Given the extensive contamination of groundwater with perchlorate, I
am interested in when perchlorate (ammonium or sodium perchlorate) was
first used in munitions ( bombs, fuzes,etc) made in the US during
World War II, and in what specific munitions. My understanding is that
although perchlorate was used for propellants on an experimental basis
in 1942, large scale production of perchlorate did not occur until mid
1944. Thus my question is : specifically when was perchlorate used in
munitions manufactured in the US for use in WWII, and in which
munitions(and munitions parts) was it first used.The more specific the
date, munitions type (and manufacturer/arsenal), type- Navy /Army ,the
better. I am hoping there are some science/munitions history
specialists who might have this information. |
Request for Question Clarification by
pafalafa-ga
on
19 Jul 2003 06:44 PDT
I checked with two percholrate experts on this, and both indicate that
they have never seen the type of list you are looking for that links
perchlorate to actual munitions.
The information I received indicates that perchlorate was actually
used on a limited basis in some World War I artillery shells. The
only WWII use that is explicitly known is for flash powder used in
practice bombs, but in all likliehood it was also used widely in fuses
and flares.
I will continue to investigate this, and as I learn more, I'll see if
it's possible to post an answer to your interesting question.
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Clarification of Question by
albiona-ga
on
19 Jul 2003 14:30 PDT
Thank you for taking up this research.
At this time there may be no published list which matches World War II
munitions made in the US with chemical composition. That's what I hve
been looking for, in vain. However, there may be lists of munitions
manufactured by the US in WWII, and separate histories of the use of
perchlorate in munitions manufacture. Arsenals which supplied
munitions for WWII included Edegewood, Picatinny, Benecia, Sioux,
Tooele,..
I am trying to get an understanding as to what extent, if any,
munitions stored at various sites in the US during WWII, had the
potential for release of
perchlorate to groundwater. The most approximate understaning would be
that x percent of munitions manufactured during WWII contained
perchorate ( ammonium/ potassium) at x%; what I am hoping for is a
specification of munitions with their chemical composition where
perchlorate is a constituent.
This question is revelant to the extensive groundwater contamimation
with perchlorate across the U.S. ( No doubt much is related to post
WWII manufacture of weapons containing perchlorate; my interest is the
WWII period and what that may have contrubuted, specifically where
munitions were stored.)
Army arsenals may have lists, DoD ( War Dept sites..) Please let me
know if I have provided clarification to persue this question. I'll be
checking throughout the weekend if you have questions.
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Request for Question Clarification by
pafalafa-ga
on
19 Jul 2003 18:34 PDT
Hello again,
I've continued to poke around on this one, and came across a document
only recently made public by DoD, which sure *sounded* like what you
were looking for. It's the "DoD's Perchlorate Use Survey(June 2003)"
and is available here:
http://www.cpeo.org/pubs/otherpubs.html
This lists all military sites that have tested for the presence of
perchlorate, and that alone might be of some use to you.
The report also notes that "we have excluded...for security reasons,
data identifying specific munitions, ordnance, or propellant
end-item..."
From the sound of it, it appears that DoD conducted exactly the survey
you're asking about, but is keeping it under wraps.
Perhaps one of the researchers here with more fortitude than I possess
can contact the DoD sources mentioned in the document to see if any of
the information can be made public. Although modern munitions are
certainly legitimate topics of security secrets, it's hard to imagine
a rationale for keeping secret the composition of WWII-era weaponry.
But then again, I read somewhere that some of George Washington's
military diaries have never been declassified, so....
Good luck.
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Clarification of Question by
albiona-ga
on
20 Jul 2003 06:35 PDT
Thanks again for looking for this information and for the DOD link. I
checked out the DOD report on perchlorate per the address you gave.
Noted that DOD is going back only to 1950 for perchlorate-containing
munitions, which might indicate that perchlorate was not a major
component of WWII munitions. I have been reading about munitions
production at the RedStone and Huntsville Arsenals during WWII and
have not come across reference to perchlorate.
Onward....
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