Evidence
11 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-11).
-
[1]research packet 742-packet.md [other_primary]
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Identity packet verdict: VERIFIED
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Evidence ID
- uss-luzerne-county-lst902-pkt-742-packet-md
-
[2]DANFS, Luzerne County (LST-902) - construction, WWII/Korea/Indochina/Dominican/Vietnam service narrative (live NHHC page, verified) [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- DANFS 'Luzerne County' service narrative and spec block (entry published 29 July 2015)
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Documented for this hull: 'LST-902 was laid down by Dravo Corp., Pittsburgh, Pa., 5 November 1944; launched 16 December 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Michael Grom; and commissioned at Algiers, La., 15 January 1945, Lt. Everett J. Bondesen in command.' Spec block: 'LST-902; dp. 1,625; l. 328'; b. 50'; dr. 14'1"; s. 12 k.; cpl. 119; a. 8 40mm., 12 20mm.; cl. LST-511.' WWII: shakedown off Florida; via New Orleans, San Pedro, and San Francisco to Maui; Okinawa 28 July 1945 in a 70-ship convoy; Saipan until after the surrender; Leyte Gulf and western Luzon; occupation troops to Yokohama 17 October 1945; 603 war veterans embarked at Guam; San Diego 14 December 1945; three-month San Francisco overhaul; Columbia River service April-August 1946; decommissioned at Portland 3 August 1946. Recommissioned Astoria 18 January 1952; Korea supply runs from Yokosuka; Alameda overhaul end of 1953. October-November 1954: four 'Passage to Freedom' runs out of Haiphong carrying French troops and equipment to Da Nang and Saigon. Named Luzerne County 1 July 1955; decommissioned Astoria 30 November 1955. Recommissioned in reserve Stockton 29 March 1963, active list 15 April; ResLSTRon 2 Naval Reserve training out of Little Creek 1963-64; Dominican Republic troop/cargo runs May-December 1965. Departed Norfolk 19 January 1966 for Southeast Asia; Saigon 21 April 1966; twice damaged assisting grounded merchantmen at Triton Island (Paracels) April-May 1966 and June 1967; supply runs Okinawa/Taiwan to Nha Be, Vung Tau, Nha Trang, Phan Rang; remained in this capacity until 1969. 'LST-902 received two battle stars for service during the Korean conflict.'
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-03
- Study period
- 1944-1969 (entry coverage)
- Population
- Dravo Pittsburgh construction trades (1944); crew and embarked troops (1945-46, 1952-55, 1963-70)
- Limitations
- Ship-specific history only; no asbestos or material content. DANFS narrative ends in 1969 and does not cover decommissioning, striking, or disposal - those come from other rows. The spec block's 'cl. LST-511' conflicts with the standard LST-542-class designation for this hull (BuShips design group LST542-931; see ev-10 and gaps).
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-luzerne-county-lst902-01
-
[3]NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive, USS Luzerne County (LST-902) - designation timeline, specifications, flotilla/group/division assignment, campaign tables, commanding-officer roster, disposal [other_primary]
- Locator
- NavSource 10/16/160902.htm header block, specifications block, campaign tables, CO roster, and photo captions (page last updated 26 August 2022)
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- NavSource timeline for this hull: '542-Class Tank Landing Ship' laid down 5 November 1944 at Dravo Corp., Pittsburgh, PA; launched 16 December 1944; commissioned USS LST-902 15 January 1945 at Algiers, LA. WWII Asiatic-Pacific assignment: LST Flotilla 32, LST Group 94, LST Division 187; occupation service 3 October - 1 November 1945. Decommissioned 2 August 1946 at Portland, OR (conflicts with DANFS 3 August - see gaps); laid up Pacific Reserve Fleet Astoria. Recommissioned 18 January 1952. Korean War campaigns: Korean Defense Summer-Fall 1952 and Third Korean Winter. Named USS Luzerne County (LST-902) 1 July 1955. Decommissioned 30 November 1955. Recommissioned 15 April 1963. Vietnam War campaign table lists ten campaign periods 1966-1970 plus 'Consolidation II 15 February 1972' (post-dates decommissioning - see gaps). Combat Action Ribbon dates: 18 February 1968, 22 February 1968, 4 March 1968, 3 March 1969. Photo caption documents the ship beached at Vung Tau circa 3 March 1969 alongside Clive Steele (AV-1356) and a Korean-manned LST, hit by two 122mm rockets at 0800 while the crew was at breakfast, suffering 'a number of casualties.' Decommissioned 30 June 1970; struck from the Naval Register 12 August 1970; 'Sold to CEMEX, Ensenada BC as a NSP Cement Barge. Final Disposition, fate unknown.' Specs: two GM 12-567A 900hp diesels, single Falk main reduction gear, three 100kW diesel-drive generators, two propellers 1,700 shp, 11.6 kts trial; complement 13 officers + 104 enlisted; troops 16 officers + 147 enlisted; 2 LCVP. Awards: Combat Action Ribbon, Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (2), 2 Korea battle stars, 10 Vietnam campaign stars.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-03
- Study period
- 1944-1970 (and post-sale)
- Population
- Dravo Pittsburgh construction trades (1944); crew (1945-46, 1952-55, 1963-70); embarked troops; CEMEX barge-conversion and dock workers, Ensenada (post-1970)
- Limitations
- NavSource is a volunteer secondary compilation, not a primary registry - its milestone dates generally track DANFS/NVR but conflicts exist on two dates (1946 decommissioning; see gaps). Contains no asbestos content. The disposal line (CEMEX cement barge) is stated without a cited source and the ultimate fate is expressly 'unknown' - sale-to-CEMEX is carried as NavSource-documented, fate as unknown.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-luzerne-county-lst902-02
-
[4]Mobile Riverine Force Association, 'Luzerne County (LST-902)' unit-history page (posts a verbatim excerpt of an official declassified combat report and a crewman's 1970 return-voyage account); LANSHIPRON2 four-ship departure composition per Wikipedia (secondary cross-check) [other_primary]
- Locator
- MRFA Luzerne County (LST-902) page: declassified-report quote block and Engolia account
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Combat and final-voyage documentation for this hull. Declassified-report excerpt quoted by MRFA: 'At 1537 on 2 March, while enroute from Dong Tam to the My Tho anchorage, Luzerne County received automatic weapons fire and B-40 rockets. One life raft was destroyed as one B-40 hit the starboard side frame of the LST. Fire was returned and suppressed at 1540. No personnel casualties resulted.' And: 'Luzerne County came under attack again at 2225 on 22 March while anchored with the Mobile Riverine Base at Dong Tam... Six B-40 rocket rounds were fired... The LST returned fire for 10 minutes... No casualties resulted although shrapnel was later found on Luzerne County.' Crewman Salvador L. Engolia Jr. account of the 1970 homeward voyage: final run Vung Tau to Da Nang, departed Vietnam end of April 1970, stops at Guam, the Philippines, and Pearl Harbor, under the Golden Gate mid-June 1970; at Vallejo 'the Navy had decided to scrap instead of decommission the 902. All equipment and just about anything moveable was taken off the ship and stored in a warehouse. All openings, hatches, stacks, etc. were sealed.' Struck from the Naval Register 12 August 1970. Secondary sourcing (Wikipedia, uncited) records her departing the Mekong Delta at the end of April 1970 in company with the other three ships of Landing Ship Squadron 2 - Monmouth County (LST-1032), Iredell County (LST-839), and Clarke County (LST-601) - consistent with the MRFA page's note that the squadron included Luzerne County.
- Verification
- partial
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-03
- Study period
- March 1969; April-August 1970
- Population
- Crew during Mekong Delta armed-logistic-support service (1969); crew on 1970 return voyage; shipyard/mothball workers at Vallejo
- Limitations
- Veterans-association compilation: the quoted official excerpt is unattributed to a specific report title/series on the page (monthly-summary character; the year is not stated in the excerpt but consistent with the ship's March 1969 Mekong Delta service - dated events carried as March, year inferred). Engolia's account is one crewman's recollection ('decided to scrap' describes deactivation stripping/sealing; the documented outcome was sale to CEMEX as a barge, not scrapping). The Vung Tau 3 March 1969 rocket attack with casualties (NavSource caption) and these Dong Tam events are separate incidents on different dates. The four-ship departure composition rests on an uncited Wikipedia sentence - carried as secondary detail, not registry-documented. No asbestos content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-luzerne-county-lst902-03
-
[5]Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow, 'For whom the bell tolls' (official USMC feature by Mr. Rob Jackson, 28 March 2019; ARCHIVED COPY - live page 404s as of 2026-10-03) [other_primary]
- Locator
- Wayback capture 2021-08-26 of MCLB Barstow News Article 1798581 (article text + photo caption, media.defense.gov image 190308-M-EL583-001)
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Official .mil documentation of the surviving ship's bell: the bell of USS Luzerne County (LST-902) is posted outside the front entrance of Building 15 (Base Headquarters) at Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow, California, on loan to MCLB Barstow from the Naval Historical Center; records show it has been there since July 1999. The article's ship recap repeats DANFS milestones (launched December 1944, commissioned January 1945 at Algiers, 1,625-ton displacement, ~12 knots).
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-03
- Study period
- 1999-present (bell); 2019 (article)
- Population
- None - artifact location
- Limitations
- Confirms the bell's location and NHHC loan, not the hull's condition or disposition. The article recap gives 'seven officers and 104 enlisted' - a complement figure that conflicts with DANFS (119) and NavSource (13+104); carried in gaps, not asserted. Article removed from the live site; the Wayback capture of 26 August 2021 is cited. No asbestos content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-luzerne-county-lst902-04
-
[6]NARA catalog, RG 24 (Bureau of Naval Personnel), 'Logbooks of U.S. Navy Ships and Stations' - digitized deck logs for Luzerne County (LST-902), e.g. NAID 220785957 'Luzerne County (LST-902) - September 1968' (62 images; Veterans Benefits Administration / Blue Water Navy Deck Log Project) [other_primary]
- Locator
- catalog.archives.gov/id/220785957 (Sept 1968 file unit, 62 images) and catalog search 'LST-902' (945 results) / 'Luzerne County (LST-902)' file units
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- The ship's deck logs are digitized in the National Archives Catalog: a catalog search on 'LST-902' returns 945 file-unit results (939 online), and the ship's own logbook file units - 'Luzerne County (LST-902) - [Month Year]' - span at least July 1963 through July 1970, covering the entire third commission (Little Creek, Dominican Republic, and Vietnam service through deactivation). Digitized under the Veterans Benefits Administration Blue Water Navy Deck Log Project. These logs are the primary source for verifying ship movements, availabilities, and any recorded material-handling events.
- Verification
- partial
- Role
- archival_lead
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-03
- Study period
- 1963-1970 (digitized coverage observed); 1945-1955 coverage unconfirmed
- Population
- Crew and embarked units recorded in logs (1963-1970)
- Limitations
- Archival lead only - the logs were located but not individually reviewed; no page was read for asbestos content. Coverage of the 1945-46 and 1952-55 commissions was not confirmed in the result set reviewed (first-page results show 1963-70); earlier logs may exist only on microfilm or paper. Result count includes cross-matching file units of other ships' logs mentioning LST-902.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-luzerne-county-lst902-05
-
[7]Vietnam Center and Sam Johnson Vietnam Archive, Texas Tech University - officer collections naming this hull (William Rennicke collection; Jim Giles oral history) [other_primary]
- Locator
- vva.vietnam.ttu.edu repositories/2/resources/3047 (Rennicke); digital_objects/716328 (Rennicke interview); Giles oral-history listing
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Archival crew records: the Texas Tech Vietnam archive holds the William Rennicke collection - Rennicke served as Assistant First Lieutenant aboard USS Luzerne County (LST-902) July 1969 - July 1970 (the final deployment) - and an oral history with Jim Giles, who served as engineering officer aboard Luzerne County (and USS Rainier AE-5, USS Stone County LST-1141). These collections are leads for firsthand accounts of shipboard conditions during the Vietnam service period.
- Verification
- partial
- Role
- archival_lead
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-03
- Study period
- 1969-1970 (Rennicke tour); Vietnam-era service generally
- Population
- Officers serving aboard 1969-1970 (Rennicke); engineering officer (Giles, dates within 1966-69 window)
- Limitations
- Archival lead only - collection contents (interviews, photos, papers) were not reviewed; no asbestos or material claim is made or implied by the existence of these records.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-luzerne-county-lst902-06
-
[8]Era inference built on: BuShips Ships' Data U.S. Naval Vessels Vol. 2 (Jan 1945) LST-542 design table via the batch class profile (lst-1-class.class.json: GM 12-567A diesel plant, no boilers); NavSource specifications for this hull (2x GM 12-567A 900hp diesels); documented 1944 construction at Dravo Corp. Pittsburgh; GAO HRD-80-2 (see ev-08) [other_primary]
- Locator
- lst-1-class.class.json ev-lst-1-class-01/-03 (BuShips SDB v2 + era application list); NavSource 160902.htm specifications block
- Finding type
- asbestos_application
- Finding
- A tank landing ship built November-December 1944 sits squarely inside the Navy's asbestos-construction era; the federal government reserved asbestos supply for shipbuilding during WWII and Navy-standard insulation, gasket, and packing products of the period contained asbestos. For a diesel-powered LST specifically there is no boiler or steam-line system - the asbestos-relevant applications aboard this type were diesel-exhaust lagging and gaskets, engine-room thermal and acoustic insulation, deck coverings and tile, bulkhead and accommodation insulation, winch and crane brake linings, and valve packing, concentrated in the confined engine-room and tank-deck spaces.
- Verification
- inferred
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-10-03
- Study period
- 1944-1970 (and post-sale conversion)
- Population
- Dravo Pittsburgh construction trades (1944); engine-room ratings, damage-control and repair parties, and embarked troops (1945-70); deactivation strippers at Vallejo (1970); CEMEX conversion/dock workers (post-1970)
- Limitations
- Class/era inference only - no hull-specific insulation survey, material schedule, work package, or abatement record was located for LST-902. Names era-standard applications for the type, not confirmed installed materials. No quantity, no manufacturer attribution, no individual exposure. The diesel plant narrows but does not eliminate the exposure-relevant systems.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-luzerne-county-lst902-07
-
[9]GAO, Navy Efforts To Protect Workers From Asbestos Exposure, HRD-80-2 (Oct 18, 1979) [gao]
- Locator
- GAO product page HRD-80-2, Highlights section (full report hrd-80-2.pdf blocked, HTTP 403)
- Finding type
- gov_survey
- Finding
- GAO documented that the Navy's 1975 policy was to remove and replace asbestos insulation only when damaged or required for repairs, modified in 1979 to selective replacement in high-maintenance areas - meaning original-era insulation typically remained in place for decades unless a yard period disturbed it. GAO reviewed the Navy's asbestos-protection efforts, use of asbestos in Navy ships, removal cost, and worker compensation; fieldwork was at Long Beach and Norfolk Naval Shipyards.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- context_only
- Accessed
- 2026-10-03
- Study period
- 1979 (review); policy window 1975-1979
- Population
- Navy shipyard workers; asbestos program review
- Limitations
- Program-level documentation; supports era context only, not any fact specific to this hull. Fieldwork yards were Long Beach and Norfolk - not Dravo, Alameda, or Mare Island. Full report PDF not retrieved (gao.gov returns HTTP 403 to direct automated fetch, confirmed 2026-10-03; content via the live product page through Firecrawl).
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-luzerne-county-lst902-08
-
[10]Batch-7445 search ledger (this record): NHHC DANFS (live); NavSource 160902.htm; MRFA unit-history page; MCLB Barstow article via Wayback; NARA catalog deck-log file units; Texas Tech Vietnam Archive; NVR (no entry); CourtListener (blocked - daily quota); secondary web litigation sweep; BuShips SDB1945v2 (404); shipyards.json cross-check [other_primary]
- Locator
- search_ledger rows sl-uss-luzerne-county-lst902-01 through -13
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- No qualifying ship-specific asbestos record located: no asbestos survey, material schedule, abatement contract, hazmat disclosure, or verified litigation naming USS Luzerne County / LST-902 was found in the public sources searched. CAVEAT: CourtListener could not be queried this session - the authenticated helper reported the account's daily quota exhausted (~8.2 h to reset); logged as blocked in search_ledger, not as a negative result. Secondary web sweeps surfaced no qualifying case; the only 'asbestos aboard' material is law-firm marketing content (mesotheliomasymptoms.com hosts a dedicated 'USS Luzerne County LST-902' marketing page; Waters Kraus exposure-map and Hill & Ponton list entries) asserting asbestos without primary sourcing - excluded by source policy. 'Luzerne County' name searches are heavily polluted by litigation involving the actual Pennsylvania county.
- 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 - the 1944 construction era, sealed-hull deactivation, and undocumented CEMEX conversion are all consistent with retained era materials. The litigation repository search is a genuine open gap (quota-blocked, not run). NARA deck logs (1963-70) are digitized but unread; Dravo work packages are undigitized leads. Does not establish or defeat any claim of exposure or legal eligibility.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-luzerne-county-lst902-09
-
[11]Designation cross-check: DANFS spec block ('cl. LST-511') vs NavSource header ('542-Class Tank Landing Ship'), Wikipedia (LST-542-class), and the batch class profile BuShips SD-1945 v2 design grouping (LST542-931) [other_primary]
- Locator
- DANFS spec block vs NavSource 160902.htm header ('542-Class'); Wikipedia USS Luzerne County infobox; class-f/lst-1-class.class.json designations field
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- CORRECTION: this hull is an LST-542-class tank landing ship - the standard designation documented by NavSource, secondary literature, and the BuShips SD-1945 design grouping (LST-902 falls inside block LST542-931). The DANFS spec block instead prints 'cl. LST-511', a designation quirk that marketing/aggregator pages copy verbatim (e.g., mesotheliomasymptoms.com lists her as 'LST 511 class'). LST-542 class is carried in this record.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- correction
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-03
- Study period
- 1944-1945 (design attribution)
- Limitations
- Corrects a circulating class-designation error propagated from DANFS to marketing sources; not a material or asbestos claim. The DANFS 'LST-511' label may reflect an alternate lead-ship convention for the design block - carried as a documented conflict, not resolved.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-luzerne-county-lst902-10