Evidence
15 evidence entries recorded; each entry has a stable permalink (#ev-1 … #ev-15).
-
[1]research packet 1080-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-98-yms98-pkt-1080-packet-md
-
[2]NavSource Online: Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive, YMS-98 - timeline, specifications, commanding-officer list, NARA photo caption (verified live 2026-10-05) [other_primary]
- Locator
- NavSource 11/19098.htm header block, chronology block, specifications block, commanding-officer table, photo caption
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- NavSource timeline for this hull: 'Laid down 12 June 1941 by Colberg Boat Works and Stephen Brothers, Stockton, CA. Launched 31 December 1941. Completed 23 April 1942. Lost in Typhoon Ida 16 September 1945 off Okinawa. Struck from the Naval Register 24 October 1945.' Specifications: displacement 270 t.; length 136'; beam 24'6"; draft 6'1"; speed 13 kts.; complement 33; armament one 3"/50 dual purpose gun mount, two 20mm mounts, two depth charge tracks, two depth charge projectors; propulsion two 880bhp General Motors 8-268A diesel engines, Snow and Knobstedt single reduction gear, two shafts. Call sign Nan-Able-Charlie-Item. Commanding-officer table: LT Francis George Moore USNR (30 Jun 1942-Jun 1943), LTJG Thomas H. Tooke (Jun-Sep 1943), LTJG James A. Petit (Sep-Dec 1943), LTJG Alfred Paul Dohoney (Dec 1943-Apr 1944), LTJG Simons Lucas Roof (Apr-Dec 1944), LTJG William F. 'Bill' Dosher Jr. (Dec 1944-May 1945), LTJG Ronald F. Slane (May-Aug 1945), LT Walter S. Townsend (Aug 1945-16 Sep 1945), Coxswain William Charles Perkins USN 'Senior Survivor' (16 Sep 1945). Page states 'There is no DANFS history available for YMS-98' and carries the NARA photo caption for 80-G-275433 (see ev-04).
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-05
- Study period
- 1941-1945
- Population
- Stephens/Colberg construction trades (1941-42); U.S. Navy crew (1942-45)
- Limitations
- NavSource is a volunteer secondary compilation, not a primary registry - milestone dates generally track official records and here agree with NARA Special List 44 coverage and the HyperWar/NHHC minecraft annotation. The 'Senior Survivor' entry for Coxswain Perkins conflicts with the NHHC-derived 'all hands lost' annotation - carried as an unresolved conflict (see ev-03 and gaps). No asbestos content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-yms-98-01
-
[3]National Archives, Special List 44, List of Logbooks of the United States Navy, 1941-1945, by Ship Number (YMS-98 entry; PDF downloaded and text-verified 2026-10-05) [other_primary]
- Locator
- Special List 44 ship-number PDF, YMS-98 row ('YMS-98 6/14/1942 8/31/1945'); NARA 'Navy Deck Logs Available in the National Archives Catalog' index (YMS-98 absent)
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- NARA Special List 44 indexes this hull's deck logs with coverage 6/14/1942 - 8/31/1945 (verbatim row: 'YMS-98 6/14/1942 8/31/1945'). Coverage begins about seven weeks after the recorded completion date (23 April 1942) and ends sixteen days before the typhoon loss - the final logs were evidently never submitted or were lost with the ship. The logs are paper holdings; NARA's digitized-deck-logs index does not include this hull (its listed YMS hulls are only the later bird-named AMS/MSC(O) conversions).
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-05
- Study period
- 1942-1945
- Population
- U.S. Navy crew (1942-45)
- Limitations
- A logbook index is a record locator, not a service narrative - it establishes that deck logs exist at NARA for the stated coverage but says nothing about operations, materials, or asbestos. Does not establish asbestos presence, products, quantity, individual exposure, causation, or legal eligibility.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-yms-98-02
-
[4]HyperWar/ibiblio transcription of NHHC 'Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1940-1945', minecraft section - YMS class description, class spec block, and hull row annotating YMS-98's loss (verified live 2026-10-05) [other_primary]
- Locator
- ibiblio HyperWar ships-dm.html, 'YMS -- Motor Minesweepers' section (class narrative, spec block, hull table row 'YMS-98')
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- The NHHC-derived minecraft index carries this hull's row: 'YMS-98 | 1942-5 | 16Sep45; typhoon at Okinawa. All hands lost.' - the only personnel-loss annotation among the Typhoon Ida YMS losses listed on the same index (YMS-341, YMS-421, YMS-472 carry no loss annotation). Class description: 'The wood-hulled YMS proved to be one of the U.S. Navy's more durable and versatile types through a quarter-century of service, filling a variety of roles for a number of navies. All 481 ships of this type had the same general characteristics. The only significant variation within the type was one of appearance; YM-1 through 134 had two stacks, YMS-135 through 445, 480, and 481 had one, while YMS-446 through 479 had none. Originally rated as service craft, they were used during World War II for inshore sweeping to prepare the way for amphibious assaults.' Class spec block: displacement 320 tons (full); length 136'; beam 24'6"; draft 6'1"; speed 13 knots; armament 1 3"/50, 2 20mm, 2 depth charge tracks + 2 extensions, 2 depth charge projectors; complement 4 officers, 29 crew; diesel engines, twin screws, 500 h.p.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-05
- Study period
- 1941-1945
- Population
- U.S. Navy crew lost with the ship (16 Sep 1945); class-level for spec block
- Limitations
- NHHC-derived index transcribed by HyperWar - a compiled list, not a casualty report. 'All hands lost' conflicts with NavSource's 'Senior Survivor' entry for Coxswain Perkins (ev-01); unresolved, carried in gaps. The class spec block (320t full, 500 h.p.) differs from the NavSource hull block (270t, 2x880bhp) - variance logged in gaps; neither is a hull survey. YMS-98 sits in the two-stack YMS-1..134 subgroup. No asbestos content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-yms-98-03
-
[5]NHHC DANFS - no entry exists for YMS-98: candidate URL history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/y/yms-98.html returned 'Page Not Found' live, and NavSource states 'There is no DANFS history available for YMS-98' (both confirmed 2026-10-05) [nhhc_danfs]
- Locator
- history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/y/yms-98.html ('Page Not Found' body, live 2026-10-05); NavSource 11/19098.htm DANFS line
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- NEGATIVE FINDING: the official NHHC ship-history repository holds no DANFS entry for this hull. The candidate URL returned 'Page Not Found' on live retrieval (NHHC's AEM site renders its 404 inside the standard page chrome), and NavSource - which reproduces DANFS text where it exists - states flatly that no DANFS history is available. Consistent with the class pattern: unnamed YMS craft rarely received individual DANFS histories.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-05
- Study period
- 2026-10-05
- Limitations
- Establishes absence of an official published ship history only - it is not evidence about operations, materials, or asbestos, and does not establish or defeat any claim of exposure or legal eligibility.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-yms-98-04
-
[6]Library of Congress, Veterans History Project, Thomas Benton McElroy Collection, AFC/2001/001/44264 - service unit 'USS YMS 98 (Minesweeper)' (verified live 2026-10-05) [other_primary]
- Locator
- loc.gov/item/afc2001001.44264 - service summary block, service history, collection metadata (AFC/2001/001/44264)
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- The Veterans History Project holds an oral-history interview (audio CD + typewritten transcript, collected 20 March 2006; interviewer James Thomas Flynn) with Thomas Benton McElroy, a Navy veteran whose cataloged service record names USS YMS 98 (minesweeper), service locations 'Great Lakes, Illinois; San Diego, California; New Hebrides; Philippines; Pacific Theater,' service dates 1939-1945, highest rank Senior Chief Petty Officer. The collection is a firsthand crew account from this hull and is the only ship-specific crew record located in an official repository - it corroborates the hull's operating areas (New Hebrides; Philippines; Pacific) and is an unmined archival lead for detail.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- archival_lead
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-05
- Study period
- 1939-1945 (service); 2006 (collection)
- Population
- Thomas Benton McElroy (SCPO); YMS-98 crew (1939-45 service span per catalog)
- Limitations
- Archival lead: the catalog metadata names the ship and service geography but the interview content was not transcribed into this record - any operational detail (including anything about materials or maintenance) remains in the audio/transcript at LOC. A veteran's later recollection is not a contemporaneous record. No asbestos content located in the catalog metadata.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-yms-98-05
-
[7]National Archives photograph 80-G-275433, captioned via NavSource: '31 January 1945 - Mine explodes in the sweep gear of YMS-98, during sweep operations, in the South Pacific' (photo credit line: Naval History and Heritage Command) [other_primary]
- Locator
- NavSource 11/19098.htm photo table (thumbnail tn/111909801.gif, image 111909801.jpg); National Archives photo no. 80-G-275433
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- A NARA-held official Navy photograph (RG 80-G series) documents this hull conducting live minesweeping in the South Pacific on 31 January 1945 - a mine detonating in her sweep gear. This is contemporaneous physical documentation of combat sweep operations by this hull.
- Verification
- partial
- Role
- archival_lead
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-05
- Study period
- 1945-01-31
- Population
- U.S. Navy crew, South Pacific sweep operations (Jan 1945)
- Limitations
- Archival lead: the NARA catalog is JS-rendered and the direct catalog record for 80-G-275433 could not be independently fetched this session; the photo number, date, and caption are transcribed from NavSource's image presentation, which credits NHHC. A sweep-gear detonation photo documents operations, not materials - no asbestos content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-yms-98-06
-
[8]uboat.net Allied Warships of WWII, USS YMS-98 (YMS-98) - order, construction, commissioning, loss dates (verified live 2026-10-05) [other_primary]
- Locator
- uboat.net ship 9518 data block
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- uboat.net data block for this hull: Navy - US Navy; type - minesweeper, class YMS; built by Colberg Boat Works (Stockton, California, U.S.A.); ordered 1 April 1941; laid down 12 June 1941; launched 31 December 1941; commissioned 23 April 1942; lost 16 September 1945; history line 'Sunk off Okinawa during a typhoon.' No commanding officers or wartime events are filed for this hull.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-05
- Study period
- 1941-1945
- Population
- U.S. Navy crew (1942-45)
- Limitations
- Volunteer secondary database; its unique contributions are the 'ordered 1 Apr 1941' date and 'commissioned' wording - other sources record 'completed' rather than a formal commissioning. Its builder attribution credits Colberg alone while NavSource credits both yards and the Stephens yard table assigns this hull to Stephens (yard 664) - see ev-08 and gaps. No asbestos content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-yms-98-07
-
[9]Shipbuilding History (Tim Colton), Stephens Brothers Boatbuilders & Designers yard output table - YMS-98 hull-664 row and yard history; plus California Military Department museum history 'Shipbuilding in Stockton' (militarymuseum.org) on the joint Colberg-Stephens contract (both verified live 2026-10-05) [other_primary]
- Locator
- shipbuildinghistory.com Stephens page, yard-history paragraph and hull-664 YMS-98 row; militarymuseum.org/StocktonShipbuilding.html, 'joint contract for construction of six yard minesweepers' paragraph
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- Yard output table, Stephens Brothers Boatbuilders & Designers, Inc., Stockton CA (in business 1902-1987, ~1,200 boats, the most significant yacht builder on the West Coast; renamed Stephens Marine after a 1960 sale; yard at the foot of Yosemite Street, now 5 Star Marina): hull 664 = 'YMS 98 | U. S. Navy | Minesweeper | 278 | 136 | 31-Dec-41 | Lost in typhoon off Okinawa 1945'. The Stephens table also carries the contract's other even-numbered hulls - YMS-94 (yard 662) and YMS-96 (yard 663) - while Colberg's own yard table carries odd sisters YMS-95, -97, -99, consistent with a shared contract. The California Military Museum's 'Shipbuilding in Stockton' page documents that 'the first local shipbuilding operations were assigned in 1940 to Colberg Boat Works and Stephens Brothers, a joint contract for construction of six yard minesweepers' - the six-hull block YMS-94 through YMS-99 - and that Stephens employed 460 workers (Colberg peaked at 1,205 by 1945).
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-05
- Study period
- 1940-1942
- Population
- Stephens Brothers construction trades, Stockton CA (1940-42; ~460 employees)
- Limitations
- Secondary yard-list compilation (Colton's shipbuildinghistory) corroborated by a state military museum page; the build dates and yard number are consistent with NavSource and uboat.net on every shared fact. NavSource's joint 'Colberg Boat Works and Stephen Brothers' credit vs the yard table's Stephens assignment (hull 664, even-numbered) is a builder-attribution nuance - the contract was shared, the physical ways were Stephens'. No asbestos content; no asbestos or hazmat record for either yard located.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-yms-98-08
-
[10]Greeley Tribune (Jakob Rodgers), 'War a maturing experience for sailor' (6 May 2008) - interview with former YMS-98 crewman Bob Bischoff (verified live 2026-10-05) [reputable_press]
- Locator
- greeleytribune.com 2008-05-06 article, Bischoff interview narrative paragraphs
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- Former crewman Bob Bischoff described serving aboard YMS-98 during Pacific minesweeping: a mine dragged back near the hull as the sweep line was reeled in detonated about 60 feet from the ship, shattering every plate, cup and dish aboard. Bischoff transferred off the ship for 30 days' stateside leave after 18 months aboard; while home he received word the ship 'was destroyed in a typhoon, killing everyone on board.' A second former-crew perspective consistent with the official 'all hands lost' annotation (ev-03).
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-05
- Study period
- 1942-1945; 2008 (interview)
- Population
- YMS-98 crew incl. Bob Bischoff (wartime service to pre-Sept 1945)
- Limitations
- A veteran's 2008 retrospective interview - memory decades after the fact; the near-miss mine incident is consistent with (but not provably the same event as) the NARA 31 January 1945 sweep-gear photo (ev-06). 'Killing everyone on board' is the detached crewman's understanding, which tracks the Navy-list annotation but conflicts with NavSource's 'Senior Survivor' entry (unresolved - gaps). No asbestos content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-yms-98-09
-
[11]Era inference built on: NavSource specifications (2 x GM 8-268A diesels, single reduction gear, twin shafts); NHHC-derived class description (wood-hulled YMS type, two-stack YMS-1..134 subgroup); California Military Museum / shipbuildinghistory yard context (small wooden minesweeper construction); GAO HRD-80-2 (see ev-11) [other_primary]
- Locator
- NavSource specifications block; NHHC-derived class narrative; GAO HRD-80-2 program context
- Finding type
- asbestos_application
- Finding
- A wood-hulled diesel minesweeper completed April 1942 sits inside the Navy's documented asbestos-use era; era-standard asbestos applications aboard a small diesel craft of this type and period were diesel exhaust lagging, gaskets, valve packing, and electrical insulation - with no steam plant, the boiler/turbine lagging pathway of steam vessels does not apply, and her wood hull carries a materially lighter outfit than steel steam-driven hulls. Asbestos aboard this hull is a reasonable era-consistent inference only.
- Verification
- inferred
- Role
- supporting
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-10-05
- Study period
- 1941-1945
- Population
- Stephens/Colberg construction trades (1941-42); U.S. Navy crew (1942-45)
- Limitations
- Class/era inference only - no hull-specific insulation survey, material list, or work package located for YMS-98. Names era-standard applications, not confirmed installed materials. No quantity. Product names are normalized era terms; no manufacturer attribution for this hull.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-yms-98-10
-
[12]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, HTTP 403)
- 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 and service period (1941-45).
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- class_or_era
- Accessed
- 2026-10-05
- 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 - and a wooden-hulled 270-ton diesel sweeper had materially less asbestos-relevant plant than the steam combatants that dominate the GAO record. Full text not retrieved (gao.gov blocks automated fetch, HTTP 403, standing defect) - content via product-page description.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-yms-98-11
-
[13]Batch-9181 search ledger (this record): NARA Special List 44 + digitized-log index; NavSource hull page; NHHC DANFS candidate URL; HyperWar/NHHC minecraft index; LOC Veterans History Project; uboat.net; shipbuildinghistory Stephens/Colberg tables; militarymuseum.org Stockton shipbuilding; NVR; CourtListener (status in ledger); secondary web sweep [other_primary]
- Locator
- search_ledger rows sl-uss-yms-98-01 through sl-uss-yms-98-NN
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- No qualifying ship-specific asbestos record located: no asbestos survey, abatement record, material list, yard work package, hazmat disclosure, or verified litigation naming YMS-98 was found in the public sources searched (see search_ledger). CourtListener: 'USS YMS-98' opinion query returned 3 hits, all tokenized name collisions (Texas appellate cases - In re Albert Ortiz; Tyrone Berry v. State; Penn Virginia Oil & Gas v. De La Garza - none naming the vessel, none asbestos). Remaining three base queries contended by fleet pacing; status in ledger.
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- negative_finding
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-05
- Study period
- 2026-10-05
- Limitations
- Absence of a located public record does not prove absence of asbestos aboard - era inference remains plausible. Deck logs (Jun 1942-Aug 1945 coverage per Special List 44), BuShips construction/contract records for the joint Colberg-Stephens six-hull contract, and any typhoon-loss board records are undigitized leads. Does not establish or defeat any claim of exposure or legal eligibility.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-yms-98-12
-
[14]East Tennessee Veterans Memorial Association, memorial entry for Pharmacist's Mate First Class John R. Eaves Jr., USN, USS YMS-472 (died 16 September 1945, memorialized Honolulu) - quoting an operational loss narrative covering YMS-98 and YMS-472 (verified live 2026-10-05) [other_primary]
- Locator
- etvma.org/veterans/john-r-eaves-jr-7313 - narrative block quoting the YMS-472/YMS-98 loss report
- Finding type
- vessel_history
- Finding
- The quoted loss narrative places YMS-98 and YMS-472 together in the storm off Okinawa under Mine Squadron 4 / Task Force 52: 'At 2040 YMS 434 reported that he could not contact YMS 472. His last radio contact was between 1600 and 1700. The last know[n] position of [Y]MS 472 at approximately 1530, 16 September - bearing 085 (T) from Northern tip of Okinawa, distance 12 Miles. At 1935 the position and condition of YMS 98 and YMS 472 was reported to Commander Mine Squadron 4 (SOPA Unten Ko). It was requested that a tug be sent to their assistance, but the wind and sea at this time prevented such action from being taken. 17 September: YMS 98 and YMS 472 not reported in. SOPA Unten Ko (Commander Mine Squadron 4) and Commander Task Force 52 were informed of missing ship and plans were made to send YMS 147, 283, 394, 434 on search.'
- Verification
- partial
- Role
- context
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-05
- Study period
- 1945-09-16 to 1945-09-17
- Population
- Crews of YMS-98 and YMS-472; MineRon 4 / TF 52 rescue elements (YMS-147, -283, -394, -434)
- Limitations
- A veterans-memorial page reproducing what reads as an official loss/action-report extract - the underlying report is not directly cited or linked, so the quotation cannot be verified against the original document this session (verification partial). It corroborates the date, place, and unit context (MineRon 4, Unten Ko, TF 52) but not casualty figures. YMS-472 crewman Eaves is memorialized at the Honolulu Memorial - consistent with loss at sea. No asbestos content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-yms-98-13
-
[15]National Archives, 'Navy Deck Logs Available in the National Archives Catalog' (digitized-log index) - YMS-98 absent; Special List 44 paper-log coverage 6/14/1942-8/31/1945 is the open lead; BuShips contract records and typhoon-loss/investigation records as further leads [other_primary]
- Locator
- archives.gov/research/military/logbooks/navy-online (YMS-98 absent); SL-44 YMS-98 row
- Finding type
- historical_record
- Finding
- YMS-98 does not appear on NARA's published list of digitized Navy deck logs (the YMS hulls listed are only the later bird-named AMS/MSC(O) conversions). Archival leads not yet developed: (1) RG 24 deck logs, 14 Jun 1942 - 31 Aug 1945 per Special List 44 - the hull's full documented U.S.-service record; (2) Bureau of Ships / contract records for the joint 1940 Colberg-Stephens six-YMS contract (YMS-94 through -99); (3) any board-of-investigation or loss report for the 16 September 1945 Typhoon Ida sinking - would document the loss circumstances and any survivor accounting; (4) the McElroy oral history audio/transcript at LOC (ev-05).
- Verification
- verified
- Role
- archival_lead
- Documentation level
- ship_specific
- Accessed
- 2026-10-05
- Study period
- 1942-1945
- Limitations
- Leads only - none of these materials was retrieved. Special List 44 coverage ends 31 August 1945, sixteen days before the loss; whether a final partial log was submitted or lost with the ship is unknown. No asbestos content.
- Atlas source
- true
- Evidence ID
- ev-uss-yms-98-14
