Comments on: Memorandum: Accelerated Mortality Rates of Vietnam Veterans

By: C.V. Compton Shaw

C.V. Compton Shaw — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 23:09:38 +0000

I served with the U.S. Army; 4th I.D.,2/8th Inf.; RVN 1969-1970. I served as a squad leader in the infantry in Vietnam. I am currently reading Winston Churchill’s books entitled: “The History of the English Speaking Peoples”. From the same I discerned that a civilian population and a government can behave in an very treacherous, discriminatory, and oppressive manner out of shear malice, for unjust political reasons, and/or for profit. He describes that on one occasion returning war veterans from Europe, both officers and men, were “thrown out into the streets or made into highwaymen” and “hunted down and destroyed.” Vietnam veterans should realize that their unjust and oppressive treatment has similarly occurred to veterans of other nations in the past. The lesson to be learned is that when a government and a citizenry demands that you sacrifice your future and possibly your life for them through military service, don’t trust them to compensate you for your sacrifice. Expect them to, instead, sacrifice you, again, for their selfish economic, political, and social needs.

By: Jertome (Jerry) Gabor

Jertome (Jerry) Gabor — Mon, 30 May 2011 15:05:27 +0000

I love this country but even still today after serving 4 tours in Vietnam, getting wounded, diagnosed with agent orange, type II diabetes, heart problems, etc., our glorious government has never even said THANK YOU to all the veterans who served in Vietnam to include Korea. Its an Army that is waiting to die! I was assigned to D Troop, 1st Bn, 12th Inf (Recon), 1st Cav near the A-Valley. Sometimes I wonder how I survived. It took years for the VA to respond to my claims after 4 or 5 submissions of documents. I feel sorry for all these kids today coming back from Iraq & Afganistan because the VA drags there feet. In 6 months, 156 soldiers, marines, airmen, etc., that served in Iraq & Afganistan committed suicide & that number is going to rise. My good friend at 46 years old committed suicide. I’ve thought of suicide many times & tried twice. What kept me going were my grand children. I wonder how many of your friends have committed suicide. He was a door gunner in Vietnam. All I can say is Hang in There & God Bless all of you!

By: Eileen Whitacre

Eileen Whitacre — Sun, 08 May 2011 23:58:02 +0000

With veterans dying from brain cancer at a higher rate than the civilian population it is the goal of http://www.vietnamveteranwives.org to expand the Agent Orange registry to include glioblastoma. http://www.vietnamveteranwives.org will present their case before The National Institute of Medicine in Albuquerque NM 16 Dec. 2010. Contact Eileen Whitacre Perkins at tjperkins@q.com. for more information.
Eileen Whitacre Perkins
Las Cruces, NM
Agent Orange Liaison
http://www.vietnamvetranswives.org

By: Gary Adsitt

Gary Adsitt — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 17:43:53 +0000

I was brown water Navy I was killed in 1967 by agent orange, it’s just taking me a while to have a funeral.
I went back in 68 in the blue water Navy. At a unit reunion in 2000 there was 10 of us got to talking and out of 10, 7 of us had type 2 diabetes and none of us had any risk factors.
So far it has cost me one leg and two kidneys, I’m on dialysis three days a week for 3 3/4 hours each day.
I’d like to know how many people agent orange has killed since that war that we did not loose. When the peace talks were finalized we were the winners. We were well into our agreed to removal of troops when the North reneged and attacked Saigon as we were taking the last troops out that doesn’t mean we lost that war…
Like the bumper sticker says
” we were winning when I left “

By: Doug Evans

Doug Evans — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 19:25:45 +0000

I was in Nam for a year with an infantry platoon with the 3rd of the 17th mostly in the Tay Ninh and Di An area and for a short while in the delta.
Did Recon, and it seems to me that we really are the forgotten warriors, who came home in shame, due to the way the society treated us (yes, I was treated very poorly as where other guys I know. Lots of the guys got into drugs for alcohol and went nuts, for me and others it took years, because we shuffled off the bad dreams and thoughts and went on pretending that all was ok. One doc said that I had a problem, leaks in my brain of things that happened. I explained that I have not been ONE DAY without thoughts of Nam in the last 40 odd years.
All I can say is our government is still dicking us around, the va , and the rest of the shit. The terminology of Viet Nam Era Veteran was a way to mitigate the general populations guilt for haveing fought the war in vietnam, and made it much easier for the folks at the va in dealing with us. It was Era Vets, and I personally find that concept disgusting, I’m a vet, not one of the guys that lived in saigon on the economy with a little gook whore, but was in the field all the time.
So be it.
good luck to all the vets, and may you live long…..

By: alvin thomas

alvin thomas — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 02:57:42 +0000

I want to see the Navy,Air Force and all who are denied Agent Orange claims walk on Washington, surround the capitol, hold hands and sang God Bless America!

By: Warren Carrington

Warren Carrington — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 22:53:41 +0000

Vietnam Vet 1968 Blue Water Navy. Served onboard Carrier USS America CVA 66.
Read on another site that during 1968 we were doing experimental limited defoliation missions. Possibly VF 33 not sure. I’m 63 and have had the heart disease for almost 10 yrs. yet because no boots on the ground or upriver then no claim. Can’t prove the experimental mission happened but the Gov’t must have record. We get the medals then are told we’re not the Viet Vet basically. So tell the shipmates on the Forrestall that didn’t come home that they weren’t really in a war/combat zone. Really sad how we’re treated.

By: alvin e thomas

alvin e thomas — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 00:48:56 +0000

I am a 1964-1965 US Navy Vietnam Veteran. I served aboard the USS Fred T. Berry DD 858. I have suffered 4-5 Ischemic Strokes and 1 Ischemic Heart Attack. The Va is a disgrace to this nation. Navy and Air Force are denied claims, because they did’nt have “boots on the ground”. I have been fighting them since my first claim in 1997. I am not the only one off my ship with serious health problems. Support congressman Filner out of California. The US Government should be ashamed of itself and the treatment of its Veterans.

By: Julie Chasse

Julie Chasse — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 17:06:04 +0000

My father was sprayed with AO multiple times during his 4 tours. I was born with a dislocated hip and had to have both my hips replaced due to unexplainable deterioration at the age of 38.I also suffered from unexplained dailey hives for TEN years….AO posterchild I would say. But what to do about it?
More importantly, my dad suffered from addiction when he returned home from Nam and could never beat it. After his 11th attempt, he finally got the peace he was searching for.On December 31, 1996 he took his own life. May he never have to try and bury the Demons of that useless war again. I miss him every day..

By: John Rosanova

John Rosanova — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 23:25:25 +0000

I served with the 507th Trans Group 70-71. I’ve finally accepted the fact that we were sent off to die for a lie. And when we came back we were greeted by a hateful nation rather than a grateful nation. Nothing anyone can ever say or do will change that. It’s a damn shame, but even though my country screwed me, I still love her.