Evidence
7 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-7).
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[1]research packet 1038-packet.md [other_primary]
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Identity packet verdict: VERIFIED
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Evidence ID
- uss-yms-201-yms201-pkt-1038-packet-md
-
[2]NavSource Online, Courser (MSC(O) 6), ex-Courser (AMS 6), ex-YMS-201 (verified live 2026-10-04) [other_primary]
- Locator
- NavSource page header, timeline, specifications, and disposition lines
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- NavSource identifies this hull as YMS-201, later Courser (AMS-6) and Courser (MSC(O)-6). It records laying down on 28 August 1942 by Hiltebrant Dock Co., Kingston, New York; launching on 19 November 1942; completion on 24 July 1943; commissioning as USS YMS-201 on 29 July 1943; decommissioning on 8 August 1946; reclassification as AMS-6 on 17 February 1947 and naming as Courser the following day; reclassification as MSC(O)-6 on 7 February 1955; striking on 1 November 1959; commercial sales and renamings G. W. Pierce and Oceanic; and fate unknown after being out of documentation by 1989. The page lists 270 tons, 136 feet, 32-person complement, and two 880-bhp General Motors 8-268A diesels on two shafts.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-04
- Study period
- 1942-1989
- Population
- Hiltebrant Dock construction trades; U.S. Navy crew; later commercial research-vessel personnel
- Limitations
- NavSource is a secondary historical compilation and does not document asbestos content. The commercial disposition sequence and fate are carried as reported by that source; no later authoritative disposition record was located.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-yms-201-yms201-01
-
[3]National Archives, Special List #44 by Ship Numbers, Navy logbooks available online through the National Archives Catalog [other_primary]
- Locator
- PDF page 116; YMS-201 row
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- NARA's Special List #44 lists YMS-201 with Navy deck-log coverage from 10/1/1943 through 6/30/1945. This establishes the existence and date span of the cataloged log record for the hull; it does not establish commissioning or decommissioning dates and the logs were not examined for this record.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-04
- Study period
- 1943-10-01 to 1945-06-30
- Population
- YMS-201 crew and ship operations during the listed log period
- Limitations
- Archival finding aid and coverage index only. Deck logs may help locate operational or maintenance events, but NARA's asbestos guide states that deck logs do not directly establish asbestos presence or material content. Individual log pages were not reviewed.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-yms-201-yms201-02
-
[4]Naval History and Heritage Command photograph NH 84971, USS YMS-201 (later Courser, AMS-6), San Francisco Bay circa 1945 [other_primary]
- Locator
- NH 84971 catalog title, caption, and description
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- NHHC's official image catalog identifies photograph NH 84971 as USS YMS-201, later Courser (AMS-6), in San Francisco Bay circa 1945. The catalog credits the image to the Naval History and Heritage Command collection and Donald McPherson, 1976.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-04
- Study period
- circa 1945
- Population
- YMS-201 crew and vessel in San Francisco Bay circa 1945
- Limitations
- Photographic identification corroborates hull identity and a circa-1945 location only. The image catalog does not document asbestos, crew exposure, material composition, or final disposition.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-yms-201-yms201-03
-
[5]National Archives, Researching Asbestos aboard US Naval Vessel up through 1961 [other_primary]
- Locator
- Beginning Research; RG 19; General Information Books; Other records and their usefulness
- Finding type
- regulatory
- Finding
- NARA's official research guide says documenting asbestos aboard a particular U.S. naval vessel requires layered research and identifies RG 19 Bureau of Ships correspondence, minesweeper/minelayer General Information Books, specifications, and hull engineering drawings as potential sources. It also explains that deck logs and muster rolls do not directly establish asbestos presence or material content.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- archival_lead
- Documentation level
- context_only
- Accessed
- 2026-10-04
- Study period
- 1941-1961
- Population
- Navy vessels and shipyard/crew research populations within the guide's 1941-1961 scope
- Limitations
- This is a research pathway, not a YMS-201 material record. The cited RG 19 series were not retrieved or examined; it neither proves nor disproves asbestos aboard this hull.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-yms-201-yms201-04
-
[6]GAO, Navy Efforts To Protect Workers From Asbestos Exposure, HRD-80-2 (1979) [gao]
- Locator
- GAO product page highlights and linked full report
- Finding type
- gov_survey
- Finding
- GAO reviewed Navy asbestos use, removal costs, and worker-protection efforts at Long Beach and Norfolk Naval Shipyards. The report describes a 1975 policy of replacing asbestos insulation when it was damaged or had to be removed for necessary repairs, later modified in 1979 for selected high-maintenance areas.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-10-04
- Study period
- 1975-1979 policy/review period
- Population
- Navy shipyard workers and Navy asbestos-control program
- Limitations
- Program-level review, not a YMS-201 survey or finding. It does not establish asbestos installation, remaining material, disturbance, or exposure aboard this wooden minesweeper. The report's shipyard study sites were not this hull's builder.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-yms-201-yms201-05
-
[7]Independent public-source search and CourtListener sweep documented in search_ledger [other_primary]
- Locator
- search_ledger rows sl-uss-yms-201-yms201-07 through -10
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- No qualifying ship-specific asbestos litigation or asbestos material record is asserted in this record. The authenticated CourtListener helper reached the fleet-wide pacing gate on the first required base query; the remaining required base queries were not run, so litigation status is incomplete rather than negative.
- Verification
- partial
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-04
- Study period
- 2026-10-04 search session
- Population
- CourtListener indexed opinions and RECAP dockets
- Limitations
- This is a process limitation, not evidence that no case exists. Only the exact-name opinion query for 'USS Courser' was attempted before the helper reported the fleet-wide pacing budget was momentarily spent. Exact-name docket, hull-number opinion, and hull-number docket queries were not run; no asbestos-qualified variants were run.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-yms-201-yms201-06