- Deseret News
- Thursday, December 22, 1994
AT A GLANCE: WEAPONS TESTING TRENDS AND TOTALS
Germ tests
Number of Germ tested test series Start, finish dates of tests
"coccidioides"........... 3 series Sept. 1960 to March 1964
"fluorescent particles".. 11 series May 1953 to May 21, 1963
"pasteurella"............ 1 series Oct. 9, 1952
"pathogens" *............ 1 series June 1950 to November 1950
"undisclosed agents"..... 1 series throughout 1954
"unknown agents"......... 1 series Jan. 24, '64, to Feb. 3, '64
aspergillus fumigatus ... 1 series May 1953 to June 1953
bacillus anthracis ...... 7 series January 1954 to Sept. 1960
bacillus subtilis ....... 54 series through 1945 to Sept. 10, '86
botulinum toxin ......... 1 series September 1960
brucella melitensis ..... 3 series June 1952 to December 1952
brucella suis ........... 17 series May 12, 1952 to February '56
clostridium botulinum ... 1 series Nov. 19, 1952
coccidioides uranine .... 1 series Nov. 1962 to March 1963
coxiella burnetii ....... 11 series June 1, 1951, to April 4, 1967
virus bacterophage ...... Sept. 4, 1986 (28 tests)
pasteurella pestis ...... 1 series March 27, 1952
pasteurella tularensis .. 21 series April 9, 1952, to April 4, 1967
psittacosis ............. 1 series throughout 1951
serratia marcescens ..... 11 series May 1953 to May 18, '78
uranine dye ............. 1 series Aug. 1964 to Sept. 1964
wheat rust spores ....... 1 series Feb. 18, 1952, to May 27, '52
wheat stem rust ......... 5 series Sept. 12, 1952, to August '54
* - test unsubstantiated by government
Unsure if germs were confined to Army lands
From January 1951 through February 1956, Dugway Proving Ground conducted 36 test operations in which officials were unsure if tests were confined to Army lands.
Total
Germ tested Date started Date ended
Bacillus anthracis ...... 3 series January 1954 February 1956
Brucella melitensis ..... 3 series June 1952 December 1952
Brucella suis ........... 16 series May 19, 1952 February 1956
Clostridium botulinum ... 1 series Nov. 19, 1952
Coxiella burnetii ....... 3 series June 1, 1951 November 1952
Pasteurella pestis ...... 1 series Mar. 27, 1952
Pasteurella tularensis .. 6 series April 9, 1952 Nov. 18, 1954
Psittacosis ............. 1 series through 1951
Pasteurella ............. 1 series Oct. 9, 1954
Undisclosed agents ...... 1 series through 1954
Chemical tests
Aerial testing of nerve agent GA
- Deadly nerve agent GA was sprayed at Dugway Proving Ground in six different instances, from Dec. 19, 1952, to Feb. 2, 1953. In the first four experiments, GA was spread by an F-80 fighter jet flying 480 mph at a height of 100 feet. In the last two tests, F-47M and F-47N fighters were used at speeds of 310 mph and at the same 100-foot heights.
Aerial testing of nerve agent GB
- In 10 tests conducted between July 16, 1952, to Feb. 12, 1953, Dugway Proving Ground sprayed nerve agent GB from an F-80 flying 480 mph at heights ranging from 75 to 200 feet.
- GB was sprayed at Dugway in seven tests between April 17, 1953, to May 13, 1953, using an F3D-2 aircraft flying at 360 knots at heights ranging from 20 to 40 feet.
- In four more tests conducted at Dugway between Feb. 10-24, 1954, an F-80 sprayed GB while flying at 470 mph at heights between 65 and 130 feets.
- On six dates from April 1, 1962, to May 31, 1962, more than 4,100 pounds of GB was sprayed at Dugway at heights ranging from 115 to 190 feet (the type of aircraft and speeds were undocumented).
Firing arms at fortifications with caged animals inside
Dugway Proving Ground conducted demonstrations weekly by firing 12 arms filled with nerve agent GB at fortifications with caged animals inside, as soldiers watched their deaths via TV.
The tests were conducted for 12 weeks from September 1959 to December 1959. During the next nine years - from 1960 to 1968 - the tests were performed 40 of the 52 weeks annually. The operation concluded the following year, with the tests being conducted weekly from January 1969 to June 1969.
Nonaerial tests with VX, GA and GB
GA, GB and VX were used in 1,178 documented tests from 1951 to 1969. Tests ranged from exploding shells filled with nerve agent to assessing troop operations in contaminated areas.
Test Total
Test type series tests
Attacks on planes, arms leaks on plane ... 3 ... 48
Arms and rockets filled with GA or GB .... 2 ... 155
Arms filled with GA or GB ................ 14 .. 715
Assessments in VX-contaminated areas ..... 2 ... 5
Burned B-24 bomber with GB aboard ........ 1 ... 1
Downwind hazards of M-55 destruction ..... 1 ... 5
Landmines filled with VX ................. 3 ... 14
M-55 rockets filled with VX .............. 10 .. 126
155-mm shells filled with VX ............. 8 ... 55
8-inch howitzer shells filled with VX .... 3 ... 21
Testing GB persistency in various temps .. 1 ... 10
Various disposal, contamination tests .... 2 ... 23
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