▁construction ▁of ▁the ▁base . ▁ ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁and ▁B W ▁research ▁( 1 9 4 3 – 4 5 ) ▁ ▁During ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁Camp ▁Det rick ▁and ▁the ▁USB W L ▁became ▁the ▁site ▁of ▁int ensive ▁bi ological ▁war fare ▁( B W ) ▁research ▁using ▁various ▁path og ens . ▁This ▁research ▁was ▁originally ▁over seen ▁by ▁ph arma ce ut ical s ▁executive ▁George ▁W . ▁Mer ck ▁and ▁for ▁many ▁years ▁was ▁conducted ▁by ▁Ira ▁L . ▁Bald win , ▁professor ▁of ▁b acter i ology ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Wisconsin . ▁Bald win ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁scientific ▁director ▁of ▁the ▁l abs . ▁He ▁chose ▁Det rick ▁Field ▁for ▁the ▁site ▁of ▁this ▁exhaust ive ▁research ▁effort ▁because ▁of ▁its ▁balance ▁between ▁rem oten ess ▁of ▁location ▁and ▁proxim ity ▁to ▁Washington , ▁DC ▁– ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁to ▁Edge wood ▁Ar sen al , ▁the ▁foc al ▁point ▁of ▁U . S . ▁chemical ▁war fare ▁research . ▁Build ings ▁and ▁other ▁facilities ▁left ▁from ▁the ▁old ▁air field ▁– ▁including ▁the ▁large ▁hang ar ▁– ▁provided ▁the ▁nucle us ▁of ▁support ▁needed ▁for ▁the ▁startup . ▁The ▁ ▁of ▁Det rick ▁Field ▁were ▁also ▁surrounded ▁by ▁extensive ▁far ml ands ▁that ▁could ▁be ▁proc ured ▁if ▁and ▁when ▁the ▁B W ▁effort ▁was ▁expanded . ▁ ▁The ▁Army ' s ▁Chem ical ▁War fare ▁Service ▁was ▁given ▁responsibility ▁and ▁o vers ight ▁for ▁the ▁effort ▁that ▁one ▁officer ▁described ▁as ▁"