Chemical Smoke Generator Companies

Meanwhile, the CWS recommended the activation of thirty-four chemical smoke generator companies. On 8 April the first three units (the 7jth, 76th, and 77th Companies) were formed and, before their training was completed, received the mission of concealing aircraft plants in California. By the end of May the War Department had authorized the activation of 11 companies to be stationed as follows 6 with the Western Defense Command 3 in Panama one at the Sault Ste. Marie Locks and one, an experimental unit, at Edgewood Arsenal. By 20 July a total of 14 companies had been activated, 9 located on the west coast of the United States. 

The 84th Chemical Smoke Generator Company began its Arnaville operations under the additional handicap of inefficient direction before its attachment to the 5th Division. Both personal and organizational... 

The outstanding mission of the chemical smoke generator company for all armies in the European theater was the concealment of bridge and river crossing sites. Next in importance was the screening of main supply routes. Only as the Allies approached the Rhine did the Luftwaffe become a threat to operations. There were no calls for smoke to hide the flash of friendly artillery, as had been the case in Italy. Occasionally, an area screen concealed a flank of an armored or infantry advance or withdrawal. 

These were the 67th and 68th Chemical Smoke Generator Companies, the 27th Chemical Decontamination Company, and the 95 th Chemical Composite Company. 

From the spring of 1942 until the summer of 1943 seventy-five CWS troop units composed of Negroes were activated at various installations throughout the country. The seventy-five units consisted of the following 12 chemical mairitenance companies (aviation), 7 chemical depot companies (aviation), i chemical company (air operations), 20 chemical decontamination companies, 3 chemical processing companies, 30 chemical smoke generator companies, and 2 chemical service companies. Forty-one of those companies were eventually assigned to duty overseas. ... 

Appendix H-4—Chemical Smoke Generator Companies—Continued... 

The 90th Division chemical officer reached the same conclusion about another smoke generator tmit. See Ltr, CmlO 90th Div to CCmlO TO, zo Jan 4, sub Opns of Smoke Generator Company in Support of River Crossing. CWS 514.7. 

The chemical companies to which Negroes were assigned were, with one exception, service rather than combat in nature. The exception was the smoke generator company, and even this type of company in the early period of the war was considered more service than combat. Plans at that time called for the smoking of rear areas only, and the troops were trained for that mission. But as the war progressed these companies saw front-line action. Since the men were not trained for combat conditions, at first they made a poor showing. With experience these units improved tremendously and many of them had very good combat records. 

FUSA Chemical Section, devoted maximum attention to supply and to the needs of the chemical mortar battalions. It also meant the provision of supply support and tactical advice for the smoke generator units which were heavily employed by TUSA, especially in its river crossings. As a result of experience in these tasks, the TUSA Chemical Section found that the one chemical depot company attached could not handle all supply requirements. It recommended that two such companies be assigned, and more important still, that CWS should have far more transportation for the depot company, the smoke generator, and the mortar units. The CWS could not operate its own supply system, which it did with very little help from other supply services, and at the same time shift men and equipment in a fast-moving war without greatly Increased transportation. The chemical section suggested addition of a truck company to the Army for CWS... 

Laboratory, then in Brisbane, the mission of developing both a large and a small smoke generator which could employ this chemical smoke. Tests in the summer of 194a revealed deficiencies in the large model which was dropped entirely later in the year after word came that the newly developed mechanical smoke generator would soon be made available to the theater. The 4ad Laboratory Company went on to develop a small smoke generator which was to see limited use in the theater. 

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