Evidence
10 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-10).
-
[1]research packet 904-packet.md (6 sources cited) [nhhc_danfs]
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Identity packet verdict: PHANTOM
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Evidence ID
- uss-sc-540-sc540-pkt-904-packet-md
-
[2]DANFS (NHHC), 'SC-501 - SC-600' block entry for SC-540 [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- DANFS 'SC-501 - SC-600' page, SC-540 paragraph (published 2015)
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- DANFS block entry for this hull: 'Built at Robinson Marine Const. Co., Benton Harbor, Mich. Keel laid 7/28/41. Launched 4/6/42. Commissioned 4/22/42. Transferred to Coast Guard 4/18/45.' No narrative entry exists - SC-540 receives a one-paragraph block listing only.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-03
- Study period
- 1941-1945
- Population
- Robinson Marine construction workers (1941-42); Navy crew (1942-45)
- Limitations
- Ship-specific construction and transfer milestones only; contains no asbestos or material content and no service narrative. DANFS's transfer date (1945-04-18) conflicts with NavSource/uboat.net (1945-08-18) - carried in gaps. DANFS makes no mention of the PC-540 commissioning designation recorded by NavSource.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-sc-540-sc540-01
-
[3]NavSource Online: Submarine Chaser Photo Archive, USCGC Air Curlew (WAVR 417) ex-USS SC-540 / ex-PC-540 - timeline, specifications, commanding officer, disposal trail [other_primary]
- Locator
- NavSource 12/150540.htm header block, SC-497 class timeline, specifications block, CO table
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- NavSource timeline for this hull: laid down 28 July 1941 by Robinson Marine Construction Co., Benton Harbor, MI; launched 6 April 1942; delivered 22 April 1942 and commissioned USS PC-540; reclassified SC-540 in April 1943; transferred to the Coast Guard 18 August 1945; commissioned USCGC Air Curlew (WAVR 417) 11 October 1945; struck from the Naval Register 28 November 1945; sold 9 February 1948; sold 1952 to the estate of Samuel Katz (Manfred W. Ehrich, Executor) of Port Chester, NY and renamed Barbara Jo; sold 1954 to Henney Motor Co. of Stamford, CT and renamed Savitar; acquired 1958 by Eureka Williams Corp. of Stamford, CT for use as a yacht; sold 1961 to Savitar Corp. of Miami Beach, FL; removed from documentation June 1966; operated under Panamanian flag 1967; fate unknown. Specs: 95 t., 110'10", 17' beam, 6'6" draft, 21 kts, complement 28, one 40mm mount / one twin .50 cal / two K-guns / 14 depth charges / two Mk 20 Mousetrap rails; two 1,540bhp GM EMD 16-184A diesels, two shafts. First CO: ENS Daniel F. Larkin, Jr., USNR, 22 April 1942.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-03
- Study period
- 1941-1967
- Population
- Robinson Marine construction workers (1941-42); Navy crew (1942-45); USCG crew/caretakers (1945-48); civilian owners/crews (1948-67)
- Limitations
- NavSource is a volunteer secondary compilation, not a primary registry; its milestone dates generally track official records but its USCG transfer date (18 Aug 1945) conflicts with DANFS (18 Apr 1945) - carried in gaps. Contains no asbestos content. Cited URL verified live 2026-10-03 (canonical /archives/ path; identical page also serves at /arkiv/).
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-sc-540-sc540-02
-
[4]uboat.net Allied Warships, USS SC-540 (SC-540) - order/build dates, wartime commanding officers, Panama Bay exercise events July-August 1944 [other_primary]
- Locator
- uboat.net warships/8843.html - ship data block, 'Commands listed' table, 'Notable events' entries 29 Jul-1 Aug 1944
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Ship-specific service record: ordered 1 April 1941; laid down 28 July 1941; launched 6 April 1942; commissioned 22 April 1942; end of service 18 August 1945 ('Transferred to the United States Coast Guard on 18 August 1945'). Wartime CO roster: ENS Daniel F. Larkin, Jr., USNR (22 Apr 1942-late 1942); Ivo W. Lively, USNR (late 1942-mid/late 1943); Lt.(jg) Joseph F. Blanton, USNR (mid/late 1943-mid 1944); Ens. Edward A. Uslar, USNR (mid 1944-late 1944); D. W. Cumming, USNR (late 1944-18 Aug 1945). Notable events: exercises in Panama Bay with USS Icefish (SS-367), USS John D. Edwards (DD-216), and USS SC-635 on 29, 30, 31 July and 1 August 1944 - placing the hull under the Panama Sea Frontier mid-1944.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-03
- Study period
- 1941-1945
- Population
- Crew, 1942-45 (complement ~28)
- Limitations
- uboat.net is a specialist secondary compilation; event entries derive from patrol records (here, USS Icefish's movements) but are not themselves primary documents. Its end-service date (18 Aug 1945) conflicts with DANFS (18 Apr 1945) - carried in gaps. No asbestos content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-sc-540-sc540-03
-
[5]U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office, 'Air Class Cutters' - official documentation of the WAVR air-sea-rescue conversion program naming AIR CURLEW [other_primary]
- Locator
- history.uscg.mil Air Class Cutters article, program narrative and cutter list (AIR CURLEW)
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Official USCG Historian's Office page documents that the Air Class cutters were 70 Navy SC-497-class patrol boats the Coast Guard requested for permanent transfer from the Navy for air-sea-rescue duties; 36 were initially provided on loan, but few became operational due to the post-WWII Coast Guard personnel shortage, and those 'in commission in reserve' were carried by a caretaker crew of one deck petty officer and one engine-room rate. AIR CURLEW (this hull, WAVR 417) is named in the official list of transferred cutters. Page's class specs: 2 GM Model 16-184A diesels, 1,200 BHP, 19.3 knots, complement 16 (1 officer, 15 enlisted), SF-1 radar, small arms.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-03
- Study period
- 1945-1948
- Population
- USCG Air-class crews/caretakers (1945-48); this hull's CG complement if activated ~16
- Limitations
- Program-level documentation that names AIR CURLEW in the transfer list but gives no hull-specific service or material detail; the printed spec block is generic to the Air class and differs from NavSource's hull figures in particulars (1,200 vs 1,540 bhp; 16 vs 28 complement reflects CG-era caretaker manning vs wartime Navy manning). No asbestos content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-sc-540-sc540-04
-
[6]ShipbuildingHistory, 'Robinson Marine Construction, Benton Harbor MI' yard list - SC-540 line item (O.N. 264843) and yard profile [other_primary]
- Locator
- shipbuildinghistory.com robinsonmi.htm hull table, SC 540 row and yard-prose header
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Yard-production table lists 'SC 540' (US Navy, Sub Chaser, 136 GT, 110 ft, delivered 22-Apr-42, O.N. 264843), disposition 'To USCG 1945 as Air Curlew (WAVR 417), sold as Barbara Jo, now Savitar.' Yard profile: Robinson Marine Construction founded 1925 by Glen Robinson (former treasurer of Dachel-Carter Shipbuilding), located on the northeast corner of the industrial island in St. Joseph, MI; closed 1960. Robinson built thirteen SC-497-class hulls: SC-540, SC-541, SC-646, SC-647, SC-751 through SC-759.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-03
- Study period
- 1941-1960 (yard history); 1941-42 (this hull's build)
- Population
- Robinson Marine yard workers (1941-42 for this hull)
- Limitations
- ShipbuildingHistory (Colton) is a respected secondary compilation of builder records, not a government source; figures derive from merchant-vessel documentation. The '136 GT' is gross tonnage - a different measure than NavSource's 95-ton displacement, not a conflict. Yard table last updated 2015-12-31 ('now Savitar' reflects the 1954+ name). No asbestos content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-sc-540-sc540-05
-
[7]Patrol Craft Sailors Association, 'Information on WWII SCs' + Splinter Fleet (T. Treadwell) facts/specifications - class construction and program context [other_primary]
- Locator
- ww2pcsa.org/subchaser.html spec table and program narrative; splinterfleet.org/facts-and-specifications/
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Class context for this hull: the WWII SC was a '110-foot, wood hull subchaser' descended from the WWI Splinter Fleet; 438 delivered of 475 ordered at about $500,000 each; built of wood in small boatyards on both coasts and the Great Lakes and Gulf so steel could go to larger combatants; designed for offshore patrol and ASW; normal complement 3 officers + 24-25 enlisted; engines either two GM 8-268A straight-8 diesels or two GM 16-184A 'pancake' diesels; speed 15.6-21 knots. SC-540 does not appear in the PCSA list of SCs lost or damaged.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-10-03
- Study period
- 1941-1945
- Population
- SC-497 class crews class-wide (~40,000 men served aboard subchasers per Splinter Fleet)
- Limitations
- Class-level documentation only - names the type, not this hull. PCSA is a veterans' association site and splinterfleet.org is a specialist author's reference (Treadwell, 'Splinter Fleet', Naval Institute Press); reputable secondary, not primary records. Minor spec differences between class pages and NavSource's hull figures are carried in gaps. No asbestos content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-sc-540-sc540-06
-
[8]Era inference built on: NavSource/PCSA class specs (wooden hull, diesel propulsion, no steam plant); DANFS/NavSource build record (1941-42 construction at a small Great Lakes boatyard) [other_primary]
- Locator
- NavSource 12/150540.htm specifications block; ww2pcsa.org/subchaser.html; DANFS SC-540 block entry (construction dates)
- Finding type
- asbestos_application
- Finding
- A 1941-42 wooden-hulled diesel submarine chaser carried no boilers and no steam plant, so the boiler/steam-line lagging pathway of larger combatants does not apply; era-typical asbestos applications aboard a small diesel combatant of this period were limited to diesel-exhaust lagging, machinery gaskets and packing, electrical insulation, and miscellaneous small-ship uses. Any asbestos footprint aboard this type was materially smaller than aboard a steam-driven hull.
- Verification
- inferred
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-10-03
- Study period
- 1941-1967
- Population
- Robinson Marine construction workers (1941-42); Navy crew ~28 (1942-45); USCG caretaker crew ~2 rates or ~16 complement (1945-48); civilian yacht/fishing crews (1948-67)
- Limitations
- Class/era inference only - no hull-specific insulation survey, material list, plan, or work record was located for SC-540. Names era-typical applications, not confirmed installed materials; establishes no quantity and no individual exposure. The wooden-hull/diesel configuration limits - but does not eliminate - the era-typical asbestos surface area.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-sc-540-sc540-07
-
[9]Designation cross-check: NavSource SC-540 page ('commissioned USS PC-540, reclassified SC-540 in April 1943'); NavSource sister page SC-541 (identical PC-541 -> SC-541, April 1943 pattern); DANFS files the hull under SC-540 with no PC mention; batch research-QA re-scope (PC-540 never existed as a PC-461-class vessel - the PC-461 numbering series skips this block) [other_primary]
- Locator
- NavSource 12/150540.htm timeline; NavSource 12/150541.htm timeline; DANFS SC-501-600 page
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- CORRECTION / designation note: this hull is indexed under USS SC-540, but NavSource records her commissioned 22 April 1942 as USS PC-540 and reclassified SC-540 in April 1943 - the identical pattern appears on her Robinson-built sister SC-541 (commissioned PC-541, reclassified April 1943). The PC-540 label was a paper designation on an SC-497-class wooden submarine chaser, not a PC-461-class steel patrol craft: the physical hull never changed type. DANFS files her entire history under SC-540.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- correction
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-03
- Study period
- 1942-1943 (designation window)
- Limitations
- Corrects a designation artifact, not a material or asbestos claim. The April 1943 reclassification mechanics (administrative order, exact effective date) are not documented in the located sources; the PC designation may have applied only at commissioning. No asbestos content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-sc-540-sc540-08
-
[10]Batch-7915 search ledger (this record): DANFS SC-501-600 block entry; NavSource hull page; uboat.net warship page and event log; USCG Historian's Office Air Class page; ShipbuildingHistory Robinson yard list; PCSA/splinterfleet class pages; NVR (no entry - pre-1987 disposal); NARA catalog (JS-rendered, unverified); CourtListener authenticated queries (see search_ledger for results/blocks) [other_primary]
- Locator
- search_ledger rows sl-uss-sc-540-sc540-01 through sl-uss-sc-540-sc540-14
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- No qualifying ship-specific asbestos record located: no asbestos survey, abatement contract, hazmat disclosure, deck-log extraction, or verified litigation naming USS SC-540 / PC-540 / USCGC Air Curlew was found in the public sources searched (see search_ledger). All four CourtListener base queries completed: 'SC-540' opinion returned 9 name collisions (state docket numbers, a '60 SC 540' reporter cite), 'SC-540' docket returned 25 hits of collision noise, and 'USS SC-540' returned count 0 in both indexes - no asbestos case names this hull. CAVEAT: the asbestos-qualified docket variant (warranted by the base overflow) could not be run - fleet pacer throttled every spaced attempt; logged as blocked, not a negative result.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-03
- Study period
- 2026-10-03
- Limitations
- Absence of a located public record does not prove absence of asbestos aboard - era-consistent materials remain a reasonable inference for a 1942 diesel combatant. The only open litigation lane is the 'SC-540 asbestos' docket variant - a subset refinement of an all-collision base query; both exact-name queries returned zero. RG 24 deck logs and any USCG conversion-yard work records are undigitized leads. Does not establish or defeat any claim of exposure or legal eligibility.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-sc-540-sc540-09