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Project Shipboard Hazard and Defense (SHAD)
FACT SHEET Questions? If you need help verifying your possible participation in a Project SHAD/112 test, please call DoD's contact managers at (800) 497-6261, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. If you'd like to speak with a VA representative, call the Special Issues Helpline at (800) 749-8387 or visit the VA's SHAD page. Many states offer services and benefits to veterans. To find out more about a particular state, select it on the map. Office of the Special Assistant to the Under Secretary of Defense (Personnel and Readiness) for Gulf War Illnesses, Medical Readiness and Military Deployments For more information, (703) 578-8500 Project Shipboard Hazard and Defense (SHAD) Copper Head Project Shipboard Hazard and Defense (SHAD) was a program encompassing several tests undertaken in the 1960s to learn the vulnerabilities of US warships to an attack with chemical or biological warfare agents and develop procedures to respond to such an attack while maintaining a war-fighting capability. Copper Head testing was similar to Autumn Gold testing in that the test used simulants only. The primary difference between Copper Head and Autumn Gold was Copper Head was designed to use simulants to learn biological agents’ characteristics in frigid temperatures. Copper Head was conducted in international waters in the North Atlantic. The crews who participated in Copper Head were not test subjects, but test conductors. Participants should have been fully informed of the details of each test. Before testing began, all persons involved in Copper Head should have received comprehensive biological and chemical agent training. Trial tests conducted before the actual test should have reinforced the training already received and ensured everyone involved knew their role in the test. The training program should have included training in these areas: using protective masks and clothing, medical training and immunizations, knowledge of chemical and biological agents and simulants, and knowledge of test procedures and processes. Under actual test conditions, test conductors should have worn appropriate nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) protective equipment and should have taken extensive safety precautions to prevent any adverse health effects from the testing. COPPER HEAD Test Name Copper Head (Test 65-1) Testing Organization US Army Deseret Test Center Test Dates January 24 through February 25, 1965 Test Location Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada Test Operations Target ship was operated under three different readiness conditions: A. Normal steaming conditions—full ventilation B. Battle or near-battle condition C. Chemical and biological attack expected Participating Services Navy, Marines, plus Deseret personnel Units and Ships Involved USS Power (DD-839) Dissemination Procedures Sprayed from A4B aircraft. Agents, Simulants, and Tracers Bacillus globigii (BG). Harmless to humans, BG is ubiquitous and easily found in samplings of wind-borne dust. BG is safely used in biological studies as a stand-in for pathogenic bacteria. BG is used as a biological tracer for anthrax because its particle size and dispersal characteristics are similar to those of anthrax. A household bleach and water solution easily kills BG. Zinc Cadmium Sulfide (FP – fluorescent particle). Zinc cadmium sulfide is an inorganic compound. Although it is not a biologic weapon, it is used as a tracer to simulate biological weapons’ dispersion in various environments. In the early 90’s, in response to concerns about cancer and infertility, the National Research Council studied the compound’s long-term effects. The Council’s findings indicate zinc cadmium sulfide is not harmful to humans. It isa stable compound; strong acids dissolve it only slightly. Because zinc cadmium sulfide does not dissolve in water or fats, it is unlikely it can enter the body through cutaneous contact or inhalation. Cadmium is the most toxic element of the compound. Humans are exposed to cadmium naturally in water, air, food, soil and house dust. It enters the air from burned coal and household waste. There have been no studies on the toxic effects of repeated exposure to zinc cadmium sulfide. The National Research Council devised a worst-case scenario: if exposure to zinc cadmium sulfide has the same effect as exposure to an equal amount of cadmium, repeated exposures to zinc cadmium sulfide could be toxic to kidneys and bones and cause lung cancer. Currently, no medical test determines The Department of Defense (DoD) is providing this information, at the request of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA), to assist the VA in providing healthcare services to qualified veterans and to assist veterans in establishing service connection for disability claims. The Office of the Special Assistant to the Under Secretary of Defense (Personnel and Readiness) for Gulf War Illnesses, Medical Readiness and Military Deployments (OSA) collected this information from multiple sources and requested that the military services declassify it to allow its public distribution. The VA accepts the information provided on location, dates, units and/or ships, and substances involved in this exercise, which the OSA extracted from classified DoD records, and will provide it to individual veterans as necessary, but the VA cannot verify its accuracy. COPPER HEAD Exposure to zinc cadmium sulfide. However, tests are available to determine cadmium exposure. After 30 to 40 years it would be hard to identify people exposed or affected and determine their past exposures to zinc cadmium sulfide. Source: National Academy Press, Toxicologic Assessment of the Army’s Zinc Cadmium Sulfide Dispersion Tests, 1997. Ancillary Testing Aero 14-B spray tank Decontamination Exterior: Not documented. Interior: Betapropiolactone (b-Propiolactone). Modern uses for b-propiolactone include vaccines, enzymes, tissue grafts, and surgical instruments; to sterilize blood plasma, water, milk, and nutrient broth; and as a vapor-phase disinfectant in enclosed spaces. Its sporicidal action kills vegetative bacteria, pathogenic fungi, and viruses. The primary routes of potential human exposure to b-propiolactone are inhalation, ingestion, and dermal contact. There is evidence b-propiolactone is a carcinogen. However, the results of animal testing in mice, rats, hamsters, and guinea pigs are questionable due to a lack of controls in the study. An International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) working group reported no data are available to evaluate the carcinogenicity of b-propiolactone in humans. Source: Department of Health and Human Services Helpful Links: Project 112 (Including Project SHAD) Veterans learn of secret tests decades afterward From CBS: (Part-1 May 15th, 2000) (Part-1 May 16th, 2000) (Part-3 Sept, 20, 2000) The Department of Defense (DoD) is providing this information, at the request of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA), to assist the VA in providing healthcare services to qualified veterans and to assist veterans in establishing service connection for disability claims. The Office of the Special Assistant to the Under Secretary of Defense (Personnel and Readiness) for Gulf War Illnesses, Medical Readiness and Military Deployments (OSA) collected this information from multiple sources and requested that the military services declassify it to allow its public distribution. The VA accepts the information provided on location, dates, units and/or ships, and substances involved in this exercise, which the OSA extracted from classified DoD records, and will provide it to individual veterans as necessary, but the VA cannot verify its accuracy. If anyone has more information to add, please contact this web site at dd_839@yahoo.com |
