Agent Orange Spray Map

[1CAVCCO15MED]

I was at Bien Hoa for a month.

It is in the center of III Corps. Every day, several times a day, those C-130 tankers with the spray apparatus would take off in groups of three. The perimeter around Bien Hoa was like a desert, nothing grew for about a mile out. Flying over III Corps you could see this barreness all over the place. Convoying up Highway 11 (?), or Thunder Road the vegetation on both sides was dead for about 1/4 mile on both sides.

Andy-

Thank you for your encouragement and for shareing your history with me.I am glad that things have worked out so much better for you than they have for so many.

In truth-and especially compared to the problems you've had-the skin cancer I had (they cut it out a few weeks ago) was not that big a deal.Ended up as a single leision about the size of a dime that had chomped off a chunk of my left eyebrow and seemed to be growing tword the eye.They told me that they got it all and because it was basal cell carcinoma that I probably wouldn't have any further problems.They didn't charge me anything and if I don't have any further problems I'm willing to call it even.If, on the other hand, it shows back up and there appears to be any reason to believe I'm in for a long-term battle with the stuff there will most certainly be a fight.

Also,there have been a lot of folks that have found it to be unwise to try to fight a war on two frounts at the same time.At present I'm working on a PTSD claim and hopeing to get some treatment for same.Don't know if this will result in a fight (so far, so good) but-given the choice-I'd prefer to fight one battle at a time.

Thanks again for your help.Be well.

Hal

[xgrunt]

The Va while not being vocal about has admitted that there is a coorelation between AO exposure and PTSD. Don't fall in that mindset that says' He's much worse off then I am" What happens 2 -5-10 years down the road When AO comes back to blow a ambush on you. Fight on both fronts. Fact: you were exposed. Fact: not all AO related problems show up for years. Fact; If you don't do it now,WHEN?, when they cut the Va Budget to the bare bones. Also the VA has publicly stated that ANYONE who served in NAM is automatically presumed to have been exposed to AO and the other chemicals they sprayed. DO IT! :cl:

[Gunner]

Geez,

It's a comforting feeling when I see that III corps was covered so completely with Agent Orange and I spent 3/4 of my 66/67 tour, both based near Tay Ninh and conducting search and destroy missions within this province.

IV Corps looks like a clean area to finish this tour.

As someone said: "if it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all".

[ArtySgt]

Andy, I am due to have some of the skin cancer removed on the 30th of June at the VA in Richmond, Va. I have not filed for disability for skin cancer as I am 100 % now for two different problems which include my lungs. I have to go back to Richmond VA hospital in July for Lung fuction tests. I don't want to stur the pot unless I absolutely have to, been told to let things alone untill I need to make a further move. Thanks for the advise and your concern.

[1CAVCCO15MED]

100% is 100%

If you open a claim for something else they review not only that but all claims you have. Doc 2/47, if you get disability for PTSD it will be usually at the most 70%. The VA guys in TN kind of expect you to be unable to conduct your own affairs or even drive. If you get the 70% then apply for unemployability and that will bring it up to 100%. With 100% disability they have to treat every problem you have, service-connected or not, so there is no reason to apply for further disability. Now as for Andy, I have been trying to figure out how 160% disability works in a medical sense. I guess that means they have to cure him of everything and then turn right around and cure him again.

[Andy]

It's simple, 30% for wounds received, 30% for PTSD and 100% for cancer. I know the VA says 30 and 30 and 100 equals 100 but I was never good at modern math. It seems remarkably close to 160%. Now that I'm about blind in the left eye (wounds received) I was thinking of filing another claim, just in case, but your right doc, what's the point.

Stay healthy,
Andy

[1CAVCCO15MED]

VA math

70% pays 50% and 160% pays 100%. Somehow I don't think this kind of math applies to Congressional salaries.

[PHO127]

I owe all of you mech-inf and tanker boys an appology. This Saturday I had an appointment at the VA to be checked for AO and be listed on the AO registry. While waiting for different persons to poke, prod and stick me I picked up some literature on AO and started reading it. It turns out that a lot of AO was mixed with kerosene or diesel fuel when it was sprayed. I remember seeing oil slicks on the streams and standing water in the jungle and always cussing the sloppy mech inf and tankers for being so careless about spilling their fuel and oil leaks. It never occured to me it was sprayed on. Sorry guys.

[Andy]

One fine day, in the Triangle our platoon was told to go for a walk in the woods, Clover Leaf type thing. While out walking through some nasty bush a big old bird came flying over us, low and slow. The plane was spraying but we couldn't see it, bush was too thick. It took a while to ?trickle down? but we had diesel fuel on us and of course the smell was everywhere. We were looking at each other as in ?what the F??. Then someone said this might be a prep for a napalm strike, the diesel in the trees and bush would of course make it more effective.
If I remember right we were moving East to West. When the kid suggested his reason for the fuel being dumped on us, we moved South - real quick!
It was many years later that I learned exactly how the AO was sprayed from those planes.
Anyway, when we were topping off in the field and fuel was spilled, and it always was, we?d move our vehicles then burn it, if that was an option. If you stood in the smoke, no mosquitoes at all for almost 5 minutes.

Stay healthy
Andy