Army Chemical Review presents professional information about Chemical Corps functions related to chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, smoke, flame, and civil support operations.
Issue link: https://chemical.epubxp.com/i/759309
46 Army Chemical Review A mong the missions of the U.S. Army Chemical Corps Museum is the mission to collect, preserve, exhibit, and interpret artifacts related to the his- tory of chemical warfare. The museum uses these artifacts to educate and train our current chemical, biological, radio- logical, and nuclear (CBRN) Soldiers and the visiting pub- lic and to instill pride in the heritage and traditions of the Chemical Corps. The precursor to our present museum was established at the Gas Defense Plant on Long Island, New York, in 1918, meaning that the museum is nearly as old as the Chemical Corps itself. Also known as the Long Island Laboratory Mu- seum, its initial function was more in line with a clearing- house activity than a museum. Objects were housed for re- search and development use rather than exhibited for public education. "Four specimens of every type of chemical war- fare device used by our allies and the enemy were collected, catalogued, and sent home for [the] museum and technical study," reported the director of the Chemical Warfare Ser- vice (CWS), Brigadier General Amos A. Fries, in 1919. 1 With the Armistice ending World War I, the Gas Defense Plant was closed and the museum and its collection moved to Edgewood Arsenal, Maryland. 2 A two-story, hollow-tile building, formerly used as a guardhouse, was renovated to serve as the new museum facility and was opened on 1 November 1919. As recorded in the CWS director's annual report to the War De- partment in 1920: - ely 1,750 [objects], have been placed in cases and on display boards in a best calculated to of their easy inspection by visitors. These include all including various processes of the gas ed shells and allied, projectors, gas and other 3 In addition to the holdings of the Gas Defense Plant museum, crates of gas warfare materiel recovered in England, France, and Italy (including American, French, British, Italian, Russian, German, and Austrian collections) were also shipped to Edgewood Arse- nal. Less than 2 weeks later, the veterans of the 1st Gas Regiment listed the museum as a point of interest in their first regimental veterans' reunion at Edgewood Arsenal. These veterans were encouraged to visit the "… two-story building, 125 feet by 40 feet … taken over and fitted up as a museum, library, and record room." 4 Inside, the veterans could view "… the most complete collection of enemy and al- lied gas offense and defense equipment in the United States By Kip A. Lindberg Inside the CWS Museum in 1920