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80-481: The Merced County Fairgrounds are home to the annual Merced County Fair , the county fair of Merced County, California . The Merced County Fair was first held on September 2, 1891. The first fair was held on 18th Street in Merced and was a joint county fair with neighboring Mariposa County . The Merced County Fair showcases livestock , exhibits, carnival rides, music and fair food each year. Merced County has held

160-475: A dragon and a tree. The shield is enclosed on three sides by a blue ribbon with Elementis regamus proelium written around it in gold lettering. The phrase translates to: "We rule the battle through the elements.". The regimental insignia incorporates specific symbolism in its design. The colors, gold and blue, are the colors of the Chemical Corps, while the tree's trunk is battle scarred, a reference to

240-695: A county fair since 1891, except during 1917 and 1918 ( World War I ), 1936 (financial issues), 1943 to 1945 ( World War II ), and 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic . The first solo Merced County Fair was held on September 14–15, 1929 at the Applegate Park Municipal Baseball Park. Early fairs hosted a rodeo and 4-H youth organization livestock shows. In 1931, the fair moved to its current site at 11th and G streets, now 900 Martin Luther King Jr. Way. In 1937,

320-527: A larger number of civilian casualties. In the event, neither chemical nor biological weapons were used on the battlefield by any combatant during World War II. Though the political leadership of the United States remained decidedly against the use of chemical weapons, there were those within the military command structure who advocated the use of such weapons. Following the Battle of Tarawa , during which

400-509: A member of the CWS. Other Hall of Famers also served in the CWS during World War I, among them Ty Cobb and Christy Mathewson ; Mathewson suffered lung damage after inhaling gas in a training accident, which contributed to his later death from tuberculosis. Robert S. Mulliken served in the CWS making poison gas during World War I, and he later earned the Nobel Prize in 1966 for his work on

480-483: A parade and a three-day horse racing meeting was added to the fair. The fair closed in 1943 and did not open again till 1946 due to World War II. From 1946 to 2019 & since 2022, the fair has been run by the California Department of Food and Agriculture 's 35th District Agricultural Association. The fairgrounds have been used year-round to support other community activities. On the fairgrounds have been

560-571: A rare collection of medals documenting the history of agricultural shows and rural industries across Australia. The 111 medals range in date from the mid-19th to the early 20th century and many are associated with significant individuals and organizations. Related to a show is the "field day", with elements of a trade show for machinery, equipment and skills required for broadacre farming. Field days typically do not involve livestock, show bags or sideshows , but may include events such as ploughing competitions not usually associated with shows due to

640-651: A recommendation by CCIA to establish an information and liaison office in Tokyo patterned on the Frankfurt agency. The Chief Chemical Officer and Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence (ACS/I) approved the recommendation and foresaw an activation date in financial year 1964. Two CCIA staff members again toured selected U.S. intelligence agencies in Japan , Korea , Okinawa , Taiwan , the Philippines , and Hong Kong in

720-557: A soldier's affiliation with the corps. The Chemical Corps branch insignia consists of a cobalt blue, enamel benzene ring superimposed over two crossed gold retorts . The branch insignia, which was adopted in 1918 by the fledgling Chemical Service, measures .5 inches in height by 1.81 inches in width. Crossed shells with a dragon head was also commonly used in France for the Chemical service. The Chemical Warfare Service approved

800-953: A talk on insect control by an entomologist at a recent field day at LSU AgCenter's Pecan Research/Extension Station in Shreveport, La. A Landcare survey conducted in 1992/93 revealed that field days in Australia have a high value among local farmers. New Zealand's National Agricultural Fieldays is held annually in June at Mystery Creek , near Hamilton, New Zealand , and attracts 1,000 exhibitors and over 115,000 visitors through its gates. Smaller shows, held annually in New Zealand's towns and communities, are generally called agricultural and pastoral shows ( A&P shows ). Agricultural shows can be sources of swine influenza transmission in both animal and human populations. Swine influenza

880-492: A variety of non-chemical warfare related tasks and missions during the war including producing incendiaries for flame throwers , flame tanks and other weapons. Chemical soldiers were also involved in smoke generation missions . Chemical mortar battalions used the 4.2-inch chemical mortar to support armor and infantry units. During all parts of the war, use of chemical and biological weapons were extremely limited by both sides. Italy used mustard gas and phosgene during

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960-483: A variety of safety precautions that should be taken at agricultural fairs to prevent the spread of swine influenza. Vulnerable communities including children, people aged 65 years and older, pregnant women, and those suffering from long-term health conditions are groups who should avoid swine exposure due to their high-risk status. The CDC specifically recommends that high-risk individuals with known medical complications avoid interaction with swine at agricultural fairs. It

1040-541: A year of setting up the center, the number of scientists and technicians employed there would increase from 272 to over 1,000. Industrial plants were established in nearby cities to synthesize toxic chemicals for use in research and armaments. Shells were filled with toxic gas in Edgewood, Maryland . Women were employed to produce gas masks in Long Island City . On 5 July 1917 General John J. Pershing oversaw

1120-467: Is "To protect the force and allow the Army to fight and win against a CBRN threat. Develop doctrine, equipment and training for CBRN defense which serve as a deterrent to any adversary possessing weapons of mass destruction . Provide the Army with the combat multipliers of smoke, obscurant, and flame capabilities." The Chemical Corps, like all branches of the U.S. Army, uses specific insignia to indicate

1200-518: Is a communicable disease caused by one of several different strains of influenza A virus . Currently, the subtypes of influenza A virus which have been identified in pig populations within the United States are referred to as H1N1, H1N2, and H3N2, all named for their specific genetic makeups. These viruses are extremely common in pigs across various industries, including pig showmanship at agricultural fairs, and are easily passed between pigs when proper hygiene and safety measures are not carried out. It

1280-458: Is a public event exhibiting the equipment, animals, sports and recreation associated with agriculture and animal husbandry . The largest comprise a livestock show (a judged event or display in which breeding stock is exhibited), a trade fair , competitions, and entertainment. The work and practices of farmers , animal fanciers , cowboys , and zoologists may be displayed. The terms agricultural show and livestock show are synonymous with

1360-502: Is advised that anyone who develops flu symptoms after swine exposure at agricultural fairs contact their physician for appropriate medical consultation. There are other recommended prevention strategies to reduce the spread of swine influenza at agricultural fairs. It is suggested that people do not bring food into pig areas, do not take any items such as toys, pacifiers or similar items near the pig areas, avoid close contact with any pigs, and wash hands before and after handling pigs. Given

1440-435: Is rare for the virus to spread to humans; however, genetic reassortment can lead to susceptibility among humans. Due to direct contact with infected animals or a contaminated environment, swine influenza strains can be transmitted to human populations. In cases such as the 2009 flu pandemic , the virus was transmitted from swine to humans and caused a global pandemic which led to the deaths of approximately 12,000 people in

1520-435: Is the policy of this Government to do everything in its power to outlaw the use of chemicals in warfare. Such use is inhuman and contrary to what modern civilization should stand for. I am doing everything in my power to discourage the use of gases and other chemicals in any war between nations. While, unfortunately, the defensive necessities of the United States call for study of the use of chemicals in warfare, I do not want

1600-535: Is widespread speculation that U.S. troops were exposed to chemical munitions while destroying weapons caches, particularly near the Khamisiyah storage site. After the war, analysis suggested the chemical defense capabilities of U.S. forces were woefully inadequate during and after the conflict. In addition, some experts, such as Jonathan B. Tucker , suggest that the Iraqis did indeed employ chemical weapons during

1680-639: The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff characterized U.S. ability to conduct operations in a chemical environment as "not prepared." Secretary of the Army Martin R. Hoffmann rescinded the 1972 recommendations, and in 1976 Army Chief of Staff General Bernard W. Rogers ordered the resumption of Chemical Corps officer commissioning. However, the U.S. Army Chemical School at Fort McClellan, Anniston, Alabama did not reopen until 1980. By 1982

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1760-614: The Chief of Engineers directed that the Gas Service Section consist of four majors, six captains, 10 first lieutenants and 15 second lieutenants. Additional War Department orders established a Chemical Service Section that included 47 commissioned officers and 95 enlisted personnel. Before deploying to France in 1917 many of the soldiers in the 30th Engineer Regiment (Gas and Flame) spent their time stateside in training that did not emphasize any chemical warfare skills; instead

1840-563: The First Gas Regiment and deployed to assist and support Army gas operations, both offensive and defensive. On 28 June 1918, the Chemical Warfare Service (CWS) was officially formed and encompassed the "Gas Service" and "Chemical Service" Sections. By 1 November 1918 the CWS included 1,654 commissioned officers and 18,027 enlisted personnel. Major General William L. Sibert served as the first director of

1920-548: The U.S. Department of Defense for failure to address shortcoming identified five years earlier during combat in the Persian Gulf War. These shortcomings included inadequate training, a lack of decontamination kits and other equipment, and vaccine shortages. From 1952 until 1999 the Chemical Corps School was located at Fort McClellan . Since its closure due to Base Realignment and Closure in 1999,

2000-455: The "Chemical Corps Hall of Fame". The list includes soldiers from many different eras of the Chemical Corps history, including Amos Fries, Earl J. Atkisson, and William L. Sibert. The organization conducts annual inductions, and the honor is considered the highest offered by the corps. Baseball Hall of Fame baseball player, manager, and executive Branch Rickey served in the 1st Gas Regiment during World War I. Rickey spent over four months as

2080-412: The 130th, was set for June 9–13, but it was again cancelled by the fair Board of Directors and CEO on March 8, 2021. Reasons given were the ongoing uncertainty of COVID-19 and restrictions on large public events. In 2021, the local economic benefit lost to the cancellation of the fair was around US$ 23 million. The 130th fair finally resumed in 2022, from 8–12 June, following a pandemic-based hiatus. When

2160-584: The Army's Chemical Corps and the United States Army Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) School are located at Fort Leonard Wood , Missouri. There are approximately 22,000 members of the Chemical Corps in the U.S. Army, spread among the Active, Army Reserve, and Army National Guard. The school trains officers and enlisted personnel in CBRN warfare and defense with a mission

2240-510: The CWS on the day it was created, and he resigned in April 1920. In the interwar period , the Chemical Warfare Service maintained its arsenal despite public pressure and presidential wishes in favor of disarmament. Major General Amos Fries , the CWS chief from 1920–29, viewed chemical disarmament as a Communist plot. Through his instigation and lobbying, the CWS and its various Congressional, chemist, and chemical company allies were able to halt

2320-570: The Chemical Corps and the U.S. Air Force made great strides in their biological warfare programs, especially concerning delivery systems. During the Korean War (1950–53) chemical soldiers had to again man the 4.2 inch chemical mortar for smoke and high explosive munitions delivery. During the war, the Pine Bluff Arsenal was opened and used for BW production, and research facilities were expanded at Fort Detrick . North Korea,

2400-438: The Chemical Corps was running smoothly once again. In an effort to hasten chemical defense capabilities the corps restructured its doctrine, modernized its equipment, and altered its force structure . This shift led to every unit in the army having chemical specialists in-house by the mid-1980s. Between 1979 and 1989 the Army established 28 active duty chemical defense companies. After Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990 and much of

2480-688: The Chemical Corps' smoke and flame mission be integrated into the Engineer Corps and the chemical operations be integrated into the Ordnance Corps . The groups recommendations were accepted in December 1972 and the United States Army Chemical Corps was officially disbanded, but not formally disestablished, by the Army on 11 January 1973. To formally disestablish the corps, the U.S. Congress had to approve

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2560-429: The Chemical Warfare Service are those of a "Service" rather than a "Corps." It is desirable to designate as a Corps only those supply branches of the Army which are included in the line of the Army. To have changed the name to the "Chemical Service" would have been more in keeping with its functions than to designate it as the "Chemical Corps." I have a far more important objection to this change of name. It has been and

2640-550: The Government of the United States to do anything to aggrandize or make permanent any special bureau of the Army or the Navy engaged in these studies. I hope the time will come when the Chemical Warfare Service can be entirely abolished. To dignify this Service by calling it the "Chemical Corps" is, in my judgment, contrary to a sound public policy. The Chemical Warfare Service deployed and prepared gas weapons for use throughout

2720-807: The Interior Franklin K. Lane , directed the Bureau of Mines to assist the Army and Navy in creating a gas war program. Researchers at the Bureau of Mines had experience in developing gas masks for miners , drawing poisonous air through an activated carbon filter. After the Director of the Bureau of Mines, Van H. Manning , formally offered the bureau's service to the Military Committee of the National Research Council ,

2800-651: The Medical Department with developing the technology. Nevertheless, troops were neither supplied with masks nor trained for offensive gas warfare until the U.S. became involved in World War I in 1917. By 1917, the use of chemical weapons by both the Allied and Central Powers had become commonplace along the Western , Eastern and Italian Fronts , occurring daily in some regions. In 1917, Secretary of

2880-612: The Merced County Fairgrounds was turned into the Merced Assembly Center , a detention center for those of Japanese ancestry. The center opened on May 6, 1942 and closed on September 15, 1942. Most of those detained were transferred to a permanent camp, Granada War Relocation Center in Colorado . President Franklin D. Roosevelt authorized the forced relocation of Japanese Americans living on

2960-492: The North American terms county fair and state fair . The first known agricultural show was held by Salford Agricultural Society, Lancashire , in 1768. Since the 19th century, agricultural shows have provided local people with an opportunity to celebrate achievements and enjoy a break from day-to-day routine. With a combination of serious competition and light entertainment, annual shows acknowledged and rewarded

3040-479: The Soviet Union and China leveled accusations at the United States claiming the U.S. used biological agents during the Korean War ; an assertion the U.S. government denied. After the end of the Korean War, the Army decided to strip the Chemical Corps of the 4.2 inch mortar system and made that an infantry weapon, given its utility against Chinese mortars. From 1952 until 1999 the Chemical Corps School

3120-460: The States. The Army and Marine Corps felt the tanks saved many American troops on Iwo Jima and Okinawa . The Marines felt they were the best weapon they had in the taking of Iwo Jima. In 1946, the Chemical Warfare Service was re-designated as the "U.S. Army Chemical Corps", a name the branch still uses. With the change came the added mission of defending against nuclear warfare , in addition,

3200-580: The U.S. Senate's ratification of the 1925 Geneva Protocol which forbade "first use" of chemical weapons. Even countries who had signed the Geneva Protocol still produced and stockpiled chemical weapons, since the Protocol did not prohibit retaliation in kind. In 1937, President Roosevelt opposed changing the name of the Service to Corps, stating: It is my thought that the major functions of

3280-478: The U.S. forces suffered more than 3,400 casualties in three days, CWS chief Major General William N. Porter pushed superiors to approve the use of poison gas against Japan. "We have an overwhelming advantage in the use of gas. Properly used gas could shorten the war in the Pacific and prevent loss of many American lives," Porter said. Popular support was not completely lacking. Some newspaper editorials supported

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3360-781: The US and campdrafting and wood chopping are often held in Australia. Studs are generally available for a fee. A livestock show is an event where livestock are exhibited and judged on certain phenotypical breed traits as specified by their respective breed standard . Species of livestock that may be shown include pigs , cattle , sheep , goats , horses , rabbits , llamas , and alpacas . Poultry such as chickens , geese , ducks , turkeys , and pigeons are also shown competitively. There are also competitive shows for dogs , sheepdogs , and cats . Prize-winners at agricultural shows are generally awarded inscribed medals, cups, rosettes or ribbons. The National Museum of Australia has

3440-504: The United States alone. For this reason, people who work or spend any time in close proximity with pigs are at risk for infection and must follow specific precautions to prevent the spread of swine influenza. Certain populations at agricultural fairs are at increased risk of developing serious complications after swine influenza exposure. For instance, pregnant women are more susceptible to swine influenza and have been shown to have increased rates of swine influenza mortality relative to

3520-709: The United States associated with contact with pigs at agricultural fairs. The three main Influenza A viruses responsible for these outbreaks are variants of the Influenza A viruses H1N1, H1N2, and H3N2. Recent swine influenza variant outbreaks associated with agriculture fairs in the United States: In the United States, agricultural fairs are a significant exposure source for swine influenza. Certain strains of swine influenza can be transmitted from pig to pig, pig to human, and human to human; swine influenza infection does not always show signs of illness. There are

3600-592: The Vietnam-era Chemical Corps also developed " people sniffers ", a type of personnel detector. Major Herb Thornton led chemical soldiers, who became known as tunnel rats and developed techniques for clearing enemy tunnels in Vietnam. In March 1968, the Dugway sheep incident was one of several key events which increased the growing public furor against the corps. An open air spraying of VX

3680-607: The West Coast with Executive Order 9066 over the fear of more attacks. Notable people held at the Merced Assembly Center included artist Emiko Nakano . The former Merced Assembly Center is a California Historical Landmark , number 934.02. After the Assembly Center closed, the fairgrounds were turned over to the 4th Air Service Area Command for supplies and training until 1945; during this time it

3760-587: The corps continued to refine its offensive and defensive chemical capabilities. Immediately following World War II, production of U.S. biological warfare (BW) agents went from "factory-level to laboratory-level". Meanwhile, work on BW delivery systems increased. Live testing in Panama was carried out during the San Jose Project . From the end of World War II through the Korean War , the U.S. Army,

3840-514: The council appointed a Subcommittee on Noxious Gases. Manning recruited chemists from industry, universities, and government to help study mustard-gas poisoning, investigate and mass-produce new toxic chemicals, and develop gas-masks and other treatments. A center for chemical weapons research was established at American University in Washington, D.C. to house researchers. The U.S. military paid to convert classrooms into laboratories. Within

3920-399: The county library branch, a fire station , a school for the mentally handicapped, a preschool program, Merced College , the J. Emmett McNamara Memorial Museum, and Leontine Gracey Elementary School . The fairgrounds are also rented out during the year. In 2020, the fair was scheduled for June 10–14, but was cancelled by the fair board due to "COVID-19 public health concerns." The 2021 fair,

4000-469: The creation of a new military unit dealing with gas, the Gas Service Section. The government recruited soldiers for it to be based at Camp American University , Washington, D.C. The predecessor to the 1st Gas Regiment was the 30th Engineer Regiment (Gas and Flame). The 30th was activated on 15 August 1917 at Camp American University A 17 October 1917 memorandum from the Adjutant General to

4080-440: The desert to better acclimatize troops to wearing the bulky protective clothing (called MOPP gear) in hot weather conditions. Though Saddam Hussein had renounced the use of chemical weapons in 1989, many did not believe he would really honor that during a conflict with the United States and the broader coalition forces. As American troops headed to the desert, analysts speculated about their vulnerability to CB attack. Although

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4160-520: The enemy. The Chemical Corps continued to support U.S. forces through the use of incendiary weapons , such as napalm , and riot control measures, among other missions. As the war progressed into the late 1960s, public sentiment against the Chemical Corps increased because of the Army's continued use of herbicides, criticized in the press as being against the Geneva Protocol; napalm; and riot control agents. Besides supplying flame weapons, and preparing for any eventuality of weapons of mass destruction,

4240-679: The fair is not meeting the race track is used for the Merced Fairgrounds Speedway . The speedway is a 0.375-mile dirt track that hosts race car , midget car and motorcycle racing. It previously held a race in NASCAR 's premier division during the 1956 NASCAR Grand National Series . Chris Windom won the 2020 National Midget Car Championship at the Merced Fairgrounds Speedway. After the surprise Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941,

4320-603: The general population. Similarly, adolescents , infants , and those with serious medical comorbid conditions have disproportionately high rates of mortality with swine influenza. This is concerning as over 3.5 million children in the United States participate in youth agricultural programs every year. Agricultural fairs can readily lead to swine influenza infection in vulnerable populations because agricultural fairs are frequently visited by entire families, including children and pregnant women. Swine influenza variant viruses have been responsible for several recent outbreaks in

4400-407: The hard work and skill of primary producers and provided a venue for rural families to socialise. City shows also provide city people with an opportunity to engage directly with rural life and food production. Agriculture shows are often enlivened with competitive events, including sheaf tossing , show jumping , food competitions, and tent pegging . Demolition derbies and rodeos are popular in

4480-507: The historical beginnings of U.S. chemical warfare, battered tree trunks were often the only reference points that chemical mortar teams had across no man's land during World War I. The tree design was taken from the coat of arms of the First Gas Regiment . The mythical chlorine breathing green dragon symbolizes the first use of chemical weapons in warfare (chlorine). Individual Chemical Corps soldiers are often referred to as "Dragon Soldiers." The Chemical Corps Regimental Association operates

4560-447: The insignia in 1921 and in 1924 the ring adopted the cobalt blue enamel. When the Chemical Warfare Service changed designations to the Chemical Corps in 1946 the symbol was retained. The regimental motto, Elementis Regamus Proelium translates to: "We rule the battle by means of the elements." The Chemical Corps regimental insignia was approved on 2 May 1986. The insignia consists of a 1.2 inch shield of gold and blue emblazoned with

4640-478: The larger space required. In some communities in northern England Field Days (or Club Days ) have lost their agricultural character and have become community celebrations. The events are good sources of agricultural information, as organizers can arrange for guest speakers to talk on a range of topics, such as the talk on the yellow-flowering alfalfa at the South Dakota field day. Pecan growers were given

4720-416: The late 1960s, the chemical warfare capabilities of the United States began to decline due to, in part, a decline in public opinion concerning the corps. The corps continued to be plagued with bad press and mishaps. A 1969 incident , in which 23 soldiers and one Japanese civilian were exposed to sarin on the island of Okinawa , while cleaning sarin-filled bombs, created international concern while revealing

4800-552: The location of Hussein's chemical munitions was unknown, their existence was never doubted. Gulf War I was fought without the Iraqi Army unleashing chemical or biological munitions; Eric R. Taylor, of the CATO Institute , maintained that the effective, U.S. threat of nuclear retaliation halted Hussein from employing his chemical weapons. The locations of many of Iraq's chemical stockpiles were never uncovered and there

4880-501: The move, because it had officially established the Chemical Corps in 1946. Congress chose to table action on the fate of the Chemical Corps, leaving it in limbo for several years. Recruitment and career advancement was halted and the Chemical School at Fort McClellan was shut down and moved to Aberdeen Proving Grounds . By the mid–1970s the chemical warfare and defense capability of the United States had degraded and by 1978

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4960-515: The presence of chemical munitions in Southeast Asia. Also in 1969, President Richard Nixon reaffirmed a no first-use policy on chemical weapons as well as renouncing the use of biological weapons (BW). When the U.S. BW program ended in 1969, it had developed seven standardized biological weapons in the form of agents that cause anthrax , tularemia , brucellosis , Q-fever , VEE , and botulism . In addition, Staphylococcal Enterotoxin B

5040-590: The severity of the disease, it is prudent to adopt safety precautions to limit the spread of the swine flu. Incomplete list of shows in Australia: Chemical Corps#World War II The Chemical Corps is the branch of the United States Army tasked with defending against and using chemical , biological , radiological , and nuclear ( CBRN ) weapons . The Chemical Warfare Service

5120-643: The short Second Italo-Abyssinian War , Germany employed chemical agents such as Zyklon B against Jews, political prisoners and other victims in extermination camps during the Holocaust , and Japan employed chemical and biological weapons in China. In 1943 a U.S. ship carrying a secret Chemical Warfare Service cargo of mustard gas as a precautionary retaliatory measure was sunk in an air raid in Italy , causing 83 deaths and about 600 hospitalized military victims plus

5200-510: The third quarter of financial year 1962. The purposes were to establish liaison with the Chemical Corps personnel, to reemphasize the importance of CBR intelligence, and to provide on the spot guidance and discuss the establishment of a U.S. Army Chemical Corps Information and Liaison Office in Tokyo. Beginning in 1962 during the Vietnam War , the Chemical Corps operated a program that would become known as Operation Ranch Hand . Ranch Hand

5280-401: The training focused on drill, marching, guard duty, and inspections. Despite the conventional training, the public perceived the 30th as dealing mainly with "poisonous gas and hell fire". By the time those in the 30th Engineers arrived in France most of them knew nothing of chemical warfare and had no specialized equipment. In 1918, the 30th Engineer Regiment (Gas and Flame) was redesignated

5360-706: The use of chlorine shells to drive the Confederate Army from its positions. Doughty included a detailed drawing of the shell with his letter. It is unknown how the military reacted to Doughty's proposal but the letter was unnoticed in a pile of old official documents until modern times. Another American, Forrest Shepherd , also proposed a chemical weapon attack against the Confederates . Shepherd's proposal involved hydrogen chloride , an attack that would have likely been non-lethal but may have succeeded in driving enemy soldiers from their positions. Shepherd

5440-499: The use of chemical weapons in the Pacific theater. The New York Daily News proclaimed in 1943, "We Should Gas Japan", and the Washington Times Herald wrote in 1944, "We Should Have Used Gas at Tarawa because "You Can Cook 'Em Better with Gas". Despite rising between 1944 and 1945, popular public opinion never rose above 40 percent in favor of the use of gas weapons. Where there was support for Chemical Warfare

5520-637: The war. As a result of the 1995 sarin gas attack on a Tokyo subway and the growing concern about a terrorist chemical attack, the U.S. Congress passed laws to implement a program to train civilian, law enforcement, and fire agencies on responding to incidents involving chemical agents. Further, United States Army Reserve chemical units began fielding equipment and training Soldiers to perform mass casualty decontamination operations. A 1996 United States Government Accountability Office report concluded that U.S. troops remained highly vulnerable to attack from both chemical and biological agents. The report blamed

5600-463: The world during World War II . However, these weapons were never used in combat . Despite the lack of chemical warfare during the conflict, the CWS saw its funding and personnel increase substantially due to concerns that the Germans and Japanese had a formidable chemical weapons capability. By 1942 the CWS employed 60,000 soldiers and civilians and was appropriated $ 1 billion. The CWS completed

5680-589: The world responded by amassing military assets in the region, the United States Army faced the possibility of experiencing chemical or biological (CB) attack. The possibility of CB attack forced the army to respond with NBC defense crash courses in theater. Troops deployed to the Gulf with protective masks at the ready, protective clothing was made available to those troops whose vicinity to the enemy or mission required it. Large scale drills were conducted in

5760-432: Was a herbicidal warfare program which used herbicides and defoliants such as Agent Orange . The chemicals were color-coded based on what compound they contained. The U.S. and its allies officially argued that herbicides and defoliants fell outside the definition of "chemical weapons", since these substances were not designed to asphyxiate or poison humans, but to destroy plants which provided cover or concealment to

5840-665: Was a well-known geologist at the time and his proposal was in the form of a letter directly to the White House . The earliest predecessors to the United States Army Chemical Corps owe their existence to changes of military technology early in World War I. By 1915, the combatants were using poison gases and chemical irritants on the battlefield. In that year, the United States War Department first became interested in providing individual soldiers with personal protection against chemical warfare and they tasked

5920-579: Was blamed for killing over 4,000 sheep near the US Dugway Proving Ground . The Army eventually settled the case and paid the ranchers. Meanwhile, another incident involving Operation CHASE (Cut Holes and Sink 'Em) was exposed, which sought to dump chemical weapons 250 miles (400 km) off of the Florida coast, spurring concerns over the damage to the ocean environment and risk of chemical munitions washing up on shore. Beginning in

6000-795: Was established on 28 June 1918, combining activities that until then had been dispersed among five separate agencies of the United States federal government . It was made a permanent branch of the Regular Army by the National Defense Act of 1920 . In 1945, it was redesignated the Chemical Corps. Discussion of the topic dates back to the American Civil War . A letter to the War Department dated 5 April 1862 from New York City resident John Doughty proposed

6080-646: Was in V Amphibious Corps and X U.S. Army . Colonel George F. Unmacht (US Army) became commander of the Army's Chemical Warfare Service, Pacific Ocean Area in 1943. Along with that he was the Hawaii Territorial Coordinator for Civilian Gas Defense and Joint service Pacific theater chief chemical warfare officer under Adm. Nimitz . Under his leadership the research, development, and production of flamethrowing tanks and napalm took place at Schofield Barracks . His crews of Seabees produced more flamethrowing tanks than commercial production in

6160-561: Was known as Camp Merced . For three years Camp Merced was used as the headquarters for and to support the Merced Army Air Field and its auxiliary fields that were used for training new pilots needed for World War II. The 802nd Chemical Company and 1914th Ordnance Ammunition Company, Aviation were also trained at Camp Merced before deployment to the Pacific War . Agricultural show An agricultural show

6240-645: Was located at Fort McClellan . The Chemical Corps Intelligence Agency (CCIA) was founded in 1955 within a facility at Arlington Hall Station , Virginia . which also housed the Army Security Agency , the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Defense Intelligence Agency 's National Intelligence University . The CCIA accomplished the intelligence function of the U.S. Army Chemical Corps . Its mission

6320-428: Was produced as an incapacitating agent. During the summer of 1972, Nixon nominated General Creighton Abrams for the post of Army Chief of Staff . Upon assuming that position, Abrams and others began to address the reformation of the Army in the wake of Vietnam. Abrams investigated the possibility of merging Chemical Corps into other Army branches. An ad hoc committee, designed to study possibilities, recommended that

6400-482: Was to support the national intelligence effort with particular emphasis on the military aspects of Chemical, Biological and Radiological (CBR) intelligence information. U.S. Army Chemical Corps Information and Liaison Office, Europe (CCILO–E) was established and located in Frankfurt, Germany. During November and December 1961 two CCIA officers visited the Far East on an intelligence collection trip. This visit led to

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