[Milsurplus] Re: AN/GRR-5 "Gas attack warning rec."

[Hue Miller]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <WA5CAB at cs.com>

>  There was never any serious probability that the Germans would employee 
> chemical weapons in significant quantities.  Chemical weapons were the early 
> version of MAD.  Only effective in the long run if your opponent has none (just 
> ask the Kurds).  

Right you are, of course, and this brought to mind a couple of slightly OT factiods,
but i feel like contributing them, because i think the list has a good component of
WW2 interested folk.

I have a manual about 1 inch thick, was SECRET rated, titled something like "Report
on Attack on West Wall", with reports on concrete-busting capabilities of US
ordnance against bunkers and gun emplacements. This was a research inquiry
manual for preparing to cross the west-wall defence line of the Third Reich.  One
of the conclusions of the report, which did shock me, was that the use of poison
gas was recommended by the report.  It's a very good thing, i think, that this 
recommendation was not followed up.  Later, in Italy i recall it was, some US 
ship or ships exploded in a harbor with a load of poison gas doing great damage.
I'm sure the reports on this got back to Germany too.   
The report manual is one pretty low grade paper and i can see it chipping away
as the years go on. I probably plan to sell it but Robert, maybe we should do some
kind of scan on it. The typeface is kinda weak in many spots and might not come
thru too good, but there's a bunch of fairly nifty photos of large guns, self 
propelled guns, mortars, and such.  - Hue Miller