Defoliant Usage in I Corps during the Vietnam War
To assist those who have a pending claim with the VA or need to submit a claim to the VA due to illness caused by exposure to defoliants used during the war, we are including the US Air Force Ranch Hand report. This table does not include the exact dates of herbicide spraying at the locales but it does show that virtually every place where 1/5 operated was an area where dioxin-based herbicides were sprayed. While Agent Orange is the most notorious, other agents, such as Agent Blue, were used. Agent Blue, which was a mix of dioxin and arsenic, was used as a rice crop suppressant. While a great battle was waged over an inordinate amount of time before the VA admitted to any harmful effects from Agent Orange, arsenic has been a known cancer-causing agent since the 1920s. While arson needs to be consumed by eating or drinking a contaminated substance, dioxin need only be touched and it is absorbed through the pores of the skin and it buries itself in the fatty tissue in the body. Arson travels to the extremities of the body, such as the head, fingers and toes. Clinical analysis of a hair follicle from the head can determine exposure to Agent Blue. Our 1/5 Battalion Command, Lt. Col Joe Griffis, recommends that all Marines and Navy Corpsmen who served with 1/5 in Vietnam get an Agent Orange screening at the VA. Hopefully, this information may help 1/5ers in pursuing rightful claims with the VA.
I Corps |
Orange |
White |
Blue |
Total |
A Shau |
53,550 |
2,550 |
6,128 |
62,228 |
An Hoa |
6,500 |
1,800 |
11,250 |
19,550 |
Binh Hoa |
8,220 |
|
1,600 |
9,820 |
Cam Lo |
80,375 |
8,660 |
12,785 |
101,820 |
Camp Caroll |
78,200 |
5,400 |
5,050 |
88,650 |
Camp Eagle |
14,250 |
|
|
14,250 |
Camp Esso |
53,410 |
5,600 |
5,500 |
64,510 |
Camp Evans |
18,690 |
|
880 |
19,570 |
Camp Henderson |
68,155 |
7,040 |
4,800 |
79,995 |
Chu Lai |
12,170 |
4,150 |
1,598 |
17,918 |
Con Thien |
84,700 |
12,460 |
10,925 |
108,085 |
Danang , China Beach |
13,800 |
|
2,000 |
15,800 |
Dong Ha |
54,385 |
5,060 |
9,925 |
69,380 |
Duc Pho, LZ Bronco |
46,225 |
14,400 |
1,175 |
61,800 |
Firebase Jack |
140,875 |
11,900 |
3,280 |
156,055 |
Firebase Rakkassan |
150,145 |
23,900 |
2,510 |
176,555 |
Firebase West |
15,405 |
3,690 |
18,480 |
37,575 |
Hill 63 |
20,500 |
3,200 |
|
23,700 |
Hill 69 |
11,620 |
4,150 |
1,598 |
17,368 |
Hoi An |
17,520 |
3,000 |
13,950 |
34,470 |
Hue |
41,395 |
|
5,070 |
46,465 |
Khe Sanh, Firebase Smith |
43,705 |
3,040 |
4,300 |
51,045 |
Lang Co Bridge |
50,610 |
5,600 |
3,500 |
59,710 |
LZ Baldy |
15,430 |
3,000 |
13,950 |
32,380 |
LZ Dogpatch, Hill 327 |
4,490 |
|
8,250 |
12,740 |
LZ Geronimo |
22,535 |
14,000 |
468 |
37,003 |
LZ Jane, Firebase Barbara |
91,150 |
6,750 |
3,700 |
101,600 |
LZ Langley, Firebase Shepard |
72,105 |
7,040 |
4,800 |
83,945 |
LZ Profess, Hill 55 |
39,300 |
13,000 |
17,209 |
69,509 |
LZ Rockcrusher, Hill 85 |
47,800 |
|
|
47,800 |
LZ Rockpile |
110,050 |
15,440 |
7,650 |
133,140 |
LZ Ross |
15,405 |
6,720 |
18,508 |
40,633 |
LZ Sandra |
118,780 |
20,210 |
24,755 |
163,745 |
LZ Snapper, Firebase Leather |
11,350 |
|
3,000 |
14,350 |
Marble, Hill 59 |
15,405 |
6,720 |
18,508 |
40,633 |
Phu Bai |
54,300 |
3,000 |
120 |
57,420 |
Phu Loc, LZ Tomahawk |
78,250 |
4,000 |
|
82,250 |
Quang Ngai |
25,605 |
|
1,800 |
27,405 |
Quang Tri, LZ Nancy |
68,000 |
2,750 |
3,700 |
74,450 |
|
|
|
|
|
USAF Ranch Hand Herbicides from August 1965
Grand Total in South Vietnam 8,165,491
3/8/1998
Source: www.gmasw.com/ao_amts4.pdf
Note: This does not include the US Army helicopter or ground applications, or any form of the insecticide programs by GVN or the US military. The amount represents gallons within eight (8) kilometers of the area. Thus, each area is 9.6 miles in diameter.
Description TCDD (Dioxin) Amounts
Agent Orange 1.77 to 40 ppm
Agent Blue (Purple) 32.8 to 45 ppm
Agent Red (Pink) 65.6 ppm
Agent White (Green) 65.6 ppm
Silvex 1 to 70 ppm
2,4,5-T (Current) 0.1 ppm or less
ppm = parts per million