Evidence
6 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-6).
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[1]research packet ih-packet.md (2 sources cited) [nhhc_danfs]
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Identity packet verdict: VERIFIED
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Evidence ID
- uss-reuben-james-de153-pkt-ih-packet-md
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[2]DANFS, Reuben James II (DE-153) - full entry incl. post-1947 supplement (live NHHC page returns 404; verbatim transcriptions via losthistory.net/hazegray and ibiblio HyperWar mirrors) [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- DANFS entry 'Reuben James II', DE-153 specifications block and full service narrative
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- DANFS record for this hull: laid down 7 September 1942 by the Navy Yard, Norfolk, Va.; launched 6 February 1943, sponsored by Mrs. Oliver Hiram Ward; commissioned 1 April 1943, Lt. Comdr. Frank D. Giambattista in command. Based at Miami for antisubmarine patrols and escort/ASW training; October 1943 escorted the torpedoed tanker Balls Bluff to Charleston, S.C.; base shifted to Norfolk March 1944; June 1944 convoy New York-Norfolk; 13 July-7 November 1944 escorted two convoys to the Mediterranean - on the first eastbound voyage nine German bombers attacked the convoy off Algeria 1 August 1944 and Reuben James shot down one bomber; returned to Boston 7 November 1944 and joined a North Atlantic antisubmarine group; operating south of Newfoundland, was present when USS Buckley (DE-51) sank U-879 on 19 April 1945. Arrived Houston, Tex., 4 July 1945 and completed conversion to a radar picket ship 25 November; operated in the Atlantic and Caribbean out of Norfolk; entered Charleston Naval Shipyard July 1947 and decommissioned 11 October 1947; designated DER in 1949, reclassified DE in 1954; remained in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet until struck from the Navy list 30 June 1968; hulk sunk as target 1 March 1971. Spec block: Buckley class, 1,740 t (f.), 306 ft, 37 ft beam, 13 ft 6 in draft, 23.6 kt, complement 213.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-28
- Study period
- 1942-1971
- Population
- Norfolk Navy Yard construction trades 1942-43; ship's company 1943-1947 (design complement 213); Charleston Naval Shipyard inactivation workforce 1947
- Limitations
- DANFS documents construction, service history, and specifications - not materials or asbestos content. The two DANFS transcriptions carry different spec blocks - ibiblio's earlier edition (3x 3"/50, matching the TE-type as-built fit) vs. hazegray/losthistory's later edition (2x 5" + 3x 3", consistent with the DER radar-picket configuration) - carried in gaps, not reconciled. The ibiblio transcription omits the builder clause and the post-1947 history; the hazegray/losthistory transcription carries both - mirrors cited because the live NHHC page returns 404.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-reuben-james-de153-01
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[3]NavSource Online Destroyer Escort Photo Archive, USS Reuben James (DE 153) page - building and operational data chronology and specifications block [other_primary]
- Locator
- navsource.net/archives/06/153.htm - 'Building and Operational Data' chronology and 'Specifications' block
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- NavSource operational chronology for this hull corroborates and extends the DANFS record: keel laid 7 September 1942 by the Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Va.; launched and christened 6 February 1943, sponsor Mrs. Oliver Hiram Ward (great-grandniece of Bos'n James); commissioned 1 April 1943 at Berth 108, Pier 3, St. Helena Annex of the Norfolk Navy Yard, Berkley, Va., Lcdr. Frank D. Giambattista; conversion to DER commenced 4 July 1945 at Brown Shipbuilding Co., Houston, Tex.; 27 October 1945 Navy Day at Galveston with Reno (CL-96), Bray (APD-139), Redfin (SS-272), Sea Robin (SS-407); DER conversion completed 25 November 1945; decommissioned 11 October 1947 at the Charleston Naval Shipyard; redesignated DER while in reserve 1949, reclassified DE 1954; struck from the NVR 30 June 1968; used as explosives test ship 1968-1971; sunk as target 1 March 1971. Specifications: Buckley class, TE type (turbine-electric drive, 3-inch guns) - 2 'D' Express boilers, G.E. turbines with electric drive, 12,000 shp, 2 screws, 24 kts, complement 15 officers / 198 enlisted.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-28
- Study period
- 1942-1971
- Population
- Ship's company 1943-1947; Brown Shipbuilding conversion workforce July-November 1945; Charleston Naval Shipyard inactivation workforce 1947
- Limitations
- NavSource is a volunteer-maintained archive transcribing official records (NVR-style dates, DANFS, photo captions) - secondary compilation, not a primary record; it is the only located source naming Brown Shipbuilding as the conversion yard (DANFS says only 'Houston, Tex.'). Contains no asbestos or materials information.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-reuben-james-de153-02
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[4]uboat.net Allied Warships - USS Reuben James (ii) (DE 153) warship page (specification block, commanding-officer list, convoy-event roster) and USS Reuben James (i) (DD 245) warship page at https://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/2341.html [other_primary]
- Locator
- uboat.net/allies/warships/1424.html - specification block, commands list, 'Notable events' convoy UGS-48 entry; uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/2341.html (DD-245 loss entry)
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- uboat.net warship record for this hull corroborates the DANFS/NavSource dates (ordered 10 January 1942; laid down 7 Sep 1942; launched 6 Feb 1943; commissioned 1 Apr 1943; end service 11 Oct 1947; stricken 30 Jun 1968; explosives test ship 1968-1971; sunk as target 1 Mar 1971) and names her escort assignment on convoy UGS-48, which departed Hampton Roads 14 July 1944 - matching the DANFS account of the first eastbound Mediterranean voyage attacked off Algeria 1 August 1944. Commanding-officer list (wartime): T/Cdr. Frank D. Giambattista (Apr 1943), A.E. Sharp Jr., G.S.J. Forde, V.A. Isaacs, Lt. Grant Cowherd (from 17 Sep 1944). Namesake sequence per uboat.net and NavSource: DE-153 was the second ship of the name, preceded by DD-245 - sunk 31 October 1941 by U-552 while escorting convoy HX-156, the first U.S. Navy warship lost in WWII - and succeeded by FFG-57.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-28
- Study period
- 1942-1971
- Population
- Ship's company 1943-1947
- Limitations
- Secondary compilation maintained by the uboat.net project - corroborates official-source dates but adds two single-source elements (ordered date, CO roster) that are unverified against contract documents or muster records. Contains no asbestos or materials information.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-reuben-james-de153-03
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[5]NavSource DE-153 specifications block (Buckley class, TE type - 2 'D' Express boilers, G.E. turbo-electric drive) + BuShips Ships' Data 1945 design groups 2-3 (via Buckley class profile) + navypedia TE boiler-block map (B&W for DE-153) + Atlas shipyards.json query; NARA RG 19 General Information Books archival lead [other_primary]
- Locator
- NavSource DE-153 specifications block; BuShips SDB 1945 v1 pp. 234-235 (per buckley-class profile ev-buckley-class-01); navypedia us_de_te boiler-block map; shipyards.json (37 yard_ids - 'brown-shipbuilding' absent); NARA RG 19 lead unretrieved
- Finding type
- asbestos_application
- Finding
- Era/design inference: the Buckley class is the turbo-electric (TE) destroyer escort design - one of only two DE classes (with the WGT Butler class) carrying a full steam plant. BuShips Ships' Data 1945 design groups 2-3 document 2 'D' express-type boilers at 435 psi/750F superheat feeding GE turbo-electric machinery, 12,000 shp; the navypedia per-block boiler map assigns Babcock & Wilcox boilers to the DE-153 block. A 1942-43 steam-driven combatant would have carried era-standard asbestos applications - boiler/fireroom insulation, steam-line and turbine lagging, gaskets, packing, fireproofing, and deck coverings. Builder Norfolk Navy Yard is an Atlas shipyard (norfolk-naval-shipyard). The 1945 DER conversion at Brown Shipbuilding Co., Houston, is a documented yard-disturbance event whose asbestos scope is undocumented; Brown Shipbuilding is not an Atlas shipyards.json entry. NARA RG 19 Bureau of Ships 'General Information Books' per-vessel material specifications are the archival lead for hull-level specs.
- Verification
- inferred
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-28
- Study period
- 1942-1971
- Population
- Norfolk Navy Yard construction trades 1942-43; Brown Shipbuilding conversion trades 1945; crew 1943-47; Atlantic Reserve Fleet caretaker personnel 1947-68
- Limitations
- Class/era and builder inference only - NOT a hull-specific finding. No ship-specific asbestos record was located for this hull (see ev-uss-reuben-james-de153-05). Does not quantify material, does not establish any individual's exposure, and does not establish presence at sinking (hulk sunk as target 1971). NARA GIB retrieval not performed; Brown Shipbuilding conversion work packages not retrieved.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-reuben-james-de153-04
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[6]Batch-4064 search ledger (this record): CourtListener API v4 exact-name query "USS Reuben James" and hull-number queries "DE-153"/"DER-153" (opinion index; RECAP/docket index attempted); NHHC DANFS; NavSource; uboat.net; NVR; Atlas shipyards.json; web sweep for hull-specific asbestos records [court_record]
- Locator
- search_ledger rows sl-uss-reuben-james-de153-10 through sl-uss-reuben-james-de153-14
- Finding type
- litigation_documented
- Finding
- No qualifying ship-specific asbestos record located for DE-153/DER-153: no hull ACM survey, no abatement contract, no museum hazmat disclosure (hulk sunk as target 1971 - no custodian), and no qualifying asbestos litigation names the hull. CourtListener: "USS Reuben James" opinions returned 2 hits, both Magneson v. Mabus (D.D.C. 2015, 2016) - Navy personnel litigation (Detached for Cause / promotion dispute) by a lieutenant who served as Chief Engineer aboard USS Reuben James 2009-2011, i.e. the frigate FFG-57, a name collision; "DE-153" opinions returned 44 hits and "DE-153" dockets returned 733 hits, all identifier collisions (PACER docket-entry / exhibit references in unrelated dockets - keyword scans: asbestos 0, mesothelioma 0, navy 0, reuben 0, vessel 0); "DER-153" opinions returned 1 hit (Pa. school-district case, identifier collision); "DE-153"+asbestos opinions returned 1 hit (U.S. v. Hardage, W.D. Okla. 1990 - CERCLA site litigation, exhibit-number collision). "USS Reuben James" docket and "Reuben James"+asbestos opinion queries were attempted repeatedly but the fleet-wide hourly pacing budget was spent (helper exit 2, 6 spaced retries each) - logged per helper guidance rather than retried into a ban. Web sweep returns only law-firm marketing pages and asbestos-aggregator sites making era-inference claims - excluded per source rules.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-28
- Study period
- 2026-09-28
- Limitations
- Absence of a located public record does not prove absence of asbestos aboard - era materials were standard in 1942-43 steam-plant construction and the 1945 DER conversion added a documented yard-disturbance window; it establishes only that no public ship-specific record was found in the sources searched. Two queries remained pacing-blocked at record close ("USS Reuben James" dockets; "Reuben James"+asbestos opinions); residual risk is low - every completed index carries zero asbestos signal and the name's only collision (FFG-57 personnel litigation) is fully classified. Pleading-stage or unindexed litigation could exist outside the swept indexes. Does not establish or defeat any claim of exposure or legal eligibility.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-reuben-james-de153-05