Need Info On Ship Used For Testing

[68mustang]

Does anyone know if the U.S.S. Keppler (DD 765) was in any type of testing program during the years 1967-1969? Such as testing the use of certain chemicals. Thanks.

68mustang

[Chuck75]

The Keppler's ship's history makes no mention of ever docking in Vietnam. The gunfire support seems to have been rendered from offshore, not "inshore"

Anyway, without such things as the ship's deck logs, getting the VA to SC such things as CAD is going to be difficult to impossible.

Remember that the VA just did not bother, until the hue and cry got large enough.

I served on two ships that are on the January 20011 list. Previously, the sailors on the ships that made the list had no "presumption", and had to prove (somehow)

that they set foot on the actual ground of Vietnam. A major effort to help the members of one ship's crew that were routinely denied A.O. compensation involved getting

copies of the ship's log showing dates and locations that the ships were actually tied up to piers and such.

Another problem was related to an "official" ship's history that was incorrect, in that it "missed" several tours in Vietnam's waters.

I happened to "luck out", in that there was evidence of "feet on ground" in my service medical records.

I could not find a spacific test, but she was firing on shore batteries in Viet Nam in 1967. I cant seem to figure why she is not onthe Blue Water AO list.

J

[deltaj]

I found some information on this by searching on google under USS Keppler AND testing.

[jbasser]

Folks, take into consideration that common sense plays a role. Thjis ship had a 5 inch gun with a range of 18000 yards of a tad over 10 miles. Now for close in shore fire, this ship had to get in close and well within the range of shore fire as well as exposure of its crew to Agent Orange. Only Cruisers adn The BB's could stand back from 20 or so miles and lob Volkswagons at the enemy.

I see a vaild issue here and with the right presentation I see a victory.

J

[Berta]

I agree common sense plays a role.

This vet said

"I went aboard it when it returned from Vietnam."

Maybe one of our Presidents did too.

How were you exposed to AO when you went aboard the ship AFTER it returned from Vietnam?

The Blue Waters are fighting over AO exposure because they were in the Pacific during the Vietnam War.

[68mustang]

Does anyone know if the U.S.S. Keppler (DD 765) was in any type of testing program during the years 1967-1969? Such as testing the use of certain chemicals. Thanks.

68mustang

I feel that I must point out my above original quote. I inquired as to whether anyone knew whether the Keppler was involved in any testing. Rereading my posts on this thread I do not believe I mentioned being exposed to agent orange. Maybe I should have elaborated as to what testing, such as "Shad" testing. I did state that I went aboard the ship after it returned from Vietnam. I did not mean to give the impression that because of that I was exposed to agent orange.

A day later after posting the above inquiry I posted another inquiry with the following web site. It is about testimony by a retired officer who points out that Navy ships in waters off Vietnam may have taken in water to be distilled for potable water and that agent orange residue may have stayed in the distillation tanks. If agent residue did stay in the tanks there is no way of finding out, since most of the ships are long gone.

http://democrats.veterans.house.gov/hearings/Testimony.aspx?TID=72838&Newsid=571&Name=%20Reserve%20Officers%20Association%20%20of%20the%20United%20States

I talked to a fellow shipmate the other day about when the ship was in Vietnam. He got service connected for illnesses related to agent orange exposure because he and others went ashore to get repair materials for the gun mount.

Yesterday I went to see my VSO and while waiting there I met three Vietnam veterans. All three had stories about their agent orange illnesses and how the VA has dragged along with their claims. I told them about hadit and how I have learned so much from it and told them to look hadit up. BTW thanks for the replies and no I never saw the President referred to.LOL

68mustang

Edited May 28, 2011 by 68mustang

[Berta]

Thanks for clarification 68Mustang-

I couldn't figure out where this discussion was going.

Additional testimony by John Rossie and Commander Wells to the H VAC on this issue have kept BWN vets n the forefront however the recent IMO brief release of their evcentually published findings have not pn pointed anything that will help Blue Water Navy.

Yet one could say the IOM findings are too speculative and we know VA does not consider speculative statements from doctors so this report (when it is published in it's entirety could have some info that could possibly be expanded on)

There were however many ships involved in Project SHAD in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/shad/index.asp

The ships list is here somewhere with much discussion.

But there are no known VA presumptives for veterans involved in SHAD tests.And no awards for comp solely due to SHAD tests that I know of.

"If agent residue did stay in the tanks there is no way of finding out, since most of the ships are long gone."

Yes and many old ships had so much asbestos that they had to be salvaged.

I had a local asbestos vet who died before his claim got to the BVA. He had no spouse to continue the claim.

One piece of evidence I used was a complete print out on his ship that showed it had been salvaged off the coast of Iran due to the extensive asbestos it held after he served on it.

Edited May 28, 2011 by Berta