hypertension I Need Help Proving "boots On Ground"

[enehoa]

Good Morning. I hope the collective minds at HadIt.Com can offer some solutions to my problem.

I need to prove “boots on ground” to receive disability benefits for Diabetes Mellitus II, Kidney Failure, Hypertension, Left Leg Above Knee Amputation and individual unemployability. VA has denied both disability claims because of no official documentation.

In 1972 I was an 18-year-old kid, fresh out of High School, Boot Camp and MMA School and sent to fleet. I had orders to USS Haleakala on station off the coast of Vietnam.

There are 34 unaccounted days after reporting off leave at Naval Station Pearl Harbor on April 27, 1972 and reporting for duty aboard USS Haleakala (AE-25) on May 29, 1972. An 18-year-old US Navy sailor can’t disappear in Southeast Asia and magically appear 34 days later on the pier in Subic Bay, Philippines.

I have completed the missing information with my personal recollections. Listed below are facts about the 34 missing days:

1. I was never arrested for AWOL, Missing Ships Movement or Desertion during the unaccounted 34 days.

2. I didn’t own a passport and was traveling under official US Navy orders. The United States was at war with Vietnam. It was common practice for Navy personnel reporting to a ship on station to transit through Da Nang. I arrived Da Nang, Vietnam aboard a MAC flight and transferred to a US Navy ship. Stepping off the MAC flight onto the tarmac substantiates “boots on ground”.

3. On April 18, 1972 I departed Machinist Mate A School at Naval Station Great Lakes, Illinois on ten days leave in Honolulu, Hawaii.

4. On April 27, 1972 I reported off leave at Naval Station Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; and departed Honolulu, Hawaii aboard an 8-hour MAC flight enroute to Yokota, Japan. On April 28, 1972 I departed Yokota, Japan aboard a 5-hour MAC flight enroute to Da Nang, Vietnam. On arrival in Da Nang, Vietnam, I disembarked plane, walked across the tarmac to US Customs inside the terminal. After customs, I boarded a bus outside the terminal to the pier and reported TDY aboard the USS Samuel Gompers (AD-37).

5. On April 30, 1972 the USS Samuel Gompers (AD-37) departed Da Nang, Vietnam for Naval Station Subic Bay, Philippines.

6. US Navy paid me aboard USS Gompers on April 30 and May 15, 1972.

7. On May 29, 1972 I reported for permanent duty aboard USS Haleakala (AE-25) at Subic Bay Naval Base, Philippines.

Here is the problem: No documentation exists proving the above information.

No official orders exist in my service file.

No US Customs documentation exists for Yokota or Da Nang.

No MAC flights manifests exist.

No documentation of TDY service aboard USS Gompers exists.

No financial pay records exist.

I would appreciate any advice you can offer.

[JT24usn]

See below  link. acceptable ships for AO exposure

USS Samuel Gompers (AD-37) [Destroyer Tender] multiple dockings to piers at 

Da Nang during April 1972

haleakal anchored in Dana get harbor August 27-29 1969 due to boiler accident and sent crew ashore prior to departure for Subic bay for repairs

 

https://www.benefits.va.gov/compensation/docs/shiplist.docx

Edited May 25, 2018 by JT24usn

[Gastone]

Have you attempted to obtain Shore logs from your Ship for the periods in question? Just being a Crew Member on a specific date, doesn't get the "Boots" AO Presumptive. Any pictures of you down in Danang's "Dog Patch" or China Beach?

[Berta]

This link has the May 2018 updated Agent Orange ship's list:

https://www.benefits.va.gov/compensation/claims-postservice-agent_orange.asp

Just click on the link for US Navy ships and Coast Guards ships .

The link also has a lot of good info on AO .

[Berta]

This recent BVA decision states that the 

"In May 2002 the Veteran wrote that he was exposed to herbicides when his ship  "travelled up and down the Vietnam coast."  Service personnel records show that the Veteran served on the U.S.S. Haleakala.  The Board notes VA's Compensation and Pension Service has identified a number of "blue water" Navy vessels that conducted operations on the inland "brown water" rivers and delta areas of Vietnam and certain other vessel types that operated primarily or exclusively on the inland waterways, which are now subject to the presumption of exposure to herbicides under 38 C.F.R. §§ 3.307 and 3.309.  However, the U.S.S. Haleakala is not a vessel recognized as having conducted "brown water" operations in Vietnam.  The U.S.S. Haleakala only docked in Vietnam in 1969, which was prior to the Veteran's service.  Moreover, the Veteran and his representative have not submitted any evidence supporting that the U.S.S. Haleakala operated in the rivers, delta areas, or inland waterways of Vietnam.  Thus, consideration of exposure under the theory that his ships operated in close proximity to the shoreline, and therefore should be recognized as a "brown water" vessel, is not appropriate to the facts in this case.  Furthermore, service personnel records do not show that the Veteran set foot in Vietnam or was in the inland waters of Vietnam.  Therefore, it cannot be presumed that the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents based on serving in Vietnam.

The Veteran's representative said at the May 2013 Board hearing that the Veteran believes that Agent Orange was on the U.S.S. Haleakala due to helicopters that landed on the ship.  Herbicide exposure can be presumed for Air Force personnel who had regular contact with C-123 aircraft known to have been used to spray herbicide agents in Vietnam.  38 C.F.R. § 3.307(a)(6)(v).  The Veteran served in the Navy and the record does not show contact with C-123 aircraft known to have been used to spray herbicide agents in Vietnam.  Therefore, it cannot be presumed that the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents based on contact with equipment, including aircraft.  Furthermore, he did not serve in the DMZ in Korea.  "

So the VA is saying this ship did dock at Vietnam.. in 1969.

Butr they also mention the C 123s- 

" Herbicide exposure can be presumed for Air Force personnel who had regular contact with C-123 aircraft known to have been used to spray herbicide agents in Vietnam.  38 C.F.R. § 3.307(a)(6)(v).  "

  https://www.va.gov/vetapp17/files9/1755993.txt

Has he tried to contact anyone in his Navy unit who could possibly verify he had boots on ground Vietnam?

Does he have any proof of being in Brown water-Vietnam on any vessel that came from the main ship?

Just about every single Military Unit has at least one web site and often contact info and reunion rosters ( which would also have contact info.

Does he have a copy of his 201 ( Military Personnel file) as that might hold some proof of BOD or Brown water.