Agent Orange And The Navy

[bobbyq]

. I represent a Vietnam Navy vet with health issues A/O related. His ship docked in Da Nang and the Veterans Administration themselves gave us proof of this action THEMSELVES. Further the veteran provided a letter from a fellow seaman attesting to the fact they did dock in Da Nang. The VA has denied the claim and we are going on almost two years back and forth. They say, I quote: We have weighed the evience submitted in support of your claim and have determined that there is conflicting information in your letter submitted by R Cellille and the response from USASCRUR. You submitted a letter by RC stating that he served with you in the Navy on the USS POWER. Mr. RC stated that the USS POWER docked for refueling DA NANG Harbor and anchored so that all you had to do was disembark by the gangplank. This information conflicts with the information verified by USASCUR which states that the USS Power anchored in DA NANG Harbor for seven hours and motor whaleboat operations were conducted from the ship to the beach with the Commanding Officer and other personnel aboard for briefings ashore. The evidence submitted does not show that you have in-country Vietnam service. The veteran should not have to put with this and he should be granted service connection. The veteran was there and it is documented! He has the medical issues related to AO! There is at least a plausible causality of his exposure and the burden of proof is met.

[Berta]

The VA is certainly making a distinction between docking and anchoring here.

Maybe the Danang Harbor Report at BWN.org will help you:

http://www.bluewaternavy.org/

http://www.davmembersportal.org/al/Lists/Announcements/DispForm.aspx?ID=294

This is the most updated ships list I have.

Could they be wrong ? (USASCUR)

Can he prove that? Can he obtain an additional buddy statement as to the gangplank?

Has he attempted to find the Commanding Officer who might be able to clarify they refueled at the dock as well as did whaleboat ops?

[jbasser]

This Veteran needs to get his eyeballs on the Quarterdeck logs for the date mentioned.

Try the JSRRC. They may be able to help. They have been very helpful to some of my vets in the past but recently it has become a little more difficult as they have had some turnover,

JBasser

[Berta]

John is right -try JSRRC:

Department of the Army

U.S. Army & Joint Services Records Research Center (JSRRC)

7701 Telegraph Road

Kingman Building, Suite 2C08

Alexandria, Virginia 22315-3802

Telephone number: 703-428-6801

Also NVLSP suggests trying the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships at the Neval; History And Heritage Command web site.

Deck logs can be obtained from the Modern Military Branch, National Archives and Records Administration,

860l Adelphi Road, College Park, Md. 20740

(401-837-3510)

And also the Naval Historic Center on line.

This is all googleable and A vet here mentioned some time ago that NARA has archivists who,for a fee, might be able to search for specific records too.

If the evidence is there ,it can be found.

[bobbyq]

Hey guys thanks, I will get right on that. The VA says his ship was there and he is on the roster, but they say he wasn't. How does that work? Are we there but not there and does that make us a nothing since we were not there? Where was I when I was not there?

[carlie]

Hey guys thanks, I will get right on that. The VA says his ship was there and he is on the roster, but they say he wasn't.

How does that work? Are we there but not there and does that make us a nothing since we were not there?

Where was I when I was not there?

bobbyq,

Obviously you were kind of in the same place -

that all lost claims are - when they are eventually found.

You were hidden in a boiler room -

and the lost claims - fell down behind a file cabinet : -)

[bobbyq]

Wanted you folks to know I got a hold of the National Archives at College Park and those people outdid themselves. I got the deck logs I requested by email in about three days. I was dumbfounded. They are to be commended.