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Summary: Third Chance (1961 - 1963)

After creating a Wikipedia article on James R Thornwell, I decided to also create one for Project Third Chance. Project Third Chance was a covert, experimental program conducted by US Army Intelligence between 1961 and 1963. The project’s stated goal was "operational field testing of LSD" as an aid to counterintelligence interrogation in Europe. Project Derby Hat was the "far east" counterpart. According to the Church Committee Report (1976) Third Chance and Derby Hat together involved 16 unwitting nonvolunteer subjects who were interrogated after receiving the drug.[1] Most of these subjects were foreign nationals, however, one notable exception was US Army Private James Robert Thornwell who was subjected to "enhanced interrogation" tactics, including the surreptitious use of LSD, under Project Third Chance while stationed in France.[3] [4]

Project Third Chance shared methodologies with Project Artichoke and Project MKULTRA. The Army's LSD testing program ran from about 1955 to 1967.[2] Follow up reports were created in the 1970s and 1980s.

Sources

1. United States Senate Select Committee to Study Governmental Operations with Respect to Intelligence Activities (April 26, 1976). "Foreign and Military Intelligence (Book I)". Final Report of the Select Committee to Study Governmental Operations with Respect to Intelligence Activities (S. Rep. No. 94-755). U.S. Government Printing Office. Washington, D.C. pp. 392, 411–412, 419–420.
2. Ross, Colin (2017-12-28). "LSD experiments by the United States Army". History of Psychiatry. 28 (4). SAGE Publications. pp. 427-442. PMID 28686061.
3. Scheflin, Alan W (1978). The mind manipulators : a non-fiction account. New York : Paddington Press. pp. 186–189. ISBN 9780448229775.
4. Carlsen, William (1977-10-07). "Army Data Describe LSD Test on Soldier: Declassified Documents Are Cited by Californian Who Denies He Stole Missile Papers in '61". New York Times. New York.

Supplemental Documents & Links

• more information about James R. Thornwell
• US Senate Select Committee to Study Gov Ops with Respect to Intelligence Activities (Church Committee) Book 1: Foreign and Military Intelligence (PDF)
• Download: Church Committee Reports (307 MB zip file)