kgigli2@frontier.com

Need assistance from any Veteran stationed in Okinawa Japan in or around the Northern Training Area Jungle Training School, Marine Base Camps Bishagawa or Camp Schwab in 1958-59 that may have knowledge of the use or application of "commercial" herbicide/pesticides containing 2,4,-D or 2,4,5-T. My VA claim does not assert exposure to Agent Orange, but does allege exposure to the above chemicals that contain TCDD Dioxin that were used for routine base maintenance activities i.e., spraying around fence lines, shooting ranges, radar stations and roadside defoliation activities. At the time, I was a U.S. Marine assigned to Kilo Company, 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division. I would be most interested and appreciative in hearing from you! Kenneth Gigli, kgigli2@frontier.com (Question Clarification): This issue involves myself and other Pre-Vietnam Era veterans who 5-6 years prior to the official start of the war (1964) and the use of AO were exposed unknowingly and on a routine basis to the same chemicals and resulting TCDD Dioxin that were later used in AO. These chemicals were used as herbicides/pesticides to control mosquitoes and malaria inside and around camps, troop barracks, mess halls and training facilities including shooting ranges, etc. The problem is this: As a nineteen year old Marine, I was there to serve my country. I followed orders and did not question what I saw or what I was asked to do at the time and my brothers did the same. Spraying chemicals to kill mosquitoes around my bunk, or spraying chemicals around my barracks to kill weeds, or spraying the same chemicals 100 feet on both sides of the perimeter fence line so I could patrol and protect it while on guard duty during monsoon season was not for me to question nor would I have done so. My SC is that I was in and around this stuff all the time and I did get sick at the time and remained sick suffering the effects of exposure to this dioxin for fifteen months. This is why after 60 years I need help from others who may recall the same events occurring during this same period in time. Many thanks and Semper Fi!