Medical Aspects of Chemical Warfare (2008) - The Black Vault

History of Chemical WarfareFig. 2-30. Members of the Sixth Field Artillery, first Division,in action among bursting shells near Exermont, Ardennes,France. October 4, 1918. US Signal Corps photograph.Photograph: Courtesy of US Army Military History Institute,Carlisle, Pa.chemical agents in retaliation and during offensiveoperations (Figure 2-30). At the end of the war, theUnited States had developed the best protective mask,abundant munitions, and trained troops (Figure 2-31).The CWS had 1,680 officers and 20,518 enlisted personnelcontrolling the Army’s chemical warfare program. 27Fig. 2-29. An American gas casualty in the front line trenchesof the Toulon Sector in France. March 21, 1918. US SignalCorps photograph.Photograph: Courtesy of US Army Military History Institute,Carlisle, Pa.Italians, Germans, Austro-Hungarians, and Americans,around a million were gas casualties. Of thetotal 272,000 US casualties, over 72,000, or about onefourth, were gas casualties (Figure 2-28). Of the totalUS gas casualties, approximately 1,200 either died inthe hospital or were killed in action by gas exposure.No casualties or deaths were attributed to biologicalwarfare, which was also used in World War I. 25 With theaid of the CWS, the US Army successfully recoveredfrom its early poor performance and survived repeatedtoxic chemical attacks against its troops (Figure 2-29).Likewise, by the end of the war, the 1st Gas Regimentand numerous US artillery units successfully used toxicFig. 2-31. Members of the Chemical Warfare Service decontaminatinga typical mustard-laden shell hole near HanlenField, Marne, France. December 4, 1918. US Signal Corpsphotograph.Photograph: Courtesy of US Army Military History Institute,Carlisle, Pa.37