Evidence
10 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-10).
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[1]research packet 963-packet.md [other_primary]
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Identity packet verdict: USS PCS-1412 → **MISMATCH (RE-SCOPE signal: real identity YMS-459)
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- correction
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Evidence ID
- uss-yms-459-pkt-963-packet-md
-
[2]NavSource Online: Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive, YMS-459 (ex-PCS-1412) - construction/reclassification timeline, specifications, disposal (verified live via firecrawl) [other_primary]
- Locator
- NavSource 11/19459.htm - PCS-1376/YMS-1 class data block and specifications block
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- NavSource timeline for this hull (PCS-1376 class Patrol Craft Sweeper / YMS-1 class Auxiliary Motor Minesweeper): laid down 12 January 1944 as Patrol Craft Sweeper PCS-1412 by Greenport Basin and Construction Co., Greenport, NY; reclassified Auxiliary Motor Minesweeper YMS-459, 26 September 1943; launched 8 April 1944; completed 30 October 1944; destroyed 12 January 1946; struck from the Naval Register 21 January 1946. Specifications: displacement 270 t.; length 136'; beam 24'6"; draft 6'1"; speed 12 kts.; complement 33; armament one 3"/50 dual purpose gun mount, two 20mm mounts, two depth charge projectors; propulsion two 880bhp General Motors 8-268A diesel engines, Snow and Knobstedt single reduction gear, two shafts. Call sign November-Quebec-Yankee-Lima.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-04
- Study period
- 1942-1946
- Population
- Greenport Basin construction trades (1943-44); crew (1944-46)
- Limitations
- NavSource is a volunteer secondary compilation, not a primary registry - milestone dates generally track NVR/DANFS but the reclassification date conflicts with a 27 September 1943 variant (see gaps), and 'laid down ... as PCS-1412' describes contract identity since the September 1943 reclassification precedes the January 1944 keel-laying. No asbestos or material content; 'destroyed' is given without manner or location - the manner comes from the NARA war diary (ev-03).
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-yms-459-01
-
[3]NARA File Unit 'YMS-459, 10/31/44-12/1/45', NAID 193175870, series Muster Rolls of U.S. Navy Ships, Stations, and Other Naval Activities (Bureau of Navigation / Bureau of Naval Personnel), microfilm roll 9229 - 60 digitized images [other_primary]
- Locator
- NAID 193175870 images 00002 (commissioning muster header), 00003 (crew received from R/S Brooklyn), 00005 (officers received from SupShip Greenport), 00057 (Dec-1945 report of changes)
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Ship's commissioning muster and monthly reports of changes, 31 October 1944 - 1 December 1945. Commissioning muster header: 'MUSTER ROLL OF THE CREW OF THE U.S.S. YMS 459 ... On the Commissioning 31 day of October, 1944'; certified by Executive Officer Ens. Roger A. Eisenhart, D-V(G), USNR; approved by Commanding Officer Lt.(jg) Orin S. Whitener, D-V(G), USNR. Officers received aboard 31 October 1944 from the Assistant Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Greenport, N.Y. (DeWaid, Eisenhart, Larson, Whitener); enlisted crew received same date from Receiving Station Brooklyn, N.Y. Final report of changes (month ending 1 December 1945, stamped 29 DEC 1945) documents the ship at Okinawa: a crewman transferred 'To USN Special Admittance Hospital #8, Okinawa' (20th), others 'To nearest Receiving Station' (18th) and 'To USS BIBB for transportation to the United States' (29th) - demobilization ahead of decommissioning, signed by R. A. Eisenhart, Lieut.(jg), USNR.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-04
- Study period
- 1944-10-31 to 1945-12-01
- Population
- Commissioning crew (~33 complement): CO Lt.(jg) Orin S. Whitener USNR, XO Ens./Lt.(jg) Roger A. Eisenhart USNR, Ens. Ralph E. Larson, Lt.(jg) John R. DeWaid, and enlisted complement received from R/S Brooklyn
- Limitations
- Crew/personnel and location documentation only - no asbestos or material content. Individual crew names are a matter of public muster-roll record; this record cites no individual for any exposure claim. Spot-verified on images 2-5 and 57 of 60; intervening monthly rolls not individually read. Commissioning date (31 Oct) per this primary record vs 'Completed 30 October 1944' per NavSource - see gaps.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-yms-459-02
-
[4]NARA File Unit 'NOB, OKINAWA - War Diary, 1/1-31/46', NAID 77617428, series World War II War Diaries, Other Operational Records and Histories, microfilm roll A2027, serial 034-46 (Office of the Commandant, Navy No. 3256, forwarding letter signed S. H. Crittenden, Jr., Chief of Staff, 13 February 1946) - 4 digitized images [other_primary]
- Locator
- NAID 77617428 image 0563 - January 1946 war diary chronological entries, lines for 2, 5, 9, 12, 14, 22, 24, 26, 28 January
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Primary-source documentation of this hull's decommissioning and destruction. NOB Okinawa (Navy #3256) war diary for January 1946, chronological entries: '9. YMS 459 and YMS 243 were decommissioned.'; '12. Hulks YMS 99, 243, 308, 459 at Katena Ko and AMc 88 at Unten Ko burned.' The same diary documents a systematic disposal program at Okinawa that month: '2. Hulk of decommissioned ships YMS 146 destroyed by burning'; '5. Hulks of decommissioned ships PC 590 and DMS 1 destroyed by demolition'; '14. DMS 10 and AN 52 destroyed by demolition'; '22. BRL 307 on Ginogi destroyed by burning'; '24. AOG 40 destroyed by demolition'; '26. PC 1128 and APL 12 destroyed by demolition'; '28. PC 594 destroyed, second half, by demolition.'
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-04
- Study period
- 1946-01
- Population
- NOB Okinawa disposal personnel; crew detached at decommissioning (9 Jan 1946)
- Limitations
- Documents that the decommissioned hulk was deliberately burned at a disposal anchorage - it does not describe materials aboard, any salvage/stripping performed first, or environmental controls (none would be expected in January 1946). Katena Ko is the Katena anchorage on the west coast of Okinawa; the diary itself does not state that all four hulks were at the same berth. No asbestos content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-yms-459-03
-
[5]NHHC / Navy Department Library, 'United States Pacific Fleet Organization, 1 May 1945' - task organization listing (verified live via firecrawl) [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- Minecraft, Pacific Fleet > Mine Squadron Twenty > Mine Division Sixty > YMS block, p. ~134 of the compiled document
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- YMS 459 is carried on the U.S. Pacific Fleet organization as of 1 May 1945 under MINECRAFT, PACIFIC FLEET (Commander Minecraft, Pacific Fleet: R. Adm. A. Sharp), MINE SQUADRON TWENTY (Capt. R. A. Larkin, flagship DMS 19 ELLYSON), MINE DIVISION SIXTY (ComMinDiv 60: Comdr. M. D. Matthews) - listed in the division's YMS pool alongside YMS 449, 454, 458, 461, 463, 467, 468 and other hulls. Commanding-officer column blank ('..........').
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-04
- Study period
- 1945-05-01
- Population
- Crew of YMS-459 (assigned establishment, May 1945)
- Limitations
- Administrative assignment on a single date (1 May 1945) - establishes organization, not operations or locations. The numeric flag column used for some rows (94, 96, 11) is unexplained in the source and is not a location key asserted here. No asbestos content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-yms-459-04
-
[6]NARA File Unit 'COM ADMIN COMMAND, MINECRAFT, PAC FLEET - War Diary, 8/1-31/45', NAID 77520525, series World War II War Diaries, serial 02197 (Commander, Administrative Command, Minecraft, U.S. Pacific Fleet to CinC U.S. Fleet, 1 September 1945) - 25 digitized images [other_primary]
- Locator
- NAID 77520525 - images ~0886 (4 Aug operations entries) and ~0882-0883 (minesweeping-gear maintenance narrative, Mark 11 cutter line)
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- YMS-459 appears twice in the AdComMinPac August 1945 war diary. Operations annex, 4 August 1945: 'Magnetic sweep gear - acoustic sweep gear - YMS 459, YMS 421 ... YMS 386, YMS 445, YMS 458, YMS 275, YMS 291' and 'Assault and drill mine sweep - dan buoy. YMS 459, YMS 221, YMS 386, YMS 445, YMS 458, YMS 275, YMS 291.' Gear-maintenance section: 'Installed adapter and modified the following Mark 11 cutters: YMS 427 - 22 cutters; YMS 458 - 36 cutters; YMS 151 - 24 cutters; YMS 459 - 24 cutters; YMS 296 - 16 cutters; YMS 275 - 16 cutters; YMS 302 - 16 cutters; YMS 300 - 12 cutters ...' The diary records the command's post-surrender minesweeping and countermeasures work in the Okinawa Gunto area.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-04
- Study period
- 1945-08
- Population
- Crew conducting sweep drills and gear maintenance (Aug 1945)
- Limitations
- Documents training/drill evolutions and gear maintenance naming this hull on 4 August 1945 and in the August report - it does not by itself establish a combat sweep or a location for those evolutions beyond the command's Okinawa-area operating context. OCR-extracted from 1600px IIIF images; quoted strings verified against source images where legible - minor transcription uncertainty flagged ('YS 459'/'YMS 459' OCR variants on image 886). No asbestos content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-yms-459-05
-
[7]The Bowline, Greenport Basin & Construction Co. employee newsletter, Greenport, L.I., N.Y., 31 January 1945 issue (Cutchogue New Suffolk Free Library digital archive, scan of the yard's wartime house organ) [museum_official]
- Locator
- The Bowline, 31 January 1945 issue, p. 2, 'LET'S LOOK AT THE PRODUCTION RECORD - WOODEN HULLS' sponsor table
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- The builder's own production record lists this hull's sponsor: in 'LET'S LOOK AT THE PRODUCTION RECORD - WOODEN HULLS - Type No. Sponsor', the line 'YMS 459 Mrs. Rose Healy' names Mrs. Rose Healy as sponsor of YMS-459. Same issue reports the yard had delivered 453 naval vessels of all types to date, and describes its YMS 136-foot minesweepers as having 'arrived in time to lead the invasions on the African Coast, at Salerno, Anzio, Normandy, and in the Pacific area.'
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-04
- Study period
- 1943-1945 (publication window)
- Population
- Greenport Basin yard workforce and launch sponsor Mrs. Rose Healy
- Limitations
- Contemporaneous builder's publicity house organ - sponsor attribution is a ship-specific fact but the newsletter is a morale/publicity document, not a government record. Scanned page OCR'd locally; the sponsor table is legible. No asbestos content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-yms-459-06
-
[8]Era inference built on: NavSource specifications for this hull (two 880bhp GM 8-268A diesels, Snow and Knobstedt single reduction gear, two shafts; wood-hulled 136-ft YMS-1-class hull form); GAO HRD-80-2 Navy asbestos-use era (see ev-08); YMS-1-class general design (wooden-hulled motor minesweeper built to non-magnetic sweep requirements) [other_primary]
- Locator
- NavSource specifications block (11/19459.htm); GAO HRD-80-2 product page
- Finding type
- asbestos_application
- Finding
- A wood-hulled, diesel-powered auxiliary motor minesweeper completed October 1944 sits inside the Navy's documented asbestos-use era; era-standard applications aboard a small diesel craft of this type and period were diesel-exhaust lagging, machinery insulation, gaskets, valve packing, and electrical insulation in the confined engineering space. She carried no steam plant - the boiler/turbine lagging pathway of steam vessels does not apply - and the wooden-hull minesweeper design carried a materially lower thermal-insulation load than steel steam combatants of the era.
- Verification
- inferred
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-10-04
- Study period
- 1943-1946
- Population
- Greenport Basin construction trades (1943-44); crew (1944-46); NOB Okinawa disposal personnel (Jan 1946)
- Limitations
- Class/era inference only - no hull-specific insulation survey, material list, or work package located for YMS-459. Names era-standard applications, not confirmed installed materials. No quantity. Product names are normalized era terms; no manufacturer attribution for this hull. The wooden hull and diesel plant bound the plausible scope - less asbestos-relevant systems than a steam vessel, not zero.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-yms-459-07
-
[9]GAO, Navy Efforts To Protect Workers From Asbestos Exposure, HRD-80-2 (Oct 18, 1979) [gao]
- Locator
- GAO product page HRD-80-2 (full text blocked to automated fetch)
- Finding type
- gov_survey
- Finding
- GAO documented that the Navy used asbestos insulation extensively aboard ships and did not begin substituting alternative insulation materials until the early 1970s - spanning this hull's entire construction (1943-44) and service era (1944-46).
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-10-04
- Study period
- 1979
- Population
- Navy shipyard workers; asbestos program review
- Limitations
- Program-level documentation; supports era context only, not any fact specific to this hull. Full text not retrieved (gao.gov blocks automated fetch, HTTP 403, consistent with the standing defect noted in BATCH-01) - content via product-page description.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-yms-459-08
-
[10]Batch-8330 search ledger (this record): NavSource (live); NARA muster roll NAID 193175870 and war diaries NAID 77520525 / 77617428 (primary scans read); NHHC Pacific Fleet organization and casualties pages; Greenport Bowline newsletter via Cutchogue library; CourtListener API v4 (authenticated, 4 base queries); secondary web litigation sweep [other_primary]
- Locator
- search_ledger rows sl-uss-yms-459-01 through -12
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- No qualifying ship-specific asbestos record located: no asbestos survey, abatement contract, hazmat disclosure, or litigation naming USS YMS-459 / PCS-1412 was found in the sources searched. The hull itself was destroyed by burning at Katena Ko, Okinawa, in January 1946 - nearly three decades before federal asbestos regulation - so no present-day asbestos condition exists for this vessel. Litigation search status recorded in search_ledger (rows sl-uss-yms-459-08 through -11): CourtListener name-identifier base queries ('USS YMS-459' opinions and dockets) executed and returned zero hits; the two 'PCS-1412' base queries could not be admitted - the authenticated fleet pacer rejected every attempt for over an hour - and are logged as blocked, not as negative results. Secondary web sweeps surfaced no qualifying case and only generic listicle mentions.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-04
- Study period
- 2026-10-04
- Limitations
- Absence of a located public record does not prove absence of asbestos aboard - 1943-44 construction-era material records for this specific hull are not digitized (BuShips plans/specifications and the Greenport Basin contract file are undigitized leads). The January 1946 disposal predates hazmat documentation practice; whether asbestos components burned with the hulk is undocumented. Does not establish or defeat any claim of exposure or legal eligibility.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-yms-459-09