Evidence
8 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-8).
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[1]research packet 729-packet.md (2 sources cited) [other_primary]
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Identity packet verdict: VERIFIED (noteworthy conversion, not an LST-542 hull)
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Evidence ID
- uss-lst-81-lst81-pkt-729-packet-md
-
[2]Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS), LST-81 entry, Naval History and Heritage Command [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- DANFS LST-81 entry, single-paragraph entry
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- DANFS record for this hull: laid down 8 March 1943 at Jeffersonville, Ind., by the Jeffersonville Boat & Machine Co.; launched 28 May 1943, sponsored by Miss Bettie Meador; commissioned 21 July 1943; decommissioned 19 July 1943; redesignated ARL-5 on 20 July 1943; transferred to the United Kingdom 29 July 1943 and served the Royal Navy as LSE-1 until returned to the United States 21 May 1946; struck from the Navy list 29 October 1946; sold to Argentina 20 August 1947, serving as Ingeniero Iribas (Q-21); sold by the Argentine Navy in 1967.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-03
- Study period
- 1943-1967
- Population
- Jeffboat construction trades (1943); RN crew (1943-46); Argentine Navy crew (1947-64/67)
- Limitations
- Authoritative Navy history source but internally inconsistent as printed: the decommission date (19 July 1943) precedes the commission date (21 July 1943); the shipscribe ferry-commission record (21-29 July 1943) resolves the sequence - see correction row ev-uss-lst-81-lst81-05. Contains no asbestos content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lst-81-lst81-01
-
[3]NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive, LST-81 / ARL-5 page - designation timeline, ARL specifications, NARA-captioned photographs [other_primary]
- Locator
- NavSource 10/19/1905.htm header block, ARL Specifications block, and photo captions
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- NavSource timeline for this hull: laid down 8 March 1943 at Jeffersonville Boat & Machine Co., Jeffersonville, IN; launched 28 May 1943; redesignated Achelous-class landing craft repair ship ARL-5, 20 July 1943; 'ARL-5 saw no active service in the US Navy'; transferred to the United Kingdom 29 July 1943; commissioned into the Royal Navy as HM L.S.E.(LS)-1, 30 July 1943; returned to U.S. Naval custody 21 May 1946; struck from the Naval Register 29 October 1946; transferred on loan to Argentina 20 August 1947 as ARA Ingeniero Hodesh (Q-21), later renamed Ingeniero Iribas (Q-21) (date unknown); sold to Argentina in 1967; disposed of by the Argentine Navy in 1967, fate unknown. ARL specifications block: 2,220 t light / 3,960 t full / 4,100 t limit; 328 ft x 50 ft x 11 ft 2 in; 11.6 kt trial; complement 19 officers / 270 enlisted; two General Motors 12-567A diesel engines, single Falk main reduction gears, two propellers 1,800 shp, twin rudders; armament one 3-inch (12-pdr) and eight 20mm single mounts. Photo documentation: ex-ARL-5 in RN service near Baltimore, MD, 25 September 1943 after completion of conversion (US National Archives photo 19-N-57196, RG-19 LCM); crew photo at Bangkok, Thailand, 5 November 1945; Argentine-service photos as ARA Ingeniero Iribas (Q-21) incl. a flooded dry dock at Tandanor, 30 October 1959.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-03
- Study period
- 1943-1967
- Population
- Jeffboat construction trades (1943); Bethlehem Key Highway conversion yard workers (1943); RN crew (1943-46); Argentine Navy crew (1947-64/67)
- Limitations
- NavSource is a volunteer secondary compilation, not a primary registry - its dates generally track DANFS/ship records but its 30 July 1943 RN commission date differs from shipscribe's phased account (UK ferry commission 29 Jul-12 Aug, full UK commission 22 Sep 1943); its 'sold to Argentina in 1967 / fate unknown' conflicts with shipscribe's 'struck by Argentina 5 August 1964'. Contains no asbestos content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lst-81-lst81-02
-
[4]Shipscribe (Stephen S. Roberts), USS Achelous (ARL-1) Class data page compiled from BuShips/OpNav records - construction table, disposition table, class notes, and ship notes [other_primary]
- Locator
- ARL-1 class page: construction table row 5, disposition table row 5, class notes paragraphs 2-4, ship note 5
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Ship notes for ARL-5: ex LST-81, reclassified 20 July 1943; ferry (reduced) commission 21-29 July 1943; transferred to the UK under Lend-Lease 29 July 1943 at New Orleans; UK ferry commission 29 July-12 August 1943; converted by Bethlehem Steel, Key Highway, Baltimore, Md.; full UK commission 22 September 1943 as Landing Ship Emergency Repair; returned 9 May 1946; sold by the Maritime Commission to Higgins, Inc., 25 April 1947, delivered 20 August 1947, and sold by Higgins to Argentina the same day; became Argentine INGENIERO IRIBAS 1947; struck by Argentina 5 August 1964. Class notes: the British selected LST 81-82 from Lend-Lease allocations for conversion to US ARL specifications (requisition BAD-1966, 12 July 1943), with both forward derricks increased to 10 tons and a British-provided 12-pdr stern gun; British units lacked the US 50-ton 'A' frame hoist and retained operational bow doors; Gibbs and Cox was design agent for all LST conversions; seven of nine ARL-1-class ships were converted at Bethlehem-Key Highway, Baltimore.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-03
- Study period
- 1943-1964
- Population
- Bethlehem Steel Key Highway conversion-yard workers (1943); RN crew (1943-46)
- Limitations
- Secondary compilation of primary BuShips/OpNav/MC records - the most detailed verified account of this hull's US-custody period; its 9 May 1946 return date conflicts with NavSource's 21 May 1946 and its 5 August 1964 Argentine strike conflicts with DANFS/NavSource '1967' - both flagged in gaps. Documents the conversion event and yard but not its material content - asbestos scope of the conversion is inference. Contains no asbestos content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lst-81-lst81-03
-
[5]Consolidated era/design inference - LST-1-class diesel amphibian machinery data (NavSource this hull; shipscribe ARL class table) + era amphibious/auxiliary construction practice; Atlas class profile lst-1-class [other_primary]
- Locator
- Class technical data (lst-1-class.class.json ev-lst-1-class-03); NavSource ARL specifications block
- Finding type
- asbestos_application
- Finding
- Era/design inference for this diesel-powered LST/ARL: no boilers, so the steam-lagging pathway does not apply; asbestos-relevant applications for the type are GM diesel exhaust lagging and gaskets, engine-room thermal/acoustic insulation, deck coverings/tile, bulkhead and accommodation insulation, and winch/crane brake linings. Conversion to a landing craft repair ship added machine shops, repair equipment, and interior rework - interior insulation and fireproofing scope typical of the conversion type.
- Verification
- inferred
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-10-03
- Study period
- 1943-1967
- Population
- Jeffboat construction trades (1943); Bethlehem Key Highway conversion-yard workers (1943); RN crew (1943-46); Argentine Navy crew (1947-64/67)
- Limitations
- Class/era inference only - no asbestos survey, material schedule, or abatement record exists for this hull or the class. Establishes no quantities and no exposure for any individual; the LST-1-class profile itself documents that no member has a located ship-level asbestos record.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lst-81-lst81-04
-
[6]Correction sourcing: shipscribe ship note 5 (ferry commission 21-29 Jul 1943) vs DANFS printed dates (commissioned 21 July 1943; decommissioned 19 July 1943) [other_primary]
- Locator
- DANFS LST-81 entry vs shipscribe ARL-1 class page, ship note 5
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- CORRECTION: DANFS prints an internally inconsistent sequence for this hull - 'commissioned on 21 July 1943. She was decommissioned on 19 July 1943 and redesignated ARL-5 on 20 July 1943' - with the decommission date preceding the commission date. The shipscribe ship note, compiled from BuShips/OpNav records, records a 'ferry (reduced) commission 21-29 Jul 43' ending on transfer to the UK at New Orleans 29 July 1943 - the coherent reading: a brief reduced commission for the downriver transit, ending on transfer. The DANFS '19 July' is likely a transposition of '29 July' but that cannot be asserted; the record carries the shipscribe sequence and flags the DANFS defect.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- correction
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-03
- Study period
- 1943
- Limitations
- Corrects a printed-date ordering defect, not a material claim. The ferry-commission reading rests on a secondary compilation of primary records; the underlying BuShips/OpNav documents were not independently retrieved this session. No asbestos content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lst-81-lst81-05
-
[7]US National Archives photo 19-N-57196 (RG-19 LCM), a US Navy Bureau of Ships photograph: ex-ARL-5 in Royal Naval service as HM L.S.E.(LS)-1 near Baltimore, MD, 25 September 1943, after completion of conversion (identifier and caption transcribed via NavSource) [other_primary]
- Locator
- NavSource 10/19/1905.htm first photo caption; NARA RG-19 LCM series
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- A BuShips photograph in NARA RG-19 documents this hull at Baltimore on 25 September 1943 'after completion of conversion' - corroborating the Bethlehem Steel Key Highway conversion location and the September 1943 completion window, and showing the British fit (12-pdr stern gun on a raised platform, no 'A' frame hoist, operational bow doors).
- Verification
- partial
- Role
- archival_lead
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-03
- Study period
- 1943
- Population
- Bethlehem Key Highway conversion-yard workers (1943)
- Limitations
- NARA catalog is JS-rendered and unfetchable this session; the identifier and caption text are transcribed from the NavSource photo credit - direct catalog verification open. Photograph documents configuration only; no asbestos content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lst-81-lst81-06
-
[8]Batch-7349 search ledger (this record): NHHC DANFS; NavSource; shipscribe; NVR; NARA catalog; CourtListener; Argentine-service and Jeffboat builder-context sweeps [other_primary]
- Locator
- search_ledger rows sl-uss-lst-81-lst81-01 through sl-uss-lst-81-lst81-09
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- No qualifying ship-specific asbestos record located: no asbestos survey, abatement contract, material schedule, hazmat disclosure, or docketed case naming LST-81 / ARL-5 / LSE-1 was found in the public sources searched (see search_ledger). CourtListener could not be searched this session - fleet daily quota exhausted (~10 h to reset) - so litigation status is pending, not a negative result.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-03
- Study period
- 2026-10-03
- Limitations
- Absence of a located public record does not prove absence of asbestos aboard - 1943 wartime construction plus a repair-ship conversion is era-consistent with asbestos-containing materials. Does not establish that asbestos is or is not present; does not establish or defeat any claim of exposure or legal eligibility. CourtListener sweep remains an open item.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-lst-81-lst81-07