In 1950, in order to conduct a simulation of a biological warfare attack, the U.S. Navy sprayed large quantities of the bacteria
Serratia marcescens – considered harmless at the time – over the city of
San Francisco during a project called
Operation Sea-Spray. Numerous citizens contracted pneumonia-like illnesses, and at least one person died as a result.
[40][41][42][43][44][45] The family of the man who died sued the government for gross negligence, but a federal judge ruled in favor of the government in 1981.
[46] Serratia tests were continued until at least 1969