USS Remus (ARL-40)

Evidence

12 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-12).

1. [1]research packet bi-packet.md (4 sources cited) [other_primary]

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   Identity packet verdict: VERIFIED

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Evidence ID

   uss-remus-arl40-pkt-bi-packet-md

2. [2]DANFS (NHHC), 'Remus' entry (article dated 23 September 2005) - verbatim text via 26 May 2024 Wayback capture; canonical history.navy.mil URL returns 404 (standing NHHC link rot, same defect as Batch-01) [nhhc_danfs]

   Locator

   DANFS 'Remus' entry, full text + stats block; canonical https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/r/remus.html (404 on 2026-09-26)

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   DANFS entry for Remus (LST-453): laid down by the Kaiser Co., Vancouver, Wash., 28 July 1942; sponsored by Mrs. Edward M. Argersinger; commissioned as LST-453 on 21 January 1943, Lt. A. J. Hamre, USNR, in command. Following shakedown off the west coast, LST-453 sailed west 2 March 1943 for Brisbane, Australia, via Pearl Harbor and Noumea; arriving at Brisbane 8 May, she was converted to a repair ship and tender for amphibious craft. Departed Brisbane for Milne Bay 6 June 1943, arriving 17 June as one of the first amphibious craft in New Guinea; three days later to Goodenough Island, tending and repairing LCTs and other small craft through the summer. 13 September ordered to Buna, adding duties as flagship, Landing Craft Control Officer; while at Buna the only source of supply for ships in the forward area, tending up to 70 ships per month. 15 December received several near misses from medium bombers at Hanisch Harbor; shifted to Cape Cretin amid frequent air raids. January 1944 assigned a 400-ton pontoon drydock; operated one to two drydocks for the remainder of her southwest-Pacific tour, towing the drydock forward on every move. 15 April sent to the Admiralty Islands to service ships staging for the Hollandia-Aitape invasion; returned to Cape Cretin 24 April 1944; operations there until 14 June 1944; sailed for Alexishaven [sic; Alexishafen], joining several other tenders on a rigid repair program. 15 August 1944 redesignated ARL-40 and named Remus. Departed Alexishafen 15 September 1944 for Mios Woendi as advanced base tender of the 7th Fleet Amphibious Force. 12 January 1945 sailed for Leyte, arriving the 22d; charged with repairs to all LCTs in the area, operating two drydocks - one 250-ton pontoon dock for LCTs and one 400-ton dock for LCIs and LCSs. Sailed east 17 October 1945; transited the Panama Canal 6 December; arrived New Orleans 8 days later to join the Atlantic Reserve Fleet; through spring 1946 prepared landing craft for the mothball fleet; decommissioned 15 July 1946; struck 15 August 1946; sold to B. T. Jones for scrap 16 December 1947. DANFS stats block: dp 4,100; l. 328'0"; b. 50'0"; dr. 11'2"; s. 11 k.; cpl. 289; a. 1 3", 1 40mm., 6 20mm.; cl. Achelous.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-26

   Study period

   1942-1947

   Limitations

   Naval-history narrative only; contains no asbestos, insulation-material, abatement, or survey statement and supports no exposure claim. Narrative arithmetic (departed 17 Oct 1945, Canal 6 Dec, arrived '8 days later') yields New Orleans arrival 14 Dec 1945 - see correction row ev-10 on the secondary-source 1946 misprint.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-remus-arl40-01

3. [3]NavSource Naval History, USS Remus (ARL-40) Amphibious Photo Archive page (secondary compilation transcribing official records: campaign credits, awards, CO list, LST and ARL specification blocks) [other_primary]

   Locator

   navsource.net/archives/10/16/160453.htm (.net live host; .org resolves to same archive)

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   NavSource Amphibious Photo Archive page for USS Remus (ARL-40) ex USS LST-453 (1943-1944): laid down 28 July 1942 at Kaiser Co., Vancouver, WA; launched 10 October 1942; commissioned USS LST-453 21 January 1943, LT Adolph J. Hamre USNR in command; converted to a Landing Craft Repair Ship at Brisbane, Australia in May 1943; named USS Remus (ARL-40) 15 August 1944; decommissioned 15 July 1946 at New Orleans, LA; struck from the Naval Register 15 August 1946; earned two battle stars for WWII service; sold 4 November 1947 to B. T. Jones, New Orleans, withdrawn from the Reserve Fleet 16 December 1947; final disposition 'fate unknown.' Campaign credits: Bismarck Archipelago operation - Arawe, New Britain, 15 December 1943; Eastern New Guinea operation - supporting/consolidating operations designated by Commander Seventh Fleet 15 September-30 October and 15-16 December 1943, Finschhafen occupation 17 December 1943-17 February 1944. Awards bar: Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive, 15 December 1943), American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (2 stars), WWII Victory Medal, Philippines Liberation Medal; call sign NFGA. Commanding officers: LT Hamre 21 Jan 43-20 Oct 43 (LST-453); LCDR Oliver L. Norman USNR 20 Oct 43-26 Oct 45 (LST-453/ARL-40); LCDR John Balford Brady USN 26 Oct 45-15 Jul 46 (ARL-40). ARL specifications: displacement 3,900 t lt / 4,100 t fl; length 328'; beam 50'; draft 11'2" lim; 11.6 kts; largest boom capacity 60 t; complement officers 22, enlisted 233; armament one single 3"/50 dual-purpose mount, two quad 40mm AA mounts w/Mk.51 directors, six twin 20mm AA mounts; diesel fuel 4,715 bbls; propulsion two General Motors 12-567A diesels, single Falk main reduction gears, three 100 kW 120/240 V DC plus two 100 kW 450 V AC diesel-drive generators, two propellers 1,700 shp, twin rudders. NavSource holds no images of the hull.

   Verification

   partial

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-26

   Study period

   1942-1947

   Limitations

   Secondary compilation; entries cross-checked against DANFS and shipscribe where they overlap and are consistent. Itemized complement (22+233=255) conflicts with DANFS stats-block 289 - carried in gaps. 'Sold 4 November 1947 ... withdrawn 16 December 1947' reconciles with DANFS 'sold for scrap 16 December 1947' as contract vs delivery - logged in ev-10. No asbestos content.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-remus-arl40-02

4. [4]Shipscribe (Stephen S. Roberts / T. Colton data), 'USS Remus (ARL-40) Class' data page - construction/disposition tables, per-ship notes, and class notes compiled from BuShips/OpNav records and the crew-written ship's history [other_primary]

   Locator

   ARL-40 rows in Construction and Disposition tables; Class Notes section; REMUS ship note

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   Shipscribe REMUS (ARL-40) class data page covering the two in-theater conversions (ARL-40 ex LST-453, ARL-41 Achilles ex LST-455): construction table REMUS - reclassified 15 Aug 44, builder Kaiser Vancouver, keel 28 Jul 42, launch 10 Oct 42; disposition table - decommissioned 15 Jul 46, struck 15 Aug 46, disposal 16 Dec 47, fate 'MC' (Maritime Commission), MA sale 4 Nov 47; ship note 'Ex LST-453 15 Aug 44. Commissioned as LST 21 Jan 43. To buyer 16 Dec 47.' Class notes document the improvised conversion: after arriving Brisbane 8 May 43 and before any duty as an LST, LST-453 received 'a three-day availability for a conversion that was of necessity very meager and which consisted of loading but not installing a few pieces of essential equipment'; 'a land base repair unit was ordered aboard to comprise the repair department'; unofficially designated repair ship and tender for amphibious craft; administratively transferred from amphibious to service force 1 Jul 44; CominCh then formally approved in-theater conversion of the two LSTs to ARLs; 'on 1 Aug 44 CNO designated them ARL 40-41' (in compensation ARL-25 and ARL-34 were deleted from the stateside conversion program and completed as LSTs); after reclassification ARL-40 'further converted by her crew at Woendi Is. between Sep 44 and Jan 45'; at Leyte from January 1945 operated two floating drydocks (250-ton pontoon for LCTs, 400-ton for LCIs/LCSs); at inactivation inspection the ship 'had not seen a shipyard since March 1943' and 'was described as damaged and worn beyond economical repair.' Class header data: design Navy LST; displacement 2,115 t light / 4,100 t lim; 328.0' oa, 316.0' pp x 50.0' e x 11.2' lim; no complement listed; 11.6 kts; 1,800 HP; G.M. diesels, 2 screws; armament 1944 (ARL-40) 1-3"/50, 1-40mm, 6-20mm; later 1945-46 (ARL-40) 1-3"/50, 6-20mm.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-26

   Study period

   1942-1947

   Limitations

   Well-regarded secondary reference compiling official register and program data; per-ship dates cross-verified against DANFS and NavSource. The class-notes conversion narrative cites 'the history written by her crew' - a wartime ship's history not retrieved (archival lead, ev-11). 'MA Sale 4 Nov 47' column reconciles the DANFS/NavSource sale-date split - see ev-10. No asbestos content.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-remus-arl40-03

5. [5]Shipbuildinghistory.com (T. Colton), Kaiser Vancouver yard table - hull 157 row [other_primary]

   Locator

   Kaiser Vancouver construction table, yard hull 157 / MC hull 973 / LST 453 row

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   Kaiser Vancouver yard table (shipbuildinghistory.com): yard hull 157 = LST 453, MC hull 973, type LST; keel 28-Jul-42, launch 10-Oct-42, delivered 21-Jan-43; 74 days on ways, 103 in water, 177 total; disposition 'Converted to Remus (ARL 40) 1944, scrapped 1947.' Confirms builder, MARCOM contract hull (S3-M-K2 design), and build interval; corroborates DANFS dates exactly.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-26

   Study period

   1942-1947

   Limitations

   Secondary compilation of yard/builder records; keel, launch, and delivery dates match DANFS/NavSource/shipscribe exactly. 'Scrapped 1947' is the disposal summary consistent with the B. T. Jones sale; post-sale scrapping location/process not documented. No asbestos content.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-remus-arl40-04

6. [6]DANFS LST appendix, LST-453 entry (historycentral.com/navy/patrol/21.html transcription of the NHHC/DANFS LST-histories appendix) [nhhc_danfs]

   Locator

   Historycentral 'History of LST-450-500' page, LST-453 paragraph

   Finding type

   vessel_history

   Finding

   DANFS LST appendix entry for LST-453 (historycentral.com transcription mirror): laid down 28 July 1942 at Vancouver, Wash., by Kaiser, Inc.; launched 10 October 1942; sponsored by Mrs. Edward M. Argersinger; commissioned 21 January 1943, Lt. A. J. Hamre, USNR, in command; assigned Asiatic-Pacific theater - Eastern New Guinea operation (supporting and consolidation operations September-December 1943; Finschhafen occupation December 1943-February 1944) and Bismarck Archipelago operation (Arawe, New Britain, December 1943); redesignated ARL-40 and named Remus (q.v.) 15 August 1944; decommissioned 15 July 1946 and struck 15 August 1946; sold to B. T. Jones 16 December 1947 for scrapping; 'LST-453 earned one battle star for World War II service.'

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   context

   Documentation level

   ship_specific

   Accessed

   2026-09-26

   Study period

   1942-1947

   Limitations

   Secondary-site transcription of the DANFS numbered-LST appendix; consistent with the main Remus entry and NavSource except the 'one battle star' credit, which conflicts with NavSource's two-star/campaign table - logged in ev-10. No asbestos content.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-remus-arl40-05

7. [7]Bureau of Ships, Ships' Data, U.S. Naval Vessels, Vol. 2 (Jan 1945), LST design table (shipscribe.com scan); consolidated era inference per LST-class profile (class-f, lst-1-class.class.json) [other_primary]

   Locator

   SDB1945v2 LST design table (LST-1 group row); class profile exposure_relevant_variation notes

   Finding type

   asbestos_application

   Finding

   Era/design inference for the LST-1-design diesel hull on which this ship was built: the BuShips Ships' Data 1945 Vol. 2 design table for the LST groups gives two G.M. diesels on two shafts and no boilers - a diesel plant with no steam-system lagging pathway; asbestos-relevant applications on this design concentrate in diesel exhaust lagging and gaskets, engine-room thermal/acoustic insulation, deck coverings/tile, bulkhead and accommodation insulation, and winch/crane brake linings; repair-ship duty added an era-consistent second pathway - handling and overhaul of landing-craft machinery (LCT/LCI/LCS engines, gaskets, packing, insulation, friction materials) in embarked shop spaces, with up to 70 ships tended per month at Buna and two floating drydocks at Leyte per DANFS.

   Verification

   inferred

   Role

   supporting

   Documentation level

   class_or_era

   Accessed

   2026-09-26

   Study period

   1942-1947

   Population

   Construction trades (Kaiser Vancouver, 1942-43); embarked land-base repair unit and ship's repair/engineering crew (1943-46)

   Limitations

   Class/design documentation, not a hull record - the BuShips table does not name this vessel and does not state 'asbestos' content; asbestos presence aboard this hull is era inference, not ship-proven. The repair-workload pathway is documented as an activity (ships tended, drydocks operated) - its asbestos scope is inference; no survey, material schedule, or medical record for this hull exists in located sources. Does not establish quantity, present-day presence, individual exposure, or causation.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-remus-arl40-06

8. [8]Fleischer, W.E., Viles, F.J. Jr., Gade, R.L., Drinker, P., 'A Health Survey of Pipe Covering Operations in Constructing Naval Vessels,' Journal of Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology 28:9-16 (January 1946), PMID 21016030 [other_primary]

   Locator

   PubMed record PMID 21016030; article pp. 9-16

   Finding type

   asbestos_application

   Finding

   Navy-contract-yard industrial-health survey published as Fleischer, Viles, Gade & Drinker (1946): 'An important ingredient of pipe covering material used on U. S. Navy vessels is amosite'; much asbestos cloth and asbestos cement were likewise in use; surveyed pipe-covering operations at two Government Navy yards and two Navy contract yards with dust counts, microscopic and chemical dust analysis, and chest X-rays of 1,074 workers.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   context

   Documentation level

   class_or_era

   Accessed

   2026-09-26

   Study period

   1943-1946 survey era; article 1946

   Population

   Pipe coverers and shipyard workers at surveyed Navy/contract yards

   Limitations

   Documents asbestos materials and exposure in naval-vessel CONSTRUCTION at yards - not shipboard conditions on this hull and not this hull's construction yard specifically. Program/era context only; establishes no exposure aboard Remus.

   Atlas source

   true

   Evidence ID

   ev-uss-remus-arl40-07

9. [9]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 program under which this LST-design hull was mass-produced at the Kaiser Vancouver emergency yard, and that wartime demand drove unprecedented asbestos utilization aboard Navy hulls.

   Verification

   verified

   Role

   context

   Documentation level

   class_or_era

   Accessed

   2026-09-26

   Study period

   1940s era documented; article 1987

   Population

   WWII shipyard workers and ship crews (class context)

   Limitations

   Program/era-level scholarship; does not name this vessel 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-remus-arl40-08

10. [10]CourtListener API v4 search (authenticated, fleet-paced via cl-auth-search.py) [court_record]

    Locator

    search_ledger rows sl-uss-remus-arl40-10 through -15

    Finding type

    litigation_documented

    Finding

    CourtListener authenticated API v4 sweeps (2026-09-26): exact-name '"USS Remus"' opinion returned zero; hull-number '"ARL-40"' opinion returned zero; laid-down designation '"LST-453"' opinion returned zero; broad 'Remus' opinion sweep returned 808 hits of which the first-page 20 were inspected - all name collisions (the surname in Remus Litoiu v. State and Estate of Harlon C. Remus; Remus v. City of Kalamazoo SCOTUS cert; corporate parties Remus Joint Venture and Remus Enterprises; criminal matters State of Tennessee v. David Remus), none vessel- or asbestos-related; 'Remus' docket (RECAP type=r) sweep returned 2,066 dockets / 8,460 documents of which the first-page 20 were inspected - all name collisions, individual bankruptcy dockets for debtors named Remus (Andrew Bernard Remus, Remus Eason, Jeffrey S. Remus, et al.); the 'Remus AND asbestos' opinion query was blocked by the shared fleet pacing budget at session time and is carried as an open gap (sl-15). A general web sweep for litigation naming the hull returned no qualifying result. No qualifying asbestos litigation located.

    Verification

    partial

    Role

    negative_finding

    Documentation level

    ship_specific

    Accessed

    2026-09-26

    Study period

    2026-09-26

    Limitations

    Exact-name and both hull-designation opinion queries returned zero. The broad opinion sweep (20 of 808 hits inspected) and the docket sweep (20 of 2,066 inspected) are dominated by surname/corporate/bankruptcy collisions - all inspected hits non-qualifying; the uninspected remainders are low-likelihood but unverified, and the 'Remus AND asbestos' opinion query could not be run under the fleet throttle at session time. Absence of a docketed opinion is not proof no claim was ever filed - most asbestos cases plead shipboard exposure without naming the hull in published opinions.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-remus-arl40-09

11. [11]Cross-source reconciliation: DANFS vs NavSource vs shipscribe (sale date split; arrival arithmetic; complement; battle stars; designation vs effective date; displacement figures) [other_primary]

    Locator

    shipscribe ARL-40 rows and class notes; DANFS entry text; NavSource 160453.htm blocks; DANFS LST appendix (historycentral mirror); Kaiser Vancouver yard table

    Finding type

    historical_record

    Finding

    Corrections logged against secondary-source readings: (a) sale/scrap dates - NavSource and shipscribe record MA sale 4 November 1947 with withdrawal/delivery to buyer B. T. Jones 16 December 1947, while DANFS states 'sold to B. T. Jones for scrap 16 December 1947'; the contract-vs-delivery reconciliation is adopted; (b) New Orleans arrival - DANFS narrative arithmetic (departed 17 Oct 1945, Canal transit 6 Dec, arrived '8 days later') yields 14 December 1945, while the Wikipedia infobox prints 'Transferred to the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, 14 December 1946' - a secondary-source year inconsistency; 1945 carried; (c) complement - DANFS stats block 289 vs NavSource itemized 22 officers + 233 enlisted = 255 vs shipscribe none - unresolved; (d) battle stars - NavSource credits two across the listed campaigns, DANFS LST appendix credits 'one battle star' - internal DANFS inconsistency, two-star figure carried; (e) designation date - shipscribe class notes give CNO designation of ARL 40-41 on 1 August 1944 while DANFS/NavSource/shipscribe tables give effective reclassification 15 August 1944 - both stated, effective date carried; (f) light-displacement - shipscribe class table 2,115 t vs NavSource ARL block 3,900 t - measurement-basis difference, both attributed; (g) AC generator rating - NavSource ARL-40 block lists two 100 kW 450 V AC sets where the sister ARL-22 block lists 60 kW - minor spec variance noted.

    Verification

    verified

    Role

    correction

    Documentation level

    ship_specific

    Accessed

    2026-09-26

    Study period

    1942-1947

    Limitations

    Resolves or flags publication-level discrepancies in secondary framings; affects dates/figures only; no asbestos significance.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-remus-arl40-10

12. [12]NARA Guide to Federal Records: RG 24 (Navy deck logs), RG 19 (Bureau of Ships), RG 181 (naval districts and shore establishments); MARAD disposal-records path [other_primary]

    Locator

    archives.gov RG 24/19/181 guides

    Finding type

    historical_record

    Finding

    Archival leads (not retrieved - requires research-room or reproduction order; no spend authorized): NARA RG 24 deck logs covering USS LST-453 (Jan 1943-Aug 1944) and USS Remus ARL-40 (Aug 1944-Jul 1946); RG 19 Bureau of Ships records for MARCOM hull 973 construction at Kaiser Vancouver (yard hull 157); the crew-written ship's history of LST-453 cited in the shipscribe class notes (wartime ships' histories, NHHC library or NARA), which may describe the Brisbane availability and embarked land-base repair unit in detail; the pre-disposal inactivation survey recording the 'damaged and worn beyond economical repair' finding (Eighth Naval District / Atlantic Reserve Fleet records, RG 181); and the Maritime Administration sale file for the 4 November 1947 B. T. Jones sale, which may document as-is condition at delivery.

    Verification

    unverified

    Role

    archival_lead

    Documentation level

    context_only

    Accessed

    2026-09-26

    Study period

    1942-1947 records

    Limitations

    Record-group mapping only - no box-level retrieval performed; existence of asbestos-specific documents for this hull is unknown until surveyed. Nothing in this row is an asbestos finding.

    Atlas source

    true

    Evidence ID

    ev-uss-remus-arl40-11