The E14 munition was a cardboard sub-munition (air-dropped or ground-launched munitions that eject smaller submunitions) developed by the United States biological weapons program as an anti-crop weapon. In a series of field tests in 1955, the E14 was loaded with fleas and air-dropped.

History

The E14 munition was developed by the United States for use in its offensive biological warfare arsenal as an anti-crop weapon.^[1] After the Korean War U.S. interest in large-scale entomological warfare increased.^[1] The E14 was one of two sub-munitions used in large-scale testing aimed at learning the feasibility and result of an air-dropped insect attack.^[2]

In September 1954, at Dugway Proving Ground in Utah, the E14 was again used in a series of tests known as "Operation Big Itch".^[2] During Big Itch, uninfected rat fleas^[3] (Xenopsylla cheopis) were loaded into the E14 and air-dropped over the proving ground.^[2]

The E14 used cardboard and sponge inserts to hold the fleas inside the cardboard container.^[2] With the sponge inserts in place, the E14 could hold about 100,000 fleas.^[1] Eighty cardboard inserts, or "loop tubes", could be carried in the E14 as well. The munition could hold 80 loop tubes, each one capable of holding 3,000 fleas.^[1] The testing in Utah was ultimately successful.^[1][2]

In May 1955 the U.S. utilized the E14 in field test, this time in the U.S. state of Georgia.^[2] The E14 was packed with "aircomb waffles" or loop tubes, instead of fleas these tests used uninfected yellow fever mosquitoes^[4] (Aedes aegypti). The successful Georgia trials were known as "Operation Big Buzz".^[2]

Specifications

The E14 munition was a sub-munition that can be clustered in the E86 cluster bomb.^[1] It was a 9+3⁄4-inch (248 mm) long, 13-inch (330 mm) wide cardboard container.^[1] Internally the bomb contained an actuator powered by pressurized carbon dioxide, a piston that would expel the bomb's contents, and a small parachute, to be deployed when the weapon was dropped from the E86 cluster bomb.^[1] The weapons were designed to release their payload of biological agent, be it a vector or anti-crop agent, at 1,000–2,000 feet (300–610 m) above the ground, after it was released from the cluster munition.^[1]