Excerpts from the certified statement of Chief Warrant Officer 3 J. P. Cottrell, U.S. Marine
Corps, Sept. 1993:
Chief Cottrell was Officer-in Charge of one of the German-made FOX
Nuclear-Biological-Chemical (NBC) detection vehicles deployed in the Gulf. The FOX
accurately detects 60 known chemical agents simultaneously using a highly sophisticated,
laboratory-quality mass spectrometer.
It is known to me that during the ground offensive of Operation Desert Storm, chemical
agent vapors were found by Task Force Ripper ( of the 1st Marine Corps Division) in the
vicinity of N28 32', E47 52'. We detected blister agent at levels below IMMEDIATE threat to
personnel.
On the evening of the first day of ground attack, we detected Lewisite blister vapors in the
vicinity of N28 50' E47 50'. I reported the findings to Division Headquarters and requested
directions in regards to the chemical agent print-out. I was told to forward the tape up the
chain of command. (Tapes are the paper records of the exact chemical breakdown of the
liquid by the mass spectrometer.) A report came back that our equipment was only
activated by oil smoke. Our computer, however, had separated the petroleum compound
from the chemical agent. The computer tape has (conveniently) been lost.
Around the bunker complex in the vicinity of N29 14' E47 54' we detected chemical vapors
and reported it to higher headquarters. Task Force Ripper was then ordered back to the
division support area and no further detection operations were carried out.