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

Dedicated to the Memory ofBrennie E. Hackley, Jr, and Frederick R. SidellDR BRENNIE E. HACKLEY, JRChemist, Teacher, Scientific AdvisorJuly 29, 1924 – November 5, 2006Dr Hackley received a BS in chemistry from WilberforceUniversity in 1946. Following graduation, heenlisted in the US Army and was later commissioned asan officer. After more than 30 years’ service, he retiredfrom the US Army Reserve Corps in 1981 at the rank ofcolonel. Dr Hackley began his civilian career in 1952 asan organic research chemist in the Medicinal ChemistryBranch of the Army Chemical Center and went on toearn advanced degrees in chemistry from the Universityof Delaware, including a PhD in 1957. During hiscareer, Dr Hackley studied the relationship betweenchemical structures and chemotherapeutic activity inreference to efficacy against toxic agents. He contributedto the elucidation of mechanisms of reactions ofnucleophiles with organophosphorus compounds andsynthesized a number of oximes, for which he held 18patents. One oxime synthesized by Dr Hackley, toxogonin,was adopted as an antidote against chemicalnerve agents by the US Air Force.In 1984 Dr Hackley was designated Chief Scientistand Scientific Advisor to the Commander of the USArmy Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense(USAMRICD). During Operation Desert Storm, DrHackley responded to emergency calls by combatdivisions for predeployment briefings on medicalmanagement of chemical casualties, initiating atraveling training program that prepared deployingmedical personnel to treat soldiers on the battlefieldif chemical weapons were employed. As an instructorand course director for USAMRICD’s MedicalManagement of Chemical and Biological Casualtiescourse, Dr Hackley delivered lectures in Saudi Arabia;Johnston Island, Hawaii; Okinawa, Japan; andGermany on pulmonary agents, cyanide, vesicants,and nerve agent threats.While serving as chairman of the Scientific SteeringCommittee on Nerve Agent Antidotes, he advised theCommand that one of the precursors for the then currentsynthesis of the oxime HI-6, under considerationas a replacement for the fielded 2-PAM chloride, wascarcinogenic and would not pass scrutiny by the Foodand Drug Administration. Additionally, Dr Hackleyconvinced the Command that HI-6 wasn’t cost effective,and that its effectiveness compared to 2-PAM chloridewas not great enough to justify its replacement.Dr Hackley represented the US Army Medical researchprogram competently and effectively for almost6 decades. His efforts significantly improved communicationand relationships between the Chemical andMedical Corps and strengthened USAMRICD’s imageas the lead laboratory for the development of medicalcountermeasures for chemical threat agents.lxix