CHASE 1 (Off the coast of San Francisco, California): The Liberty ship John F. Shafroth was sunk 47 miles off San Francisco on July 23, 1964, with nearly 10,000 tons of munitions.
CHASE 2 (Atlantic Ocean, off the East Coast of the United States): The Village was loaded with munitions at the Naval Weapons Station Earle in New Jersey and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean on September 17, 1964. The exact location was off the East Coast but not publicly specified.
CHASE 3 (Atlantic Ocean, off the East Coast of the United States): The Coastal Mariner, also loaded at Naval Weapons Station Earle in New Jersey, was detonated after sinking in the Atlantic Ocean on July 14, 1965, though the specific site is not disclosed.
CHASE 4 (Atlantic Ocean, off the East Coast of the United States): The Santiago Iglesias was sunk and detonated in the Atlantic Ocean on September 16, 1965, after being loaded at Naval Weapons Station Earle, New Jersey.
CHASE 5 (Pacific Ocean, off the West Coast, United States): The Isaac Van Zandt, loaded at Naval Base Kitsap in Washington, was eventually sunk and detonated in the Pacific Ocean after a delay caused by a broken tow cable on May 23, 1966.
CHASE 6 (Atlantic Ocean, off the East Coast of the United States): The Horace Greeley was sunk and detonated at a depth of 4,000 feet in the Atlantic Ocean on July 28, 1966, after being loaded at Naval Weapons Station Earle, New Jersey.
CHASE 7 (Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of South Carolina): The Michael J. Monahan was sunk without detonation in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of South Carolina on April 30, 1967, after being loaded at Naval Weapons Station Charleston.
CHASE 8 (Location Classified): This operation in 1967, involving mustard gas and nerve agent-filled M-55 rockets, was classified, so the specific disposal site is not publicly known.
CHASE 9 (Atlantic Ocean, off the East Coast of the United States): The Eric C. Gibson was sunk on June 15, 1967, somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean, but the exact location off the East Coast is not specified.
CHASE 10 (Atlantic Ocean, off the East Coast of the United States): In 1970, 3,000 tons of nerve agent-filled rockets were dumped in the Atlantic Ocean. Public outcry delayed the operation, which took place at an undisclosed location off the East Coast.
CHASE 11 (Atlantic Ocean, off the East Coast of the United States): In June 1968, the operation disposed of chemical agents GB and VX, sinking them off the East Coast, though the exact location remains undisclosed.
CHASE 12 (Atlantic Ocean, off the East Coast of the United States): The final CHASE mission in August 1968, disposing of mustard agent, also took place in the Atlantic Ocean, with the exact location off the East Coast not made public.
Environmental Impact: The sunken ships created underwater "graveyards" of chemical weapons. Over time, chemicals may corrode and leak into the marine environment, posing risks to marine life and disrupting ecosystems. The potential for widespread contamination is significant due to the persistent nature of these chemicals.
Health Impacts: Marine species exposed to chemical leaks can suffer from reproductive issues, developmental abnormalities, and increased mortality rates. Humans consuming contaminated seafood might also be at risk of health problems related to chemical exposure. It could also directly impact humans and other animals if the chemicals leaked significantly.
The possibility of using sunken munitions and chemical weapons as a weapon is a serious concern. These sites could, in theory, be targeted or tampered with by malicious actors, leading to environmental contamination or direct harm. However, the difficulty in accessing these deep-sea locations, combined with international security measures, makes such scenarios unlikely but not impossible. Continued awareness and monitoring are essential to ensure that these remnants of past military operations do not pose a threat.