White Phosphorus From 4.2-Inch Mortars

White Phosphorus From 4.2-Inch Mortars falling on enemy-occupied town of le Tholy, Prance, October 1944. 

Three new chemical service companies were activated in 1940 for duty with ground forces, in accordance with the recommendation of the Service Units Board. These were  

An impregnating company was not provided at this time because mobile impregnating apparatus was not yet standardized. With this exception, the 1940 activations provided opportunities to test out the organizational and training requirements of the several types of chemical service units, inasmuch as one depot company had previously been activated. 

The procedure followed in organizing these 1940-41 units was to supply the new organization with a cadre of trained personnel drawn from one of the companies stationed at Edgewood Arsenal or Fort Benning. Fillers were then supplied from the Edgewood replacement center or were shipped from reception centers directly to the unit. Because of the leisurely rate at which chemical units were then being mobilized, unit training presented no serious problem. 

The looming importance of aerial warfare necessitated consideration of air as well as of ground organizations for chemical service functions. This matter had already been studied by the GHQ Air Force and T/O s had been prepared for organizations believed best suited for air needs. The general scheme for chemical service units within the Air Corps was 

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The CWS used white phosphorus as a filling for shells, rockets, bombs, and grenades, all of which the armed forces employed extensively in World War II. Artillery and chemical mortar companies hurled shells to set fire to enemy held buildings and cane fields, to drive enemy soldiers from fortified positions, to unnerve enemy troops, to support infantry attacks, and to shield flame thrower operators. Naval vessels threw WP at shore installations on Saipan, Eniwetok, and other places to support amphibious assaults. The Army fired a sizable portion of the two and one-half million 2.36-inch rockets filled during the war to screen operations, to start fires, and to wound and unnerve the enemy. Airplanes dropped WP bombs on enemy installations to start fires or aid infantry. For infantrymen and... 

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