Who sprayed Agent Orange?

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 was responsible for Agent Orange?

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. The government strictly controlled the transport, storage, use, and the specifications to which Agent Orange was to be manufactured exclusively for the military.

Why did they spray Agent Orange in Vietnam?

Agent Orange was a blend of tactical herbicides the U.S. military sprayed from 1962 to 1971 during the Vietnam War to remove the leaves of trees and other dense tropical foliage that provided enemy cover.

Where did they spray Agent Orange in Vietnam?

Over 3.5 million liters of Agent Orange were located on the Phu Cat base during the American war in Vietnam. Several areas of the Phu Cat base were found to have elevated levels of dioxin requiring remediation (above 1000 ppt in soil or 150 ppt in sediment).

How did Agent Orange start?

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.

The Vietnam War's Agent Orange legacy | Unreported World

Is Agent Orange still used today?

Agent Orange was a herbicide mixture used by the U.S. military during the Vietnam War. Much of it contained a dangerous chemical contaminant called dioxin. Production of Agent Orange ended in the 1970s and is no longer in use.

What did Agent Orange smell like?

“Going into Agent Orange was like it had a musty smell to it. It was a reddish-brown-colored fog that would be in the air,” said Dudich, who served much of his first tour with troops of the Republic of Vietnam.

Who was exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam?

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.

Who used Agent Orange in the Vietnam War?

3The U.S. Military and the Herbicide Program 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.

What are the 14 diseases associated with Agent Orange?

Is Roundup Agent Orange?

Roundup, a popular herbicide created by Monsanto, is similar to Agent Orange in that both chemicals overstimulate the growth of plants, causing...

Is dioxin still used today?

Industrial activities: Dioxin is not produced or used commercially in the United States. It is a contaminant formed during the production of some chlorinated organic compounds, including a few herbicides such as Silvex.

Is Vietnam still suffering from Agent Orange?

The U.S. and Vietnamese governments have both taken steps to care for veterans affected by dioxin exposure during the war. But much remains to be done for others whose needs have not been met. Agent Orange and dioxin continues to contaminate the environment in Vietnam and freshly affect people's health.

Did the US compensate Vietnam for Agent Orange?

During its operation, the Settlement Fund distributed a total of $197 million in cash payments to members of the class in the United States. Of the 105,000 claims received by the Payment Program, approximately 52,000 Vietnam Veterans or their survivors received cash payments which averaged about $3,800 each.

Did Monsanto get sued for Agent Orange?

Since at least 1978, several lawsuits have been filed against the companies which produced Agent Orange, among them Dow Chemical, Monsanto and Diamond Shamrock.

What started the Vietnam War?

Why did the Vietnam War start? The United States had provided funding, armaments, and training to South Vietnam's government and military since Vietnam's partition into the communist North and the democratic South in 1954. Tensions escalated into armed conflict between the two sides, and in 1961 U.S. President John F.

When did they stop spraying Agent Orange in Vietnam?

[vii] Areas of Laos and Cambodia near the Vietnam border were also sprayed. 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.

Why did the US stop using Agent Orange?

The Dow Chemical Company maintains that at least two years before the United States halted the use of Agent Orange in Vietnam in 1971, both the Defense Department and the company were aware of evidence indicating that dioxin, a contaminant in the herbicide, might cause birth defects in the children of women exposed to ...

Is Agent Orange still causing birth defects in Vietnam?

Spina bifida (except spina bifida occulta), a defect in the developing fetus that results in incomplete closing of the spine, is associated with Veterans' exposure to Agent Orange or other herbicides during qualifying service in Vietnam or Korea.

Can Agent Orange be passed on genetically?

Changes in gene expression — whether a gene for a trait is turned on or off — can be passed from one generation to the next, research shows. A 2012 study, for example, showed that gestating female rats exposed to dioxin, a byproduct found in Agent Orange, passed mutations to future generations.

Can Agent Orange be passed to grandchildren?

The children of Vietnam veterans and occasionally even their grandchildren have also dealt with significant health problems from Agent Orange exposure as well. Birth defects such as neural tube defects are the most common effects of Agent Orange in the second generation exposed to Agent Orange. That's the bad news.

What was a dust eater in the Vietnam War?

Agent Orange is a herbicide and defoliant chemical, one of the "tactical use" Rainbow Herbicides. It was used by the U.S. military as part of its herbicidal warfare program, Operation Ranch Hand, during the Vietnam War from 1961 to 1971.

Is napalm same as Agent Orange?

Agent Orange, which was used during the Vietnam War to clear dense vegetation, is a deadly herbicide with long-lasting effects. Napalm, a gel-like fuel mixture that burns slowly and more accurately than gasoline, was used in bombs.

What did Vietnam smell like?

In the back of a candy shop in Hai Duong, another man recalled: “The war smelled of burnt nylon.” That was just one day of almost 40 we spent in Vietnam, over three years, capturing testimonies and images of more than 100 North Vietnamese veterans and their families.