Which president dropped Agent Orange?

After a period of testing, on this day in 1962, President John F. Kennedy gave final approval to “Operation Ranch Hand” — a massive effort to defoliate the forests of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos with an herbicide known as Agent Orange.

Who dropped Agent Orange in Vietnam?

From 1962 to 1971, the U.S. Air Force sprayed nearly 19 million gallons of herbicides in Vietnam, of which at least 11 million gallons was Agent Orange, in a military project called Operation Ranch Hand.

Who released Agent Orange?

Agent Orange was used to aid U.S. and allied troops by stripping away dense foliage that could conceal enemy combatants. During the war, Dow, Monsanto and other companies were compelled by the U.S. government to produce Agent Orange under the U.S. Defense Production Act of 1950.

When did the US stop using Agent Orange?

After its use in the 1960s, Agent Orange was banned by the U.S. in 1971 and remaining stocks were taken from Vietnam and the U.S. to Johnston Atoll, a U.S. controlled island about 700 miles SE of Hawaii, where it was destroyed in 1978. There is no 'Agent Orange' in Vietnam or anywhere else today.

Why did the US stop using Agent Orange?

Internal documents from multiple companies indicate they were worried about the specter of tighter regulation. Only after a study for the National Institutes of Health showed that 2,4,5-T caused birth defects in laboratory animals did the military stop using Agent Orange, in 1970.

Agent Orange (The Vietnam War)

Can Agent Orange be passed from father to child?

There is currently no definitive evidence that a father's exposure to Agent Orange causes birth defects. However, an analysis of Agent Orange registry data from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) suggests a link between males' exposure to Agent Orange and having children with certain birth defects.

How many deaths has Agent Orange caused?

Over almost five decades since its use in Vietnam, exposure to Agent Orange has killed or maimed approximately 400,000 US soldiers and affected an estimated 4 million Vietnamese. The chemical's reputation has permeated throughout Western and Vietnamese history.

Where did the U.S. drop Agent Orange?

From 1961 to 1971, the U.S. military sprayed a range of herbicides across more than 4.5 million acres of Vietnam to destroy the forest cover and food crops used by enemy North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops.

When did they stop spraying Agent Orange in Vietnam?

The U.S. government stopped the spraying of all herbicides in October 1971, but the South Vietnamese military continued spraying various chemicals until 1972. [viii] The production of Agent Orange was halted in the 1970s. Existing stocks were collected and destroyed by incineration, and it is no longer used.

How many Vietnam veterans had Agent Orange?

The number of Vietnam veterans affected by the chemical Agent Orange is astonishing. Roughly 300-thousand veterans have died from Agent Orange exposure -- that's almost five times as many as the 58-thousand who died in combat. “Did it save lives?

Was Agent Orange dropped from planes?

TCDD, the toxic substance in Agent Orange, may be inhaled as an aerosol or ingested by contaminated food or water or from hand-to-mouth transfer. During the Vietnam War, the U.S. Air Force used C-123 aircraft to spray Agent Orange to clear jungles that provided enemy cover in Vietnam.

When did the public find out about Agent Orange?

90% of herbicide use was directed at defoliation. The U.S. military began targeting food crops in October 1962, primarily using Agent Blue; the American public was not made aware of the crop destruction programs until 1965 (and it was then believed that crop spraying had begun that spring).

Did the US admit to Agent Orange?

America has never taken responsibility for spraying the herbicide over Laos during the Vietnam War. But generations of ethnic minorities have endured the consequences.

Which president authorized the use of Agent Orange?

After a period of testing, on this day in 1962, President John F. Kennedy gave final approval to “Operation Ranch Hand” — a massive effort to defoliate the forests of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos with an herbicide known as Agent Orange.

Who removed US soldiers from Vietnam?

September 16, 1969 - President Nixon orders the withdrawal of 35,000 soldiers from Vietnam and a reduction in draft calls. October 1969 - An opinion poll indicates 71 percent of Americans approve of President Nixon's Vietnam policy.

Who withdrew US forces from Vietnam for good?

Richard Nixon, the new U.S. president, began U.S. troop withdrawal and “Vietnamization” of the war effort that year, but he intensified bombing.

Were all Vietnam veterans exposed to Agent Orange?

For the purposes of VA compensation benefits, Veterans who served anywhere in Vietnam between January 9, 1962 and May 7, 1975 are presumed to have been exposed to herbicides, as specified in the Agent Orange Act of 1991.

Was everyone in Vietnam exposed to Agent Orange?

It is difficult to say how many Vietnam veterans have been affected by Agent Orange. However, any veteran who served in Vietnam between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975, is presumed by the VA to have been exposed to Agent Orange.

How many gallons of Agent Orange was sprayed in the Vietnam War?

From August 1965 to 1971, DOD sprayed 11.22 million gallons of Agent Orange in Vietnam, with about 3 gallons per acre sprayed undiluted. DOD has little information available on the number or extent of personnel exposure to herbicides in Vietnam.

What US plane sprayed Agent Orange in Vietnam?

A group of Air Force and Air Force Reserve personnel were exposed to herbicides through their duties in Vietnam. This exposure occurred to ground, flight or medical crew members on Operation Ranch Hand (ORH) C-123 aircrafts. These aircrafts were used to spray Agent Orange in Vietnam.

Why was Agent Orange dropped in Vietnam?

Agent Orange, mixture of herbicides that U.S. military forces sprayed in Vietnam from 1962 to 1971 during the Vietnam War for the dual purpose of defoliating forest areas that might conceal Viet Cong and North Vietnamese forces and destroying crops that might feed the enemy.

What are the 14 diseases associated with Agent Orange?

What is the lifespan of Agent Orange?

Agent Orange has a short half-life of days and weeks after application to vegetation, and has not been found to persist, after 50 years, in the water or soils of southern Vietnam.

How old would a Vietnam vet be right now?

Today, Vietnam Veterans range in age from 61 to 103 years old. Nearly ten million Veterans are age 65 or older, but within the next five years, around 700,000 more Vietnam Veterans will reach retirement age.

What is the average age at death of a Vietnam veteran?

09% were 100 to 108 years old at death (n=286). Regarding gender, 2.7% are female (n=8,324), 97% are male (n=301,643), and the gender of . 03% are unknown (n=10). The overall average age at death for all 100% service-connected U.S. veterans is 67 years.