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Vietnam Navy and Coast Guard Ships Recently Identified as Having Been Exposed to Agent Orange

Thursday, March 10th, 2011

Attention All Military Personnel
Subject: Vietnam Navy and Coast Guard Ships Recently Identified as Having Been Exposed to Agent Orange

Information on Vietnam Naval Operations 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, there has 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. Also, there has been identification of certain vessel types that operated primarily or exclusively on the inland waterways. The ships and dates of inland waterway service are listed 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 lao 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]

USDVA Issues List Of Ships That Qualify For Presumptive Agent Orange Exposure

• 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]

Handout: USDVA Issues List Of Ships That Qualify For Presumptive Agent Orange Exposure

VA Blue Water claims Update (Federal Update for July 12-16, 2010)

The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (USDVA) has added the below named ships to the already existing list for Navy and Coast Guard ships and vessels that are presumed to have been exposed to Agent Orange. If you serve on any of these mentioned ships and you have had a claim denied, you should reapply citing the VA list as the source for your reapplication. NAUS advises that the VA is already working on a third list that will have more ships listed. If you have a claim and evidence the ship you served on was in Vietnamese waters and/or actually tied up to a dock there, make sure you include that with your claim.

Vessels that operated primarily or exclusively on the inland waterways:

All U.S. Coast Guard Cutters with hull designation WPB [patrol boat] and WHEC [high endurance cutters]
USS Mark (AKL-12) [light cargo ship]
USS Brule (AKL-28)
USS Patapsco (AOG-1) [gasoline tanker]
USS Elkhorn (AOG-7)
USS Genesee (AOG-8)
USS Kishwaukee (AOG-9)
USS Tombigbee (AOG-11)
USS Noxubee (AOG-56)
USS Okanogan (APA-210) [attack transport]
USS Montrose (APA-212)
USS Bexar (APA-237)
USS Benewah (APB-35) [self-propelled barracks ship]
USS Colleton (APB-36)
USS Mercer (APB-39)
USS Nueces (APB-40)
Barracks Barge (APL-26 [sleeping quarters]
Barracks Barge (APL-30)
USS Tutuila (ARG-4) [repair ship]
USS Satyr (ARL-23) [ repair ship]
USS Sphinx (ARL-24)
USS Askari (ARL-30)
USS Indra (ARL-37)
USS Krishna (ARL-38)
USS Belle Grove (LSD-2) [landing ship dock]
USS Comstock (LSD-19)
USS Tortuga (LSD-26)
USS Asheville (PG-84) [patrol gunboat]
USS Gallop (PG-85)
USS Antelope (PG-86)
USS Ready (PG-87)
USS Crockett (PG-88)
USS Marathon (PG-89)
USS Canon (PG-90)
Floating Base Platform (YRBM-17) [repair, berthing, and messing barge]
Floating Base Platform (YRBM-18)
Floating Base Platform (YRBM-20)
Winnemucca (YTB-785) [harbor tug]
Vessels that operated temporarily on Vietnam’s inland waterways or docked to the shore:

USS Card (ACV-11) [escort carrier] [mined, sunk, and salvaged in Saigon River Harbor during May 1964]
USS Maury (AGS-16) [mapping survey ship] [conducted surveys of Mekong Delta and other coastal areas and rivers beginning November 1965 through 1969]
USS Henrico (APA-45) [amphibious attack transport] [operated on Hue River during March 1965 and conducted numerous troop landings through March 1967]
USS Montrose (APA-212) [operated on Song Hue River during December 1965, operated on Long Tau River during March 1967, and operated on Cua Viet River and at Dong Ha during May 1967]
USS Talladega (APA-208) [operated on Saigon River during October 1967]
USS Bolster (ARS-38) [salvage ship] [crew operated on land]
USS Canberra (CAG-2) [guided missile cruiser] [operated on Saigon River from March 31 through April 1, 1966, on Cua Viet River during December 15, 1966, and on Mekong Delta Ham Luong River during January 15, 1967]
USS Sproston (DD-577) [destroyer] [operated on Mekong Delta and Ganh Rai Bay during January 1966]
USS Picking (DD-685) [operated on Saigon River during November 16, 1965]
USS Epperson (DD-719) [docked to Da Nang Pier on October 4, 1970]
USS Southerland (DD-743) [operated on Song Nga Bay and Saigon River during July 1966]
USS John W. Thomason (DD-760) [operated on Nga Be River during 1969]
USS Buck (DD-761) [operated on Mekong River Delta and Saigon River during October 1966]
USS Preston (DD-795) [operated on Mekong River Delta, Ganh Rai Bay, and Saigon River during September 28-29 and December 27-29, 1965]
USS Warrington (DD-843) [operated on Mekong River Delta Rung Sat Special Zone, North of Vung Gahn Rai Bay during March 1967]
USS Dyess (DD-880) [operated on Saigon River and Rung Sat Special Zone from June 19 - July 1, 1966]
USS Perkins (DD-877) [operated on Saigon River during June 1969]
USS Orleck (DD-886) [operated on Mekong River Delta during July 1969]
USS Joseph Stauss (DDG-16) [guided missile destroyer] [operated on Mekong River Delta and Ganh Rai Bay during November 7 and December 7, 1968]
USS Waddell (DDG-24) [operated on Cua Viet River during March 1967]
USS Newell (DER-322) [radar destroyer escort] [docked at Port of Nha Trang during December 22-24, 1965]
USS Duluth (LPD-6) [amphibious transport dock] [docked to Pier at Da Nang during March and October 1971]
USS Cleveland (LPD-7) [operated on Cua Viet River and at Dong Ha, as well as Hue River, from November 1967 through 1968 and Saigon River during September 1969]
USS Dubuque (LPD-8) [docked at Da Nang on March 15, 1970]
USS Boxer (LPH-4) [amphibious assault ship] [docked to Pier at Cam Rahn Bay on September 9, 1965]
USS Carter Hall (LSD-3) [landing ship dock] [operated on Cua Viet River and at Dong Ha during December 1967]
[Source: NAUS Weekly update 25 Jun 2010++]

Juliana Hensler
National Service Officer
Military Order of the Purple Heart

Tags: Agent Orange, Benefits, Coast Guard, Exposed
Posted in Veteran Benefits |

New Agent Orange Regulations

Friday, February 4th, 2011

Hello Everyone,

Hope everyone is well and safe after our big snow/ice storm. Our area received lots of ice and some snow, but main roads are clear now, secondary roads are still bad.

Some new information for Korean vets from 1968 to 1971 for possible Agent Orange claims.
VA recently published a new Agent Orange regulation concerning Veterans who served in Korea from April 1968 through August 1971 in or near the DMZ. Though the VA has had a policy concerning these veterans for several years, this expands the previous dates and codifies it.

38 CFR 3.307 (a)(6)(iv) A veteran who, during active military, naval, or air service, served between April 1, 1968, and August 31, 1971, in a unit that, as determined by the Department of Defense, operated in or near the Korean DMZ in an area in which herbicides are known to have been applied during that period, shall be presumed to have been exposed during such service to an herbicide agent, unless there is affirmative evidence to establish that the veteran was not exposed to any such agent during that service.

Until next time, take care

Julie

Tags: Agent Orange, Korean Vets, Regulations, Veterans
Posted in Veteran Benefits |

Claims for Ischemic Heart Disease

Monday, December 13th, 2010

Hello Everyone,

Been extremely busy here with work and holidays, as I am sure everyone is the same.

Wanted to get a quick note out and let all the Vietnam veterans who have filed claims for ischemic heart disease know that their claims are being finally completed. Within the last week, we have started to receive decisions based on these claims. It took the VA a year to write and complete the regulations for these types of claims, presumptive to Agent Orange. Now that the regulations are complete decisions are being completed. If you have an ischemic heart disease, presumptive to Agent Orange claim pending, you should be receiving a decision soon.

I am enclosing a link for Navy Vietnam veterans who have been limited on filing for Agent Orange exposure. Use to be you had to have “boots on ground” to claim Agent Orange exposure, meaning actually been in county Vietnam. The VA has now provided a list of Navy ships that can claim Agent Orange exposure. Please, if you know a Navy veteran from the Vietnam era, please print the list and ask them if they were on any of these ships at the time. If so, they can claim numerous conditions (diabetes, numerous cancers to include prostate, lung, and heart disease etc). Here is the link:

http://www.military.com/military-report/navy-ships-agent-orange-exposure-list

For now, everyone have a safe and Merry Christmas….see ya at the New Year.

Sincerely

Juliana Hensler
National Service Officer
Military Order of the Purple Heart

Tags: Agent Orange, VA Benefits, Veterans, Vietnam
Posted in Veteran Benefits |

AKAKA Urges surviving spouses to ensure that they received month-of-death benefits

Thursday, October 14th, 2010

Hello Everyone,

Information to pass on for Veteran’s spouses

AKAKA URGES SURVIVING SPOUSES TO ENSURE THAT THEY RECEIVED MONTH-OF-DEATH BENEFITS

Over $124 million paid out to widows and widowers after Akaka oversight revealed error

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Daniel K. Akaka (D-Hawaii) is urging widows and widowers of deceased veterans to check to be sure that they received VA compensation for the month of their spouse’s death. According to new figures from the Department of Veterans Affairs, approximately 196,030 widows and widowers have received a total of $124,348,136 in month-of-death back payments since Senator Akaka uncovered a VA accounting error in December 2008.

“Nearly 200,000 widows and widowers have finally received their benefits, but I want to be sure that all surviving spouses receive the compensation they are eligible for. I urge the survivors of disabled veterans to contact VA if they did not receive compensation during the month of their loved one’s death,” said Akaka.

For almost 12 years, surviving spouses of veterans were wrongfully denied benefits. In 1996, a law was enacted instructing that when a veteran receiving VA benefits died, the spouse would be entitled to a payment for the month of death. However, due to an error, VA wrongly demanded the money back from many surviving spouses. Senator Akaka learned of the problem when a Maui widow contacted him for assistance after a payment for the month of her husband’s death was taken from her bank account by the Treasury Department.

Looking into this case, Akaka discovered that VA had failed to adjust its computer programs and notification letters to surviving spouses after the law was changed. As a result, surviving spouses were still being told that the check they received was an overpayment which needed to be returned to VA. In cases where the money had been spent, such as for funeral expenses, the Treasury would withdraw the money from the widow or widower’s bank account.

VA has implemented new notification letters and changed its practices. However, surviving spouses should ensure that their month-of-death benefit was paid as promised. In some cases, VA may not be aware that the veteran had a surviving spouse, as marital data is not always collected if the veteran’s benefit does not take a spousal amount into account. (This occurs when a veteran’s monthly compensation check is based on a disability rating of less than 30 percent, or when a veteran does not tell VA that he or she has married after VA benefits are commenced.)

For more information from the Department of Veterans Affairs, click here: LINK

Posted in Veteran Benefits |

CRSC – Combat Related Special Compensation

Tuesday, September 28th, 2010

Hello Everyone,

Just wanted to put out a quick note for all. If you’re a 20 year or more combat retiree, or a chapter 61, medical board combat retired veteran with less than 20 years service you need to check into CRSC – Combat Related Special Compensation.

This program is set up to allow combat veterans who meet the criteria, to receive their military retirement pay AND their VA disability pay without offset. For some veterans, this means you get to draw BOTH your retirement pay AND your VA disability.

Combat Related Special Compensation eligibility includes disabilities inclurred as a direct result of:

1. Armed conflict (gunshot wounds, Purple Hearts)
2. Training that simulates war ( exercises, field training)
3. Hazardous Duty (flight, diving, parachute duty)
4. An instrumentality of War (combat vehicles, weapons, agent orange)

I highly recommend that you either Google thru the internet CRSC for additional information, or speak to your Service Officer for additional questions on this program.

Have a good one.

Julie

Posted in Veteran Benefits |