The MC-1 bomb was the first U.S. non-clustered air-dropped chemical munition. The MC-1 was first produced in 1959 and carried the nerve agent

sarin Sarin (NATO designation GB G-series, "B"">Nerve_agent#G-series.html" ;"title="hort for Nerve agent#G-series">G-series, "B" is an extremely toxic synthetic organophosphorus compound.clustered chemical munition in the U.S. arsenal.Smart, Jeffery K.
Medical Aspects of Chemical and Biological Warfare
'': Chapter 2 - History of Chemical and Biological Warfare: An American Perspective,
PDF
: p. 59), '' Borden Institute'', Textbooks of Military Medicine, PDF via

Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base Maxwell Air Force Base , officially known as Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, is a United States Air Force (USAF) installation under the Air Education and Training Command (AETC). The installation is located in Montgomery, Alabama, United States. O ...

, accessed December 29, 2008. The MC-1 was designed to be delivered via U.S. Air Force aircraft.Mauroni, Albert J. ''Chemical Demilitarization: Public Policy Aspects'',
Google Books
, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2003 pp. 18-19, (). The MC-1 was never used against enemy targets.

Specifications

The MC-1 was a munition. The weapon had a diameter of and a length of . The MC-1 was filled with about of

F-4 Phantom II The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is an American tandem two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor and fighter-bomber originally developed by McDonnell Aircraft for the United States Navy.Swanborough and Bow ...

and was unable to fit that aircraft's replacement, the

F-16 The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single-engine Multirole combat aircraft, multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it ...

.Duke, Simon (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute). ''United States Military Forces and Installations in Europe'',
Google Books
, Oxford University Press, 1989, pp. 84-85, ().

Demilitarization operations

Umatilla Chemical Depot The Umatilla Chemical Depot, (UMCD) based in Umatilla, Oregon, was a U.S. Army installation in the United States that stored chemical weapons. The chemical weapons originally stored at the depot consisted of various live munitions and storage con ...

stored about 2,400 MC-1 bombs until the final one was demilitarized and destroyed on June 9, 2006.Hendrickson, Bruce.
Depot and Disposal Facility reach significant milestones
", ( Press release),

, ''

U.S. Army Chemical Materials Agency The United States Army Chemical Materials Activity (CMA) is a separate reporting activity of the United States Army Materiel Command (AMC). Its role is to enhance national security by securely storing the remaining U.S. chemical warfare materiel ...

'', June 12, 2006, accessed December 29, 2008. Another 3,047 MC-1s were stored at

Johnston Atoll Johnston Atoll is an Unincorporated territories of the United States, unincorporated territory of the United States, currently administered by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Johnston Atoll is a National Wildlife Refuge and ...

when demilitarization operations began there in 1990.Cashman, John R. ''Emergency Response Handbook for Chemical and Biological Agents and Weapons'',
Google Books
, CRC Press, 2008, pp. 107-08, (). Those weapons were destroyed during the ensuing decade and operations at

Johnston Atoll Chemical Agent Disposal System Johnston Atoll Chemical Agent Disposal System (JACADS) was the U.S. Army's first chemical munitions disposal facility. It was located on Johnston Island, at Johnston Atoll and completed its mission and ceased operation in 2000. Background Prior ...

ended in 2000.Chemical Weapons Destruction Complete on Johnston Atoll
, ( Press release), '' U.S. Department of Defense'', November 30, 2000, accessed December 29, 2008.

Test involving the MC-1

Tests were conducted using the MC-1 from July-November 1971 at Dugway Proving Ground in Utah. The aim of these tests, which were part of Project 112,Project 112/SHAD Fact Sheets
", Force Health Protection & Readiness Policy & Programs, The Chemical-Biological Warfare Exposures Site, accessed December 29, 2008. was twofold. One goal was to determine hazards associated with the accidental release or damage from hostile fire of the MC-1 during takeoff or landing. A second goal was to determine if leak suppressant and disposal procedures for damaged bombs were adequate. For the purpose of the tests the MC-1 was filled with water and a sarin simulant, di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP). The bombs were dropped from an F-4 during the tests.Fact Sheet — DTC Test 69-14
", ''Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs)'', Deployment Health Support Directorate, accessed November 12, 2008.

References

{{U.S. chemical weapons Chemical weapon delivery systems Cold War aerial bombs of the United States Chemical weapons of the United States Military equipment introduced in the 1950s

Specifications

Demilitarization operations

Test involving the MC-1

See also

References