Does August 10 have meaning for you? It could be a family birthday, the birth of a child, a wedding anniversary, or perhaps a day when a family member came home from one of the many places our military serve. But I remember it another way.
On August 10, 1961 the military began using a defoliant in the deltas and jungles of Vietnam. It ‘s intended use was to eliminate the forest cover and crops for the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese. Sprayed over 4.5 million acres of the countryside in an operation known as Ranch Hand it was delivered by USAF C-123s and to a lesser extent the Army’s Huey helicopters, USAF C-47s, and by hand, boats and trucks. The operation not only took place in Vietnam but also in Thailand and Cambodia under the belief that chemicals used for this purpose was legal. (Spoiler Alert: it wasn’t.) But it was also used on the perimeters of US camps and bases to keep their vegetation under control.
And Agent Orange was not the only defoliant used during the war. In addition to Agent Orange, Monsanto, Dow Chemical and other companies manufactured herbicides named Pink, Green, Purple, White and Blue in varying strengths. But of primary use was Orange – more than 13 million gallons. Unfortunately, the dioxin in Orange was dangerous to not only the forests but to wildlife and humans. And since it did not discriminate between civilians and combatants, it turned its wrath on everyone.
Writing to Sen. Thomas Daschle (D-SD) in 1988, James Clary, a researcher who worked on the operation,explained, “When we initiated the herbicide program in the 1960s, we were aware of the potential damage due to dioxin contamination in the herbicide. However, because the material was to be used on the enemy, none of us were overly concerned. We never considered a scenario in which our own personnel would become contaminated with the herbicide.” (History.com) Really?
Not only were veterans themselves affected, many of their children were born with “…physical defects, such as spina bifida, extra fingers and toes, fused digits and diseases, (and)several types of cancer. Parkinson’s Disease, nerve and muscle disorders, Type 2 Diabetes and heart disease were also reported, and many suffered psychological disorders.” (War History Online)
Beginning in 1979 many lawsuits were filed based on studies recognizing the link between the pesticides and their effect on humans. And in 1991, President George H.W. Bush signed the Agent Orange Act into law. As a result, the Department of Veterans Affairs began to take proactive steps to help those affected by these herbicides. And Agent Orange? Banned in the United States, in 1972 the remaining agent was sent to Johnson Atoll and destroyed.
I’ve known friends and family who were affected by Orange. Those who passed long before their time. So for me, and hopefully those who read this, you will also associate August 10th with another day of remembrance and realize the ultimate price of serving our Country. Make it a reminder of the check we wrote to the government. One of of unlimited liability.
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