Evidence
6 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-6).
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[1]research packet 993-packet.md (1 sources cited) [nhhc_danfs]
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Identity packet verdict: VERIFIED
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Evidence ID
- uss-st-augustine-pg54-pkt-993-packet-md
-
[2]Archived copy of NHHC, Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, ‘St. Augustine (PG-54),’ captured 2024-06-06; the live NHHC URL returned HTTP 404 on 2026-10-04. [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- DANFS service narrative, final paragraph
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Archived NHHC DANFS states that St. Augustine operated on patrol out of Boston until 1942, then served the Eastern Sea Frontier escorting convoys between New York and Caribbean ports. It reports that the ship got underway from New York on 1944-01-06, was rammed amidships by merchant tanker Camas Meadows that evening 73 miles south-southwest of Cape May at 38°12'N, 74°10'W, sank in five minutes, and was stricken from the Navy Register on 1944-01-22. DANFS reports 115 crew lost and 30 survivors.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- context_only
- Accessed
- 2026-10-04
- Limitations
- The casualty total conflicts with the Coast Guard historian account, which reports 106 total losses and 30 survivors rescued. DANFS documents vessel history, not asbestos, and its location is the reported collision/sinking location rather than a modern wreck survey.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-st-augustine-pg54-02
-
[3]William H. Thiesen, Ph.D., Coast Guard Atlantic Area Historian, ‘The Long Blue Line: A wartime rescue by Cutter Argo 75 years ago,’ U.S. Coast Guard, 2022-02-11. [other_primary]
- Locator
- Article opening and collision/rescue paragraphs
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- The U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area historian’s account states that convoy NK-588 left New York on 1944-01-06; USS St. Augustine was the escort command vessel with Coast Guard cutters Argo and Thetis; tanker Camas Meadows rammed St. Augustine amidships; the gunboat sank in less than five minutes; Argo rescued 23 survivors and Thetis rescued seven; and the account gives total losses as 106 crew members.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- context_only
- Accessed
- 2026-10-04
- Limitations
- Official Coast Guard historical account of the collision and rescue. Its total-loss count differs from archived DANFS, and it does not establish asbestos content or individual asbestos exposure.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-st-augustine-pg54-03
-
[4]National Archives, Special List 44 - Named Vessels. [other_primary]
- Locator
- St. Augustine (PG-54) entry in alphabetical ship list
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- NARA Special List 44 lists St. Augustine (PG-54) deck logs covering 1940-12-20 through 1943-11-30, identifying an archival record series relevant to the vessel’s commissioned service.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- archival_lead
- Documentation level
- context_only
- Accessed
- 2026-10-04
- Limitations
- The index establishes the listed date range but is not the deck log itself; the listed range ends before the ship’s final voyage and does not establish asbestos content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-st-augustine-pg54-04
-
[5]Scoped negative finding from the official-source and archival-index review documented in the search_ledger; this is a statement about records located in this review, not proof that no such record exists. [other_primary]
- Locator
- Search ledger entries sl-04 through sl-08
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Within the official ship-history, Coast Guard historian, and NARA index sources reviewed, no ship-specific asbestos survey, abatement record, hazardous-material disclosure, or asbestos inventory for USS St. Augustine (PG-54) was located. Asbestos presence or absence aboard this hull remains unknown.
- Verification
- partial
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- context_only
- Accessed
- 2026-10-04
- Limitations
- Searches were limited to the identified public official sources and indexes. CourtListener could not return results because helper requests were refused by the fleet pacing limiter; Firecrawl was unavailable due to keyless quota exhaustion. This does not establish that asbestos was absent or that unindexed records do not exist.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-st-augustine-pg54-05
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[6]Archived copy of NHHC, Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, ‘St. Augustine (PG-54),’ captured 2024-06-06; the live NHHC URL returned HTTP 404 on 2026-10-04. [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- DANFS entry heading/specifications and opening construction paragraph
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- The archived NHHC Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS) entry states that the yacht Viking was completed in 1929 for George F. Baker at Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co., Newport News, Virginia; later sold to Norman B. Woolworth and renamed Noparo; purchased by the Navy on 1940-12-05 at New London, Connecticut; converted to a gunboat at Bethlehem Steel Corp., Boston; renamed St. Augustine on 1941-01-09; and commissioned as PG-54 on 1941-01-16. DANFS gives a specification complement of 185.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- context_only
- Accessed
- 2026-10-04
- Limitations
- This is an archived copy of the official NHHC DANFS entry because the live page returned 404. It establishes vessel history and the published specification complement only; it does not establish asbestos content. The stated complement of 185 is not a verified count aboard during the final voyage.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-st-augustine-pg54-01