Posted on Jan 12, 2018
Operation Ranch Hand initiated - Jan 12, 1962 - HISTORY.com
3.8K
136
31
20
20
0
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.
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. 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.
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. 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.
Operation Ranch Hand initiated - Jan 12, 1962 - HISTORY.com
Posted from history.com
Vietnam War
American History
Military History
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 10
9
9
0
One of the C123, aircraft from 12th Special Operations Squadron, "Ranch Hand" at Da Nang, Viet Nam in 1968 when i was stationed there. . Notice the spray pipes for "Agent Orange" on the trailing edge of the Wings. There were no precautions taken in handling this substance and they were mixing it up with boat paddles before pumping it into the aircraft spray tanks. The storage area for the drums of agent orange to this day nothing at all will grow there. I had worked a post within 100 feet of that storage area which had thousands of barrels stockpiled and the photo here I took Myself in 1968.
(9)
(0)
SMSgt Lawrence McCarter
Agent orange and other defoliants that were stockpiled at Da Nang and used by 12th Special Operations Squadron, "Ranch Hands" for their spraying. the colr of the stripe around the barrel identifies exactly what defoliant the barrel contained, those with orange stripes were Agent Orange.
(5)
(0)
9
9
0
SPC Margaret Higgins
CPL Dave Hoover: I am exceedingly sorry to hear that you lost your brother in 2012. May your brother rest in GOD's Everlasting Arms Everlastingly.
(6)
(0)
Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D.
Agent Orange may well have been one of closest things that the US may have been charged with a "war crime." In reality, it targeted all life and was not limited to one group or nationality but as it was focused on killing vegitation, the criteria could not be applied. But the long run results suck. People on both sides of the war as well as non-combatents died or were armed by Agent Orange.
SP5 Mark Kuzinski, I am sorry for the loss of your brother!
SP5 Mark Kuzinski, I am sorry for the loss of your brother!
(2)
(0)
8
8
0
The long term cost of this has been repeatedly denied by the VA and the military. While they say it "has been linked" they continue to deny claims. My mother's late husband passed a few years back- he had 3 different rare types of cancer when he died. They denied the first two with not enough evidence to support. What a crock- over 34 years I could detail the things I was exposed to early on and always wonder what they will do to me eventually. Curious to hear others input here. Morning SP5 Mark Kuzinski
SMSgt Lawrence McCarter SrA Christopher Wright Sgt Randy Wilber SGT Gregory Lawritson Cpl (Join to see) LTC Stephen F. LTC (Join to see) MSG Frederick Otero SFC Pete Kain SSG David Andrews LCDR (Join to see) PO1 Tony Holland SCPO Morris Ramsey SPC Margaret Higgins SGT Jim Arnold SFC William H. PO1 William "Chip" Nagel SGT Charles H. Hawes CPL Dave Hoover
SMSgt Lawrence McCarter SrA Christopher Wright Sgt Randy Wilber SGT Gregory Lawritson Cpl (Join to see) LTC Stephen F. LTC (Join to see) MSG Frederick Otero SFC Pete Kain SSG David Andrews LCDR (Join to see) PO1 Tony Holland SCPO Morris Ramsey SPC Margaret Higgins SGT Jim Arnold SFC William H. PO1 William "Chip" Nagel SGT Charles H. Hawes CPL Dave Hoover
(8)
(0)
SSG Donald H "Don" Bates
The old K-47 Air Base in Chunchon, Korea has such contaminated soil it is useless. "They say" Agent Orange was disposed of here. K-47, The Home of The Mosquitos.
(0)
(0)
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google