USS LST-668

Evidence

11 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-11).

1. [1]research packet 707-packet.md (1 sources cited) [nhhc_danfs]

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   Identity packet verdict: VERIFIED

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Evidence ID

   uss-lst-668-lst668-pkt-707-packet-md

2. [2]DANFS, LST-668 - construction, sponsor, commissioning, four named WWII operations, decommissioning, strike, disposal, four battle stars (live NHHC page, verified HTTP 200 with browser UA 2026-10-02) [nhhc_danfs]

   Locator

   DANFS LST-668 entry, full text

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   DANFS documents for this hull: laid down 6 March 1944 at Ambridge, Pa., by the American Bridge Co.; launched 30 April 1944, sponsored by Mrs. Fred J. Kress; commissioned 23 May 1944, Lt. Milford E. Clark, USNR, in command. Asiatic-Pacific operations: Morotai landings (September 1944); Leyte landings (October and November 1944); Mindanao Island landings (April and May 1945); assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto (June 1945). Returned to the United States, decommissioned 24 June 1946, struck from the Navy list 31 July 1946; sold 26 May 1948 to Bethlehem Steel Co., Bethlehem, Pa., for scrapping. Four battle stars for World War II service.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   context

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-10-02

   Study period

   1944-1948

   Population

   Construction trades (Ambridge, 1944); ship's company and embarked troops (1944-46)

   Limitations

   Ship-specific official history only; no asbestos or material content. Does not state the reduced-commission/ferry sequence (documented in the war diary, ev-03) or the decommissioning port. Disposal date (26 May 1948) conflicts with NavSource's 26 May 1947 - unresolved, logged in gaps.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-lst-668-lst668-01

3. [3]NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive, USS LST-668 (10/16/160668.htm) - designation timeline, reduced-commission/ferry entry, unit assignments, campaign table, spec block, commanding-officer list, awards, disposal [other_primary]

   Locator

   NavSource 10/16/160668.htm header block, campaign table, specifications block, CO table, photo captions

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   NavSource documents for this hull: LST-542-class tank landing ship laid down 6 March 1944 at American Bridge Co., Ambridge, PA; launched 30 April 1944; partially commissioned USS LST-668 15 May 1944, LT Roland B. McArthur USN (Ferry Command) in command; commissioned in full 23 May 1944, LT Milford E. Clark USNR in command. Assigned to LST Flotilla Eight (CAPT E. Watts USN), LST Group Twenty-Two (flagship, CDR E. H. Pope USN). Campaign table: Western New Guinea operation - Morotai landings 15 September 1944; Leyte operation - Leyte landings 16-30 October and 9-29 November 1944; Consolidation and capture of Southern Philippines - Mindanao Island landings 10-16 May 1945; Okinawa Gunto operation - assault and occupation 12-28 June 1945. Decommissioned 30 June 1946 (conflicts with DANFS's 24 June 1946); struck 31 July 1946; final disposition sold for scrapping 26 May 1947 to Bethlehem Steel Co., Bethlehem, PA (conflicts with DANFS's 26 May 1948). Spec block: 1,625 t light / 4,080 t full / 2,366 t beaching; 328 ft oa x 50 ft; 11.6 kt; 2 x GM 12-567A 900 hp diesels, single Falk main reduction gear, 2 shafts 1,700 shp, 3 x 100 kW 230 V DC diesel-drive generators; complement 13 officers / 104 enlisted; troops 16 officers / 147 enlisted; radio call sign NFJH. Awards display: American Campaign Medal; Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (4); World War II Victory Medal; Philippines Presidential Unit Citation; Philippines Liberation Medal (2). CO table: LT McArthur USN (Ferry Command) 15-23 May 1944; LT Clark USNR 23 May 1944-December 1945; LTjg Billue USNR December 1945-30 June 1946. Photos document the ship at Ambridge before/at launching, the commissioning crew at Navy Base Algiers LA 23 May 1944, and the ship beached at Hollandia, Subic Bay (9 February 1945), Mindoro, Samar, and Leyte.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   context

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-10-02

   Study period

   1944-1948

   Population

   Ship's company (~117) plus embarked troops (1944-46)

   Limitations

   NavSource is a volunteer secondary compilation, not a primary registry - build/campaign dates cross-check cleanly against DANFS and the NARA war diaries; the two conflicting dates (decommissioning 30 June vs DANFS 24 June 1946; sale 26 May 1947 vs DANFS 26 May 1948) are carried as logged conflicts, not resolved. Contains no asbestos content.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-lst-668-lst668-02

4. [4]NARA NAID 139736252, 'USS LST-668 - War Diary, 5/15/44 to 8/31/44' (serial 96-99; RG 38, World War II War Diaries; 14 images; digitized via Fold3) [other_primary]

   Locator

   NAID 139736252 images 1-14 (downloaded and OCR-read 2026-10-02); commissioning sequence image 1; floating-dry-dock passage image 1; 'yard availability' sentence image 5; Manus crane passage image 14

   Finding type

   historical_record

   Finding

   The ship's consolidated commissioning diary (all 14 pages OCR-read this session) documents the fitting and work-up period verbatim: placed in reduced commission 15 May 1944 at American Bridge Co., Ambridge, Pa. by Lt. Comdr. H. Snyder USN, accepted by Lieut. R. B. McArthur USN (Ferry Crew #15) for the river voyage to Naval Station Algiers, La.; full commission 23 May 1944 (Lt. Comdr. Wildman USNR placing; Lieut. M. E. Clark USNR, LST Crew 4416 per ATB Camp Bradford orders). 23-25 May at Naval Station Algiers 'Ship Yard workers effecting minor repairs and installing launching ways for LCT's.' 25-29 May New Orleans calls: Bolonde Machinery and Manufacturing Co. pier (foot of Dumaine St.); NSD stores; entered 'Navy Floating Dry Dock # 5 (Todd & Johnson Co.)' 28 May where 'Both screws were removed and replaced'; degaussing range; NAD ammunition. Shakedown at St. Andrews Bay, Fla. 1-16 June; on 7 June 'Lt. Comdr. Earl H. POPE ... assumed command of LST Group 22 and hoisted his pennant in USS LST 668, Group Flagship.' Gulfport 16-17 June (ammunition cargo), then 'Underway for New Orleans, La. for yard availability' - Belle Chase NAD ammunition off-load 18 June, moored at Todd-Johnson Dry Dock, Inc. Berth #4 through 23 June; LCT(6) 721 and 726 sections loaded at Florida Ave Wharf 24 June; back alongside at 'Todd Johnson Dry Docks' and 'Todd & Johnson Ship Yard, New Orleans' through 26 June. Departed 28 June; Guantanamo Bay 5-8 July; Panama Canal transit 14 July; Pacific crossing with LSTs 614, 696, 993, 743; Seeadler Harbor, Manus, Admiralty Islands 24 August where a floating crane removed the LCT sections and a small crane removed 'LCT supports and replace[d] 20mm gun mounts amidships' (30 August); LST 743 rammed the ship forward of the bow doors 25 August causing slight hull damage.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   context

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-10-02

   Study period

   1944-05-15 to 1944-08-31

   Population

   American Bridge construction trades (1944); Naval Station Algiers and New Orleans yard workers (May-June 1944); ship's company and embarked troops

   Limitations

   Primary ship-produced record; documents the yard events and their dates verbatim, not the work content - the diary does not itemize materials, does not say 'asbestos,' and does not name contractors beyond the yard names quoted. 'Bolonde Machinery,' 'Todd & Johnson Co.,' 'Todd-Johnson Dry Dock, Inc.,' and 'Todd & Johnson Ship Yard' are the diary's own renderings; none is a shipyards.json entry. OCR is clean; key sentences re-verified against the displayed scans.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-lst-668-lst668-03

5. [5]NARA NAIDs 78706282 ('War Diary, 11/1-30/44'), 139799205 ('War Diary, 12/1-31/44'), 139866513 ('War Diary, 1/1-31/45') - RG 38 World War II War Diaries; digitized via Fold3 [other_primary]

   Locator

   NAID 78706282 images 1-2; NAID 139799205 image 1 (verbatim quote re-verified by direct image display); NAID 139866513 images 1-2; NAID 78681376 image 2 (engine-casualty passage)

   Finding type

   historical_record

   Finding

   The November 1944-January 1945 ship diaries document an extended alongside-repair period aboard this hull. Context: on 28 October 1944 steaming at 9.5 knots the port engine's lube-oil pressure fell to zero - 'All eight of the accessory drive gear spring shims has been sheared due to fatigue strain and it was necessary to remove the entire front of engine including governor, all pumps and gears, and all necessary piping. This major repair was accomplished by Engine Room personnel' at sea 28-29 October (October diary, NAID 78681376). Thereafter: 'Moored starboard side to USS CULEBRA ISLAND (ARG-7) for repairs to port main engine' at Humboldt Bay from 28 November (November diary, NAID 78706282); still alongside ARG-7 in berth N-3 on 1 December 'undergoing repairs to Port Main Engine,' and on 6 December 1944 'there was a fire in main engine room, caused by welding. Fire was secured by the Firefighting Party at 1547, no damage was done' (December diary, NAID 139799205, verified against scan); '23 December 1944. Moored alongside USS LEYTE (ARG-8) in berth N-1, HUMBOLT BAY, New Guinea for completion of repairs to Port Main Engine' (same diary, verbatim); repairs completed and trial conducted 7-8 January 1945 (January diary, NAID 139866513). ComLSTGr-22 Pope and staff shifted to LST 740 as temporary flagship 10 November 1944 while the ship was disabled.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   context

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-10-02

   Study period

   1944-10-28 to 1945-01-08

   Population

   Ship's company engineering force; USS Culebra Island (ARG-7) and USS Leyte (ARG-8) repair-ship trades (November 1944-January 1945)

   Limitations

   Documents repair events, locations, and dates - including hot work (welding) in the main engine room - but not materials: the diaries do not itemize insulation, do not say 'asbestos,' and do not record what products the ARG repair ships installed or disturbed. Repair-ship identities are the diary's own renderings (CULEBRA ISLAND ARG-7, LEYTE ARG-8). December diary page is a single-page record.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-lst-668-lst668-04

6. [6]NARA ship-titled war diaries (NAIDs 134374485 Sep-44, 78681376 Oct-44, 633402288 Feb-45, 633432257 Mar-45, 140003112 Apr-45, 101712465 May-45, 77505184 Jun-45) and six action reports (NAIDs 139773589, 78641571, 134378359, 78650446, 83572555, 77505951) - RG 38 World War II War Diaries; digitized via Fold3 [other_primary]

   Locator

   NAIDs as listed; key passages: Oct engine casualty NAID 78681376 image 2; Leyte beaching NAID 78650446; Macajalar report NAID 77505951 images 1-2; Kerama Retto action NAID 77505184 image 3

   Finding type

   historical_record

   Finding

   The remaining ship-titled diaries and six action reports (all OCR-read this session) document the campaign record in the ship's own words: Morotai landings 15-18 September 1944 (Action Report #1 - beached east side of Gili Peninsula 0833 18 September with 250 troops, 457 t mobile + 112 t bulk cargo; Action Report #2 - second beaching 30 September and anti-aircraft action expending 774 rounds 20mm and 163 rounds 40mm against an enemy aircraft, no hits); Leyte operation October 1944 (TF 78 convoy under Rear Admiral Barbey; beached at Cataisant Point 22 October, unloaded over a 35-ft Army-built jetty; return convoy attacked by submarine 25 October - LST 695 torpedoed, this ship undamaged); Subic Bay landing 9-10 February 1945; Manila lift 19-24 March 1945; Parang/Illana Bay operation 17 April 1945 (discharged Company A, 21st Infantry in assault wave on Red Beach; Pollock Harbor lifts); Zamboanga 1 May; Macajalar Bay assault 10-14 May 1945 (Action Report - first wave met no opposition; beached Brown Beach slot #5; second lift ex Cebu City 13 May); Okinawa Gunto operation June 1945 (Kerama Retto anchorage 21 June during kamikaze action - an Oscar bombed USS Curtiss forward of the superstructure and dived into an LCI, sinking it; beached south coast Ie Jima unloading 22 June; Ie Shima 23-25 June; Hagushi anchorage 25-28 June; TU 31.29.23 return convoy to Leyte from 28 June). Embarked units documented include the 155th/167th Infantry, 44th Tank Bn, 536th Service Squadron, 1881st Engineer Aviation Bn, 102nd and 119th Naval Construction Battalions, 983rd Field Artillery Bn, 1874th Engineer Bn, 865th Aviation Engineer Bn, and 1892nd Engineer Aviation Bn.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   context

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-10-02

   Study period

   1944-09 to 1945-06

   Population

   Ship's company (~117) plus embarked troops per lift (documented per event, 1944-45)

   Limitations

   Operational documentation only - no asbestos or material content anywhere in the 43 diary/action-report pages read. Scan quality varies (carbon-copy ribbons); all dates carried were legible and cross-check against DANFS/NavSource campaign tables. The 'LCI' sunk at Kerama Retto 21 June 1945 is recorded as the diary states it; the specific LCI hull is not named in this ship's record.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-lst-668-lst668-05

7. [7]Bureau of Ships, Ships' Data, U.S. Naval Vessels, Vol. 2 (1945), LST design table (shipscribe.com scan, verified live HTTP 200); NavSource LST-668 spec block; lst-1-class class profile (class-f worktree, 2026-09-16) [other_primary]

   Locator

   SDB 1945 v2 LST design table; NavSource 160668.htm specifications block

   Finding type

   asbestos_application

   Finding

   Era inference for this hull: the LST-542 design group ran a diesel plant (2 x GM 12-567A diesels, 1,700 shp total, Falk reduction gear, twin screws - BuShips design table and this hull's NavSource spec block) with no boilers, so the steam-plant lagging pathway of boiler vessels does not apply. Asbestos-relevant applications aboard a 1944 diesel landing ship of this type were the era-standard set - diesel-exhaust and machinery-space lagging, gaskets and packing, accommodation thermal insulation, deck coverings - and the documented New Orleans yard availabilities (May-June 1944), alongside-repair periods aboard ARG-7/ARG-8 with in-engine-room welding (November 1944-January 1945), and at-sea engine rebuild (October 1944) were rework events aboard this hull inside the Navy's asbestos-use era.

   Verification

   inferred

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   class_or_era

   Accessed

   2026-10-02

   Study period

   1944-1948

   Population

   American Bridge construction trades (1944); ship's company (1944-46); New Orleans yard trades (May-June 1944); ARG-7/ARG-8 repair trades (Nov 1944-Jan 1945); 1947/48 shipbreakers

   Limitations

   Class/era inference only - no hull-specific insulation survey, material schedule, or yard work package was located for LST-668. Names era-standard applications, not confirmed installed materials; no quantities; no manufacturer attribution. The documented repair events make disturbance plausible but do not establish asbestos content or exposure.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-lst-668-lst668-06

8. [8]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 construction (1944), her Pacific service, the documented 1944-45 repair/availability events, and her 1947/48 scrapping.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   context

   Documentation level

   class_or_era

   Accessed

   2026-10-02

   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 2026-10-02) - content via product-page description.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-lst-668-lst668-07

9. [9]CourtListener API v4 search (authenticated, fleet-paced helper), opinion and docket indexes [court_record]

   Locator

   search_ledger rows sl-uss-lst-668-lst668-08 through -10

   Finding type

   litigation_documented

   Finding

   No qualifying asbestos litigation located: exact-phrase "LST-668" returned 0 in the opinion index and 0 in the docket index; spacing variant "LST 668" + asbestos and "USS LST-668" opinion queries also returned 0. No case naming this hull surfaced in either index.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   negative_finding

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-10-02

   Study period

   2026-10-02

   Limitations

   CourtListener indexes published opinions and RECAP dockets - state-court filings, unreported settlements, MDL-875 pleading-level vessel lists, and non-digitized dockets are outside coverage. A zero result means no located docketed case/opinion naming this hull, not proof none exists.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-lst-668-lst668-08

10. [10]Batch-7192 search ledger (this record): DANFS; NavSource; NARA catalog + 17 ship-titled file units read in full; muster-roll series check; COM LST GR 22 parent-unit diaries; BuShips SDB 1945 v2; GAO product page; CourtListener API (opinion + docket); NIOSH HHE search; NVR; secondary web sweep [other_primary]

    Locator

    search_ledger rows sl-uss-lst-668-lst668-01 through -17

    Finding type

    historical_record

    Finding

    No qualifying ship-specific asbestos record located: no asbestos survey, abatement contract, hazmat disclosure, material schedule, or qualifying case naming LST-668 was found in the public sources searched. The strongest ship-specific documentation is operational (war diaries/action reports) and confirms multiple documented repair/availability events aboard this hull - two New Orleans yard periods (May-June 1944), alongside-repair moorings to ARG-7/ARG-8 including welding in the main engine room (Nov 1944-Jan 1945), an at-sea engine rebuild, and in-theater crane/gun-mount work at Manus - all relevant repair/refit events, but no primary source read names asbestos aboard this hull.

    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 - construction at a wartime yard and repeated documented repair work sit squarely inside the Navy's asbestos-use era. Does not establish or defeat any claim of exposure or legal eligibility.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-lst-668-lst668-09

11. [11]NARA catalog, 'USS LST-668' (60 file units, fuzzy) and 'LST-668' (~200 file units); Muster Rolls of U.S. Navy Ships series (NAID 594996, RG 24) searched within [other_primary]

    Locator

    catalog.archives.gov "USS LST-668" result set; search-within NAID 594996 "LST-668" (55 results, no ship unit); NAID 118967604 record page

    Finding type

    historical_record

    Finding

    Primary archive coverage for this hull is good through June 1945 and stops there: ship-titled digitized file units cover the consolidated commissioning period (5/15/44-8/31/44), every month September 1944-June 1945, and six action reports (Morotai x2, Halmahera AA action, Leyte, Philippines ops, Macajalar Bay). No ship-titled diary for July 1945-June 1946 surfaced - the homeward-passage and decommissioning period is undocumented in the digitized ship record. In the RG 24 muster-roll series (NAID 594996, 'partially available' per NARA), whole-ship units exist for neighboring hulls (LST-395, -549, -635, -661, -666, -992) but no 'LST-668' unit surfaced in the 55-result quoted search - the hull's muster rolls are either undigitized or unindexed under that title. COM LST GR 22 parent-unit diaries are digitized (e.g., NAIDs 78595036, 78636421, 134370262) and are the coverage bridge. A BuPers range file unit 'USS LSM-144 to USS LST-1005' (NAID 118967604, 2,968 images) may contain LST-668 personnel records but was not exhaustively searched.

    Verification

    partial

    Role

    archival_lead

    Documentation level

    ship_specific

    Accessed

    2026-10-02

    Study period

    1944-1946

    Population

    Ship's company (1944-46); researchers

    Limitations

    Archival-lead row: the July 1945-June 1946 ship record, the muster-roll unit, and RG 181 yard work-package records for the 1944 New Orleans availabilities were not read or confirmed; the range file unit was not exhaustively searched. WWII deck logs proper for this hull were not surfaced in the searches run.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-lst-668-lst668-10