267th Chemical Company The 267th Chemical Company was a military unit of the U . S . Army Chemical Corps responsible for chemical and biological weapons ( CBW ) deployed under Project 112 / Project SHAD and Operation Red Hat on the Islands of Okinawa , Japan and Johnston Atoll in the Pacific Ocean during the Vietnam War . Project 112 activities on Okinawa have never been officially acknowledged by the US Department of Defense . Unit History . On April 20 , 1945 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 reactivated on Okinawa on December 1 , 1962 as 267th Chemical Platoon ( SVC ) and assigned to the Chibana U . S . Army Depot , Okinawa . The 267th Chemical Platoon ( SVC ) had the mission of operation of Site 2 , U . S . Department of Defense Project 112 a top secret Cold War testing program which was aimed at both human , animal , and plant reaction to Biological Warfare . Prior to assignment , to Okinawa , key personnel attended an on the job training ( OJT ) depot operations course at Rocky Mountain Arsenal , Colorado . The platoon leader ; 1 / Lt James D . Saunders , CmlC , along with thirty - five NCOs and EM [ enlisted men ] been establishing operating procedures for the newly activated unit . In a response letter , sent March 26 , 1966 by Capt . Charles H . Vogeler , Commander of the Army Chemical Corps , to the commanding officer of the 196th Ordnance Battalion , the history of the 267th Chemical Platoon was outlined as follows : In compliance with para 6 , 2nd Log Comd Bulletin , dated 11 March 1966 , the following data is submitted . < br > < br > ORGANIZATIONAL HISTORY - 267th Chemical Company : < br > < br > The 267th Chemical Company was activated on Okinawa on 1 December 1962 as 267th Chemical Platoon ( SVC ) . < br > < br > The 267th Chemical Platoon ( SVC ) had the mission of operation of Site 2 , DOD Project 112 . The Unit was assigned to the U . S . Army Ordnance Group , USARYIS [ United States Army , Ryukyu Islands ] and Unit personnel attached to Chibana Troop Headquarters for rations and billeting . All Unit personnel were actively engaged in preparing RED HAT area , Site 2 , for the receipt and storage of first increment items , YBA DOD Project 112 . A security officer , 1 / Lt Samuel Negra , Inf , was assigned to the platoon . < br > < br > First increment items , designated Code YBA arrived on Okinawa in May 1963 . Due to limited assigned personnel , the Platoon was augmented with Army and other Armed Forces personnel to assist in storage of these items . Marine Corps personnel were utilized as security guards for the RED HAT Area . Upon completion of storage of YBA items , normal duties were exercised in the Unit , pending arrival of second increment , YBB , items . < br > < br > During the interim period between completion of YBA and arrival of YBB in May 1964 , Unit Security Section was augmented with temporary duty personnel to function as security guards and sentry dog handlers . Such personnel were usually assigned to the Unit for a ninety ( 90 ) day period . < br > < br > Second increment items arrived on Okinawa in May 1964 . The platoon was again augmented with Army and other Armed Forces personnel to accomplish storage of these items . Upon completion of storage of YBB items , the Platoon Leader was reassigned and replaced by 1 / Lt Samuel Negra , Inf . An additional officer 2 / Lt Ronald Minkow , CmlC , was assigned as Storage Officer . The platoon was reassigned to the U . S . Army Supply Services Command . < br > < br > 1 / Lt Charles H . Vogeler , CmlC , was assigned to the platoon in February 1965 and assumed command shortly thereafter . 1st Lt . Willie D . Greene , CmlC , was assigned in April 1965 . Preparation was being made for the receipt of 3rd Increment , items , designated Code YBF , in May 1965 . Storage of YBF items was completed in August 1965 . < br > < br > The unit was reassigned to the U . S . Army Supply Maintenance Command in September 1965 . This command was redesignated U . S . Army Depot , Okinawa shortly thereafter with assignment , to the 2nd Logistical Command . < br > < br > The 267th Chemical Platoon ( SVC ) was redesignated 267th Chemical Company , 16 November 1965 , pursuant to U . S . Army Pacific General Order 323 ( USARPAC GO # 323 ) . Authorized strength was increased from two ( 2 ) officers and seventy - two ( 72 ) EM to four ( 4 ) officers and one hundred fifty - five ( 155 ) EM . In January 1966 , the Unit was assigned to the 196th Ord . Bn . ( Ammo ) ( DS ) , which arrived on Okinawa in December , 1965 . < br > < br > [ signed ] < br > < br > Charles H . Vogeler Capt , CmlC , Commanding The 267th Chemical Company deployed to Vietnam from February 1966 to August 1967 and from July 1 , 1970 , to December 31 , 1971 , receiving two Meritorious Unit Commendations . In 1971 , the 267th Chemical Company participated in Operation Red Hat the highly publicized removal of chemical weapons from Okinawa . Beginning in January 1971 , the CBW munitions and the 267th were relocated to Johnston Atoll in the Pacific . Completion of cargo discharge from the USNS Private Francis X . McGraw ( T - AK - 241 ) at Johnston Island on September 21 , 1971 completed the movement phase of Operation Red Hat , and the 276th completed its redeployment to Johnston Atoll on Sept . 27 , 1971 . A May 1975 letter to a member of the 267th Chemical Corps from his Commander notes that the primary mission on Johnston Island consisted of maintaining a forty - one acre chemical munitions storage area , called Red Hat , having forty - three storage structures containing about 13 , 000 tons of munitions . A Johnston Atoll orientation packet from the same time period explains that the mission of the 267th Chemical Company , noted to also be known as " Red Hat , " was to provide for the storage , maintenance , security , issuance , and surveillance of chemical munitions . In October 1983 , the company came under the 45th General Support Group in 1976 and was re - designated as Johnston Island Chemical Activity . Two years later , in 1985 , the unit was reorganized and activated as the U . S . Army Chemical Activity , Western Command . 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 . "