Disposal of US Chemical Warfare Agents in the Bay of Bengal at the End of WWII
During World War II, the US Army Air Force stockpiled chemical weapons in India for possible use in B-29 bombing attacks on Japan. The weapons were never used. As the war ended in 1945, tens of thousands of mustard gas, phosgene and other bombs and thousands of tanks of chemicals were instead dumped into the Bay of Bengal.
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A few questions to consider:
Some say dump sites like this pose no threat to the environment or human health. Others say the sites are a serious threat to both. Who is right?
Did the weapons really sink to the bottom, or only until the pressure was great enough to support their weight?
What are the conditions (temperature, pressure, salinity, living organisms and more) at the bottom of the Bay of Bengal?
What happens to steel containers and their contents during 75+ years under these conditions?
Which of the chemicals are most dangerous? Which types of containers are most dangerous?
What strategies would be best to remove, mitigate or monitor these materials? Is it better to leave them as they are?
Who should be responsible for any actions—the nation which dumped the weapons or the nations which surround the Bay of Bengal?
Worldwide Ocean Dumps of Chemical Weapons
International Scope
This site provides details about the 2 Bay of Bengal dump sites and many other ocean dump sites around the world. The available information varies, but typically includes dates, types and quantities of materials dumped, ocean depth and sometimes more.
1000-lb M79 Chemical Bomb (courtesy Bulletpicker.com)
Bay of Bengal Specifics
This page provides a list of chemical weapons and agents dumped into the Bay of Bengal in May and November of 1945. There are also links to technical details such as the diagram above
Liberty Ship, similar to the George B Porter & O. B. Martin which were used in the Bay of Bengal dumps
From Land to Sea
Hazards can lurk in places other than the final dump site. This page provides information about an original storage location (the USAAF’s Ondal Advance Chemical Park) and about the methods used to transfer the materials from there to the Bay of Bengal.
Centers for Disease Control and Preventions
The CDC is responsible for overseeing the Department of Defense work in disposing of chemical weapons. They also provide guidance for fishing vessels and others who accidentally retrieve chemical weapons.
Department of Defense
In a report to Congress, “Research Related to Effect of Ocean Disposal of Munitions in U.S. Coastal Waters,” DoD focused on a dump site near Hawaii and concluded “sea-disposed munitions do not pose a significant threat to human health and the environment.”
Project MODUM
Supported by NATO’s Science for Peace and Security Programme, the project’s video shows images of ocean-dumped WWII munitions in the Baltic Sea. The project MODUM website says “removal of those weapons … seems unlikely in foreseeable future” and suggests monitoring and additional research.
Northwest Florida Daily News
This YouTube video and an accompanying article, “Dumped munitions in the Gulf of Mexico - How much is out there?.” illustrate possible responses in communities near known ocean dump sites.
Department of Defense News
In 2020, the DOD is completing the task of destroying its remaining stockpiles of chemical munitions at locations in Colorado and Kentucky, using technologies which were not available in 1945.
Ongoing Problems with WWII Japanese Weapons
Japan had and used chemical weapons in China during WWII and buried remaining stockpiles on land. The danger and the cleanup are continuing. This link includes copyrighted images from the Associated Press.
Kerry Jones, CBRNE Analytical and Remediation Activity
APG
A report from the US Army’s Aberdeen Proving Ground about a mission in 2016 to detonate 8 US chemical bombs that had been found on an island off the coast of Panama. The weapons dated from WW2, including the 1000-pound bomb shown in the photograph.
Johnson Atoll Chemical Agent Disposal System
Recovered Chemical Warfare Material (RCWM) Program
A comprehensive history of US chemical weapons activity from 1874 to the present. RCWM remains the organization within the Dept. of Defense which has primary responsibility for locating and destroying US chemical weapons.
WW2 Training Video
WWII Chemical Warfare Service Training Video
This 10-minute film was produced for soldiers entering the Chemical Warfare Service (CWS). It provides important information, including a survey of depots and equipment. The video also offers strategic and social insights. It states, for example, that any private can rise to become an officer—regardless of his race, color or college degree. It also predicts that Hitler will use chemical weapons when he is on the verge of defeat and CWS units will then play a decisive role in determining the outcome of the war.