Proving Incountry Presence?

[mezurak]

In the fall of 1972 I flew in the ship's C1A COD into DaNang on emergency leave. From there I went to Saigon and Travis. Return was from Travis to Clark/Subic. My original orders, with attached MAC Travel Authorization forms, only have stamps for Travis arrival and Subic arrival. How can I prove I was in DaNang and Saigon? I could describe what I saw there, but somehow I don't think that's enough evidence.

[Berta]

I just spoke to a BWNVVA member I know, who proved, via COD plane info, that her deceased USN husband had stepped on Vietnamese soil.

As I mentioned, your ship might already be on the AO Ship's list and there should be a link in this topic to the most recent list.

And BWN.org has considerable info as well.

This advocate is one of the spearheads for the new Agent Orange Act of 2012 (HR 3612) (S 1629) that might provide some equity for some Blue Water Navy veterans exposed to AO.

In your case, there is possibility that

1. your ship is already on the VA AO ship's list or

2. there could be potential proof found that the COD ship landed in Vietnam.It is not unreasopnable to assume that a COD plane went to Vietnam-perhaps many times.

[Berta]

I just spoke to a BWNVVA member I know, who proved, via COD plane info, that her deceased USN husband had stepped on Vietnamese soil during the war.

As I mentioned, your ship might already be on the AO Ship's list and there should be a link in this topic to the most recent list.

And BWN.org has considerable info as well.

This advocate I spoke to is one of the main spearheads for the new Agent Orange Act of 2012 (HR 3612) (S 1629) that might provide some equity for Blue Water Navy veterans exposed to AO.

In your case, there is possibility that

1. your ship is already on the VA AO ship's list or

2. there could be potential proof found that the COD ship landed in Vietnam.It is not unreasonable to assume that a COD plane went to Vietnam-perhaps many times.

[mezurak]

Thanks, I received the ship's pertinent deck logs today. Other than the position report that put us north-east of Vinh, there wasn't much in there. They did report that we lost three planes on the day I CODed off. The distance to Subic was farther than a C1A can supposedly fly, but still no hard written entry mentioning going to DaNang.

[Berta]

This statement in a BVA decision ( I am not sure if this is the decision the widow I mentioned received)

gives some info as the rationale of the BVA regarding COD fights:

"However, in light of statements from others who served in and

around Vietnam, including pilots who flew COD flights-which,

when taken together, tended to show that servicemen

ordinarily arrived on mid-cruise carriers via COD flights and

that, due to fuel/range limitations and other considerations,

COD flights from Cubi Point ordinarily stopped in Vietnam

before continuing on to the destination carrier-the Board

found that the evidence demonstrated to a reasonable

likelihood that the Veteran had actual duty or visitation in

Vietnam."

Apparently this BVA claimant had supported their claim with buddy statements that the BVA gave weight to.

Being NE of Vihn would certainly make Danang a logical flight stopover.I bet the ship also moved further south in 7^th Fleet as well.

“The distance to Subic was farther than a C1A can supposedly fly, but still no hard written entry mentioning going to DaNang. “

That is an excellent and logical point the VA must consider.

I posted the new AO ships list in this forum yesterday.

If your ship is on the list I don't see why you would even need to prove incountry contact.

This might sound odd but when you were in Vietnam did you possibly obtain and save some old dongs or pees?

My daughter was there a few times fairly recently and brought me back some Vietnamese money but it had a tractor on the back of it and I think during the war their paper currency had a water buffalo on it and I would think a copy of any Vietnamese currency that dates it in some way ,could support proving that a veteran was , as likely as not, in Vietnam during the war.

Did you ever write home of being in Vietnam? If so is it possible those letters were saved by a relative?

Have you tried to get in touch with any of your shipmates since Vietnam for potential buddy statements?

These claims are not impossible to succeed in but take leg work and research.

The Vet here who also replied to you-Kurt Priessman -is the FIRST AO Thailand vet EVER and has proven that Nothing is impossible at all.

The planes that were lost- were they shot down?

That info as well could possibly put the carrier you were on closer to Vietnam shores if these planes were within firing range soon after takeoff from the main ship.