They gave him such high doses that he in the vernacular, he flipped out. Hunt, Secret Agenda: The U.S. Government, Nazi Scientists and Project Paperclip 1945-1991. In some cases, soldiers involved in these experiments were exposed to multiple chemical and biological agents, including incapacitating drugs and toxic substances. The agents tested included chemical warfare agents and other related agents (inactive substances or placebos such as saline were used): There are no tests today that can confirm exposure to agents from decades ago. 2009), the plaintiffs did not seek monetary damages. Then, in 1996, Bollinger received a military commendation in the mail. "I've read several of the guys say they were never the same after BZ, and they are telling the truth," Paul said. Medications cost $2,000 a month, which he was paying for out of pocket. hide caption, When the story broke, VA Deputy Secretary Anthony Principi appeared on 60 Minutes, in 1991, to explain how the agency would respond to men who were injured in the tests: "They should be praised for what they did," Principi said on the CBS News program. And you just wouldnt think they would give you something that would harm you intentionally.. Relics from Nat Schnurman's activism still decorate the family home where his wife, Joy (pictured, far right), lives. In all, roughly 60,000 World War II veterans were used as test subjects, and they kept the experiments secret for half a century. hide caption. The VA has been accused of bias in these claims denials due to its self-interest in the issues. Parker Waichman LLP is offering free lawsuit evaluations to any former soldier who was subjected to medical experimentation at Edgewood Arsenal between 1955 through 1975. Only a small number of all the experiments done during this period involved mustard agents or Lewisite. When those experiments were formally declassified in the 1990s, the Department of Veterans Affairs made two promises: to locate about 4,000 men who were used in the most extreme tests, and to compensate those who had permanent injuries. This includes receiving medicines or vaccines under the Armys investigational drug review. A small portion of these studies were directed at psychochemical warfare and grouped under the prosaic title of the "Medical Research Volunteer Program" (19561975). According to the class action lawsuit filed on behalf of Edgewood Arsenal veterans, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), despite having actively participated in the experiments, has denied between 97% and 99% of all disability or death claims arising out of the exposures. Edgewood Arsenal Medical Experiments Compensation. Parker Waichman LLP is investigating secret medical experiments that were conducted on U.S. soldiers from 1955 to 1975 at the U.S. Armys Edgewood Arsenal in Maryland. 2, "Cholinesterase Reactivators, Psychochemicals and Irritants and Vesicants, Vol. In a statement, the Defense Department said that it has made it a priority to identify all service members exposed to chemical and biological substances and the VA has contacted and offered free medical evaluations to thousands of veterans.. The purpose was to evaluate the impact of low-dose chemical warfare agents on military personnel and to test protective clothing and pharmaceuticals. Researchers there had recorded his full name in neat handwriting on lined paper. "That's going to be on my tombstone," Bollinger says. Even a book critical of the program, written by Lynn C. Klotz and Edward J. Sylvester, acknowledges that: Unlike the CIA program, research subjects [at Edgewood] all signed informed consent forms, both a general one and another related to any experiment they were to participate in. For more information, fill out our online contact form or call 1-800-YOURLAWYER (1-800-968-7529). (N.D. Cal. I really felt a duty to my country to go and serve, he said. What's the use?" As a result of the testing, many of the veterans who served between two and four months at the Edgewood Arsenal in Maryland, suffer from chronic, debilitating illnesses. This being said, also my son's father was exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam. Statistically, at least one out of a thousand young soldiers chosen at random might be expected to expire during any one-year period. Josephs had volunteered for a two-month assignment at Edgewood, in Maryland, lured by three-day weekends closer to home. This kind of behavior toward our veterans would not be allowed to happen, Erspamer said. 7 Jun 2022 Military.com | By James Barber From 1955 to 1975, the Army conducted chemical weapons testing on volunteer soldiers at the Edgewood Arsenal facility in Maryland in pursuit of an. Thus, between 1950 and 1975, about 6,720 soldiers took part in experiments involving exposures to 254 different chemicals, conducted at U.S. Army Laboratories at Edgewood Arsenal, MD (NRC 1982, NRC 1984, NAS 1993). Schnurman and his. It claimed "no significant health effects have been observed" in those who were tested. But when he went to fill out paperwork the morning after his arrival, the base personnel were wearing white lab coats, and Josephs said he had second thoughts. If you or someone you love were a victim of these experiments, we urge you to contact Parker Waichman LLP today to protect your legal rights. The lack of a detailed record hampered the investigation. Since I grew up in close proximity to Edgewood with obvious chemical testing, how much can I have transferred birth defects to him? To date, these policies have not been applied to World War II vets who were exposed to mustard gas. Left: U.S. Army Chemical and Biological Defense Agency; Right: Naval Research Laboratory Please switch auto forms mode to off. Attorney James Hancock works with the California law firm Morrison & Foerster, which filed a class action lawsuit back in 2008 against the CIA and Department of Defense. Josephs said he didnt know what drugs he was getting. he says. hide caption. Of those involved in the experiments: Most of these experiments involved tests of protective equipment and of subjects' ability to perform military tasks during exposure. To my knowledge, not one of them died or suffered a serious illness or permanent injury. The mustard gas experiments were conducted at a time when American intelligence showed that enemy gas attacks were imminent. A deliberate destruction of evidence and files documenting their illegal actions, actions which were punctuated by fraud, deception, and a callous disregard for the value of human life. Find out if you qualify for VA health care. "This should have been ancient history by now," he told NPR. Veterans who have a disease or injury they believe is related to the testing may seek treatment from the Army, according to the Armys Office of the Surgeon General. These men make a convincing case that they were not briefed about the risks involved in the program and did not understand the potential for the long-term effects they've endured. CNN The moment 18-year-old Army Pvt. Fill out the form below to receive a free confidential consultation. 3, "Final Report: Current Health Status of Test Subjects", Health Outcomes Among Veterans of Project SHAD (Shipboard Hazard and Defense) (2016), "United States v. Stanley, 483 US 669 - Supreme Court 1987", "Vietnam Veterans of America v. Central Intelligence Agency", "THE HUMAN ASSESSMENT OF EA 1729 AND EA 3528 BY THE INHALATION ROUTE", "Assessment of Potential Long Term Health Effects on Army Human Test Subjects of Relevant Biological and Chemical Agents, Drugs, Medications and Substances", "King's Collections: Archive Catalogues: Military Archives", "Operation Delirium: Decades after a risky Cold War experiment, a scientist lives with secrets". Tim clearly had adverse health effects because they gave him such high doses that he ranged from overdose with one substance to the antidote, back and forth, and he actually had to get a very powerful antipsychotic drug because, in the vernacular, he flipped out.. If you are concerned about exposures during Edgewood/Aberdeen chemical tests, talk to your health care provider or yourlocal environmental health provider. The chemical agents tested on volunteers included chemical warfare agents and other related agents:[1]. NPR Investigations Research Librarian Barbara Van Woerkom contributed reporting and research to this investigation. From this point on, APG was the common identifier for both areas. None of the requested materials were cleared for public release as of this writing (2016).[19]. Original photo: Courtesy of Charlie Cavell, Left: U.S. Army Chemical and Biological Defense Agency; Right: Naval Research Laboratory. "Dr. Delirium & the Edgewood Experiments" gives ample airtime to theories that Edgewood hosted Nazi scientists given asylum under the Pentagon's notorious Operation Paperclip program, but never quite manages to tie the Germans to Ketchum's experiments. But NPR interviewed veterans who met both of those requirements and have still been denied for years sometimes decades as the VA continues to request more information and proof. As late as 2014 incomplete information due to the failure to declassify and release relevant classified documents prevented IOM from conducting adequate medical studies related to similar former US biowarfare programs. The National Academies of Science reviewed this report in 2018 ("Review and Approach to Evaluating Long-term Health Effects in Army Test Subjects") and suggested a framework for evaluating these exposures moving forward. In this U.S. government photo, Wray Forrest is seen on the far right in 1973 while participating in the program at Maryland's Edgewood Chemical and Biological Center. Nashville veteran discusses his experience at Edgewood Arsenal. Blocks of ice sat on shelves overhead with fans blowing across them to increase the humidity in the room, which intensified mustard gas's effects on the body. Copyright 2023 Military.com. Not enrolled in the VA health care system? The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has a page about the testing on its website. EDGEWOOD ARSENAL / MKULTRA LAWSUIT MOVES TO NEXT PHASE Claims it is unconstitutional for the VA to decide VA claims where VA itself participated in the illegal chemical and biological weapons program. That adds up to 1,167 man-years of survival. The founder and director of the program, Dr Van Murray Sim, was called before Congress and chastised by outraged lawmakers, who questioned the absence of follow-up care for the human volunteers. The ruling came on a class-action lawsuit filed by Vietnam Veterans of America, Swords to Plowshares and individual veterans over medical care for troops who participated in research programs at. The men were sworn to secrecy and told to never discuss Edgewood Arsenal or the experiments that went on there with anyone. The idea was they would test new Army field jackets, clothing, weapons and things of that nature, but no mention of drugs or chemicals.. Attention A T users. In the early 1990s, VA officials also announced the agency would lower its burden of proof to make getting benefits easier in these cases. There, Ketchum was administering psychotropic drugs on young. 27299 Riverview Center Boulevard, Suite 108. You will now be able to tab or arrow up or down through the submenu options to access/activate the submenu links. Several veterans claimed they were exposed to dangerous chemicals during government-sponsored Cold War experiments without their knowledge, and they filed suit in 2009 against the Army, Veterans Affairs, the CIA and the Department of Defense. "[5] This was alarming enough to a Harvard psychiatrist, E. James Lieberman, that he published an article entitled "Psychochemicals as Weapons" in The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists in 1962. Veterans who became Army guinea pigs for secret drug and chemical experiments are suing the VA, the CIA and the Defense Department. All Rights Reserved. They. "[4] Soviet advances in the same field were cited as a special incentive giving impetus to research efforts in this area, according to testimony by Maj. Gen. Marshall Stubbs, the Army's chief chemical officer. Veterans may file a claim for disability compensation for health problems they believe are related to exposures during Edgewood/Aberdeen chemical tests. ", Goss says he thinks the VA never delivered on its promises because this issue has been disappearing on its own for years. It forced the Army to locate soldiers who were in the testing program and send them documentation detailing what happened to them. After an hour, the officer released six of the men back to their barracks. The prior finding held that the Army has an ongoing duty to seek out and provide "notice" to former test participants of any new information that could potentially affect their health. A refusal to satisfy their legal and moral obligations to locate the victims of experiments or to provide health care or compensation to them. To enter and activate the submenu links, hit the down arrow. But the VA didn't uphold those promises, an NPR investigation has found. 2, "Cholinesterase Reactivators, Psychochemicals and Irritants and Vesicants" (1984), Vol. hide caption. II. The Marine Corps is eliminating the scout sniper program as part of the service's big Force Design 2030 overhaul. It concluded that "Whether the subjects at Edgewood incurred these changes [depression, cognitive deficits, tendency to suicide] and to what extent they might now show these effects are not known". The court resolved all of the remaining claims in the case and vacated trial. On the other side is an in-depth and wide-ranging interview with Ketchum filmed shortly before his death in 2019. Sometimes it was an injection. 1942-1945: U.S. Navy initiated poisonous Mustard Gas and Lewisite (derivative of arsenic) experiments to test protective clothing and anti-blister ointments at the Naval Research Laboratory and at the Army's Edgewood Arsenal. [10], According to a DOD FAQ, the Edgewood Arsenal experiments involved the following "rough breakout of volunteer hours against various experimental categories":[11]. What types of tests were conducted at Edgewood? The chemicals were given to volunteer service members at Edgewood Arsenal, Maryland; Dugway Proving Ground, Utah; and Forts Benning, Bragg, and McClellan. The VA created a list of illnesses that are linked to mustard gas exposure such as skin cancer, leukemia and chronic breathing problems. Lasting from 1950 to 1975, the experiments took place at Edgewood Arsenal in Maryland. Fort Hoyle was established on October 7, 1922, and was created from a portion of the Edgewood Arsenal. After all, the Edgewood experimenters were focused on disabling soldiers in combat, where there would be tactical value simply in disabling the enemy.[8]. Blisters that eventually increased to the size of half dollar coins started to grow in the same places. Schnurman and his wife, Joy, spent the next two decades compiling evidence of the testing in order to put pressure on the military. "U.S. Navy, Guinea Pig. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much After NPR's inquiry, the VA told NPR there was enough evidence to grant his claims. Josephs has not received any health benefits related to his time as a human test subject at Edgewood. "It's an important story that needs to be told and it's a story that frankly a lot of people don't know," Hancock said. "They didn't know they were signing up to get mystery chemicals injected into their bodies," Hancock said. Edgewood also hit a roadblock with its field in May of 2020, when the City of . They deserve that respect and the audience this documentary can bring. The Maj. Richard Star Act would eliminate the dollar-for-dollar offset on retirement pay that combat-disabled vets with less Capt. NPR Photo Editor Ariel Zambelich and reporters Christopher Groskopf, Jani Actman and Lydia Emmanouilidou also contributed to this story. Bicycle, Scooter, and Electric Bike Accidents, Cerebral Palsy Malpractice Injury Lawsuits, Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS) Disease Injury Lawyers, Clergy Sexual Abuse Lawyers | Priest Abuse Attorneys, Pennsylvania Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Lawyers, U.S. Army Edgewood Arsenal Medical Experiments, Bicycle, Scooter, and Electric Bike Accident, Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS) Disease Injury. The test subjects who are still alive are now in their 80s and 90s. At 79 years old, he actively harvests honey from his bee farm. It passed the Agent Orange Act in 1991, which requires the VA to assume that all veterans who served in and around Vietnam were exposed to the chemical. In total, Army documents identified 7,120 Army and Air Force personnel who participated in these tests. These studies included a secret human subjects component at least as early as 1948, when "psychological reactions" were documented in Edgewood technicians. The heart of the film is interviews with a group of veterans who participated in the testing program, mostly during the Vietnam War era. Kristian Thacker for NPR These men aren't polished or rehearsed, and the filmmakers let them have their say, even when things veer into pure speculation. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. President Nixon ended research into offensive chemical weapons in 1969, and the military no longer uses human subjects in research on chemical agents, said a spokesman for Edgewood Chemical Biological Center, as the facility is known now. Those substances affect the same region of the brain, Erspamer said. Other exposures included tear gas, and hallucinogenics like LSD. According to at least one class action lawsuit filed on behalf of Edgewood Arsenal veterans, other substances tested on soldiers there included mescaline, amphetamines, mustard gas, CS (riot control agent), a THC analog called red oil, anthrax, botulism, plague, tularemia, Q fever, and crop destruction agents such as dioxin, used in Agent Orange. Edgewood/Aberdeen Experiments From 1955 to 1975, the U.S. Army Chemical Corps conducted classified medical studies at Edgewood Arsenal, Maryland. The personal injury attorneys at Parker Waichman LLP offer free, no-obligation case evaluations. The release of the new document comes after a year in which the Navy saw several major clusters of suicides. Tim Josephs arrived at Edgewood Arsenal in 1968, he knew there was something different about the place. 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