Good Morning: Agent Orange

[Okla-homey]

Jan 12, 1962: Operation RANCH HAND initiated

http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab7/Okla-homey/agent_orange_epandage.jpg

49 years ago today, the United States Air Force launches Operation RANCH HAND, a "modern technological area-denial technique" designed to expose the roads and trails used by the Viet Cong.

http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab7/Okla-homey/agentdefoliant.gif

Flying C-123 Providers, U.S. personnel dumped an estimated 19 million gallons of defoliating herbicides over 10-20 percent of Vietnam and parts of Laos between 1962-1971. Agent Orange--named for the color of its metal containers--was the most frequently used defoliating herbicide.

http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab7/Okla-homey/agent-orange-2.jpg

The operation succeeded inn killing vegetation, but not in stopping the Viet Cong. The use of these agents was controversial, both during and after the war, because of the questions about long-term ecological impacts and the effect on humans who either handled or were sprayed by the chemicals.

Beginning in the late 1970s, Vietnam veterans began to cite the herbicides, especially Agent Orange, as the cause of health problems ranging from skin rashes to cancer to birth defects in their children. Similar problems, including an abnormally high incidence of miscarriages and congenital malformations, have been reported among the Vietnamese people who lived in the areas where the defoliating agents were used.

[C&CDean]

My pop ran a bulldozer and scraper in Bien Hoa in 1964-67. He said they sprayed right on top of him almost daily for most of that time.

Anyhow, my mom just started receiving VA benefits primarily because my pop's cause of death was listed as "Lewy-bodies dementia, Parkinson's disease, and heart failure." There was no history of Parkinsons or heart disease in his family, and Lewy-bodies is quite rare and I guess the VA decided the Agent Orange was the culprit. Some veteran's group filed the paperwork on pop's behalf, and mom didn't even know it until she got the paperwork stating she was going to receive ~$1,200 per month, and a pro-rated check going back to the date of his death.

Agent Orange is some bad **** man.

[Barry Stoops]

My pop ran a bulldozer and scraper in Bien Hoa in 1964-67. He said they sprayed right on top of him almost daily for most of that time.

Anyhow, my mom just started receiving VA benefits primarily because my pop's cause of death was listed as "Lewy-bodies dementia, Parkinson's disease, and heart failure." There was no history of Parkinsons or heart disease in his family, and Lewy-bodies is quite rare and I guess the VA decided the Agent Orange was the culprit. Some veteran's group filed the paperwork on pop's behalf, and mom didn't even know it until she got the paperwork stating she was going to receive ~$1,200 per month, and a pro-rated check going back to the date of his death.

Agent Orange is some bad **** man.



I'm happy for your mother.My Dad was a veteran of the occupation forces in Japan. He died of Bile Duct Cancer, A leading cause of death among those who served in Japan right after the surrender. No one even gave us a hint about this until after the 2 year limit of filing a claim .

So for any Veteran out there that may have something like this remember to Check all resources and file a claim even if its turned down you have still got time to request a review. Personally I recommend the D.A.V.

[C&CDean]

I'm happy for your mother.My Dad was a veteran of the occupation forces in Japan. He died of Bile Duct Cancer, A leading cause of death among those who served in Japan right after the surrender. No one even gave us a hint about this until after the 2 year limit of filing a claim .

So for any Veteran out there that may have something like this remember to Check all resources and file a claim even if its turned down you have still got time to request a review. Personally I recommend the D.A.V.

Funny you mention Japan. My pop was a 3-war vet, and was part of the Occupation Forces in Japan right after the bombs were dropped. He told me stories about Nagasaki that were freaky. I guess he's lucky to have survived to 82 years old with all the chemicals and crap he was exposed to during his service.

[OUmillenium]

I'm happy for your mother.My Dad was a veteran of the occupation forces in Japan. He died of Bile Duct Cancer, A leading cause of death among those who served in Japan right after the surrender. No one even gave us a hint about this until after the 2 year limit of filing a claim .

So for any Veteran out there that may have something like this remember to Check all resources and file a claim even if its turned down you have still got time to request a review. Personally I recommend the D.A.V.

Wow, never heard of that. My dad was in Japan at the time as well. He always had great health reports, though. He passed in September, age 84, after a severe fall into his basement.

[Partial Qualifier]

He told me stories about Nagasaki that were freaky.

Go on...

[Barry Stoops]

Dad must have been one hell of a man.May he RIP.

Just another little factoid for every one .
If you have a Veteran in the family. and they die, even from a non service connected disease or injury. The surviving spouse can still draw a pension if they meet certain financial needs and requirements.
I believe its called . Non service connected survivors pension.
Check with the V.A. and / Or the D.A.V.

[OUmillenium]

Thanks for the info Barry. Mom was supposed to fill out the paperwork and send in to VA.

[SoonerGrunt]

I'm happy for your mother.My Dad was a veteran of the occupation forces in Japan. He died of Bile Duct Cancer, A leading cause of death among those who served in Japan right after the surrender. No one even gave us a hint about this until after the 2 year limit of filing a claim .

So for any Veteran out there that may have something like this remember to Check all resources and file a claim even if its turned down you have still got time to request a review. Personally I recommend the D.A.V.

Maybe your dad helped liberate my dad. POW for 3 1/2 years in japan. Captured when Corregidor fell.

[olevetonahill]

Thanks for the info Barry. Mom was supposed to fill out the paperwork and send in to VA.

I know he is right on that time limit thingy.

[OUmillenium]

Yeah, I am talking about the survivors compensation rather than the Bile Duct issue - of which I am about 99% sure he had no issues.

[olevetonahill]

Maybe your dad helped liberate my dad. POW for 3 1/2 years in japan. Captured when Corregidor fell.

It is indeed a small world . ya never know on some things like that

I remember in 83 I had a restaurant in Mac. Had a guy from the Prison work release deal working for me,sold it and Moved to Poteau and opened another one 2 years later one of My waitresses Dad is Murdered, By the Guy that worked for me at the Old restaurant.:eek:

[olevetonahill]

Yeah, I am talking about the survivors compensation rather than the Bile Duct issue - of which I am about 99% sure he had no issues.

When Putting down her expenditures Make sure you list every Penny of Medical expense that she incurs, I mean Band aids, Peroxide Mileage to and from the Doc. Aspirin EVERY THING
Good luck

[Leroy Lizard]

And who authorized Agent Orange? The eco-liberals' favorite president: JFK.

[Okla-homey]

And who authorized Agent Orange? The eco-liberals' favorite president: JFK.

For the record, Vietnam was undeniably JFK's war. LBJ upped the ante. RMN got us out.

[olevetonahill]

For the record, Vietnam was undeniably JFK's war. LBJ upped the ante. RMN got us out.

Actually Ike authorized the 1st "ADVISERS" there in 58 ;)

[C&CDean]

See, it was a gD RePPPublican tHat staRTed it...

[olevetonahill]

See, it was a gD RePPPublican tHat staRTed it...

but we did have observers there while the french were fightin them Gooks

[SouthCarolinaSooner]

Ike would have been a really really really good president if it hadn't been for the 1953 Iranian Coup.....still really really good though :P

[Okla-homey]

Politics aside, VA has been ordered to presume a vet's condition is Agent Orange-related if he suffers from a certain range of conditions and served in VN, Cambodia, Laos or Thailand any time after 1/12/1962.

That's great because it substantially lowers trhe veteran's evidentiary burden to prove his condition was service-related. The presumption essentially flips the burden on the gubmint to prove it's not service-connected.

And no Ol'Vet, being a "cantankerous old coot" is not one the listed compensible conditions.:D

[stoopified]

I thought was about Bob Barry-on this date in 1912 BBS latter known as Agent Orange was born. :)

[olevetonahill]

Politics aside, VA has been ordered to presume a vet's condition is Agent Orange-related if he suffers from a certain range of conditions and served in VN, Cambodia, Laos or Thailand any time after 1/12/1962.

That's great because it substantially lowers trhe veteran's evidentiary burden to prove his condition was service-related. The presumption essentially flips the burden on the gubmint to prove it's not service-connected.

And no Ol'Vet, being a "cantankerous old coot" is not one the listed compensible conditions.:D

Is to. Cause they payin me :P

I posted a thread about some swabbie that his ship docked in Cam Rahn Bay
He got off the ship was ashore for 6 hours , and was awarded 100% for something related to AO ;)

[MR2-Sooner86]

I remember working down at the VA hospital all the Vietnam veterans that had all sorts of bad things wrong with them. Really a sad deal. I have a friend who's father has parkinson's due to it as well. Some bad stuff.

[olevetonahill]

Wonder why this thread died!