Evidence
7 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-7).
-
[1]DANFS entry 'Princeton V (CV-37)', NHHC migrated edition [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- Construction paragraph and spec block
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- DANFS entry documents construction: laid down as Valley Forge 14 September 1943 at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, renamed Princeton 21 November 1944, launched 8 July 1945, and commissioned 18 November 1945. DANFS spec block: displacement 27,100 tons, complement 3,448, class Essex.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-18
- Study period
- 1943-1945
- Population
- Princeton crew (3,448 per spec block)
- Limitations
- Ship-specific build record only - no materials content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-princeton-cv37-01
-
[2]DANFS entry 'Princeton V (CV-37)' + NHHC Online Library CV-37 page [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- DANFS 1949-59 sections; OL summary
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Service and yard periods per DANFS and Online Library: Atlantic then Pacific service from June 1946; decommissioned 20 June 1949; recalled at Korea outbreak - recommissioned 28 August 1950, three combat tours with TF 77 - her air group covered the Chosin Reservoir withdrawal and Hungnam evacuation - (December 1950-August 1951, April-October 1952, March 1953-war's end), reclassified CVA-37 1 October 1952; reclassified CVS-37 January 1954 after conversion at Bremerton; Indian Ocean/Persian Gulf deployment 1957-58; redesignated LPH-5 2 March 1959 after conversion to amphibious assault carrier.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-18
- Study period
- 1946-1959
- Population
- Crew and embarked Marines; yard workforces at Bremerton (Puget Sound NSY) during CVS conversion
- Limitations
- Documents the Bremerton CVS conversion and an LPH rebuild (yard for LPH not named in sources read) - exposure-relevant settings, not an asbestos record.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-princeton-cv37-02
-
[3]DANFS entry 'Princeton V (CV-37)'; NHHC Online Library CV-37 page; NHHC Naval Aviation appendix (app03.pdf) [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- DANFS final paragraph; OL final paragraph; app03 CV-37 row
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Final years per DANFS/OL/appendix: vertical-envelopment amphibious operations; landed Marines at Chu Lai May 1965, transported Marine aircraft to Vietnam summer 1965, combat-support deployments 1966 onward; Apollo 10 recovery ship April 1969; decommissioned and stricken 30 January 1970; sold to Zidell Explorations, Inc., of Portland, Ore., in September 1972 (DANFS - OL gives 'sold for scrapping in May 1971,' a preserved conflict).
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-18
- Study period
- 1959-1972
- Population
- None
- Limitations
- Scrapping-sale conflict (Sep 1972 DANFS vs May 1971 OL) preserved - see gaps.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-princeton-cv37-03
-
[4]Welch v. Crane Co., No. 2:22-cv-00302-RAJ (W.D. Wash.), Order, 30 June 2023 [court_record]
- Locator
- Order Facts section (Welch Dep. citations pp.2-3; Ott opinion); Conclusion
- Finding type
- litigation_documented
- Finding
- Published W.D. Wash. summary-judgment order reciting the decedent's own evidence: David Welch served in the Navy 1965-1969 - USS Carronade 1966-1968 and USS Princeton 1968-1969, 'coming out of mothballs' - as a fireman in the pipefitters' welding shop; during Princeton's six-month overhaul he performed valve repair alongside yard workers, pulled old asbestos packing from valves with wire tools and compressed air, and cleaned up the resulting 'big mess' of asbestos packing; expert Commander Andrew Ott opined on asbestos exposure from manufacturers' valves aboard both ships. The court DENIED Crane Co.'s summary judgment (claims proceed to trial) and GRANTED Velan Valve's (no evidence of Velan-product exposure).
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-18
- Study period
- 1968-1969 (service); 2023 (order)
- Population
- Decedent David Welch, fireman/pipefitters' shop aboard CV-37 1968-69; alleged asbestos exposure from valve packing/gaskets, mesothelioma (d. 2022)
- Limitations
- Summary-judgment stage: the order recites plaintiff's deposition/interrogatory/expert evidence; denial of Crane's motion means triable issues exist - NOT an adjudicated exposure finding. Velan's grant is a defendant-favorable merits ruling on product identification, not exposure proof. Order text verified from a verbatim PDF copy hosted by a defense firm (official docket copy; not in govinfo USCOURTS).
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-princeton-cv37-04
-
[5]In Re: Asbestos Litigation (Carlton), Del. Super. Ct. C.A. No. 10C-08-216-ASB (2012); Justia mirror blocked this session [court_record]
- Locator
- Justia case page (law.justia.com/cases/delaware/superior-court/2012/10c-08-216-asb.html) returned 403 Cloudflare; descriptive details per secondary sources - unverified against opinion text
- Finding type
- litigation_documented
- Finding
- Second litigation record located but text-inaccessible: In Re: Asbestos Litigation (Kenneth Carlton, limited to Crane Co.), Delaware Superior Court, C.A. No. 10C-08-216-ASB (2012). Secondary references describe Carlton as a boiler tender who served aboard USS Princeton, USS Neches, and USS Mattaponi and recalled work on John Crane Inc. pumps, valves, and steam traps installed before he came aboard. Carried as an archival lead pending full-text retrieval.
- Verification
- unverified
- Role
- archival_lead
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-18
- Study period
- reported service era unstated; 2012 (opinion)
- Population
- Navy boiler tender aboard CV-37, USS Neches, USS Mattaponi; alleged asbestos exposure from Crane products
- Limitations
- Unverified lead: the opinion exists but its text could not be retrieved this session (Justia Cloudflare-blocked; not in govinfo USCOURTS; CourtListener API throttled). Stage and exact ship references unconfirmed - do not treat as exposure evidence until the opinion text is read.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-princeton-cv37-05
-
[6]Batch-56 search ledger (this record): govinfo USCOURTS sweeps; W.D. Wash. order copy; DANFS; NHHC OL; appendix; web searches [other_primary]
- Locator
- search_ledger rows sl-uss-princeton-cv37-01 through -09
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- No adjudicated ship-specific asbestos finding exists for this hull: the Welch record sits at summary-judgment recital stage (Crane claims survive; Velan dismissed); the Carlton record is unverified; no insulation survey, abatement contract, or dismantlement hazmat disclosure naming CV-37 was located.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-18
- Study period
- 2026-09-18
- Population
- None
- Limitations
- Negative on adjudicated/surveyed documentation only - deposition-detail allegations exist (Welch) plus one unverified lead (Carlton).
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-princeton-cv37-06
-
[7]Essex-class profile (class-a/essex-class.class.json); O'Neil v. Crane Co., 53 Cal. 4th 335 (2012) for era Navy spec context [other_primary]
- Locator
- class profile era-application list; O'Neil steam-system specification discussion
- Finding type
- asbestos_application
- Finding
- Class/era context: Essex/Ticonderoga-class carriers were built 1941-45 under peak-era Navy insulation specifications - the class record for this profile lists eight boilers feeding four geared steam turbines, and the published O'Neil record (Cal. Supreme Court 2012, on sister ship USS Oriskany) confirms Navy specifications of the era required asbestos-containing insulation and gasket/packing materials on warship steam systems. Era-typical applications for the class: boiler/fireroom insulation, steam-pipe lagging, turbine lagging, valve and flange gaskets and packing, deck tile, bulkhead insulation, and cable insulation.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-18
- Study period
- 1943-1945 (construction era)
- Population
- None
- Limitations
- Era-standard application list plus a sister-ship appellate record - prioritizes research only; it is NOT a ship-specific finding and does not confirm installed materials on this hull.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-princeton-cv37-07