S.H.A.D.



If you were on board any of these ships, please contact Commander, John R. Borges
or NSO George Yentz at 508-674-1997 as soon as possible. Below the list of ship
names is more information about SHAD.



USS Herbert J. Thomas Feb. 9 - Mar. 4 1966
USS George Eastman Jan. - Mar. 1963
USS Granville S Hall Feb. - Mar. 1963
USS Carpenter Feb. - Mar. 1963
USS Navarro Feb. - Mar. 1963
USS Tioga County Feb. - Mar. 1963
USS Berkley DDG-15
USS Okanogan APA-220
USS Fort Snelling LSD-30
USS Wexford County LST-1168
USS Fetchteler DD-870
USS Hoel DDG-13
USS Power DD-839
US Navy Covered Lighter (barge) YFN-811
US Navy Tug ATF-105
5 Army Light Tugs: LT-2080, LT-2081, LT-2085, & LT-2087
Members of Air Force Units: 4533rd Tact Air Wing, & 33rd Tact Fighter Wing


Project Shipboard Hazard and Defense (SHAD)
Flower Drum, Phase 1

Project Shipboard Hazard and Defense (SHAD) was part of the joint service chemical and biological warfare test program conducted during the 1960's. Project SHAD encompassed tests designed to identify US warships' vulnerabilities to attacks with chemical or biological warfare agents and to develop procedures to respond to such attacks while maintaining a war-fighting capability.

The purposes of the Flower Drum, Phase 1 test were to find a stimulant to sarin nerve agent, to assess shipboard vulnerability to an enveloping vapor to toxic agent, and to establish comparative penetration properties for sarin nerve agent stimulant and actual agent. The USS George Eastman (YAG-39) was exposed to candidate sarin nerve agent stimulants as well as sarin nerve agent. The ship was enveloped by the test agent disseminated from a gas turbine mounted on the bow of the test ship and by simulated envelopment-direct injection of the test agent into the air supply system.

Trials of candidate stimulants sulfur dioxide and methylacetoacetate were run to determine usability as a stimulant for sarin nerve agent. Methylacetoacetate was selected and further subjected to comprehensive, comparative tests.

During sarin nerve agent dissemination, the disseminator crew wore M5 protective ensembles and all other personnel (those in the Safety Citadel) wore MK5. M7A1, or M17 protective masks. When dissemination ceased, all personnel whose duties required them to leave the Safety Citadel wore protective masks until the ship was cleared of nerve agent. During the dissemination period of the stimulant trials, all personnel wore protective masks. During test periods, the only entrance to or exit from the Safety Citadel was through a decontamination tunnel consisting of a passageway that functioned as an air-sweep tunnel for the decontamination facility and also as one of two primary ventilation exhausts for the Safety Citadel. The passageway was divided into four sections by perforated doors; the doors restricted the rate of airflow and maintained the interior/exterior pressure differential. The decontamination tunnel was outfitted with a gas chamber to be used for a protective mask check, shower facilities (not used during the test of vapor agents), and protective equipment and clothing removal facilities. All personnel worked in teams of two or more persons and all teams were checked in and out of the Safety Citadel.

Following the termination of sampling, a full aeration of the ship was accomplished. For the sarin nerve agent trials, aeration of the ship continued until the enzyme ticket test of the M15A1 Detector Kit indicated there was no nerve agent in the exhaust air. When negative results were obtained at the exhaust vents, properly protected personnel confirmed the absence of sarin nerve agent within each area-again using the enzyme ticket test of the M15A1 Detector Kit.

Flower Drum, Phase 1, tests were conducted in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of Hawaii, over the periods February through April and August through September 1964.

Test Name Flower Drum, Phase 1 (Test 64-2)
Testing Organization US Army Deseret Test Center
Test Dates February through April and August through September 1964
Test Location Testing was conducted in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Hawaii.
Test Operations To find a stimulant to sarin nerve agent, assess shipboard vulnerability to an enveloping vapor of toxic agent, and to establish comparative penetration properties for sarin nerve agent stimulant and agent.
Participating Services Navy, plus Deseret Personnel
Units and Ships Involved USS George Eastman (YAG-39)
USS Granville S. Hall (YAG-40)
Dissemination Procedures The ship was enveloped by test agent disseminated from a modified Model T-45M-2 MARS Portable Gas Turbine mounted on the bow of the test ship and by simulated envelopment--direct injection of test agent into the air supply system.
Agents, Simulants, Tracers Sarin nerve agent
Sulfur dioxode
Methylacetoacetate
Ancillary Testing E41 V-G Agent Alram System
Hydrogen Flame Emission Detector (HYFED)
Passive Long Path Infrared (LOPAIR) advance warning alarm
Decontamination A decontamination tunnel was used during test periods.
Potential Health Risks
Associated with Agents,
Simulants, Tracers
Sarin Nerve Agent Sarin gas is classified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a volitile and lethal nerve agent. Occupational Exposure limits are .0001 mg/m3. It can enter the body by inhalation, ingestion, through the eyes, and to a lesser extent through the skin. Symptoms may occur within minutes depending on dose and include runny nose, watery eyes, drooling, tightness of the chest, difficulty breathing, dimness of vision, nausea, vomiting, cramps, loss of bowel.bladder control, twitching, jerking, staggering, confusion, drowsiness, coma and death. Very little information is available regarding prolonged exposures to low levels and no information is available regarding potential carcinogenicity. Rapid decontamination is critical and administration of atropine every 5-10 minutes is necessary until symptoms are minimized. Complete recovery can take months and permanent damage to central nervous system is possible.
(Source: www.bt.cdc.gov/Agent/Nerve/Sarin/Sarin.asp [as of February 13, 2002]).

Sulfur Dioxide Sulfur dioxide is a strong irritant of the lungs and throat. Internal exposure causes headache, dizziness, nausea, wheezing, and cough. External exposure causes severe irritation of eyes, nose, throat, and blisters on skin. Exposures to sulfur dioxide may lawfully range from 0 to 5 parts per million(ppm) of air. Exposure to 100 ppm of sulfur dioxide is considered immediately dangerous to life and health.
(Source: ATSDR Toxicological Profile for Sulfur Dioxide www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp116.html [as of February 13, 2002]).

Methylacetoacetate (synonyms: methyl acetoacetate, acetoacetic acid, methyl ester) Potential health effects consisted of low to moderate eye, skin and respiratory tract irritation and possible gastrointestinal irritation with nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. EPA does not consider methylacetoacetate to be a hazardous material. It is not a knows carcinogen.
Sources: hazard.com/msds/tox/f/q4/q936.html [as of January 28, 2002] and www.hbcollege/chem/lab/organic/gilbert3e/resources/studenttools/dl/e_mmsds.pdf


Project Shipboard Hazard and Defense (SHAD)
Fearless Johnny


Project Shipboard Hazard and Defense (SHAD) was part of the joint service chemical and biological warfare test program conducted during the 1960's. Project SHAD encompassed tests designed to identify US warships' vulnerabilities to attacks with chemical or biological warfare agents and to develop procedures to respond to such attacks while maintaining a war-fighting capability.

The purposes of the Fearless Johnny test were to evaluate the magnitude of interior and exterior contamination from an aerial-delivered chemical weapon system using a stimulant for VX nerve agent; demonstrate the effectiveness of the shipboard water washdown system for decontamination and as a protective measure against an aerial spray of VX nerve agent; and, evaluate the operational impact of gross VX nerve agent contamination on a US Navy ship.

VX nerve agent and the VX nerve agent stimulant, diethyphthlate, mixed with 0.1 percent of the fluorescent dye DF-504, were used during Fearless Johnny testing.

The USS USS George Eastman (YAG-39) was the test subject vessel for all trials of the test program. The USS Granville S. Hall (YAG-40) was assigned to Fearless Johnny as an escort and laboratory support vessel. Two light tugs provided a capability to transfer test samples between the USS George Eastman and the support vessels.

The Fearless Johnny trials were conducted at sea, southwest of Honolulu, Hawaii during August and September 1965. Disseminating aircraft were stationed at an auxiliary airfield on the Island of Kauai.

Test Name Fearless Johnny (Test 65-17)
Testing Organization US Army Deseret Test Center
Test Dates August and September 1965
Test Location Testing was conducted at sea southwest of Honolulu, Hawaii.
Test Operations The test subject vessel, the USS George Eastman (YAG-39), was challenged by VX nerve agent or its simulant, diethylphthlate, to evaluate the magnitude of exterior and interior contamination levels under three material readiness conditions, demonstrate the effectiveness of the shipboard water washdown system, and evaluate the operational impact of gross VX nerve agent contamination on a US Navy ship.
Participating Services Navy, plus Deseret Personnel
Units and Ships Involved USS Geroge Eastman (YAG-39)
USS Granville S. Hall (YAG-40)
Two light tugs (not further identified).
VC-1 (previously designated VU-1, Utility Squadron One) the Blue Aiis (Blue Warriors) Squadron provided a Navy A4-B as a disseminator aircraft.
Patrol Squadron Six (PATRON SIX), Fleet Air Wing Two, provided two P2V Neptune aircraft as airborne command posts and to provide surveillance in the operating area.
Dissemination Procedures Aerial-delivered aerosolized agent and agent simulant.
Agents, Simulants, Tracers VX nerve agent
Diethylphthlate mixed with 0.1 percent of fluorescent dye DF-504.
Ancillary Testing Not identified
Decontamination Water washdown system.
Potential Health Risks
Associated with Agents,
Simulants, Tracers
VX Nerve Agebt Lethal Nerve Agent (Synonyms; Phosphonothioic acid, VX); VX nerve agent is extremely lethal. It is an oily liquid that is clear, odorless and tasteless. Death usually occurs within 10-15 minutes after absorbtion of a fatal dosage. VX nerve agent is one of the most toxic substabces ever synthesized. Symptoms of overexposure may occur within minutes or hours, depending upon the dose. They include: miosis (constriction of pupils) and visual effects, headaches and pressure sensation, runny nose and nasal congestion, salivation, tightness in the chest, nausea, vomiting, giddiness, anxiety, difficulty in thinking, difficulty sleeping, nightmares, muscle twitches, tremors, weakness, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, involuntary urination and defecation. With severe exposure symptoms progress to convulsions and respiratory failure. The permissible airborne exposure concentration for VX nerve agent in any 8 hour work shift can be found in Department of the Army Pamphlet 40-8. To fate, however, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has not promulgated a permissible exposure concentration for VX nerve agent.
Sources: Centers of Disease Control and prevention www.bt.cdc.gov/Agent/Nerve/VX/ctc0006.asp [as of January 25, 2002].
SBCCOM Online, Edgewood Chemical Biological Center in1.apgea.army.mil:80/RDA/msds/vx.htm [as of April 2, 2002].
World Health Organization, Department of Sustainable Development and Environmental Protection 209.61.192.180/phe/factsheet_5.htm [as of April 2, 2002]
Department of the Army Pamphlet 40-8: Occupational Health Guidelines for the Evaluation and Control of Occupational Exposure to Nerve Agents GA, GB, GD and VX books.army.mil:80/cgibin/bookmgr/BOOKS/P40_8/CCONTENTS [as of February 5, 2002]

Diethylphthlate (Synonyms: diethyl ester 2, Benzenedicarboxylic acid). Short-term exposure to diethylphthlate vapors can irritate the nose and throat. If splashed in the eyes, diethylphthlate can cause considerable eye pain but no, or slight, reversible damage. The Environmental Protection Agency places this substance in category D - not classifiable as a human carcinogen. Diethylphthlate is only very slowly absorbed through the skin; however, ingestion in high concentrations can cause gastrointestinal irritation, or hypotension. Diethylphthlate has been used routinely as an insect repellent since World War II. It is also used in cosmetics and aspirin.

Sources: NJ Department of Health and Senior Services, http:www.state.nj.us/health/eoh/rtkweb/0707.pdf [as of January 25, 2002]

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NISOH) International Chemical Safety Cards www.cdc.gov/niosh/ipcsneng/neng0258.html [as of January 25, 2002]

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, National Toxicology Program, ntp-server.niehs.nih.gov/htdocs/Chem_H&S/NTP_Chem8/Radian84-66-2.html [as of January 25, 2002]