The Snapshots in Time Collection

U.S. Army Soldier in Gas Mask During Chemical Defense Training, World War II

U.S. Army Soldier in Gas Mask During Chemical Defense Training, World War II

A soldier dons a standard-issue gas mask during chemical warfare defense training, a routine but essential part of U.S. Army basic training throughout World War II. Though chemical weapons saw little use in the Pacific and European theaters, the Army maintained rigorous gas-mask drills to ensure preparedness, and photographs like this one were common keepsakes among trainees. Project: 218630