Comments on: Vietnam War- Sobering Statistics

By: Jimmie Moore

Jimmie Moore — Mon, 02 Mar 2020 13:03:30 +0000

THANK YOU.
2,000,000 VIETNAM VETERANS DIED (MURDERED) BY AGENT ORANGE. NUMBER GROWS DAILY. WHEN WILL THE VETERAN COMMUNITY FACE-UP TO GENOCIDE? A WHOLE ARMY IS DESTROYED, WIPED OUT. and OH-WELL!

By: R Lawson

R Lawson — Thu, 02 May 2019 16:40:23 +0000

In reply to Mike Holden.

Hello Mike – Thank you for your detailed comments. Factual accounts are difficult to come by as my blog on Agent Orange showed in Ranch Hand data. Please read the blog and let me know what you think since I’m still researching the controversial subject. Here is the link: http://rlawsonauthor.com/the-vietnam-war-the-agent-orange-controversy/

By: Mike Holden

Mike Holden — Mon, 29 Apr 2019 20:33:21 +0000

Served 1968 ,Army, as an infantry platoon Sgt, C.co/2/16 Ist. Inf. Div. Rangers. I have pictures of my men washing their fatigue pants, shirts and bush hats in a rain filled bomb crater. Why, because the day before we waited in a bush site while (5) C-143 sprayed an area that LRRP’s told us was a command size base camp for the NVA 273 Reg. near Ben Suc. The next morning we went in to see what effects were prevalent. Nothing but wilting leaves and dripping like rain Agent Orange. The last seven men to pass in our platoon was from Cancer of heart,lungs and prostrate.
If your MOS did not take you outside the wire your chances of coming in contact with Agent Orange were minimal. If you worked loading or spraying then your chances were really high. George Clonney narrated a piece on” thank them while they are still here”. He quoted that by 2015 the number of COMBAT veterans, 11B, Armor, Artillery, Choppers, would not be measurable, fractional at least. Only 1 in 14 men went outside the wire, about 8% so your numbers are close. I went back to Saigon in 2010 and visited the War Museum. The 3rd floor was dedicated to Agent Orange . Visit the War Museum Ho Chi Mien City.com, it will blow your mind.

By: R Lawson

R Lawson — Mon, 15 Apr 2019 19:32:09 +0000

In reply to Joe Andrews.

Joe- Those statistics are not mine, but from the sources cited in the blog. I too was very surprised so few of us who served “in country” are still alive,
Regarding the agent agent orange (AO) “casualty” stats, I agree with you that they are greatly exaggerated. I researched the subject last year and posted a blog on the subject- The Vietnam War – The Agent Orange Controversy (Oct.17, 2018. )

If you read the blog, it will clear up any confusion. Basically there is only one statistically valid study re AO, The Ranch Hand study that casts doubt on the number of claims of AO disabilities. President Bush handled the problem pragmatically, by ordering the VA to honor the claims many of which were bogus.

I hope you take the time to read that blog and discuss it with your vet pals. If you have more time, please read my historical narrative about Vietnam and the aftermath, RECALL. My website has all the details. I think you will relate to the story.

Thank you for your thoughtful comments. – R Lawson

By: Joe Andrews

Joe Andrews — Tue, 09 Apr 2019 20:43:51 +0000

Mr. Lawson-
Thank you for sharing this interesting information. I was surprised to see that so few of us are still living.
You commented that the deaths of “most” Vietnam veterans are related to Agent Orange exposure. I would urge you to explore that further and let us know what you find. I follow several Vietnam veteran web sites on Facebook and it seems many veterans attribute every medical problem they have to AO regardless of whether there is any credible evidence to support it. As you probably know, most of Vietnam had no AO use and although the VA established a “presumptive” list of connected medical conditions, many veterans who are attributing all their health issues to AO, were probably not really exposed to the toxin. That damages the credibility of those who truly were exposed and are suffering from the consequences. Those of us who are still alive are old geezers with all the accompanying health issues that go with that status. Not all our problems are due to AO.
Respectfully yours,
Joe Andrews
A Co., 1/506 Abn Inf, 101st Abn Div, 69-70