D.V.A. issues list of ships with Agent Orange Exposure
January 29, 2010 by John Allen · 7 Comments
The Retired Enlisted Association Newsletter is running a listing it has recieved from the Department of Veterans Affairs this week outlining which ships are now considered to have been exposed to Agent Orange during Viet Nam. Here is the listing taken directly from their newsletter today.
“VA Issues List of Ships with Agent Orange Exposure-The Department of Veterans Affairs Compensation and Pension (C&P) Service has initiated a program to collect data on Vietnam naval operations for the purpose of providing regional offices with information to assist with development in Haas related disability claims based on herbicide exposure from Navy Veterans.
To date, the Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA) received verification from various sources showing that a number of offshore “blue water” naval vessels conducted operations on the inland “brown water” rivers and delta areas of Vietnam. The VA also has identified certain vessel types that operated primarily or exclusively on the inland waterways. The ships and dates of inland waterway service are listed on the Compensation & Pension Service Bulletin [PDF]. For your convenience, we also have listed the ships and dates below.
If a Veteran’s service aboard one of these ships can be confirmed through military records during the time frames specified, then exposure to herbicide agents can be presumed without further development.
All vessels of Inshore Fire Support [IFS]
Division 93 during their entire Vietnam tour
USS Carronade (IFS 1)
USS Clarion River (LSMR 409) [Landing Ship,
Medium, Rocket]
USS Francis River (LSMR 525)
USS White River (LSMR 536)
All vessels with the designation LST [Landing
Ship, Tank] during their entire tour
[WWII ships converted to transport supplies on
rivers and serve as barracks for brown water
Mobile Riverine Forces]
All vessels with the designation LCVP [Landing
Craft, Vehicle, Personnel] during their entire
tour
All vessels with the designation PCF [Patrol
Craft, Fast] during their entire tour
[Also called Swift Boats, operating for enemy
interdiction on close coastal waters]
All vessels with the designation PBR [Patrol
Boat, River] during their entire tour
[Also called River Patrol Boats as part of the
Mobile Riverine Forces operating on inland
waterways and featured in the Vietnam film
“Apocalypse Now”]
USS Ingersoll (DD-652) [Destroyer] [Operated
on Saigon River, October 24-25, 1965]
USS Mansfield (DD-728) [Destroyer] [Operated
on Saigon River August 8-19, 1967 and
December 21-24, 1968]
USS Richard E. Kraus (DD-849) [Destroyer]
[Operated on coastal inlet north of Da Nang,
June 2-5, 1966, protecting Marines holding a
bridge]
USS Basilone (DD-824) [Destroyer] [Operated
on Saigon River, May 24-25, 1966]
USS Hamner (DD-718) [Destroyer] [Operated
on Song Lon Tao and Long Song Tao Rivers,
August 15-September 1, 1966]
USS Conway (DD-507) [Destroyer] [Operated
on Saigon River, early August 1966]
USS Fiske (DD-842) [Destroyer] [Operated on
Mekong River, June 16-21, 1966]
USS Black (DD-666) [Destroyer] [Operated on
Saigon River, July 13-19, 1966]
USS Providence (CLG-6) [Cruiser, Light,
Guided Missile] [Operated on Saigon River 3
days during January 1964]
USS Mahan (DLG-11) [Guided Missile Frigate]
[Operated on Saigon River October 24-28, 1964]
USS Okanogan (APA-220) [Attack Transport]
[Operated on Saigon River July 22-23, 29-30,
1968 and August 5-6, 1968]
USS Niagara Falls (AFS-3) [Combat Stores
Ship] [Unloaded supplies on Saigon River and
Cam Rahn Bay, April 22-25, 1968]”
CWO3 Tom Barnes, USCG (Ret.)
When we think “brown water”, include the USCG. Their service in Vietnam is often ignored.
I am helping my Dad with his VA claim, and his ship is not listed, however, he was exposed to agent orange almost constantly. He has already been denied once, thought this new ruling would help, but now I don’t even see his ship on the list! He is running out of time. I guess that’s what they are expecting. USNS Corpus Christi Bay
my ship the uss grapple ars7 is not on the lest. but we were in hon ran peninsula south viet nam for 4 daus, also we were in vung tau, also we were in hue, also we were in we also worked on the salvage of the uss mahnomen county lst. we were there 28 days in a rock theow from the beach trying to get her off. now we were in inlet waters in these operations. but i am steel denide va benafets. any one can tell my what do do if so email me at jr7848@bellsouth.net
The D.V.A. should represent all Vets. not a select view. I was stationed aboard the U.S.S. Oxford (AGTR-1) which received the Meritorious Unit Commendation, from the Chief of Naval Operations for service in Vietnam. Thanks for your support D.V.A./V.A. But the U.S.S. Oxford does not appear on your list.
I think more ships will be listed. Spent 13 months on a minesweeper on
patrol off vietnam. We entered NhaTrang, Vungtau, Camranh Bay (2 or 3 days
on a search mission for downed aircraft). Also was on LPA that loaded 1575
marines in Danang summer of 69 and brought them to San Diego. I think it
will be hard for anyone to deny that ships which did not operate directly
in the delta, were not affected by agent orange, especially those who
operated within coastal waters.
I also served aboard the oxford agtr-1, from Jan. 1968 to March 1969, It will take some time before all the ships get listed for agent orange exposure. I have a claim that I filled on April 1998 and keeps getting denied for one reason or another. I am not going to give up… I will persist…ray bronco