How To Prove Service In Rvn

[barbarap]

I am new to this site. My husband is the vet. He is trying to prove service connection for dmii based on exposure to AO in DMZ. He was AF and was TDY to a Comm Squadron in Osan, Korea, from Fuchu, Japan, for 30 days in March - May, 1968. During that TDY, under verbal orders of the commander (VOC), he was sent TDY to Vietnam twice or three times for a day or two at a time to courier crypto information for the AF. His TDY to Korea was extended several times until it turned into a one-year PCS. Our problem is that there is nothing that we can find in his service records (of which we received a copy from the VA) showing that he was in the RVN since his trips there were under VOC. He received injuries twice while in RVN - once in helicopter crash and second time from shrapnel from rocket attack. Went to dispensary after got back to Korea but all of his medical records from Korea are missing from the copy from the VA.

We need help trying to connect him to anyone in his unit that will be able to corroborate that he was in Korea and that he was in and out of RVN during that time period or something that we can use that the this was not an unheard of practice by the AF to send someone TDY under VOC when they are already TDY.

Has anyone ever run into a situation like this? We like to talk to anyone with experience in this sort of situation and would appreciate any guidance.

[barbarap]

Hi Philip: This is very helpful! My husband indicated that he doesn't think they had morning reports when he was in. He said if someone was missing from the unit (for instance, he was sent VOC to RVN from Korea for a day or two at a time) or didn't show up at the unit, it was reported to the orderly room. Do you know where I could look for orderly room reports?

I hate to keep asking you all of these questions. I'm not familiar enough with this site (or with anything related to researching this) to know where to look for the answers. Can you tell me the best way you have found to research all of this?

Thanks again!

barbara

[john999]

How did the military explain the wounds your husband received? Shell fragment wounds don't usually happen outside a war zone. Where was he treated? Even if he got a few stiches it should be noted somewhere. I cut my hand in Vietnam on some barb wire and it required treatment. That is in my medical records.

[barbarap]

He was not treated while he was in RVN. He waited until he got back to his unit in Korea and went to the dispensary there. An 18-month period of time is missing from the records he was able to review at the VA some years back. This includes the time period that he was in Korea and RVN. We have requested his records from the archives in the hopes that they will send us the entire thing.

The shrapnel from the rocket did lodge in his head which caused an osteoma (?). He had that removed in October or November 1982 at the Army hospital in Ft. Gordon, GA. I don't know if the records just say anything more than that. I'll look at what we have.

barbara

[windy city]

If he got injured by enemy fire he would have been issue a purple heart, I am not an expert but if he does not have documentation that he was in country I belieave is going to be an uphill battle with the va. Remember that when it comes to given money it is the one thing that the Goverment hates to do. Good luck on your husbands claim.

He was not treated while he was in RVN. He waited until he got back to his unit in Korea and went to the dispensary there. An 18-month period of time is missing from the records he was able to review at the VA some years back. This includes the time period that he was in Korea and RVN. We have requested his records from the archives in the hopes that they will send us the entire thing.

The shrapnel from the rocket did lodge in his head which caused an osteoma (?). He had that removed in October or November 1982 at the Army hospital in Ft. Gordon, GA. I don't know if the records just say anything more than that. I'll look at what we have.

barbara

[Philip Rogers]

Barb, if I may call you that - all units had the equivalent of a daily journal. Each company, battalion, brigade, squadron, unit, kept a 24hr journal of what went on. The officer of the day (OD) reported everything that happened during their shift. Check on the USAF. I can only tell you about the Army but I do know the military is anal, so all services did it.

pr

Hi Philip: This is very helpful! My husband indicated that he doesn't think they had morning reports when he was in. He said if someone was missing from the unit (for instance, he was sent VOC to RVN from Korea for a day or two at a time) or didn't show up at the unit, it was reported to the orderly room. Do you know where I could look for orderly room reports?

I hate to keep asking you all of these questions. I'm not familiar enough with this site (or with anything related to researching this) to know where to look for the answers. Can you tell me the best way you have found to research all of this?

Thanks again!

barbara

[vmo]

Barb, if I may call you that - all units had the equivalent of a daily journal. Each company, battalion, brigade, squadron, unit, kept a 24hr journal of what went on. The officer of the day (OD) reported everything that happened during their shift. Check on the USAF. I can only tell you about the Army but I do know the military is anal, so all services did it.

pr

Just to add to what your talking about. Marines referred to their "daily log" as a "UNIT DIARY REPORT". Probably the Navy used the same term. Not sure what term USAF/USA used.