Operation Big Itch: A Detailed Look at America’s Entomological Warfare Experiments
During the height of the Cold War, military powers explored unconventional warfare methods, including biological weapons. Among these experiments was the U.S. Army’s Operation Big Itch, a bizarre and controversial test involving insects as potential weapons of war. Below is a comprehensive breakdown of Operation Big Itch, including its timeline, objectives, methodology, and spin-off programs.
Overview of Operation Big Itch
Date: September 1954
Location: Dugway Proving Ground, Utah
Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of using insects (fleas) to deliver biological agents in a battlefield setting.
Background
Operation Big Itch emerged from the U.S. military’s broader interest in biological and chemical warfare during the early Cold War. Following World War II, the U.S. Army Chemical Corps studied various vectors for dispersing biological agents, ranging from aerosols to insects.
Fleas were chosen for Operation Big Itch because they are natural carriers of diseases like plague and could theoretically be used to incapacitate enemy forces.
Execution of the Experiment
The tests were conducted at Dugway Proving Ground, a remote military testing site in Utah. The experiment involved the following steps:
1. Insect Selection: Fleas (Xenopsylla cheopis), commonly known as the oriental rat flea, were selected for their ability to carry and transmit plague.
2. Test Scenarios: The fleas were placed in specially designed munitions called E14 bombs. Each bomb could hold 100,000 fleas.
3. Deployment: The E14 bombs were dropped from aircraft at varying altitudes to study their effectiveness in dispersing fleas over a target area.
4. Monitoring: Non-infectious fleas were used for the experiment to avoid unintended outbreaks. Guinea pigs placed in cages across the target area served as test subjects to assess the fleas’ ability to locate and infest hosts.
Findings
• The tests demonstrated that fleas could be successfully dispersed over a wide area using bombs, and they readily sought out warm-blooded hosts.
• However, operational challenges were identified. For example, the fleas’ behavior was affected by environmental conditions, and their survivability after deployment varied.
Spin-Off Programs
Operation Big Itch inspired several related programs and experiments as the U.S. military refined its biological warfare capabilities:
1. Operation Big Buzz (1955):
• Conducted in Georgia, this experiment involved releasing mosquitoes (Aedes aegypti) to test their ability to spread over a large area. Though the mosquitoes were not infected, the test aimed to evaluate their potential as disease vectors.
2. Operation Drop Kick (1956-1957):
• Another entomological warfare test focused on mosquitoes, Drop Kick studied methods for dispersal and the potential for biological payloads.
3. Project 112 (1960s):
• A broader series of chemical and biological warfare experiments, which included testing various agents and delivery methods. Some tests were conducted in tropical regions to study insect behavior in different climates.
Ethical and Political Ramifications
While Operation Big Itch was considered a technical success, it raised significant ethical questions. The idea of weaponizing insects, especially as carriers of deadly diseases, caused concern among both military strategists and the general public. These experiments also contributed to the growing mistrust between global powers during the Cold War.
Legacy
The use of insects in warfare remains a controversial topic. Although the U.S. officially renounced biological weapons with the 1972 Biological Weapons Convention, allegations of entomological warfare persisted. For example:
• During the Korean War, China and North Korea accused the U.S. of deploying insect-borne biological weapons—a claim the U.S. denied.
• More recently, declassified documents have revealed additional details about Cold War-era biological testing programs.
Conclusion
Operation Big Itch exemplifies the extreme lengths to which Cold War-era militaries were willing to go in their pursuit of unconventional weapons. While the program itself never saw direct application in warfare, it played a role in shaping military doctrine and ethical discussions around biological weapons. Today, it stands as a stark reminder of the moral dilemmas posed by modern warfare technology.