Posted on Sep 19, 2016
U.S. officials defend use of defoliants - Sep 20, 1968 - HISTORY.com
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U.S. military spokesmen defend the use of defoliants in Vietnam at a news conference in Saigon, claiming that the use of the agents in selected areas of South Vietnam had neither appreciably altered the country’s ecology, nor produced any harmful effects on human or animal life.
However, a paper released at the same news conference by Dr. Fred T. Shirley, a U.S. Agriculture Department expert, suggested that U.S. officials in Saigon were underestimating the extent of ecological damage caused in Vietnam by defoliating agents and that they had caused “undeniable ecological damage” and that “recovery may take a long time.” Defoliation had been used in Vietnam since 1961 to reduce the dense jungle foliage so communist forces could not use it for cover, as well as to deny the enemy use of crops needed for subsistence. During a nine-year period ending in 1971, over 19 million gallons of three major herbicides (Agents Orange, White, and Blue) would be used in Vietnam. As part of Operation Ranch Hand, conducted from 1962 to 1970, specially equipped C-123 aircraft sprayed these herbicides in a 300-foot swath about eight and half miles long. It was also applied by helicopter, truck, and hand sprayers. The heaviest use of the defoliants was in the III Corps Tactical Zone north of Saigon and along the Cambodian and Laotian borders. 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 were either sprayed or handled 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 and 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 defoliate agents were used.
@ SMSgt Minister Gerald A. Thomas Capt Christopher MuellerCPT (Join to see)COL Mikel J. BurroughsSgt Joe LaBrancheSSgt (Join to see)Capt Seid WaddellSrA Christopher Wright LTC Stephen F.PO2 Ed C. PO2 Mark Saffell MSG Tom EarleyPVT James Strait Alan K. PO1 William "Chip" NagelSGT John " Mac " McConnellSSG Leo Bell TSgt Melissa Post
However, a paper released at the same news conference by Dr. Fred T. Shirley, a U.S. Agriculture Department expert, suggested that U.S. officials in Saigon were underestimating the extent of ecological damage caused in Vietnam by defoliating agents and that they had caused “undeniable ecological damage” and that “recovery may take a long time.” Defoliation had been used in Vietnam since 1961 to reduce the dense jungle foliage so communist forces could not use it for cover, as well as to deny the enemy use of crops needed for subsistence. During a nine-year period ending in 1971, over 19 million gallons of three major herbicides (Agents Orange, White, and Blue) would be used in Vietnam. As part of Operation Ranch Hand, conducted from 1962 to 1970, specially equipped C-123 aircraft sprayed these herbicides in a 300-foot swath about eight and half miles long. It was also applied by helicopter, truck, and hand sprayers. The heaviest use of the defoliants was in the III Corps Tactical Zone north of Saigon and along the Cambodian and Laotian borders. 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 were either sprayed or handled 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 and 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 defoliate agents were used.
@ SMSgt Minister Gerald A. Thomas Capt Christopher MuellerCPT (Join to see)COL Mikel J. BurroughsSgt Joe LaBrancheSSgt (Join to see)Capt Seid WaddellSrA Christopher Wright LTC Stephen F.PO2 Ed C. PO2 Mark Saffell MSG Tom EarleyPVT James Strait Alan K. PO1 William "Chip" NagelSGT John " Mac " McConnellSSG Leo Bell TSgt Melissa Post
U.S. officials defend use of defoliants - Sep 20, 1968 - HISTORY.com
Posted from history.com
Vietnam War
Military History
American History
Warfare
Posted 8 y ago
Responses: 10
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The C123 aircraft from the 12th Special Operations Squadron "Ranch Hands" at Da Nang Air Base, Viet Nam. These are the aircraft that sprayed Agent Orange. Notice the spray pipes on the trailing edge of the wings. Some of the crew that handled this defoliant were mixed it in barrels with boat paddles, they were led to believe it was safe to do so. it wasn't, many of them died from Agent Orange Exposure some still are suffering from cancer and other illness caused from this exposure to Agent Orange.
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MAJ David Vermillion
I have a friend who died three years ago and currently have another friend suffering today because of Agent Orange. It was around where I served in Vietnam but not directly.
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The damage from Agent Orange is still severe, at Da Nang it even got into the water table, Picture (1) is stockpile of thousands of gallons of Agent orange and other defoliants. i worked a post from time to time 100 ft from that stockpile. Picture (2) is that storage area with the barrels gone, to this day still nothing will grown there, not even a weed. Those barrels were the stock used by 12th Special Operations Squadron "Ranch Hands" to spray from their C123 aircraft. That storage area was just across the roadway from the US Army Mortuary for any of You that may be familiar with the areas within Da Nang Air Base.
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SSgt Terry P.
SMSgt Lawrence McCarter Personally,i am familiar with the Da Nang Air Base and the spraying of the defoliants in that area,i spent the first 3 or 4 months in VN at Dia Loc Pass about 7 miles from Da Nang.Green today and nothing tomorrow.
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SP5 Mark Kuzinski
So very true sir - the many has turned into only a few now. RIP to all who suffered.
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SMSgt Lawrence McCarter
Very true, in fact within the last few years I ran into the wife of one of the men I served with in Da Nang Viet Nam and asked how He was, she told be He died from cancer directly caused to exposure to Agent Orange. She said he didn't know He had it and then asked if I had been screened for exposure to Agent Orange, at that point I hadn't She told Me well You need to be. I have also run into other guys that had also been statoned at Da Nang that were currently suffering the effect from Agent Orange. After that I did get My screening. I received a letter from the VA indicating some things i have that could have been caused by Agent Orange exposure but then a lot of men My age have the same things. I seen to be ok and have no physical limitations or health problems at all but not everyone is as fortunate.
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