kane, USNR) in LST Division 91, LST Group 46 (Lt. Cdr. J. R. Keeling, USNR), LST Flotilla Sixteen - the same unit chain NavSource records - alongside LSTs 126, 553, 658, 687, and 734. Confirms the hull's operating unit and commanding officer during the Okinawa Gunto operation window.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-02
- Study period
- 1945-05-01
- Population
- Ship's company under Lt. Kane (May 1945)
- Limitations
- Administrative roster only - establishes unit assignment and commanding officer as of 1 May 1945; no operational detail and no asbestos or material content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lst-34-05
-
[7]VAdm. George Carroll Dyer, USN (Ret.), 'The Amphibians Came to Conquer,' Vol. II - official USMC FMFRP 12-109-II edition (task-organization lists and Tarawa narrative naming LST-34) [other_primary]
- Locator
- FMFRP 12-109-II Vol. II - Galvanic task lists (TG 53.3), Tarawa morning narrative + fn10 'LST-34, Ship's Log,' Marshalls TU 52.5.12 and TU 52.5.3 force lists; index entries pp. 686, 693, 764, 880
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- The official USMC history documents LST-34 in three task organizations and under fire at Tarawa: (1) TG 53.3 LST Group (Lt. Comdr. Ray M. Pitts) - LST-34, Lt.(jg) James J. Davis Jr., USNR, with LST-242 and LST-243 (Gilbert Islands/Tarawa); (2) Tarawa assault narrative - 'shells from coast defense guns were logged as falling close aboard ... LST-34,' and 'The LST-34, that had brought one-third of the precious new amtracs to Tarawa,' logged 5" and 6" enemy shelling at 0612 with salvos at 700 yards and then 30 yards astern before getting underway on evasive courses (cited to LST-34's ship's log); (3) Marshalls TU 52.5.12 Tractor Unit No. 1 under Commander R. C. Webb - LST-34, Lt.(jg) James J. Davis, USNR; (4) a later TU 52.5.3 LST Unit Two listing - LST-34, Lt. J. J. Davis, USNR (Saipan/Tinian phase, CTF 52).
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-02
- Study period
- 1943-1944
- Population
- Ship's company; embarked 2d Marine Division elements (Tarawa lift)
- Limitations
- Official service history; establishes task organization and combat participation incl. the amtrac-cargo role and enemy fire taken at Tarawa. Contains no asbestos or material content. Rank given as Lt.(jg)/Lt. Davis across listings vs NavSource's 'LT.' - minor transcription variance, not material.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lst-34-06
-
[8]Marine Corps University Press, 'On Contested Shores: The Evolving Role of Amphibious Operations,' Vol. 2 - 2d MarDiv LVT lift detail + footnoted NARA deck-log citation for LST-34 [other_primary]
- Locator
- On Contested Shores vol. 2 (MCUP), Gilberts chapter + fn66; index entry 'USS LST-34, 114'
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- The MCUP history documents LST-34's cargo role for the Gilbert operation: 'the slow LSTs (USS LST-34, LST-242, and LST-243) carrying the 2d Marine Division's new 50 LVT-2s sailed on 8 November [1943] for Ellice Island, the staging area for Operation Galvanic.' Footnote 66 cites: 'Deck Log, USS LST-34, 8 November 1943, World War II Diaries 1941-1945, Logbooks of U.S. Navy Ships and Stations, RG 24, NARA' - establishing that this hull's wartime deck logs exist in NARA RG 24.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-02
- Study period
- 1943
- Population
- Ship's company; embarked 2d Marine Division troops/vehicles (Nov 1943)
- Limitations
- Establishes the LVT-2 lift assignment and confirms NARA RG 24 deck-log holdings for this hull (archival lead - the logs themselves are undigitized). Contains no asbestos or material content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lst-34-07
-
[9]Fireman's Fund Insurance Co. v. The U.S. Army LST 34, 132 F. Supp. 414 (S.D.N.Y. Feb. 24, 1955) (Palmieri, J.) - CourtListener opinion 8738042 [court_record]
- Locator
- 132 F. Supp. 414 (S.D.N.Y. 1955), opinion text (Palmieri, J.)
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- A reported federal opinion names this hull in its post-Navy configuration: a libel under the Public Vessels Act, 46 U.S.C. § 781 et seq., 'for loss and damage to cargo resulting from the alleged negligent stranding of the U. S. Army LST 34 at the Ryukyus Islands in January 1949.' The opinion documents: LST-34 was operated by the U.S. Army (consistent with the Military Government, Ryukyus transfer); she left Manila for Okinawa on 15 January 1949 carrying hardware/materials of Yu Kimteng Construction Corp. (a Philippine company contracted to reconstruct an Army hospital on Okinawa); on 23 January 1949 'she became stranded on reefs around the Island of Yaema in the Ryukyus,' with cargo damaged and lost. The court granted libelant's motion to dismiss respondent's exceptions, with leave to amend the libel on the foreign-national reciprocity pleading - a procedural ruling; the negligence merits were not adjudicated in this opinion.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-02
- Study period
- 1949 (event); 1955 (opinion)
- Population
- U.S. Army / Military Government Ryukyus crew (Jan 1949); Yu Kimteng cargo interests
- Limitations
- This is OTHER litigation, not asbestos litigation: a cargo/admiralty insurance suit containing no asbestos, injury-from-exposure, or crew-health content. Its evidentiary value is documentary - it corroborates DANFS's 'ran aground in the Far East in January 1949' with the date (23 Jan), location ('Island of Yaema,' Ryukyus), operator (U.S. Army), and cargo context. Whether 'Yaema' denotes the Yaeyama island group is not stated in the opinion; the spelling is the opinion's own.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lst-34-08
-
[10]Era inference built on: BuShips Ships' Data 1945 Vol. 2 LST design table (shipscribe.com scan - see ev-10); NavSource LST-1-class specifications (diesel plant, no boilers); LST-1 class profile (class-f worktree) consolidated application list [other_primary]
- Locator
- Class technical data (SDB-1945 v2 LST table; NavSource spec block)
- Finding type
- asbestos_application
- Finding
- A diesel-powered LST-1-class tank landing ship built at an inland yard in 1943 sits inside the documented WWII shipbuilding asbestos-use era. Era-standard applications aboard this type were: diesel-exhaust lagging and engine gaskets, engine-room thermal/acoustic insulation, deck coverings and tile, bulkhead and accommodation insulation, valve and flange gaskets, machinery packing, and winch/crane brake linings. The diesel plant carried no boilers, so the steam-line/boiler-lagging pathway of steam vessels does not apply.
- Verification
- inferred
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-10-02
- Study period
- 1943-1949
- Population
- Dravo construction trades (1943); crew and embarked troops (1943-1946); Army/Ryukyus crews (1946-1949); any repair/salvage parties (Dec 1943, Aug 1944, Jan 1949)
- Limitations
- Class/era inference only - no hull-specific insulation survey, material list, or work package located for LST-34. Names era-standard applications for the type, not confirmed installed materials aboard this hull. No quantity. Product terms are normalized era descriptors; no manufacturer attribution for this hull.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lst-34-09
-
[11]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 1943 LST-1-class hull was mass-produced at an inland 'cornfield navy' yard - and that wartime demand drove unprecedented asbestos utilization in ship construction.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-10-02
- 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 or this yard and does not establish that asbestos was aboard this hull, nor quantity, location, condition, exposure, or causation.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lst-34-10
-
[12]Bureau of Ships, Ships' Data, U.S. Naval Vessels, Vol. 2 (Jan 1945), LST design table + roster (shipscribe.com scan) [other_primary]
- Locator
- SDB-1945 v2, LST design table + roster section
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Official BuShips class data for this hull's design group: LST groups 328 ft o.a., 50 ft beam, ~2,366 t light / 3,960-4,080 t trial, 11.6 kt, 2 x GM 12-567A diesels ~1,700 shp (blocks 932-979 and 1060-1080 carried GM 12-278A engines - not applicable to LST-34's block); accommodations 13 officers / ~106 enlisted in the class table.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-10-02
- Study period
- 1945
- Population
- n/a
- Limitations
- Authoritative class-level machinery/design data retrieved via the class profile's verified fetch of the SDB-1945 v2 scan; the table covers the design group, not an individual hull survey. Complement figure (~106 enlisted) differs modestly from NavSource's 104 - flagged in gaps. No asbestos or material content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lst-34-11
-
[13]Senator John Heinz History Center (Smithsonian-affiliated regional museum), 'Pittsburgh's LSTs: Remembering the Workhorse of Normandy' (curator-authored blog post) [museum_official]
- Locator
- Heinz History Center blog post, 'Dravo Leads the Cornfield Navy' section
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Builder context for this hull's yard: Pittsburgh's Dravo Corporation served as lead yard for inland LST production, gathering prefabricated sections made at five area plants for assembly at its Neville Island yard; sections were welded rather than riveted; Dravo launched the first inland-made LST (LST-1) 7 September 1942; over the program more than 250 LSTs launched from Dravo and American Bridge combined; Dravo's workforce grew from 1,500 (1941) to 25,000 (1945).
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-10-02
- Study period
- 1941-1945
- Population
- Dravo and supplier-plant construction workforce, Pittsburgh area (1942-1945)
- Limitations
- Yard/program context - does not name LST-34 and says nothing about materials or asbestos. Figures are the History Center's; 'more than 250 LSTs' combines Dravo and American Bridge output. Welded-prefab construction context is relevant to interpreting any yard-era material claims.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lst-34-12
-
[14]Date/frame conflict cross-check: DANFS LST-34 entry vs NavSource 10/16/160034.htm (timeline + commanding-officer list); corroborated to NavSource by Wikipedia (secondary, lead only) [other_primary]
- Locator
- DANFS LST-34 narrative; NavSource timeline + CO list
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- SOURCE CONFLICT documented: (a) decommissioning - DANFS states 'returned to the United States and was decommissioned on 15 November 1946'; NavSource states occupation service in the Far East through 18 November 1946 and 'Decommissioned, 1 December 1946,' and its commanding-officer list ends the last CO's tenure (LTjg. Asken) 1 December 1946, corroborating the NavSource date. (b) The DANFS clause 'returned to the United States' sits in tension with the same sentence's 'transferred to Military Government, Ryukyus' - a vessel that transferred to Ryukyus administration and grounded in the Ryukyus in 1949 apparently remained in the Far East; the 'returned' clause is unresolved and may be an error or refer to a formal-custody accounting.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- correction
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-02
- Study period
- 1946
- Limitations
- Resolves nothing beyond the sources themselves; the record carries the NavSource 1 December 1946 date as better-corroborated (CO-tenure endpoint) while flagging the conflict. No asbestos content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lst-34-13
-
[15]Batch-6878 search ledger (this record): NHHC DANFS; NavSource; NHHC Pacific Fleet Organization 1 May 1945; USMC FMFRP 12-109-II; MCUP On Contested Shores v2; CourtListener API v4 (type=o and type=r); MARAD ShipHistory; NVR; Heinz History Center; NARA RG 24 lead [other_primary]
- Locator
- search_ledger rows sl-uss-lst-34-01 through -15
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- No qualifying ship-specific asbestos record located: no asbestos survey, abatement record, hazmat disclosure, or asbestos litigation naming LST-34 was found in the public sources searched. CourtListener results for this hull: 'LST-34' asbestos (opinions) - 0; 'USS LST-34' (opinions) - 0; 'LST-34' (opinions) - 5 hits of which the only vessel-naming case is the 1955 Fireman's Fund admiralty libel (non-asbestos; see ev-08), the other 4 being citing-reference or incidental-text matches (Flohr v. United States; Blanco v. United States - which cites the Fireman's Fund opinion; United States v. Heaton; United States v. Smith); 'LST-34' (RECAP dockets) - 3 hits, all incidental text matches in unrelated dockets (insurance fraud, prisoner civil rights, death-penalty habeas). MARAD ShipHistory holds no record for this hull (nearest substring match is LST-345). NVR holds no record (pre-1987 disposal).
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-02
- Study period
- 2026-10-02
- Limitations
- Absence of a located public record does not prove absence of asbestos aboard - the hull was built in a documented asbestos-use era at a documented builder and was abandoned as a wreck in 1949, so no modern survey would be expected. Wartime deck logs exist in NARA RG 24 (per MCUP footnote) but are undigitized - the open archival lead. Does not establish or defeat any claim of exposure or legal eligibility.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lst-34-14