Biological warfare experiment

In late 1968 the Deseret Test Center conducted a biological warfare experiment at Yeehaw Junction, Florida. The experiment was part of Project 112 and was labelled DTC Test 69-75. Stem rust of wheat or Puccinia graminis tritici, was known as "Agent TX" and was being tested to determine its effectiveness against a wheat crop in time of war. The tests were conducted over a period of one month from October 31 to December 1, 1968. Live agent was sprayed by a U.S. Air Force McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom fighter jet on seven different occasions and dead agent, consisting of spores that were killed by a gaseous mixture of ethylene oxide was sprayed four occasions.^[8] The stated objective of Deseret Test Center (DTC) Test 69-75 was to investigate the effectiveness of the F-4/A/B and 45Y-2/TX weapon systems to reduce soviet wheat crop yields in selected geographic areas. The objective was subdivided into other tasks: determine the downwind travel of agent TX released from the A/B 45Y-2 spray tank; estimate the yield reduction and loss of wheat crops attacked by the weapon system; study the effectiveness of killed TX as a simulant for agent TX; and, evaluate the adequacy to predict downwind dosages of TX.^[8] The tests were unknown to local residents and officials until October 2002 when Senator Bill Nelson demanded details of the tests from the U.S. Department of Defense after knowledge of the test was eventually revealed during a larger congressional inquiry of potential effects on participating veterans of chemical and biological testing. Eglin Air Force Base, Avon Park Air Force Range Panama City, Belle Glade, and Fort Pierce, were additional sites in Florida of biological agent production and testing