Agent Orange Korat -- Chemical Exposure Of Military Dog Handlers

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Subject: Agent Orange Korat

Author:
Harold (Bob) Davies (Korat 65)

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Date Posted: 07:19:38 10/01/06 Sun

This is hoping to add some info to other postings.
I was at Korat Air Base 4/65 to 4/66. I first slept in hootches at Camp Friendship (Army) for a few weeks till the base was ready. At Camp Friendship they had lizards, roaches, snakes etc. but on the air base we didn't seem to have any of these. Roaches live in anything don't they? I walked perimeter patrol and it was BARE. Never saw heavy moving equipment around the living area but it got cleared and Stayed clear at least till I left. When walking the perimeter I had to go a distance just to get cover of the vegitation. I think the Army was responsible for clearing our base at first and someone may know what was used. Some one sometime had to clear the land (make it bare in a hurry). We at first had vegitation then it was gone. I did not know at the time but was aware something was up - read on. I got off duty one morning from jungle patrol (basically for missfits) but when I got to the hootch everyone was being called out to do landscape work. The sarge. was telling us all what we had to do, trucks were bringing in some dirt, and he said we had to plant grass and trees. Being upset I said, while motioning around us and toward the fence line "WHY? - CAN'T YOU SEE NOTHING WILL GROW HERE!". At this point I grabbed a camera and started taking pictures (since lost). I have very few pictures left but do know that when I see pictures in the Vet sites, if they are bare of vegitation I look closely to see if it's Korat.
Air America flew in at least once with a large group of wounded and dead people to deliver to the Army hospital at the end of the runway.
on 4/24/65 a plane crashed off base and we had to guard it from curious Thai's. All 6 airmen died and the site really smelled bad. I at first thought it was bodies but since then really wonder. Official version is the plane crashed on a go-around and crashed after hitting a mountain. Anyone knows Korat didn't see a mountain and it is called Korat Plateau for a reason. I now wonder what the C-130 was carrying. Never did like the scene and even less so now.
Still looking in my pictures for something solid but don't think I will find any. In my gut I know we were sprayed esp. at night.
Bob Davies

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Replies:

[> Subject: Re: Agent Orange Korat

Author:
Gerard Morin "Jerry" (Defoliants used at Korat Air Base '64 - '65?)
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Date Posted: 15:34:48 10/19/06 Thu

>This is hoping to add some info to other postings.
>I was at Korat Air Base 4/65 to 4/66. I first slept in
>hootches at Camp Friendship (Army) for a few weeks
>till the base was ready. At Camp Friendship they had
>lizards, roaches, snakes etc. but on the air base we
>didn't seem to have any of these. Roaches live in
>anything don't they? I walked perimeter patrol and it
>was BARE. Never saw heavy moving equipment around the
>living area but it got cleared and Stayed clear at
>least till I left. When walking the perimeter I had to
>go a distance just to get cover of the vegitation. I
>think the Army was responsible for clearing our base
>at first and someone may know what was used. Some one
>sometime had to clear the land (make it bare in a
>hurry). We at first had vegitation then it was gone. I
>did not know at the time but was aware something was
>up - read on. I got off duty one morning from jungle
>patrol (basically for missfits) but when I got to the
>hootch everyone was being called out to do landscape
>work. The sarge. was telling us all what we had to do,
>trucks were bringing in some dirt, and he said we had
>to plant grass and trees. Being upset I said, while
>motioning around us and toward the fence line "WHY? -
>CAN'T YOU SEE NOTHING WILL GROW HERE!". At this point
>I grabbed a camera and started taking pictures (since
>lost). I have very few pictures left but do know that
>when I see pictures in the Vet sites, if they are bare
>of vegitation I look closely to see if it's Korat.
>Air America flew in at least once with a large group
>of wounded and dead people to deliver to the Army
>hospital at the end of the runway.
>on 4/24/65 a plane crashed off base and we had to
>guard it from curious Thai's. All 6 airmen died and
>the site really smelled bad. I at first thought it was
>bodies but since then really wonder. Official version
>is the plane crashed on a go-around and crashed after
>hitting a mountain. Anyone knows Korat didn't see a
>mountain and it is called Korat Plateau for a reason.
>I now wonder what the C-130 was carrying. Never did
>like the scene and even less so now.
>Still looking in my pictures for something solid but
>don't think I will find any. In my gut I know we were
>sprayed esp. at night.
>Bob Davies

Bob, I was there at the time of the crash and remember it well. Not much was said about it afternwards. I have always questioned the way Camp Nasty was set up. I arrived in August of '64 and left Sept. of '65. I was assigned to the 1st Mob Communications Squdron out of the Phillipines for 3 months then was assigned pcs status with the 1965th Comm Squadron. When I arrived at Korat Air Base I had to sleep the first night in the new air traffic control tower. For the next two weeks I had to stay at Camp Friendship until Camp Nasty had some hooches, chow hall, etc. It was strange to me how there was no indication of bulldozing Camp Nasty area. The camp was all dirt and the dirt went up to the perimiter of the jungle. The perimiter was squared and the camp was void of vegitation. It was like a vacuum cleaner sucked all vegitation leaving a very distince perimiter where the dirt ended and the jungle began.

Today I have multiple illnesses which I think had something to do with me stay at Korat Air Base. I strongly believe that a toxic chemical was used as a defoliant. I had Prostate Cancer in 2002. I lost over 41 pounds withing the last two and a half years, from 191 to 150 today. I have low white cell count and neurological problems. My memory is bad and I have difficulty comprehending or concentrating on any one thing. I suffer anxiety and depression and my overall condition is worsening, especially memory and neurological problems. I would like anyone who has specific information concerning defoliant used at the base during that time to contact me. I have several slides taken from the ground as well as the air of Camp Nasty and Camp Friendship, as well as 105's taking off with what appeared to be canisters underneath. I am wondering if the 105's might have used Agent Orange during their bombing missions over North Viet Nam. C-130's were landing all the time with cargo. Air America flew in at night at times. I was a ground radio operator and worked a stones throw from the 105's. The hooch was on dirt. I believe that the monssons and heat could have exacerbated the situation if defoliants were used around the base. We would have breathed the fumes during those hot times. I have photos of Camp Friendship from the air which appear to have barrels on one side of the storage area. I'm open to anyone who might provide me information which might help me applying for a service connected disability. I am now disabled at age 63 and am on Social Security Disability. None of the specialists know what's going on with me. A well noted neurosurgeoin told me while I was in the hospital a couple years ago that something was 'definitely going on' within me and he couldn't determine what it was. All replies will be greatly appreciated. --Jerry Morin