Preface
This volume, the second in a series of three devoted to the Chemical Warfare Service (CWS) in World War II, now the Chemical Corps, covers research, development, procurement, and distribution of chemical warfare materiel. It traces the history of these activities from the World War I period, when the CWS was activated to supervise the offensive and defensive aspects of gas warfare throughout the Army, until the end of World War II. The first volume in the series, Organizing for War, discusses the development of the CWS organization and mission as well as personnel management and military training. The third volume, entitled Chemicals in Combat, will deal with chemical warfare activities in the theaters of operations.
In treating research and development, the present volume concentrates on CWS projects that proved of greatest significance to the armed forces during World War II. It attempts to point up the problems that arose in the course of research and development and to indicate the solutions which the scientists hit upon. Since research and development in the zone of the interior was closely related to research and development in the theaters of operations, the volume covers activities in both areas.
In contrast to research and development, procurement and distribution differed considerably as between the zone of the interior and the theaters of operations; in the theaters these activities were closely associated with the commanders’ combat responsibilities. The volume, therefore, confines itself to a review of procurement and distribution in the zone of the interior, leaving narration of theater activities to the forthcoming Chemicals in Combat.
In World War II the CWS procured a variety of munitions and components both from government arsenals and from private industry. For some of these items the service had prepared plans in the prewar years, but for others it had not had the opportunity to make such plans.
Procurement by the CWS of some items was on a scale never before experienced in peace or war. As in the treatment of research and development, the volume attempts to devote major attention to items that proved significant to the war effort.
Dr. Leo P. Brophy wrote all of the chapters and sections of chapters dealing with procurement and distribution. He was assisted in the research and writing of Chapters XIV and XVI by Mr. Sherman L. Davis of the Historical Staff, Chemical Corps. Dr. Wyndham D. Miles wrote all of the chapters on research and development except the section of Chapter IV dealing with the treatment of gas casualties and Chapter V. The latter were researched and put in draft form by Dr. Rexmond C. Cochrane. Dr. Brooks E. Kleber and Mr. Dale Birdsell reviewed the chapters and offered helpful comments.
The authors of this volume were greatly aided in their research by the competent staff of the National Archives, particularly Mr. Robert W. Krauskopf of Modern Army Branch and Mrs. Caroline Moore, Mrs. Lois C. Aldridge, and Mrs. Hazel Ward of the World War II Records Division, National Archives and Records Service; Mr. Charles E. McCusker, Mr. Howard V. Baute, Mrs. M. Virginia Nester, and Mrs. Mary K. Stuart of the Federal Records Center, GSA, Alexandria, Va.; Mr. Joseph A. Logan, Office of the Comptroller of the Army; Miss Clara J. Widger, Librarian, Industrial College of Armed Forces; and Mr. Robert T. Baldwin of the Chlorine Institute, New York City. Members of the U.S. Army Chemical Corps records and technical information staff, particularly Miss Alice M. Amoss, U.S. Army Chemical Corps Chemical Warfare Laboratories, Mrs. Marion O. Varney, Miss Ethel M. Owens and the late Mrs. Elizabeth V. Owens of the Office of the Chief Chemical Officer, were most helpful. Mrs. Alice E. Moss assisted in the verification of sources and supervised the typing of the manuscript.
The authors are indebted to the many veterans of the Chemical Warfare Service who through interviews and otherwise aided them in writing the volume. Special thanks are due for the assistance afforded by Maj. Gen. Charles E. Loucks, Brig. Gen. Clifford L. Sayre, Brig. Gen. Harold Walmsley, Col. Philip J. FitzGerald, Mr. Marvin J. Silberman, Mr. Robert M. Estes, Dr. L. Wilson Greene, Lt. Col. Allan C. Hamilton, Col. W. P. Fuller Brawner, Col. Frank M. Arthur, Mr. Lester J. Conkling, Col. Ralph W. Hufferd, and Mr. Roman L. Ortynsky.
Thanks also are due to several members of the Office of the Chief of Military History who did much to improve this work. These include Dr. Stetson Conn, Chief Historian, who offered valuable advice; Mr. David Jaffe, who was Editor of the volume; Mr. Thomas H. Monahan, Copy Editor; and Miss Margaret E. Tackley, Chief of the Photographic Branch, who selected the photographs.