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Show T UTAH FARM Page 4 ttkiii fiavsinsEDt! 3)(uj "We may have killed those ewes HO, IT I (3dDK'0V BUR SKIHH and rams9 the Army said sheepishly . At the present, more than 6,400 sheep in Utah's Tooele County are dead from unconfirmed poisony ing. The Army's Biological Warfare Center at Dug-wa- Proving Grounds in Tooele County admits that they are "the prime suspecf but deny responsibility. "Final determinations have not yet been made," they said. Here on these pages is a chronological summary of some of the events surrounding the mysterious sheep deaths. C? AFFECTED HOCKS CT UNAFFECTED Q FLOCKS B100D SAMPLES OR OTHER SAMPLES IS 10 s o 0 STATUTE NILES March 13th -- 3:30 p.m. An orientation demonstration of nerve milimeter shells gas. containing non persistent nerve gas were fired on the Dugway range. Similar tests have been conducted for years. The gas, while deadly, dissipates within minutes. A little later 160 gallons of persistent nerve gas was burned in a pit to dispose of the gas (actually a thick liquid). A high speed Air Force plane flying about 150 feet 5:30 p.m. above the ground on a heading of 315 degrees sprayed 320 gallons of a persistent nerve gas over the Dugway range in a test of the spraying equipment. The pilot was in communication with the ground during the test and followed a target line marked by smoke pots. The test zone was about 27 miles from the nearest sheep flock. At this time only the military knew of these tests. 155 March 14th sheep in the White Rock area of Skull Valley began to show symptons of a mysterious affliction. Later the same day some of the sheep died. The Basque sheepherders had some difficulty communicating the problem to their employer, since none of them spoke much Most of the sick sheep were on the Hatch Ranch, owned by English. Anschutes Feed & Livestock Co., Denver. Veterinarians were summoned to the ranch and testing begun. March 16th When it became apparent that the deaths were not the result of any known disease affecting sheep, other specialists were called in. By this time thousands of sheep were dead. March 18th An investigation by the Agricultural Research Service (of the USDA) Testing Station in Logan, had been completed. Dr. Kent Van Kampen (the only veterinary pathologist in Utah) and others from the Logan A.R.S. station had made blood tests, taken tissue samples and made checks of possible poisonous weeds in the area. Their findings were not released to the public. One of the A.R.S. investigators suggested to Alvin Hatch of the Hatch Ranch that there was a possibility that anorgano-phosphorocompound had killed the He recommended further Hatch Mr. that ask the Army officials sheep. at Dugway if they had been doing any testing of nerve gas. Mr. Hatch was referred to Dr. Mortimer A. Rothenberg at Dugway by the Centers commanding officer, Colonel James H. Watts. Mr. Hatch was assured that no testing was being done that could in any way harm his sheep. us March 19th The Utah Department of Agriculture released to the press the fact that a large number of sheep were dead. March 21st asked the PentaSenator Frank E. Moss on at of the done had if been any gon any testing Dugway days immediately preceding the 14th of March (the day the sheep began dying). A report was sent to his office outlining the three tests on the 13th of March. The Senators staff released the information to the press. When the Information reached the wire services, the Pentagon officials told the Senators staff that the information was "for official use only and should be withdrawn. Dale Zabriskle, the Senators press assistant, indicated that the Pentagon report was not marked "for official use only and the material was already released so they would stand behind it. Meanwhile, Alvin Hatch and several newsmen were at Dugway Proving Grounds being briefed by Army officials who Informed them that their testing methods could not possibly have harmed sheep or any other form of life. By the time these men returned to Salt Lake (D-Ut- ah) DUGWAY PROVING GROUND IUSSEU III V City, the release from Senator Mosss office on the March 13th testing was being carried by the radio and TV networks. March 22nd Governor Calvin L. Hampton called a 2:00 meeting Army officials, sheepmen, along with officials from state and federal agencies concerned with the sheep deaths. When a correspondent from the Washington Post asked the Governor if they would be allowed to ask questions, the governor replied that he would rather they didnt. "On what authority? the Post writer asked. Governor Rampton then asked all of the large contingent of newsmen to leave the room. Following the meeting Governor Rampton told the press that, "It is my hypothesis that the sheep died from an alrborn toxic substance, The governor added, however, possibly nerve gas from Dugway. c, that this was far from conclusive. "There are many blanks in the he said. Dr. D. A. Osguthorpe, a noted sheep veterinarian heading Utahs investigation team said they had narrowed the cause of death down to an organic phosphate compound. He said it is "now fairly well established that nerve gas caused the sheep deaths. Governor Rampton added that he "has no doubt that the Skull Valley and Rush Valley areas where the sheep died are safe for both animals and humans. The governor noted that five herds of sheep seem to have been hit by the illness - - four of them in Skull Valley and one in Rush Valley (though the latter had had only sixteen affected sheep). The army also stated that testing would be discontinued until the investigation is concluded. ing Representative March 23rd Ranchers began the job of killing affected sheep in Skull Valley which would obviously not recover. Senator Frank E. Moss submitted a list of 16 questions about the incident to the Army Material Command. Senator Wallace F. Bennett announced a hearing on the Incident would be held on Monday March 25th. Dr. Osguthorpe said, "We are as positive as medical science can be "that nerve gas killed the sheep. We have narrowed the cause of death to an organic phosphate compound, the kind that is a component of nerve gas. Since the Army has admitted conducting the nerve gas tests the day before the sheep began dying, that would seem to clear the matter up. As far as we are concerned, the cases are closed. I feel sufficient tests have been made to link the deaths with Army operations March 13th. who "As you will see, said Genera or not Dugway tests were res The 16 of evi-den- Burton staff. questions and tt Purpose of Tests: 7 part of an operational test anc chemical spray system. The 1. three. persistent chemical n The spray mission was flown level. The objectives of the applied in all material research of such tests is verifying ope rati A 1 was Flying the Ain 3. Name of Person in Cha the Commanding Officer of Dug the test. 4. Type of Aircraft Used: j 2. Who Speed, Altitude and Dli aircraft cannot be released, ground. Heading 315 degrees tn 6. Name of Agent Used: 7. Known Effects of Aget 5. The agent in question has beei animals and a great deal is know meager information available c the past week tests have been which the compound was fed in sh sheep. The signs exhibited bywhl seen in other animal species 8. Has agent been used bi the agent used has been releasee A large number of these trials The largest single spray F tor volvlng mustard in which tan similar mechanically to the Spray testing with non pc 1953. Over a period of years we cessfully conducted. Thereinch None of these occasion. redefined safety requirements, with testing. The point is that the non-wThe persisten volatile. volatile. These tests are disc as March 24th Colonel James H. Watts, Dugway Proving Ground Commander said that investigation has failed to pinpoint what killed thousands of sheep in Skull Valley. Dr. Osguthorpe moderated his position. "Final determinations have not yet been made, he said. Dr. Mortimer A. Rothenberg, Dugways scientific director said that several obvious symptons of nerve gas are not present in the dying animals. Three predominant symptoms of nerve gas - - irregular labored breathing; convulsions, and salivation - - are not present to any great degree in the Skull Vally sheep. Instead, he said, the sheep seem inactive, "but you can disturb them. Their noses and mouths appear extremely dry and their breathing is normal, almost as if they were in a deep sleep. Although the animals kick their legs - - generally when they are near death not do like a they bowl of eelatln quiver Dr. Rothenberg said. round-the-clo- March 25th Brigadier Gen. William W.Stone of the Army Material to Senator Moss 16 questions and gave other inreplied formation about the nerve gas testing, at a meeting in Senator Bennetts office. Present were all of Utahs congressional delegation except Command State, Army and USDA specialists made extensive tests on sheep. t ( ck Amount of agent: 320 Involved in release was approxin 10. What checks were observation, radar, instrument tern to be flown was fully disci 9. cations were maintained betw the flight. Established procedu smo flight line with burning wei runs off the grid. Two dry run to Insure that the pilot the proper altitude. This wi the by photo crews observing asi to made the dry runs were beei had countdown to release come in on the dlsseminatio collected which can establish the dissemination run to one m with three Contraves Photo C accurac veyed to first order altitude and air speed with |