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Thumper at Home |
THE U. S. Army Chemical Activity, Pacific, had its
beginnings April 20, 1945, when the 267th Chemical Service Platoon was activated
at Fort Richardson, Alaska, but the platoon was inactivated on Nov. 1 of the
same year, primarily because of the end of World War II.
The platoon was activated in 1962 and assigned to the U.S. Army Depot, Okinawa.
It became the 267th Chem. Company in 1965 and was reassigned to the 196th
Ordinance Battalion, 2nd Logistics Command, Okinawa.
The U.S. government directed relocation of chemical munitions from Okinawa to
Johnston Island in 1971. The initial phase of Operation Red Hat involved the
movement of chemical munitions from a depot storage site to Tengan Pier, eight
miles away, and required 1,332 trailers in 148 convoys. The second phase of the
operation moved the munitions to Johnston Atoll.
Completion of cargo discharge from the USNS McGraw at Johnston Island on Sept.
21 completed Operation Red Hat, and the company completed redeployment on Sept.
27.
The company came under the 45th General Support Group in 1976 and was
redesignated as Johnston Island Chemical Activity in October 1983. The unit was
reorganized and activated as the U.S. Army Chemical Activity, Western Command,
in 1985.
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1987 - The last Escort Platoon |
The unit was renamed the U. S. Army Chemical Activity, Pacific, in 1990, to
coincide with the redesignation of U.S. Army, Pacific. Worldwide attention was
focused on Johnston Atoll that same year, when chemical munitions were moved
from West Germany, under the code name Operation "Steel Box."
Merchant ships carrying the munitions left Germany in October and arrived at
Johnston Island Nov. 6. Although the ships were unloaded within nine days, the
unpacking and storing of munitions continued into 1991.
If you were assigned to the US Army Activity on JI, and have pictures, memories or stories to share with us, please email the webmaster.
Picture of US Army MP Keith Eichenlaub (1976) on JI More MP Faces
More Eichenlaub Pix: Picture 1 Picture 2
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