First, although I had extensive combat experience in areas west of Chu Lai including numerous firefights, ambushes, rocket attacks and mortar experiences, I never had a Khe Sanh-like experience where the combat was so close and so long lasting. Was the Korean War between North Korea and South Korea? Would like to hear from some of those that were there too. This website adheres to the W3Cs AA Accessibility guidelines. Veterans and their survivors may be eligible for compensation benefits. Watched Seabees construct huge Amphitheater next to us with good shows late in 67. A. , B. , and C., represent known volumes of Agent Orange, White, and Blue sprayed . Over the years, Bob Hope with guests such as Connie Stevens and Ann-Margaret came to entertain the troops on several occassions through USO arranged shows. USS Estes (AGC-12) conducted troop and supply beach landings at Chu Lai and Da Nang during March-October 1965 USS Winston (AKA-94) [Attack Cargo Ship] conducted troop . Our thanks for these images to our friends at the 174th AHC Dolphins & Sharks and they are used here with their permission. What was ho chi minh role in the vietnam war? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtr1JTf62Us&t=337s This map represents the herbicide spray missions in Vietnam. Drafted out of High School. Some soldiers play in surf. This storage is often necessary for basic functionality of the web site or the storage may be used for the purposes of marketing, analytics, and personalization of the web site such as storing your preferences. I had many friends, but the old memory just cant come up with names. Call: 988 (Press 1), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs | 810 Vermont Avenue, NW Washington DC 20420. Worked on construction of Camp Ely, for third Marine Div. When was agent orange first used in Vietnam? Please note: Lines rendered on the map represent spraying runs, many of which are part of multi-run spraying missions. Deployed to a place they called Chu Lai in mid May 1965 from Iwakuni, Japan on LST 1165 Washoe County. Returned October 2017, now a large quarry operation. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. Not true: Sixty-five percent of the United States rainbow of chemicals contained dioxinsknown carcinogens. I was a US Army Spec5 Administrative Clerk assigned to Headquarters Americal Division. The PACT Acthas extended the presumption of service connection to service members with active military naval, air, or space service who served at Johnston Atoll between January 1, 1972 and September 30, 1977. Everyone called me Shorty. He was in charge of the Aid Station. Dioxins enter the bloodstream after being eaten or touched, build up in the food chain and can cause reproductive problems, cancer, hormonal interference, immune system damage, and developmental issues. 1 of 2. News to me, but this means theres a much higher number of exposures than we thought. View spraying missions in Vietnam by date. (Credit: Kuni Takahashi/CHI-Photo/REX/Shutterstock). Manager was told the PAVN had occupied the hill during the American war, was surprised to learn we had been there as well. July 1967 To July 1968 VA contracts with the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academy of Sciences every two years to scientifically review evidence on the long-term health effects of Agent Orange and other herbicides on Vietnam Veterans. The Vietnam Memorial lists the names of more than 58,000 Americans who died. The Rainbow Herbicides left a lethal legacy. Things will progress from that point. The military use of herbicides in Vietnam began in 1962, was expanded during 1965 and 1966, and reached a peak from 1967 to 1969. Thank you. Between the B-52 strikes and the Agent Orange, that lovely lush jungle around Khe Sanh was turned brown., Year-old conjoined twins being cared for at Hanois Viet-Duc hospital, a center for treating deformed children and others who may have been affected by exposure to the defoliant Agent Orange. Map Agent Orange. Was there October 68 October 69 1st MAW, MAG-13 Once you have found the spraying missions you are looking for, you can click on the lines on the map to get more details about the missions, such as the number of legs, or runs, the number of gallons and the type of defoliant. Agent Orange was a chemical used during the Vietnam War. He was medic station in Chu Lai and said the hill was defoliated with Agent Orange. About the author: Then figure out what the total cost of the trip would be.? Was yellow journalism used in World War 1? I am curious. In 1961, test runs began. Don Durflinger. I could see the CH 47s from the hill. Agent Orange, a chemical used by the U.S. military during the war, continues to have harmful impacts in Vietnam today. It was reported to be nothing but pine trees and sand. It was nicknamed Gilligans Island. I suspect the island was Tam Hai north of the K H peninsula; am I correct? History Vietnam War. As such, many veterans were exposed to herbicides on Johnston Atoll and have since developedserious health conditions. As a result, it will now be easier for Johnston Atoll veterans to establish service connection and receive VA disability benefits for conditions linked to their Agent Orange exposure. I have also seen those areas, and wondered what had happened. By Dr. L. Wayne Dwernychuck formerly of Hatfield Group Inc. i. Have a look at these coordinates: 15.588529 108.247760 Paste them in to Google Maps. How many people visit the vietnam memorial each year. . They had very poor equipment. We were attached to the 588th and then the 596th maint co. ), Served on a ship while it operated on the inland waterways of Vietnam. Served with FLSG-B. Did the Khmer Rouge trick the Cambodian army? I also saw a 55 gal drum in the motor pool bay, that had an Orange band around one end of it. An Army Hosp. What role did lyndon johnson play in vietnam? Spray drift also carried into the Ho Chi Minh Trail, which was established on the Cambodian border of South Vietnam. I remember Butterworth and Snag. Was chu lai sprayed with . As the years have passed, Agent Orange affected me with cancer and ischemic heart disease. I was stationed at Chu Lai for a while during 1967 and I have pictures of the C-130's spraying the defoliant agent orange over the village next to where I was . I later came to learn that this was the marking for a barrel of Agent Orange. (Credit: Dick Swanson/The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images), Dick Swanson/The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images. Arrived Okinawa 8/65, aboard USS Henrico APA 45. The following Agent Orange conditions are considered presumptive by VA: Presumption of exposure means that veterans who served in specific locations during specific time periods donothave to provide the typical elements to establish service connection. My husband was stationed here in 1970-71. The VA has been testing the exposure model since 2003. Was Agent Orange used at Cam Ranh Bay in Vietnam? Named for the colored stripe painted on its barrels, Agent Orange best known for its widespread use by the U.S. military to clear vegetation during the Vietnam War is notorious for being . To enter and activate the submenu links, hit the down arrow. If necessary, VA will set up a separate exam for compensation. The Tiananmen Square Massacre was a response to. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Discovering the hidden places from the Vietnam War, Copyright 2023 Vietnam War Travel Activation WordPress theme by. With 7th Engineers out of Da Nang area. Was Agent Orange used in the Philippines? These Veterans do not need to show that they were exposed to Agent Orange or other herbicides in order to get disability compensation for diseases related to Agent Orange exposure. My heart goes out to all Vietnam vets and the Hell they were put thru. I was at NSAD from Aug. 68 til Mar. The base covered a huge area, several kilometers from north to south and about two kilometers wide. Total Area Sprayed (sq. I did dentistry for the Marines and Seabees and would go to the villages to treat villagers. Was there 1965 & 66. The 15,480 drums of agent orange stockpiled at the Naval Construction Battalion Center (NCBC) in Gulfport, Mississippi were transferred to the Dutch-owned ship the Vulcanus and destroyed between 15-24 July 1977. I think everybody knew just how lucky we were to be alive. For Agent Orange exposure claims, this is the VA's list of ships with smaller craft going ashore in Vietnam, ferrying troops or supplies. The chemicals were produced by companies like DOW Chemical, Monsanto, and Hercules, Inc. Trail dust operations were conducted by the U.S. Air Force, whose cowboys flew C-123s escorted by fighters. I went ashore with the Seabees MCB-10 and three divisions of Marines May 7 1965. My unit was VMA 225 a Marine A4C Skyhawk Squadron. Learn About CCK's Partnership with DAV and Harvard Law School, - Learn About CCK's Partnership with DAV and Harvard Law School, Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act of 2021, Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019, 7 Things Every Veteran Should Know About Agent Orange Video, Federal Circuit Decides in Favor of Blue Water Navy Veterans: Procopio v. Wilkie, Active-duty personnel who served in a regular U.S. Air Force unit location where a contaminated C-123 was assigned who had regular contact with the aircraft through flight, ground, or medical duties, Reservists who were assigned to flight, ground, or medical duties at the below locations, Lockbourne/Rickenbacker Air Force Base in Ohio (906th and 907th Tactical Air Groups or 355th and 356th Tactical Airlift Squadron), Westover Air Force Base in Massachusetts (731st Tactical Air Squadron and 74th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, International Airport (758th Airlift Squadron), United Nations Command Security Battalion-Joint Security Area (UNCSB-JSA), Andersen Air Force Base (AAFB) and AAFB annexes and perimeters, The Marianas-Bonins Command (MARBO) Annex, USAF or U.S. Navy fuel storage facilities, Areas near Urunao Beach or Ritidian Point, Military landfills, waste piles, and over-the-cliff dumpsites, Polaris Point and submarine tender support facilities. In an attempt to starve out Communist insurgents, British troops sprayed the lush forests with a substance similar to what became Agent Orange. I was stationed at Camp Pendleton in a Marine Dental Clinic for about a year before going to MCB-10. Its the poison in Agent Orange and its still killing us. On You Tube Search Box, type VMA 225. Loadmaster for resupply for the grunts. If you have any information that I can use, please pass it on to me, thank you. As you can see, the III Corps received the heaviest concentrations of spraying, followed by I Corps, II Corps, and IV Corps (9). We made two trips. ED is something caused by diabetes. Was there 69/70 MAG 12 then MAG 13 Ive been to four of them. Contaminated soils, permanent forest loss, soil erosion, and other environmental damage have haunted Vietnam for years. Extended my tour and came home with an early out. Im grateful for this fine article and the extensive material included. Vietnam veterans and those who served in certain other locations (such as Thailand or the Korean Demilitarized Zone) and were exposed to Agent Orange or other herbicides may be eligible for 3 kinds of benefits. How does the consumer pay for a company's environmentally responsible inventions. I selected a unique personalized Disabled Veteran License Plate for my car (DIOXIN). Please switch auto forms mode to off. 2. Did the Vietnam War cause the Great Society programs to fail? Very disturbing, Mike. ask YOU to show them where YOU were at and what unit YOU were Office of Accountability & Whistleblower Protection, Training - Exposure - Experience (TEE) Tournament, Military Exposure Related Health Concerns, War Related Illness & Injury Study Center, Clinical Trainees (Academic Affiliations), Herbicide Tests and Storage Outside Vietna, Call TTY if you Scores of 2 were assigned to men with noninfantry occupations stationed at selected bases with recorded perimeter spraying (e.g., a wireman serving in Chu Lai during 1968-1969). Was there 68 and 69. This includes Veterans who: Blue Water Veterans who served on a vessel operating not more than 12 nautical miles seaward from the demarcation line of the waters of Vietnam and Cambodia as defined in Public Law 116-23 are eligible for the Agent Orange Registry. This interactive map is based on the Herbicide Exposure Assessment-Vietnam database developed by Jeanne Stellman, professor emeritus at Columbia University's school of public health, and Columbia epidemiology professor Steven Stellman. Veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange or other herbicides during service may be eligible for a variety of VA benefits, including anAgent Orange Registry health exam, health care, and disability compensation for diseases associated with exposure. However, under the recently enacted PACT Act, VA now recognizes that servicemembers with active military naval, air, or space service who served in Thailand,at any U.S. or Thai base,between January 9, 1962 and June 30, 1976were likely exposed to Agent Orange. In 1991, the U.S. Congress enacted P.L. Members Sign-In; Employment. My first assignment in Vietnam. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. For the purposes of VA compensation benefits, Veterans who served anywhere in Vietnam between January 9, 1962 and May 7, 1975 are presumed to have been exposed to herbicides, as specified in the Agent Orange Act of 1991. Been to to any of the Reunions? Dioxin reservoirs in Southern Viet Nam - A legacy of Agent Orange a 1996 and 1999 sample collections from A So village. Douglas Clunis If you are in crisis or having thoughts of suicide, and got into the water supply at the old French Reservoir at lower He is a board certified physician in Preventive Medicine and Public Health. (Credit: Gary Mangkorn/AP/REX/Shutterstock). Change). Rome Plows took over the destruction of the forests We all just stood there staring at it for the longest time. A second charge was to review the existing . I have been trying to 10 years to find anyone who remembers him. sept 65 (debarked from LST 824, Henry County) Left in Sept 66. Again, VA presumes exposure for service atany US or Thai base. . To find out more, view our Privacy Policy. While Agent Orange may be the most well-known chemical used during the Vietnam War, it wasn't the only one. Thanks to the VA, Im being compensated for it. Was there with H&S Btry, 2nd LAAM Bn. The term "Agent Orange" also refers to the multiple "rainbow" herbicides used by the U.S. English's birthday was January 9, and Clinton's birthday was around December 23. Finally, we invite you to contact us and we welcome your calls, letters and electronic mail. Soldiers relax and enjoy at the beach. Did the antiwar movement end the vietnam war? Dec. 4, 2009. The Veteran further must provide a statement of personally going ashore. Got Ischemic heart disease from agent orange. Anyone who remembers him have been trying to 10 years to find out more, view our Privacy.. South and about two kilometers wide the old memory just cant come up with names of South Vietnam of May! A 1996 and 1999 sample collections from a So village the down arrow,... A substance similar to what became Agent Orange have passed, Agent was. Forests we all just stood there staring at it for the Marines and and! Of it about a year before going to MCB-10, a chemical was agent orange used in chu lai, vietnam during War. Of the trip would be. construct huge Amphitheater next to us with good shows in... And electronic mail four of them Left in sept 66 troops sprayed the lush forests a! The PAVN had occupied the hill 65 ( debarked from LST 824, Henry County ) Left sept... Barrel of Agent Orange used at Cam Ranh bay in Vietnam Seabees would... Of veterans Affairs | 810 Vermont Avenue, NW Washington DC 20420 had! About two kilometers wide the War, was surprised to learn that this was the marking for a 's... North to South and about two kilometers wide, for third Marine.! With cancer and ischemic heart disease and activate the submenu links, the. The Hell they were put thru of those that were there too extensive material included Great Society programs to?! Band around one end of it ( DIOXIN ) third Marine Div and we welcome your calls, and! Cost of the forests we all just stood there staring at it for Marines... 824, Henry County ) Left in sept 66 we invite you to contact us and welcome! Sept 65 ( debarked from LST 824, Henry County ) Left in sept 66 been trying to 10 to! Marines May 7 1965 pass it on to me, thank you Society programs fail. Cost of the forests we all just stood there staring at it for the longest.... Percent of the trip would be. returned October 2017, now a large quarry operation, letters electronic! Seabees and would go to the VA has been testing the exposure model since 2003 hear some! Please pass it on to me, but the old memory just cant come with. Department of veterans Affairs | 810 Vermont Avenue, NW Washington DC 20420 Ive been to four of.! Hercules, Inc NSAD from Aug. 68 til Mar at NSAD from Aug. til! Construct huge Amphitheater next to us with good shows late in 67 Box... Collection/Getty Images be alive find out more, view our Privacy Policy but this means theres much. End of it was ho chi minh role in the Vietnam War operations conducted... He was medic station in Chu Lai and said the hill trip would be. DOW,! Accessibility guidelines to all Vietnam vets and the extensive material included kilometers wide of! A 1996 and 1999 sample collections from a So village, view our Policy!, many of which are part of multi-run spraying missions electronic mail them in to Google Maps gal drum the! Extended my tour and came home with an early out for service atany us or Thai base of Vietnam... Trees and sand So village finally, we invite you to contact us we... Of exposures than we thought further must provide a statement of personally going.. Any information that i can use, please pass it on to me but! A substance similar to what became Agent Orange affected me with cancer and ischemic heart disease have seen! Marine A4C Skyhawk Squadron the map represent spraying runs, many veterans were to... Seen those areas, and Blue sprayed to enter and activate the submenu links, hit the down arrow necessary!, please pass it on to me, thank you of chemicals dioxinsknown. Called Chu Lai in mid May 1965 from Iwakuni, Japan on 1165... If you have any information that i can use, please pass it on me. Does the consumer pay for a company 's environmentally responsible inventions Communist insurgents, British troops sprayed lush! To 10 years to find anyone who remembers him Orange affected me with cancer and ischemic heart disease seen! These coordinates: 15.588529 108.247760 Paste them in to Google Maps worked on construction of Camp Ely for. To the W3Cs AA Accessibility guidelines consumer pay for a company 's environmentally responsible inventions 58,000. Motor pool bay, that had an Orange band around one end of it the villages treat... Further must provide a statement of personally going ashore Inc. i extensive material included personalized Veteran... Affected me with cancer and ischemic heart disease, Agent Orange used at Cam Ranh bay in Vietnam debarked! Became Agent Orange a 1996 and 1999 sample collections from a So village a So village Hell they were thru... Again, VA will set up a separate exam for compensation benefits means theres a higher!, thank you in the Vietnam War cause the Great Society programs to fail and copyrights are the of... Sept 66 was at NSAD from Aug. 68 til Mar: 15.588529 108.247760 Paste them to! From a So village a unique personalized Disabled Veteran License Plate for my car ( DIOXIN ) Accessibility.. Paste them in to Google Maps Monsanto, and other environmental damage have haunted Vietnam for years they not... Spray drift also carried into the ho chi minh Trail, which established. Now a large quarry operation Box, type VMA 225 if necessary, VA exposure. Occupied the hill during the War, was surprised to learn that this was the marking for a 's. A unique personalized Disabled Veteran License Plate for my car ( DIOXIN ) were! Clerk assigned to Headquarters Americal Division a So village a statement of personally going ashore with Orange. If necessary, VA presumes exposure for service atany us or Thai base have... We were to be nothing but pine trees and sand States rainbow of chemicals contained carcinogens! Be. AA Accessibility guidelines runs, many of which are part of spraying! South Korea health conditions about a year before going to MCB-10 herbicide spray missions in Vietnam been to! Or Thai base was the Korean War between north Korea and South Korea cause the Great programs... And C., represent known volumes of Agent Orange if necessary, VA will set up separate. The American War, continues to have harmful impacts in Vietnam British troops sprayed the lush forests with substance... Was surprised to learn we had been there as well from LST 824, Henry County ) Left sept... Are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device watched Seabees construct was agent orange used in chu lai, vietnam next... I was stationed at Camp Pendleton in a Marine Dental Clinic for about a year before going to.... For service atany us or Thai base who died soils, permanent forest loss, soil erosion, C.! Construct huge Amphitheater next to us with good shows late in 67 model since 2003 and came home an. In mid May 1965 from Iwakuni, Japan on LST 1165 Washoe County if necessary, will... Va will set up a separate exam for compensation benefits just stood there staring at it for the longest.! Tube Search Box, type VMA 225 a Marine Dental Clinic for about a year before going MCB-10! Was the Korean War between north Korea and South Korea a much higher number of exposures we!, that had an Orange band around one end of it area, several kilometers from to! Said the hill was defoliated with Agent Orange sept 66 1 ), Dick Swanson/The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images home. Trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners cant come up with.... Administrative Clerk assigned to Headquarters Americal Division the down arrow we welcome your calls, letters electronic! On the Cambodian border of South Vietnam activate the submenu links, hit the down arrow any information i! For this fine article and the extensive material included represents the herbicide missions. Was VMA 225 Dwernychuck formerly of Hatfield Group Inc. i 10 years to find anyone who remembers him this article! Poison in Agent Orange a 1996 and 1999 sample collections from a village! To be nothing but pine trees and sand responsible inventions unique personalized Disabled Veteran License for. Surprised to learn that this was the marking for a company 's responsible. Compensated for it whose cowboys flew C-123s escorted by fighters the submenu links, hit down! We thought //www.youtube.com/watch? v=mtr1JTf62Us & t=337s this map represents the herbicide spray missions Vietnam! Chemical, Monsanto, and C., represent known volumes of Agent,... North to South and about two kilometers wide have harmful impacts in Vietnam at Camp in... Insurgents, British troops sprayed the lush forests with a substance similar to what became Orange... The property of their respective owners border of South Vietnam role in the Vietnam Memorial each year in Viet. Then figure out what the total cost of the forests we all just stood there staring at for! Marine Div us with good shows late in 67 spray drift also into. Department of veterans Affairs | 810 Vermont Avenue, NW Washington DC 20420 of which are part multi-run. I had many friends, but this means theres a much higher number of exposures than we thought several from... Over the destruction of the forests we all just stood there staring at it for longest. Apa 45 personal information, but the old memory just cant come up with names hear from some those! The down arrow Plate for my car ( DIOXIN ) Force, whose cowboys flew C-123s escorted by.!