Evidence
11 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-11).
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[1]research packet 636-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-san-bernardino-lst1189-pkt-636-packet-md
-
[2]Board of Veterans' Appeals decision, Citation Nr. 1816654, Docket No. 14-28 535 (decided 20 March 2018) - veteran's claimed asbestos exposure aboard USS San Bernardino and other platforms; REMANDED for development [court_record]
- Locator
- BVA Citation Nr. 1816654, Docket No. 14-28 535 (20 March 2018), REMAND section, item 1 and examiner-opinion paragraph
- Finding type
- litigation_documented
- Finding
- Ship-specific claim-stage record: in a VA service-connection appeal for a lung disorder, the Board of Veterans' Appeals recorded that the veteran 'asserted he was exposed to asbestos while serving in the Marine barracks in London, England and while serving on several ships,' and that 'personnel records show the Veteran served on at least three ships, including the LCU 1671, USS San Bernardino, USS Fort Fisher, and USS Inchon.' The veteran's active duty ran July 1981 to May 1989, overlapping this hull's commissioned service (1971-1995). The Board REMANDED the appeal for development of 'the Veteran's claim of exposure to asbestos ... onboard the ships USS San Bernardino, USS Fort Fisher, and USS Inchon, and LCU 1671 in accordance with M21-1' and for a VA examination; prior VA examiners' nexus opinions 'did not discuss how, if at all, asbestos exposure caused or contributed to such disorder.' Diagnoses in the record conflict (bronchitis, asthma, lung scarring, lung nodules, pulmonary fibrosis).
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-02
- Study period
- 2011-2018 (claim pendency); service window 1981-1989
- Population
- One veteran claimant, USN/USMC service July 1981 - May 1989, aboard this hull at an undetermined point in that window
- Limitations
- Claim-stage record, never adjudicated on the merits: the Board remanded for development and examination; there is no finding that asbestos was aboard this hull, that this veteran was exposed aboard her, or that any claimed condition was service-connected. The ship is named among four platforms plus a London barracks exposure theory; no specific compartment, product, or dates aboard are identified. Outcome after remand not located. Litigation stage classified at the least-final stage (claimant allegation in an administrative claim), per batch discipline.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-san-bernardino-lst1189-01
-
[3]DANFS, San Bernardino II (LST-1189) - construction, sponsor, commissioning, PhibRon 3 service narrative through June 1974, Vietnam battle star (live NHHC page verified) [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- DANFS service narrative and spec block (page published 2015-09-02)
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Documented for this hull: laid down 12 July 1969 by National Steel and Shipbuilding Co., San Diego, Calif.; launched 28 March 1970; sponsored by Mrs. Walter H. Baumberger, wife of Vice Admiral Baumberger; commissioned at the Long Beach Naval Shipyard 27 March 1971, Comdr. Francis L. Roach in command. Assigned to Amphibious Squadron 3, Amphibious Force, Pacific Fleet, home port San Diego. 1972: escorted four Indonesian MSCs to Pearl Harbor; June-July South America voyage (Valparaiso, Callao, Rodman C.Z.); deployed to WestPac 21 Sep 1972; Subic Bay arrival 19 Oct; ZAMEX 9-72 (23-24 Oct); joined Amphibious Ready Group in the Gulf of Tonkin 28 Oct - 14 Nov; rejoined the ARG in the Gulf of Tonkin 15 Dec; detached 17 Dec to assist Asheville (PG-84) and Tacoma (PG-92) to Subic Bay; Hong Kong; Subic 29 Dec. 7th Fleet deployment continued to mid-April 1973; returned San Diego 29 Apr 1973. Sailed west early June 1974 (Pearl Harbor, Suva, Brisbane); as of 30 June 1974 in transit Brisbane to Subic Bay - DANFS coverage ends there. 'San Bernardino earned one battle star for service in the Vietnam War.' Spec block: dp. 8,400 (f.); l. 522'3"; b. 69'6"; dr. 14'8"; s. 20 k.; cpl. 272; a. 2 3"; cl. Newport.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-02
- Study period
- 1969-1974 (entry coverage)
- Population
- NASSCO construction trades (1969-71); commissioning party and crew (1971-forward)
- Limitations
- Ship-specific history only; no asbestos or material content. DANFS narrative coverage ends 30 June 1974 - post-1974 milestones come from other rows. Spec block complement (272) conflicts with NavSource itemization (255) and secondary sources (213-218) - see gaps. DANFS says commissioned 'at the Long Beach Naval Shipyard' where NavSource says 'Long Beach Naval Station' - see gaps.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-san-bernardino-lst1189-02
-
[4]Naval Vessel Register ship detail, SAN BERNARDINO (LST-1189), UIC 20028 - award, keel, launch, delivery, commission, decommission dates; disposal via Security Assistance Program cash sale (archived page; live NVR detail URLs now redirect to the NVR portal root) [other_primary]
- Locator
- NVR LST1189 detail page, status block and characteristics table (Wayback capture 2011-05-14)
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- NVR registry record for this hull: Builder 'NATIONAL ST & SB'; Award Date 07/15/1966; Keel Date 07/12/1969; Launch Date 03/28/1970; Delivery Date 02/19/1971; Commission Date 03/27/1971; Decommission Date 09/30/1995; Stricken Date field blank. Status: 'Disposed of through the Security Assistance Program (SAP), transferred, cash sale, ex-US fleet hull foreign military sale case number assigned'; date status changed 06/23/1999. Characteristics as registered: overall length 522 ft, extreme beam 70 ft, light displacement 5,158 tons / full 8,758 tons, deadweight 3,600 tons; steel hull, steel superstructure; propulsion type 'Diesel Engines', 2 propellers.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-02
- Study period
- 1966-1999 (registry record)
- Population
- Crew and any yard trades during the 1995 inactivation; Pacific Reserve Fleet lay-up
- Limitations
- Registry fields only; no asbestos or material content. The 'date status changed' 06/23/1999 is the formal SAP cash-sale disposal, four years after the 30 Sep 1995 decommissioning/transfer ceremony documented by the Chilean Navy - the 1995-1999 interval reads as a lease-to-sale sequence, but the NVR row itself does not describe the 1995 mechanism. Live NVR no longer serves this detail page (both legacy /nvrships/details/ and /SHIPDETAILS/ paths redirect to the portal root, verified 2026-10-02); cited via Wayback capture of 2011-05-14.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-san-bernardino-lst1189-03
-
[5]NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive, USS San Bernardino (LST-1189) / Valdivia (L-93) - milestone timeline, Vietnam campaign dates, specifications, commanding-officer list, captioned official imagery [other_primary]
- Locator
- NavSource 10/16/161189.htm header block, Vietnam campaign table, specifications block, commanding-officer table, photo captions
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- NavSource timeline for this hull: laid down 12 July 1969 at National Steel and Shipbuilding Corp, San Diego; launched 28 March 1970; commissioned 27 March 1971 at Long Beach (NavSource says 'Naval Station'; DANFS says 'Naval Shipyard'), CDR Francis L. Roach in command. Vietnam War campaign: Vietnam Ceasefire, 14-17 December 1972, 8-21 January 1973, 5-15 February 1973; one campaign star. Decommissioned 30 September 1995; laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet; transferred to Chile under the Security Assistance Program 23 June 1999, renamed Valdivia (L-93); Chilean decommissioning January 2011, laid up at Talcahuano; 'Final Disposition, sold for scrapping in Sierra Leone.' Awards listed: Joint Meritorious Unit Award; Navy Battle 'E' (2); Navy Expeditionary Medal (Iran/Indian Ocean); National Defense Service Medal (2); Vietnam Service Medal (1); Southwest Asia Service Medal. Commanding-officer roster, 13 entries, CDR Roach (27 Mar 1971) through CDR Randy Lane Etter (31 Jul 1993 - 30 Sep 1995). Official imagery captions document: Naval Amphibious Base Coronado ramp operations 1 Aug 1979 (DN-ST-88-07381/82/83); 'outbound from her homeport at Sasebo, Japan in 1986 or 1987' after a typhoon; departure San Diego for Operation Desert Shield 23 Jan 1991 (DD-ST-91-07748); Iwo Jima landing-beach demonstration for the battle's 50th-anniversary commemoration, 14 Mar 1995 (DN-SC-95-2002, DN-SC-95-1999). Specifications block: disp. 5,190 t (lt) / 8,550 t (fl); complement 14 officers, 15 CPO, 226 enlisted; propulsion six 16-cylinder ALCO 16-251E main propulsion diesels, two shafts, three engines per shaft, 15,000 shp; two controllable-reversible-pitch propellers, twin rudders; three ALCO 251-C 8-cylinder 750 kW generator sets; one 800 hp bow thruster.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-02
- Study period
- 1969-2011
- Population
- NASSCO construction trades (1969-71); crew (1971-95); embarked troops; Chilean crew as Valdivia (1995-2011); disposal/shipbreaking chain after 2011
- Limitations
- NavSource is a volunteer secondary compilation, not a primary registry - dates generally track DANFS/NVR and where it conflicts with DANFS/NVR the government source is carried (see gaps). Contains no asbestos content. 'Sold for scrapping in Sierra Leone' is reported verbatim; the phrase is ambiguous (breaking location vs. flag/sale registry) and is not independently verified - see gaps.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-san-bernardino-lst1189-04
-
[6]Armada de Chile (official): 'LST Valdivia fue dada de baja del servicio naval' (15 Jan 2011) - 14 January 2011 decommissioning ceremony at Talcahuano after 15 years of Chilean service; and Armada unit history page 'LST-93 Valdivia' (armada.cl/unidades-navales/superficie/lst-93-valdivia, verified live) [other_primary]
- Locator
- armada.cl decommissioning news item (15 Jan 2011) and unit page 'LST-93 Valdivia' (last modified 2009-07-01, captured live 2026-10-02)
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Chilean Navy documentation of this hull's second career: the Chilean flag was raised aboard at San Diego on 30 September 1995; the ship arrived at Valparaiso 1 December 1995; renamed Valdivia (LST-93) for the 1820 capture of Valdivia. Armada unit page summarizes the US career: 'During the year 1972 [she] participated in the final stage of the Vietnam War; in 1980 operates in the area of the Indian Ocean and in 1983 is assigned as home port Sasebo, in Japan, whence she performs support operations in Japan, Korea and the Philippines; in 1990 takes part in Operation Desert Storm.' In Chilean service she belonged to the Comando Anfibio y de Transportes Navales, operating Arica to Puerto Williams. Per the official decommissioning release, Valdivia was worked intensively during the 2010 earthquake-relief contingency (cargo equivalent to 350 trucks; over eight thousand passengers per day); the decommissioning ceremony was held on her flight deck at Talcahuano on the morning of Friday 14 January 2011, 'tras 15 anos al servicio de la Armada de Chile,' last CO Capitan de Navio Alfredo Whittle Pinto. She was replaced in the amphibious role by Sargento Aldea (LSDH-91, ex-Foudre).
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-02
- Study period
- 1995-2011
- Population
- Chilean crew and embarked marine infantry (1995-2011); 2010 earthquake-relief passengers/loads
- Limitations
- Official Chilean Navy source, authoritative for the 1995-2011 period and the 14 Jan 2011 decommissioning. Its 'octavo de su clase' (eighth of her class) conflicts with US sources' 'eleventh of twenty' - reconciled as counting basis (8th NASSCO-built hull vs 11th hull number in the 20-ship class); see gaps. 'Operation Desert Storm' per the Armada page vs 'Desert Shield' per the Jan 1991 US imagery caption - the hull deployed to the Middle East in the 1990-91 Gulf crisis either way. Spanish-language source; quotes translated. No asbestos content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-san-bernardino-lst1189-05
-
[7]NARA, RG 24 Records of the Bureau of Naval Personnel, 'Logbooks of U.S. Navy Ships and Stations' (series NAID 594258): San Bernardino (LST-1189) deck-log file units digitized under the VA Blue Water Navy Deck Log Project (e.g., NAID 231899428, July 1973, 64 images; catalog search shows monthly units at least 1971-1975) [other_primary]
- Locator
- catalog.archives.gov search '"San Bernardino" LST-1189' - File Units under series NAID 594258; example NAID 231899428
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Ship-specific primary records exist and are digitized: monthly deck-log file units for San Bernardino (LST-1189) are in the National Archives Catalog (RG 24 series NAID 594258), scanned under the Veterans Benefits Administration / Blue Water Navy Deck Log Project - e.g., July 1973 (NAID 231899428), December 1973 (NAID 231899754), April 1974 (NAID 244142245), October 1971 (NAID 235106504). Deck logs record underway periods, port calls, and yard availabilities and are the primary documentary trail for locating any shipyard work aboard this hull.
- Verification
- partial
- Role
- archival_lead
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-02
- Study period
- 1971-1995 (coverage seen 1971-1975+)
- Population
- Crew of record, 1971-forward
- Limitations
- Archival lead only: the digitized logs are location/event records - they were not individually reviewed this session for yard-availability entries, and deck logs rarely name materials. Post-1978 logs are outside the Blue Water Navy digitization scope and post-1980 logs were not seen in the catalog search; availability of 1976-1995 logs is open. No asbestos content in the catalog metadata.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-san-bernardino-lst1189-06
-
[8]Era inference built on: NVR/NavSource specifications (six ALCO 16-251E diesels, two shafts, diesel generator sets - no steam plant); GAO HRD-80-2 documented Navy insulation-spec timeline (see ev-07); construction window July 1969 - February 1971 at NASSCO San Diego, before any of the documented Navy asbestos-spec changes [other_primary]
- Locator
- GAO HRD-80-2 (Navy letter, CNO Ser 4542/318054 of 5 Jan 1979, enclosed in the report); NVR/NavSource propulsion entries
- Finding type
- asbestos_application
- Finding
- A Newport-class LST built 1969-71 sits entirely inside the Navy's documented asbestos-use era: insulation-spec changes toward asbestos-free materials began in 1971 and were not complete until late 1973, and the formal no-asbestos policy (NAVSEAINST 5100.2) dates to 24 October 1975 - after this hull was already delivered and commissioned. Era-standard asbestos applications aboard a diesel-driven amphibious ship of this period were thermal insulation and lagging on machinery and diesel exhaust/uptake runs, gaskets, valve and pump packing, electrical insulation, and interior fireproofing/deck materials. As a diesel ship she carried no boilers or steam turbines - the steam-plant lagging pathway does not apply.
- Verification
- inferred
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-10-02
- Study period
- 1969-2011
- Population
- NASSCO construction trades (1969-71); crew (1971-95); yard trades at San Diego/Long Beach/Sasebo availabilities; Chilean crew (1995-2011); disposal chain
- Limitations
- Class/era inference only - no hull-specific insulation survey, material list, or work package located for LST-1189. Names era-standard applications, not confirmed installed materials. No quantity. The one ship-specific asbestos-related record (ev-01) is a claim-stage allegation, not a materials determination.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-san-bernardino-lst1189-07
-
[9]GAO, Navy Efforts To Protect Workers From Asbestos Exposure, HRD-80-2 (18 October 1979), full text incl. Navy letter CNO Ser 4542/318054 of 5 Jan 1979 (live gao.gov blocked, HTTP 403; cited via Wayback capture, verified 2026-10-02) [gao]
- Locator
- HRD-80-2 report body (Navy's policy section) and Enclosure I Navy letter; attachment ship list
- Finding type
- gov_survey
- Finding
- Government documentation of the Navy's asbestos program covering this hull's construction era: product specifications for thermal insulation 'were made as early as 1971 to specify that the Navy wanted materials with little or no asbestos. By late 1973, these specifications had been changed to call for asbestos-free materials.' 'Many ship-sets of asbestos containing products ... had already been bought and in some cases installed. Tens of thousands of pounds of asbestos products remained in warehouses, aboard ships, and in shipyards, in active use.' Ships well under construction 'continued through to delivery as late as May 1978 with asbestos insulation.' Formal policy NAVSEAINST 5100.2 of 24 October 1975. This hull was delivered 19 February 1971 - before the first spec changes - so her construction window falls entirely inside the asbestos-spec era. GAO fieldwork for the report covered the Long Beach and Norfolk naval shipyards; San Bernardino was commissioned at Long Beach Naval Shipyard in 1971.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-10-02
- Study period
- 1979 (report); policy window 1971-1978
- Population
- Navy shipyard workers; Navy-wide ship construction/overhaul populations
- Limitations
- Program-level documentation; supports era context only, not any fact specific to this hull. GAO's Attachment #1 lists ships delivered since 1973 or under construction - LST-1189 (delivered Feb 1971) is outside that list's scope and does not appear; nothing in the report names this hull or the Newport class. The Long Beach fieldwork does not imply work on this hull at that yard.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-san-bernardino-lst1189-08
-
[10]Batch-6678 search ledger (this record): live NHHC DANFS; archived NVR detail page; NavSource; Armada de Chile official pages; NARA catalog deck logs; GAO HRD-80-2 full text via Wayback; VA BVA full-text decisions; CourtListener (status per search_ledger); secondary web litigation sweep [other_primary]
- Locator
- search_ledger rows sl-uss-san-bernardino-lst1189-01 through -12
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- No qualifying ship-specific asbestos-materials record located: no hull insulation survey, abatement contract, hazmat disclosure, or adjudicated exposure finding naming USS San Bernardino (LST-1189) was found in the public sources searched. The single ship-specific asbestos-related record is the BVA claim (ev-01), which documents a veteran's allegation of exposure aboard this hull among several platforms and was remanded without any merits finding. CourtListener authenticated searches completed 2026-10-02: 'USS San Bernardino' returned one opinion - a 1996 Navy-Marine Corps court-martial appeal naming the ship as duty station, not asbestos litigation - and zero dockets; 'LST-1189' and 'LST 1189' returned zero opinions. No NIOSH health-hazard evaluation or OSHA inspection naming NASSCO asbestos work for this hull's construction period was located; the only 'asbestos aboard' material on the open web is law-firm marketing content asserting asbestos without primary sourcing - excluded by source policy.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-02
- Study period
- 2026-10-02
- Limitations
- Absence of a located public record does not prove absence of asbestos aboard. Deck logs are digitized but unreviewed; NASSCO build records and any 1995-99 inactivation/transfer hazmat documentation are undigitized leads; Chilean-era maintenance and disposal records are outside US repositories. Does not establish or defeat any claim of exposure or legal eligibility.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-san-bernardino-lst1189-09
-
[11]Transfer-date reconciliation: Armada de Chile unit page (Chilean flag raised 30 Sep 1995 at San Diego; arrival Valparaiso 1 Dec 1995); archived NVR detail (SAP cash-sale disposal status effective 06/23/1999); NavSource timeline ('Transferred to Chile under the Security Assistance Program, 23 June 1999'); NavalCoverMuseum designation table ('Transferred to Chile June 23 1999') [other_primary]
- Locator
- Armada.cl LST-93 unit page; archived NVR LST1189 detail (Wayback 2011-05-14); NavSource 161189.htm; NavalCoverMuseum designation table
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- CLARIFICATION of the 1995/1999 transfer dates: secondary summaries variously say 'transferred to Chile 30 September 1995' or '23 June 1999.' The documented sequence reconciles both: the ship decommissioned from the USN and the Chilean flag was raised at San Diego on 30 September 1995 (Armada de Chile), entering Chilean service as Valdivia (LST-93) from that date; the formal US disposal through the Security Assistance Program as a cash sale became effective 23 June 1999 (NVR status-change date). The 1995-1999 interval is consistent with a lease-then-sale structure, though no source reviewed states the lease mechanism explicitly.
- Verification
- partial
- Role
- correction
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-02
- Study period
- 1995-1999
- Limitations
- Reconciles an apparent date conflict between sources, not a material claim. The lease-to-sale mechanism is inferred from the two dates and the SAP 'cash sale' language; no lease instrument was located. No asbestos content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-san-bernardino-lst1189-10