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>In May 1972 a small group of Marines from Iwakuni, >Japan were sent on a mission known as "Task Force >Delta". We didn't really know much about the mission >that was ahead of us. We were told it was in support >of Operation Rolling Thunder and the Operation we were >involved in was called Operation Linebacker. We >couldn't tell family or friends anything about it. We >arrived in May 1972 at what was known as MCAS Rose >Garden, which was a Royal Thai Air Force base in Nam >Phong Thailand. I was with the MABS-15 SATS 7011 crew >living right beside the runway in a large tent. A year >earlier the Army Corps of Engineers had constructed >the concrete runway. I am certain that the government >had used Agent Orange to clear the jungle foliage in >preparation for this construction. > >You could see that the foliage that was remaining had >been sprayed and looked pretty sick. > >It was ungodly hot and taking my turn laying AM-2 >matting. We worked night shifts because of the heat. >We worked with the Seabees setting up the flight lines >and some adjoining taxi ways. > >When we arrived, we didn't have the luxuries of home >(hot shower, hot food, bathroom). Water was rationed >and we weren't allowed to use it for showers. Our >showers came from the afternoon monsoon rain as it >fell from the skies. Yeah that runway was populated >with naked marines with their soap nnd shampoo in >hand. > >Our main job was Short Airfield for Tactical Support. >SATS. We would catch aircraft after landing on the >runway after it grabbed the arresting gear with its >hook. Subsequently we were required to install, >maintain, and operate the M-21 Arresting Gear >installations at both ends of the runways and at >mid-field. > >There was nothing there when he arrived except a field >tower and two make-shift maintenance shops to provide >ATC Support, and limited maintenance for the landing >c-141 Tri-Star and C-5A Galaxy aircraft that we landed >in. As soon as we had laid out the aluminum matting >flight line we started recieving C130 Hercules Cargo >and Refueler Planes. Within a week we had a TAFDS Fuel >farm going and the Phantoms, Intruders and Skyhawks >were flying in and Setting up for business. Oh yeah, >Air America was flying in and out daily even before >the Squadrons arrived. > >To make a long story short. I began filing a claim for >PTSD three and a half years ago. In the process I have >been diagnosed with Diabetes Mellitus Type II, and I >believe I have neuropathy in my feet. I have been >requested by the VA to provide evidence of exposure >from Agent Orange for my claim. > >I could use any assistance from Nam Phong Vets that >could help me verify that Agent Orange was definitely >used as I suspect and have been told. > >A US Marines Veteran friend of mine Randy Ikari >recently died, that could have been of assistance to >me, as he told me prior to his death that his cancer >was caused by Agent Orange exposure a year before I >arrived when he was providing Security with the >Marines while the Army corps of engineers was building >the Concrete Runway and Taxiways there. > >I do remember eating my C-Rations on a row of barrells >that did contain Agent Orange at one time while I was >in Nam Phong's US Marine Air Base. > >Yeah I know they called it RTAFB Nam Phong, Thailand >but lets just tell the truth. The only aircraft I ever >saw flown by the Thais were T-28 trainers that would >touch n go every day a couple times. That was a US >Marine Air Base pure n simple that just happened to be >located in Thailand. > >Like every thing else they told us, they lie, they lie >they lie. I seen a clipping one of my friends family >sent to him that said there was 5000 Airmen on that >base, but then, I never saw them either. Just US >Marines, and US Navy Pilots, arf arf arf, go >devildogs. hahahha. > >OK Nuff gung ho sap. Any help? I sure would appreciate >any documentation or corroboration on the use of Agent >Orange in this location.

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