Evidence
13 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-13).
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[1]research packet q-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-olmsted-apa188-pkt-q-packet-md
-
[2]Bureau of Ships, Ships' Data, U.S. Naval Vessels, Vol. 3 (NAVSHIPS 250-012, April 1945), APA section per-hull rows (shipscribe.com Google scan) [other_primary]
- Locator
- SDB1945v3 pp. 264-267 (APA characteristics, personnel, machinery, armament/cargo tables), Olmsted/APA-188 row no. 192; index and M.C. hull index entries confirm hull-656 identity
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Official BuShips Ships' Data 1945 carries per-hull rows for OLMSTED APA-188 (class no. 192, 'ex-M.C.V. Hull 656'): 455 ft overall / 436 ft 6 in waterline, 62 ft beam, 17.7 kt trial, 14,837 tons limiting displacement; machinery row - 2 propellers, 'A-C turb' (Allis-Chalmers geared turbine), 8,500 shp, 2 'C.E. hdr' (Combustion Engineering header-type) boilers at 465 psi / 750 deg F; Falk main reduction gear, 3 x 300 kW turbo-generators 120/240 V DC, fuel oil 7,780 bbl + diesel 970 bbl; personnel row - 56 officers / 474 enlisted ship's company and 87 officers / 1,475 enlisted troops; armament/cargo row - 1 x 5-in/38 DP, 4 twin + 1 quad 40mm, 150,000 cu ft cargo / 2,900 DWT.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-25
- Study period
- 1945
- Population
- Ship's company 530 + embarked troops up to 1,562 (as configured 1945)
- Limitations
- Primary official specification source; establishes the hull's machinery and characteristics, not asbestos content. SDB lists 2 propellers for Kaiser Vancouver-built APAs while NavSource lists one propeller for this hull - unresolved conflict flagged in gaps. No asbestos data in this source.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-olmsted-apa188-01
-
[3]DANFS, 'Olmsted (APA-188)' entry (NHHC live page 404; verbatim text via Wayback capture 2024-12-10) [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- Wayback capture 20241210055931 of history.navy.mil DANFS page
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Official history: approved 16 March 1944; laid down by Kaiser S.B. Co., Vancouver, Wash., 11 April 1944 as MCV Hull no. 656; launched 4 July 1944 (sponsor Mrs. Duncan Gregg); commissioned 5 September 1944, Capt. C. L. C. Atkeson. Joined Pacific Fleet after 27 October 1944 shakedown; served New Guinea, Admiralties, Leyte, Lingayen Gulf, Okinawa, Japan; bombed at Luzon and Okinawa without damage; two returns to lift reserve troops; debarked the 81st (Wildcat) Division in the first occupation landings on Honshu; three Magic Carpet voyages; decommissioned 21 February 1947 Norfolk; recommissioned 2 February 1952 (Capt. R. C. Leonard), Amphibious Force Atlantic Fleet - East Coast, Guantanamo Bay, Mediterranean amphibious training, midshipman and Naval Reserve cruises; decommissioned 27 February 1959 Norfolk; struck from the Naval Register 1 July 1960; one WWII battle star. Spec block: dp 14,837; 455 ft; 62 ft; dr 24 ft; 17 kt; cpl 530; trp 1,562; 1 x 5-in, 12 x 40mm; Haskell class; VC2-S-AP5.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-25
- Study period
- 1944-1960
- Population
- Ship's company and embarked troops 1944-1959
- Limitations
- Authoritative for identity, dates, and service narrative; contains no asbestos information. Live NHHC URL 404 on 2026-09-25; text is the verbatim DANFS transcription via Wayback. Captain surname OCRs as 'Lionard' in the DANFS text - NavSource's officer table gives 'Leonard, Robert Craven' (USNA 1932).
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-olmsted-apa188-02
-
[4]NavSource Online Amphibious Photo Archive, USS Olmsted (LPA-188) ex APA-188 file 10/03/03188 (timeline, campaign credits, occupation periods, spec block, CO table, Magic Carpet souvenir PDF link) [other_primary]
- Locator
- Page spec block and timeline sections; PDF 03188a.pdf (Magic Carpet souvenir)
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- NavSource timeline adds detail beyond DANFS: TransRon Fourteen / TransDiv Forty-One flagship assignments; Asiatic-Pacific campaign credit 'Okinawa Gunto operation - assault and occupation 1 to 5 April 1945'; Navy Occupation Service Medal periods 20-30 Sep 1945, 20 Jan-2 Feb 1946, 14-24 Jun 1946 (Far East) and 20 Jan-9 May 1953 (Europe); Atlantic Reserve Fleet lay-up both periods; redesignated Amphibious Transport LPA-188 on 1 January 1969; disposal chain - sold to Waterman SS Co., resold to Balbao Desquaces Maritimos S.A. for scrapping in Spain, removed 16 September 1983, scrapping completed 28 May 1984; crew-compiled Magic Carpet souvenir PDF (Biak-Hollandia to Los Angeles, 27 Nov-15 Dec 1945). Spec block: Allis-Chalmers geared turbine, two Combustion Engineering header-type boilers, one propeller, 8,500 shp.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-25
- Study period
- 1944-1984
- Population
- Ship's company 1944-47 and 1952-59
- Limitations
- Secondary compilation quoting official records; per-hull machinery vendors corroborate the BuShips SDB row. Conflicts carried in gaps: sale year printed '1 August 1981' vs MARAD MA-20 card 'August 1, 1983' and contract date 8-1-83 (primary wins); 'one propeller' vs SDB '2'; 480 enlisted vs SDB 474; '19 kts' vs SDB 17.7 kt trial.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-olmsted-apa188-03
-
[5]MARAD Vessel History Database, OLMSTED (APA-188) Detail 3689 - registry fields, milestones, and scanned status cards (Form MA-383 Reserve Fleet Ship Particulars; Form MC-7146a USMC Vessel Status Card; Form MA-20 Record of Ship Sales) [marad_nrc]
- Locator
- Card scans at /cards/3689_6818AF.jpg (MA-383 face), /cards/3689_6818AB.jpg (MA-20 trade-out note), /cards/3689_AF.jpg (MA-20 sale card), /cards/5E5_01.png (MC-7146a status card); milestones tab
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- MARAD custody records for this hull: entered James River (Fort Eustis) reserve fleet under Navy temporary/reimbursable custody 14 January 1960 11:05 EST (arrival drafts Fwd 14'06" / Aft 15'03"); permanent transfer to Maritime Administration 30 June 1960; 'Reimbursable Navy preservation - plus $900 custody charges'; withdrawn 16-24 February 1983 for defueling; sale awarded to Waterman Steamship Corp. as trade-out scrap ship pursuant to ship-exchange contract for the Waterman newbuilds THOMAS NELSON and JEFF DAVIS (PL 95-177) - card note reads 'Jeff Davis and Thomas Nelson trade in under PL 95-177' - contract nos. MA-11377 and 11378 dated 8-1-83, resold to Balbao Desquaces Maritimos S.A.; lightship tonnage 5,662; withdrawn 16 September 1983 'for stripping and disposal' - milestone coded 'Navy strip, then 510i trad'; remarks 'Scrapping in Spain ... scrapped as of May 28, 1984'.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-25
- Study period
- 1960-1984
- Population
- NDRF fleet workers and disposal/shipbreaking crews 1960-1984
- Limitations
- Primary federal custody/disposition records read from card scans; documents lay-up, defueling, Navy stripping, and overseas breaking as events but contains no asbestos or hazmat annotation - disposal-phase asbestos scope is inference, not record.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-olmsted-apa188-04
-
[6]MARAD MA-20 Record of Ship Sales card for OLMSTED (LPA-188), contract MA-11378 dated 8-1-83 (correction of secondary-source disposal date) [marad_nrc]
- Locator
- MA-20 card DATE field and MA-383 strip card, contract nos. MA-11377/11378
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- The disposal year printed in the NavSource timeline ('sold for scrapping, 1 August 1981') and repeated in secondary sources conflicts with the primary MARAD record: the MA-20 card dates the award 'August 1, 1983' and the strip card dates trade-out contracts MA-11377/11378 '8-1-83'; withdrawal followed 16 September 1983 and scrapping completed 28 May 1984. Correct date: 1 August 1983.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- correction
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-25
- Study period
- 1983-1984
- Limitations
- Corrects a secondary-compilation date against the primary card scan; does not affect custody-sequence facts, which all three sources agree on.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-olmsted-apa188-05
-
[7]Consolidated era/design inference anchored to this hull's documented plant - BuShips SDB 1945 v3 machinery row + class type data (Haskell-class VC2-S-AP5) [other_primary]
- Locator
- SDB1945v3 APA-188 machinery row; haskell-class.class.json type data (class-f worktree)
- Finding type
- asbestos_application
- Finding
- Era/design inference: this hull's documented single-shaft geared-steam plant (two superheated Combustion Engineering header-type boilers at 465 psi / 750 deg F feeding an Allis-Chalmers geared turbine) was built at Kaiser Vancouver in peak wartime asbestos era - boiler/fireroom insulation, steam-line and turbine lagging, gaskets, packing, and accommodation insulation were commonly asbestos-containing in WWII naval-vessel construction; troop-carrying fit-out added interior joiner/insulation scope; the hull's postwar lay-up, 1952 reactivation, and 1983 defuel/strip/disposal are the disturbance phases where such material, if present, was worked or removed.
- Verification
- inferred
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-25
- Study period
- 1944-1984
- Population
- Kaiser Vancouver construction trades (1944); ship's company and troops (1944-59); NDRF lay-up, defueling, stripping, and breaking crews (1960-84)
- Limitations
- Class/era inference only - establishes reasonable expectation, not proof: no hull-level material schedule, survey, or abatement record was located. Establishes no quantities and no exposure for any individual.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-olmsted-apa188-06
-
[8]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 emergency construction program under which this VC2-S-AP5 attack transport was mass-produced at a Kaiser yard.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-25
- 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 class and does not establish that asbestos was or remains aboard this hull, nor quantity, location, condition, exposure, or causation.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-olmsted-apa188-07
-
[9]Fleischer, W.E., Viles, F.J. Jr., Gade, R.L., and Drinker, P., 'A health survey of pipe covering operations in constructing naval vessels,' J Ind Hyg Toxicol 28(1):9-16 (Jan 1946), PMID 21016030 [other_primary]
- Locator
- PubMed record PMID 21016030; article pp. 9-16 (pipe covering material section)
- Finding type
- gov_survey
- Finding
- The U.S. Maritime Commission-commissioned industrial-hygiene survey of WWII pipe-covering operations at two Navy yards and two Navy contract yards documented that 'an important ingredient of pipe covering material used on U.S. Navy vessels is amosite' - i.e., asbestos insulation was standard material in wartime naval-vessel construction of exactly this hull's era and type.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-25
- Study period
- survey ~1944-45; published 1946
- Population
- WWII pipe coverers and insulators at Navy and contract yards (era context)
- Limitations
- Era-level documentation of asbestos use in naval construction generally; does not name this vessel, class, or builder yard (whether Kaiser Vancouver was among the surveyed contract yards is unverified) and establishes nothing about this hull's materials, condition, or any individual exposure. (The study's exculpatory 'not a dangerous occupation' conclusion has since been heavily criticized - see the 2026 critique at DOI 10.1177/10482911261446696.)
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-olmsted-apa188-08
-
[10]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 to automated fetch, HTTP 403; content via product-page description)
- Finding type
- gov_survey
- Finding
- GAO documented the Navy's asbestos-protection program: standing policy (1975) removed asbestos insulation only when damaged or required for repairs, modified 1979 to selective replacement in high-maintenance areas - i.e., original-era insulation typically remained in place for decades unless a yard period disturbed it. For this hull the policy era postdates active service (decommissioned 1959) and overlaps only the reserve-fleet lay-up and 1983 strip/disposal phase.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- context_only
- Accessed
- 2026-09-25
- Study period
- 1979
- Population
- Navy shipyard workers; asbestos program review (program context)
- Limitations
- Program-level documentation, not hull-specific; fieldwork was at Navy shipyards, not the James River NDRF. Describes Navy policy during the period this hull sat in custody - establishes nothing about material aboard this hull.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-olmsted-apa188-09
-
[11]Vanhoy v. American International Industries et al., No. 1:18-cv-00090 (M.D.N.C.) - complaint filed 2018-02-09; Memorandum Opinion and Recommendation, Docket Entry 94 (Webster, M.J., Oct. 18, 2018) [court_record]
- Locator
- CourtListener docket 6318338 (M.D.N.C. 1:18-cv-00090, filed 2018-02-09, terminated 2019-12-09, J. Schroeder); Doc 94 MOR text via RECAP storage pdf gov.uscourts.ncmd.77759.94.0.pdf (OCR'd; Olmsted passage at 'I. BACKGROUND')
- Finding type
- litigation_documented
- Finding
- Docketed asbestos personal-injury action naming this hull: plaintiff Everette L. Vanhoy, a U.S. Navy Interior Communications Electrician (IC3), alleged mesothelioma (diagnosed 2017-07-21) from asbestos exposure including service aboard USS Olmsted approximately January 1954 - January 1956, during which he 'worked with, or in close proximity to others who worked with, asbestos-containing materials including but not limited to asbestos-containing equipment including the gyro compass, boiler feed water salinity and internal communications telephone system equipment.' The 18 October 2018 memorandum opinion and recommendation recites the allegation as pleaded background and recommends granting in part defendant AII's Rule 12(b)(6) motion (dismissing the common-law conspiracy count against AII only; denying as to the gross-negligence claim); docket terminated 2019-12-09.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-25
- Study period
- 1954-1956 (alleged exposure); 2018-2019 (litigation)
- Population
- Navy Interior Communications Electrician aboard USS Olmsted ~1954-1956 (alleged)
- Limitations
- Pleading-stage allegation, never adjudicated: the MOR evaluates claim sufficiency (conspiracy count dismissed as to AII; gross-negligence count survived) and does not find that asbestos exposure occurred aboard this hull. Termination mechanism (settlement vs dismissal) not retrieved - RECAP docket entry list truncated in API search results; PACER pull not authorized. Complaint also alleges talc-product, home-builder, and mobile-home-plant exposures, so any alleged shipboard exposure is one of several claimed sources.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-olmsted-apa188-10
-
[12]Batch-2257 search ledger (this record): CourtListener API v4 opinion and docket sweeps; VA BVA decision index; indexed-web litigation check [court_record]
- Locator
- search_ledger rows sl-uss-olmsted-apa188-05 through -10 and -12
- Finding type
- litigation_documented
- Finding
- Litigation sweep: beyond the single qualifying action (Vanhoy, ev-uss-olmsted-apa188-10), no other docketed asbestos case or opinion naming this hull was located. CourtListener opinion search '"USS Olmsted"' returned zero results; '"APA-188"' opinion sweep returned one name collision (a Haggen grocery bankruptcy opinion, 590 B.R. 211 - unrelated 'APA' text, not the vessel); 'Vanhoy' opinion sweep returned only name collisions (no MDNC asbestos opinion in the index - the Doc 94 MOR is a district-level recommendation, not an indexed opinion); VA BVA index returned no decision naming the ship (hits are surname collisions, e.g., researcher 'Olmsted RN'); web-index check surfaced only law-firm marketing ship lists naming the hull (asbestos-ships.com, asbestosnavy.com) - an excluded source class.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-25
- Study period
- 2026-09-25
- Limitations
- Name-only sweeps under-cover filings that omit hull numbers or spell the name differently ('Olmstead' appears in some transcriptions); RECAP coverage of the Vanhoy docket's later entries is incomplete, so a merits outcome beyond Doc 94 cannot be ruled out from public indexes; a residual '"Olmsted" asbestos' docket sweep remained fleet-paced out at close of research (sl-12). Absence of located litigation does not establish that no claim was ever brought.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-olmsted-apa188-11
-
[13]NARA record-group path for hull-level records (RG 24 deck logs; RG 19 BuShips design/plans; RG 178 USMC contract file for MCV 656; RG 357 MARAD/NDRF custody file) + PACER for the Vanhoy docket + NavSource-hosted crew Magic Carpet souvenir PDF [other_primary]
- Locator
- NARA RG guide pages 024/019/178/357; NavSource PDF 03188a.pdf; M.D.N.C. PACER 1:18-cv-00090
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Archival leads not retrieved (no spend authorized): Navy deck logs for USS Olmsted 1944-1959 (RG 24, NARA College Park; digitization status unverified); BuShips VC2-S-AP5 design records and Booklet of General Plans (RG 19); USMC construction-contract file for MCV hull 656 at Kaiser Vancouver (RG 178); MARAD/NDRF custody file including the February 1983 defueling record and the MA-11377/11378 Waterman trade-out sale file (RG 357 - strongest disposal-phase hazmat lead); PACER entries for M.D.N.C. 1:18-cv-00090 post-Doc 94 (termination mechanism); crew-compiled 'Magic Carpet' souvenir PDF on the NavSource page.
- Verification
- unverified
- Role
- archival_lead
- Documentation level
- context_only
- Accessed
- 2026-09-25
- Study period
- 1944-1984 (records); 2026-09-25 (assessment)
- Limitations
- Leads only - none retrieved; existence in the cited record groups is expected but unverified for this hull.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-olmsted-apa188-12