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where are all of the Veterans who may have sprayed base to maintain ?

Posted by Susie on 3/22/2013, 9:44:55

Hi everyone!

I was wondering who on the base would have been responsible to maintain the grounds and to spray the perimeters and also the brush around the base...

Was it grounds keeper or the Army...

It would be really great to hear from one of those Veterans so the he could verify that only the perimeters were sprayed and just exactly what they used around the base to keep over growth to a minimum... For instance, looking at the Takhli base pictures from the Vietnam era .. I see brown dead foliage and grass.. I see dirt...

So would the commercial products have been strong enough to kill the green all the way to the ground.. especially when I have heard that it was very hard to rid of the dense and thriving jungle that would grow before your eyes...

I don't see many Veterans, from the Air Force sites that I have visited, that mentioned to much about spraying being a part of their job duties..

Wonder where they are... I do see citations with the Veteran stating that he sprayed.. but I cant find any statements or verification online or anywhere that would help our Veterans prove that it was sprayed in other areas, although the Veterans who were there state that tactical herbicides were definitely used on other areas..

Also, if the bases were sprayed at all... I wonder how the VA approaches an answer as to how the Veterans were not exposed via Air or Water..

I also would like to better understand why RVN claimants are treated differently than Thailand veterans when it comes to exposure.

thank you all for reading my post
Susie

Re: where are all of the Veterans who may have sprayed base to maintain ?

Posted by Bob Wiley on 3/23/2013, 13:21:12, in reply to "where are all of the Veterans who may have sprayed base to maintain ?"

Susie: I was at Takhli Jul 65-Jul 66 and during that time there was on going grounds clearing, demolition and subsequent construction. I worked on the flight line so while I didn't see any defoliant application--I do know the munitions guys talked about the constant spraying of the foilage around the bomb dump and other areas on the base. Concerning your reference to the "different" treatment of those serving in Vietnam, it probably relates to the "airborne" dropping of defoliant and subsequent wide spread dispersal due to the winds. I can only sympathize with your "frustration" with government BULL CRAP. Typical treatment--use ya, abuse ya and FORGET YA! Good luck!
Bob

Re: where are all of the Veterans who may have sprayed base to maintain ?

Posted by susie on 3/24/2013, 8:55:20, in reply to "Re: where are all of the Veterans who may have sprayed base to maintain ?"

Dear Bob,

Thank you so much for responding to my post...

out of all the Citation denials and approvals I have only found maybe 2 citations awarded to Veterans for actually spraying.. and it said that they sprayed the same solution on the perimeter and also around the other areas of the base..

Someone reminded me that most of the sprayers have probably died from exposure.. not trying to be funny... but i do concur..

Bob thank you for your service for our country...

Re: where are all of the Veterans who may have sprayed base to maintain ?

Posted by Bob Wiley on 3/24/2013, 10:01:49, in reply to "Re: where are all of the Veterans who may have sprayed base to maintain ?"

Susie: The guys with the "most" info would be those who worked the "bomb dump" as they would have seen first hand the spraying operation. The Air Force used to have a "Roads and Grounds" section before they went to using contractors for that purpose. They did just what it says--maintained the base's roads and grounds to include mowing/snow removal etc. I'm fairly sure that at Takhli it would have been local nationals who performed that service as it was a Royal Thai Air Force base. Maybe someone reading this will remember other details. Hard to believe that 1 Jul this year I'll have been retired 30 years and back back from Takhli 47 years! ALl the best!
Bob

Re: where are all of the Veterans who may have sprayed base to maintain ?

Posted by susie on 3/24/2013, 12:18:50, in reply to "Re: where are all of the Veterans who may have sprayed base to maintain ?"

Dear Bob,

Then you must have left in 1965... smile.. (dont ask me how i could do the math that quick)

I read the procedures manual for the defoliate spray.. it was written i think mainly for the army.. it indicated that the perimeter and along the roads were sprayed.. but then I feel like most get into a "p" match with the VA saying that all the other areas were sprayed commercial..

Well.. Bob.. thank you for all of your messages... and yes.. its very nice to have you all home and out of harms way..

Re: where are all of the Veterans who may have sprayed base to maintain ?

Posted by Bob Hunter on 7/16/2013, 13:14:16, in reply to "where are all of the Veterans who may have sprayed base to maintain ?"

I was in the 355th Civil Engineering squadron and was the head of operations and maintenance 67-68. The roads and grounds section worked for me. It was a composite of airmen and Thai laborers. Obviously it has been a long time so the memory is certainly not 100% but I do not remember spraying being the principal method of vegetation control. We had a very large Thai labor force and much of the work was done by hand. We did have a major jungle clearing effort of 20 or so acres but it was done total with machines (bull dozers,etc).

Re: where are all of the Veterans who may have sprayed base to maintain ?

Posted by susie on 7/16/2013, 16:06:36, in reply to "Re: where are all of the Veterans who may have sprayed base to maintain ?"

Dear Bob,

Thank you so much for taking time to post your recollection of how the grounds and jungle were maintained.

Using the bulldozer's to push back the jungle, I have heard that before from the Air Force Research Agency representative.

I have heard so many different takes on how things took place to rid the small base of vegetation.

I was wondering beyond the bulldozers, ect,. how did they get the grass so brown or sparse around the flightline, taxiway and also around the hootches... It appeared to have been deadened by chemicals. they would have had to use a good bit of chemicals to have brown the entire length of the flight line...

I really appreciate your response as I haven't gotten many responses to this post! Thank you for taking time to do so!

Thank you for your service! You have made a huge difference in my freedoms!

susie

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