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Operation Red Hat was a U.S. military action taking place in 1971, which involved the movement of chemical warfare munitions from Okinawa, Japan to Johnston Atoll in the North Pacific Ocean.

Operation

Once Operation Red Hat commenced in 1971, the Army leased 41 acres (170,000 m) on Johnston. Phase I of the operation took place in January and moved 150 tons of mustard agent munitions. Phase II moved the remainder of the chemical munitions, about 12,500 tons, in September. The USS Grapple, under the command of a Captain Pilcher, was part of Operation Red Hat.SP/5 Leon Lynch was NCO from 175th ordnance detachment in charge of day to day operations

Units operating under USARYIS; 2nd Logistical Command were; the 267th Chemical Company, 196th Ordnance Detachment (EOD) and the 5th Ordnance Detachment (EOD) and the 175th Ordnance Detachment. Most of the operation took place at night, to avoid observation of the operation by the Okinawans, who resented the presence of chemical munitions on the island. Originally, it was planned that the munitions be moved to Umatilla Chemical Depot but this never happened due to public opposition and political pressure. Instead, all munitions on Johnston island were destroyed by the first full-scale demilitarization plant built since the signing of the Chemical Weapons Convention by the United States. In addition Congress passed legislation (PL 91-672) that prohibited the transfer of nerve agent, mustard agent, agent orange and other chemical munitions to all 50 U.S. states.

Accident

In 1969, 23 U.S. servicemen and one U.S. civilian stationed in Okinawa, Japan, were exposed to low levels of the nerve agent sarin while repainting the military depot buildings. The weapons had been kept secret from Japan, sparking a furor in that country, an international incident and the creation of Operation Red Hat.

See also

• Human experimentation in the United States
• Johnston Atoll Chemical Agent Disposal System

References

1. GlobalSecurity.org: Operation Red Hat
2. Suzanne Marshall PhD: "Chemical Weapons Disposal and Environmental Justice", Kentucky Environmental Foundation, November, 1996 (funded by Educational Foundation of America)

External links

• EPA: "National Priorities List Report", Operation Red Hat

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