Good Poison

On December 2, 1943, a German air raid in Italy sank over a dozen ships docked in port. Among them was an American vessel carrying over two thousand mustard gas bombs intended for the war. Soon, toxic gas began leaking from the SS John Harvey into the air and water. At the same time, servicemen—desperate to save themselves—jumped overboard, attempting to swim to safety. Tragically, this placed them in direct contact with the contaminated waters. Unaware of the danger, the soldiers…