Chemical Warfare Corps

The United States Chemical Warfare Service, renamed the Chemical Corps in 1945, was a branch of the US Army responsible for the research, development, production, and defensive and offensive use of chemical weapons. During World War II, its role focused mainly on preparing for chemical threats, developing protective equipment, and training troops, with no operational use of chemical gases in the European or Pacific theaters, in accordance with international conventions and US doctrine at the time.

During the conflict, the Chemical Warfare Service was responsible for the production and storage of chemical materials, as well as training US units in the use of gas masks, filters, and decontamination procedures. It trained thousands of soldiers in chemical defense, detection procedures, and the decontamination of personnel and equipment.

The unit also contributed to research on chemical agents, explosives, and means of protection against enemy chemical weapons. The Chemical Warfare Service helped establish laboratories and training centers in the United States and Europe to support American forces deployed in all theaters of operations, including Europe, North Africa, Italy, and the Pacific.
Although the Chemical Warfare Service was not employed in chemical attacks during the war, its service record includes providing chemical defense, training, detection, and decontamination to U.S. forces, as well as preparing for the possibility of enemy chemical attacks. It ensured the availability of specialized units and equipment for all major American campaigns, indirectly contributing to the safety and operational effectiveness of forces in the European and Pacific theaters.

In summary, the United States Chemical Warfare Corps operated as a chemical support and readiness force, participating in all major U.S. campaigns from 1942 to 1945 through training, production, storage, and chemical defense missions, without actual offensive engagement in the field.