Evidence
7 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-7).
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[1]DANFS, Robalo (SS-273), updated NHHC entry (C. M. Martin, 2021) - Manitowoc construction; two patrols; third-patrol loss; Daubin Court of Inquiry findings; survivor interrogations (verbatim transcription via Internet Archive capture; live NHHC page returned 404) [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- DANFS service narrative and spec block
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Documented for this hull: laid down 24 October 1942 at Manitowoc, Wisc., by Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co. (sponsor Mrs. E. S. Root); launched 9 May 1943; commissioned at the building yard 28 September 1943, Lt. Cmdr. Stephen H. Armbruster in command. Builder's trials and post-commissioning repairs incl. chrome-plated main-engine liners; transited to Balboa C.Z. and Pearl Harbor. First war patrol from Midway 14 January 1944 off the Philippines - attacked convoy MO-72 (Patrol Boat No. 103, ex-USS Finch, counterattacked); emergency sortie from Fremantle March 1944. Lt. Cmdr. Manning M. Kimmel (son of Adm. Husband E. Kimmel) relieved Armbruster 29 March 1944. Second patrol off French Indochina - survived a G4M Betty bomb hit off the conning tower 24 April and repeated depth charging; attacked a Japanese I-class submarine 8 May and a ten-ship convoy 16-17 May. Departed on her third patrol 22 June 1944 for the Natuna Islands; last message 3 July reporting battleship Fuso off east Borneo. Court of Inquiry (R. Adm. Daubin, September 1944) found a mine struck while transiting into Balabac Strait via Nasubata Channel on the night of 3-4 July 1944 might have caused the explosion in her forward battery compartment; V. Adm. Kinkaid concurred 23 September. Survivor interrogations (Poston, Tucker) describe the explosion the evening of 2 July; four sailors (EM2c Mason C. Poston, Ens. Samuel L. Tucker, SM3c Wallace K. Martin, and QM1c Floyd G. Laughlin) reached Comiran Island, evaded capture for 18 days, were taken by the Japanese 33rd Naval Guard Unit 25 July, interrogated at Kempeitai headquarters Puerto Princesa, and transferred to Manila 19 August 1944 - subsequent fate unknown; the survivors were never heard from again (NavSource: died as Japanese POWs). Cmdr. Kimmel was last seen in the water hours after the sinking and was assessed by the Court as probably shot by the Japanese. Stricken from the Navy Register 16 September 1944. Two battle stars.
- Verification
- unverified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-18
- Limitations
- Ship-specific history only; no asbestos or material content. Yard-period asbestos disturbance is era inference, not a per-hull record.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-robalo-ss273-01
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[2]NavSource Online Submarine Photo Archive, header 'as built' spec block for this hull; corroborated by DANFS spec block (diesel-electric) and BuShips Ships' Data 1945 submarine machinery tables (via shipscribe.com, per Gato class profile) [other_primary]
- Locator
- NavSource page header spec block for this hull (https://www.navsource.net/archives/08/08273.htm)
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Machinery fit for this hull per NavSource 'as built' spec block: diesel electric reduction gear with four General Motors main generator engines, 5,400HP, fuel capacity 116,000 gal., four General Electric main motors, 2,740HP, two 126-cell main storage batteries, twin screws. NO BOILERS and no steam plant - the asbestos-relevant machinery profile differs materially from steam classes (no boiler/furnace insulation, no steam-line lagging run-outs; exposure-relevant systems are diesel exhaust lagging, engine gaskets/packing, hull thermal/acoustic insulation, and auxiliary equipment). The NHHC entry documents chrome-plated liners installed in her main engines during post-commissioning repairs (28 September - 23 October 1943) - a rare ship-specific machinery detail.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-18
- Limitations
- The NavSource spec block is a class-standard spec sheet, not a per-hull machinery survey - actual installed equipment is presumed class-typical and unverified for this specific hull. No hull-specific machinery or material list was located. Establishes propulsion type only, not fiber content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-robalo-ss273-02
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[3]Gato class profile ev-gato-class-07 (era/design inference for diesel-electric fleet boats) built on navypedia member table and BuShips Ships' Data 1945; GAO HRD-80-2 for the Navy's era asbestos-use regime [other_primary]
- Locator
- class profile gato-class.class.json ev-07; GAO HRD-80-2 product page
- Finding type
- asbestos_application
- Finding
- Class/era inference for diesel-electric fleet boats of this build period: era-standard applications likely included asbestos-containing diesel exhaust lagging, engine gaskets and packing, hull thermal and acoustic insulation, insulation around galley/refrigeration equipment, and electrical/battery materials.
- Verification
- inferred
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-09-18
- Limitations
- CLASS/ERA INFERENCE ONLY - no ship-specific material schedule, insulation survey, or asbestos product list was located for this hull. Names era-standard applications, not confirmed installed materials; no quantity. Does not establish exposure or eligibility for any individual.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-robalo-ss273-03
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[4]CourtListener API v4 (opinions type=o, RECAP dockets type=r) exact-name and hull-number searches; site:courtlistener.com index sweep as throttling fallback [court_record]
- Locator
- search_ledger rows for this vessel
- Finding type
- litigation_documented
- Finding
- Litigation sweep for this hull: CourtListener API queries were already throttled at the daily cap (HTTP 429, 125/day - quota exhausted by prior same-day batch work), so the sweep ran on the site:courtlistener.com index fallback for the exact ship name and hull number. The fallback sweep surfaced only general Navy asbestos litigation and unrelated name collisions - nothing naming this hull. No qualifying asbestos litigation - and no litigation of any kind verified as naming this hull - was located.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-18
- Limitations
- A negative result is bounded by the search mechanism: CourtListener coverage is not exhaustive for state-court pleadings, and the API throttle meant docket-text and opinion queries could not complete - the site:-index fallback is corroboration, not a substitute for docket search. Does not prove no litigation exists.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-robalo-ss273-04
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[5]Negative finding: no qualifying non-litigation ship-specific asbestos record located across DANFS/NHHC (via transcription mirrors and Internet Archive captures), NavSource, and ACM-survey/abatement/disposal sweeps [other_primary]
- Locator
- search_ledger rows for this vessel
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- No hull ACM survey, abatement contract, scrapping/disposal hazmat disclosure, or adjudicated exposure finding naming this vessel was located anywhere in the research sweep. The hull is a sunken war grave; no scrapping or disposal event exists to document.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-18
- Limitations
- Absence of a located record is not proof no record exists. Does not establish that asbestos is or is not present aboard/within the hull, and does not establish or defeat any claim of exposure or legal eligibility.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-robalo-ss273-05
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[6]DANFS/NavSource loss record - last patrol, Court of Inquiry / Japanese records, striking, and (for Robalo) 2019 wreck identification [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- DANFS/NavSource disposition data
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Loss and post-loss record for this hull: lost on her third patrol to an explosion the NHHC Court of Inquiry assessed as probably a mine, transiting into Balabac Strait via Nasubata Channel on the night of 3-4 July 1944 (survivor interrogations describe the evening of 2 July; NavSource and older references give 26 July). Four crewmen reached Comiran Island and were captured; all subsequently died in Japanese custody. Stricken from the Navy Register 16 September 1944. The wreck was located by the Sea Scan Survey Team in May 2019 off the east coast of Balabac Island in about 70 m of water; her identity was confirmed by the U.S. Navy per NavSource and memorial-site reporting. As a sunken war grave the hull was never scrapped - no disposal/abatement event exists.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-09-18
- Limitations
- Documents custody/loss/disposition only; no asbestos or material-condition content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-robalo-ss273-06
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[7]National Archives, 'Researching Asbestos aboard US Naval Vessel up through 1961' - research guidance naming RG 19 submarine GIBs and RG 38 Insurv submarine material inspection reports [nps]
- Locator
- NARA guided topic page, RG 19 Entry P 13 Item S-68; RG 38 Entry P 1-F
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Archival lead for future ship-specific material research: NARA's guided topic page for asbestos aboard U.S. naval vessels through 1961 identifies the record groups that would hold hull-level material documentation - RG 19 (Bureau of Ships) Submarine General Information Books (Entry P 13, Item S-68, 1913-1961) and RG 38 Board of Inspection and Survey submarine material inspection reports, which document machinery/system condition at trials, post-conversion, and pre-decommissioning.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- archival_lead
- Documentation level
- context_only
- Accessed
- 2026-09-18
- Limitations
- Research guidance only - describes where hull-specific records would reside, not their content for this vessel. No GIB or Insurv report for this hull was retrieved; the series is incomplete and a missing GIB is expected for many hulls.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-robalo-ss273-07