‘Blue Water’ Navy Veterans’ Long Waits Often End In Denials At Va

[justrluk]

McClatchy Newspapers (mcclatchydc.com)
March 26, 2013

‘Blue Water’ Navy Veterans’ Long Waits Often End In Denials At VA

http://mcclatchydc.com/2013/03/26/186962/blue-water-navy-veterans-long.html#storylink=misearch

By Beena Raghavendran, McClatchy Newspapers

[stillhere]

One other point if I may, it now seems that quite a few of our Navy brothers want to be consider the same as us by serving during the war and I applaud those that did, But there comes a time when you have to look at yourself and say "I should have joined the ARMY"!

[Berta]

A mammasan ....Tsk Tsk!!!!! (only one???)

"I can also see areas around us that were sprayed and seeing it being done!"

Yep, my husband said the deep dense tropical jungles would be completely decimated within days, after the AO sprayed them. . Odd thing is that the AO was ostensibly used on the jungles to destroy enemy cover but the enemy was in the tunnels and elsewhere.

It destroyed cover for the Americans.

[Chuck75]

We spent months "up the rivers" in the delta and so forth. When you looked at a river bank and the land areas beyond, it was obvious where defoliants were used.

Bare ground and sand instead of over-abundant foliage. Trees with no leaves. Deserted villages falling to ruin. Defoliants were also commonly used starting at the end of runways, and then in a wedge for miles beyond. Why? to deny cover to shoulder launched infra-red (heat seeking) missiles. One of the chief victims was Phantom II fighters carrying heavy bomb loads. They had to take off using afterburners, which provided a very strong heat source.

[Stretch]

I was on the USS Ranger CVA-61 (1970-1971). We were docked at the pier many times and for weeks sometimes. I saw barrels stacked everywhere. I never noticed the markings on the barrels because my only concern was getting into town and getting away from the ship. The minute we docked the loading nets started loading. It is hard for me to believe that anyone would have taken a swim in that water. Shit river opened into the bay. It was the most toxic environment I had ever seen. It is possible that someone would swim in that water.

John Wells, has been doing a lot of work on this including appearing before congress several times. John Rossie, has put a lot of work into this also. It seems hopeless because of congress lack of concern or responsibility.

Navy environment aboard ships was the most toxic situation. When congress ask the question of Blue Water AO, their immediate concern is not what harm was done, but how much does it cost. Once congress hears the price the answer is NO.

Perhaps Navy Veterans should start their own Toxic Chemical Suit to include war and non-war incidences. This would be undeniable in court.

[stillhere]

I personally have a hard time visualizing a toxic scenario on board an American ship but I will give you that you know more than me. Never been on one but I have never heard any of my 3 brothers talk about it before and 1 served in Nam a on board Marine.

Sounds to me like you all are going to have to get congress to agree on what it really was like.

Guess I will have to do some research and let me say first hand I am sorry you had to serve in those conditions.

I am a Army/Marine guy through I wanted to be on the ground or good earth whenever something might happen but I do like to fly but I am glad when I get there. My conditions were up and down and I guess it was toxic because of the AO and the spraying and stuff. But like I said to busy to remember any barrels or stripes or where the come from but I guess they did have to come from somewhere?

Stillhere

[Stretch]

These are declasified ships logs for my cruise. This was just one of the cruises I made as a plane captain/AT. Plane Captains stood at the Fan Tail (rear of flight deck) and sucked up JP-5, NSFO (Ships Fuel), Deisel, Steam, and various other contaminants all day long every day. Can you imagine 27 Million Gallons of NSFO and 22 Million Gallons of JP-5 burning and creating smoke all day long.

The noise levels every day all day were louder that Arty and are proven here, 120+DB:

Also see this story of how a Chinese Dust storm traveled all the way from China to California, now. It is hard to believe that AO could not have traveled over 2 miles in the Tonkin Gulf.

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/03/31/17541864-dust-from-chinese-storm-reaches-central-california?lite

Opps, forgot these are from my USS Ranger 1971 Ships Logs and were for one year only.

I went for a claim of tennitis and Chronic Bronchitis and have been denied for over 10 years.

Edited April 1, 2013 by Stretch