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E. O. 11652, Sec. 3(E) and 5(D) (E)
OSD letter, April 12, 1974
By NLT
HL
NARS
An extensive program for the collection of intelligence on biological
warfare was established, making use of the intelligence collection agencies of
the Armed Forces, the loss, and the FBI, and arrangements were made to send
specially trained intelligence officers into operational areas to stimulate
the collection of intelligence on biological warfare.
The major achievement of War Research Service, however, was the
organization of a program of research and development to extend the boundaries
of knowledge concerning the use of pathogenic agents as a weapon of var and the
means of protection against possible enemy use of these agents. All known
pathogenic agents were subjected to thorough study and screening by scientists
of the highest competence in their respective fields to determine the possibili-
ties of such agents being used by the enemy. Those disease-producing agents
which seemed to offer some promise were assigned to various university and
private research laboratories for intensive experimentation in terms of their
lethal properties, means of production, and methods of protection against
their use. As the program progressed, however, it soon became clear that
exhaustive investigations of biological warfare agents, their use as weapons,
and means of protection against them could not be achieved without larger scale
developmental operations.
In November 1942 War Research Service requested the Chemical Warfare
Service of the Army to prepare to assume responsibility for a larger scale
research and development program involving the construction and operation of
specially designed laboratories and pilot plants. The site chosen for these
RUMAN
facilities was at Camp Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, where construction was
"NATIONAL
TURNER
ARCHIVES AND
begun in April 1943. When these facilities were put into operation, research
RECORDS
SERVICE"
projects which had been developed under sponsorship of War Research Service
were turned over to the Chemical Warfare Service for further development at
Camp Detrick. War Research Service continued to exercise general supervision
over the entire field and continued to sponsor fundamental research studies in
universities and private institutions and to help secure scientific personnel
and equipment for the Camp Detrick operations.
SECRET
4
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"ocrText": "E. O. 11652, Sec. 3(E) and 5(D) (E)\nOSD letter, April 12, 1974\nBy NLT\nHL\nNARS\nAn extensive program for the collection of intelligence on biological\nwarfare was established, making use of the intelligence collection agencies of\nthe Armed Forces, the loss, and the FBI, and arrangements were made to send\nspecially trained intelligence officers into operational areas to stimulate\nthe collection of intelligence on biological warfare.\nThe major achievement of War Research Service, however, was the\norganization of a program of research and development to extend the boundaries\nof knowledge concerning the use of pathogenic agents as a weapon of var and the\nmeans of protection against possible enemy use of these agents. All known\npathogenic agents were subjected to thorough study and screening by scientists\nof the highest competence in their respective fields to determine the possibili-\nties of such agents being used by the enemy. Those disease-producing agents\nwhich seemed to offer some promise were assigned to various university and\nprivate research laboratories for intensive experimentation in terms of their\nlethal properties, means of production, and methods of protection against\ntheir use. As the program progressed, however, it soon became clear that\nexhaustive investigations of biological warfare agents, their use as weapons,\nand means of protection against them could not be achieved without larger scale\ndevelopmental operations.\nIn November 1942 War Research Service requested the Chemical Warfare\nService of the Army to prepare to assume responsibility for a larger scale\nresearch and development program involving the construction and operation of\nspecially designed laboratories and pilot plants. The site chosen for these\nRUMAN\nfacilities was at Camp Detrick, Frederick, Maryland, where construction was\n\"NATIONAL\nTURNER\nARCHIVES AND\nbegun in April 1943. When these facilities were put into operation, research\nRECORDS\nSERVICE\"\nprojects which had been developed under sponsorship of War Research Service\nwere turned over to the Chemical Warfare Service for further development at\nCamp Detrick. War Research Service continued to exercise general supervision\nover the entire field and continued to sponsor fundamental research studies in\nuniversities and private institutions and to help secure scientific personnel\nand equipment for the Camp Detrick operations.\nSECRET\n4"
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