Agent Orange
Hello all,
Been doing a lot of research this week on the chemicals that make up Agent Orange. This chemical was used in the Vietnam War to clear out the jungle growth so our troops could see where possible enemy threats were hiding. Like many people that are from my generation and before our fathers either fought in the jungles of Vietnam or know someone that served in one of the United States military branches during the war. There has been many medical issues that our soliders from this war have due to their exposure to this chemical. Also many medical issues that have been found in these soliders children and possible can affect their grand children. Below is a timeline of the usuage of Agent Orange.
A timeline of Agent Orange use:
Early 1940s: During the Second World War, University of Chicago professor Dr.
E.J. Kraus discovers an acid called 2,4-D. Kraus observes it could kill certain
plants.
1950s: The U.S. Army successfully experiments with 2,4-D in Panamanian and
Malaysian forests and adds it to their chemical arsenal. Scientists note a mixture
of 2,4-D and 2,4,5-D can cause an immediate negative effect in plants.
1954-57: French colonial army defeated, Vietnam split in two by peace
settlement. North Vietnam attacks South Vietnam. U.S. aids South Vietnam in
fight but denies official involvement until Gulf of Tonkin incident in 1964.
1961: Chemical herbicides shipped to Vietnam, including Agent Orange, Agent
Blue and Agent White, among others. They were named so because of the
colour-coded stripes on their barrels.
1962-71: The U.S. military launches Operation Ranch Hand to defoliate the
dense Vietnamese jungle and take cover away from the enemy. Over the next
nine years, over 80 million litres of herbicide was used in southern Vietnam. Most
of this was Agent Orange.
1965: Dow Chemical's scientists express private concerns about Agent Orange's
effect on humans.
1966: The U.S.military douses parts of CFB Gagetown with Agent Orange to test
its effects. Canadian soldiers were on the ground during the aerial spraying.
1969: Bionetics Research Laboratories exposes dioxin, a by-product of the Agent
Orange manufacturing process, as the cause of deaths and stillbirths in
laboratory animals. The Food and Drug Administration releases the report and
the White House ordered a partial scale-back of Agent Orange use in Vietnam.
1971: The U.S. Surgeon General regulates Agent Orange use at home. Agent
Orange use officially ceases in Vietnam.
1973: Vietnam War ends for American troops.
1981: Canadian committee finds no evidence of health problems due to Agent
Orange use at CFB Gagetown. The media are invited to view the sprayed areas.
1984: Seven American chemical companies pay $180-million to settle a class
action suit by U.S. veterans, who claimed the defoliant caused cancer and birth
defects.
1990: The Zumwalt report to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs finds some
links between Agent Orange use and thousands of Vietnam veterans who
complained of health problems.
2004: The Canadian Department of Veterans Affairs quietly awards disability
compensation to two former soldiers at CFB Gagetown.
2005: After years of trying to get compensation for its citizens, a U.S. court
throws out a class action lawsuit on behalf of millions of Vietnamese who claim
they were affected by Agent Orange use during the Vietnam war.
May 2005: Canadian officials publicly admit the compensation claims and
subsequent lack of publicity. They also admit not knowing how many people are
affected and urge soldiers who served at CFB Gagetown during the spraying to
I am sure each of you reading this are thinking ok so what does this have to do with me or PsA. Below Is a list of illnesses that are linked to Agent Orange in Veterns and their children.
http://agentorangelegacy.com/reported-illnesses/
REPORTED ILLNESSES
This is the list of birth defects, illnesses, diseases, mental health issues etc. reported by our members as of June 2010.
This list also includes symptoms reported which remain undiagnosed (many of the children suffer from symptoms which are unexplained or remain untreated.)
We are still working on the list. More information will be added as it becomes available.
ADD
ADHD
Addison's Disease
Allergies
Anemia
Ankylosing Spondylitis
Antiphospholipid Syndrome
Anxiety
Aolpecia
Areata
Arnold Chiari Malformation
Arthritis
Asbergers
Asthma
Autism
Autonomic Nervous Dysfunction
Bipolar Disorder
Blindness
Brain Tumors
Bulged discs
Cerebal Palsy
Cervical dysplasia
Chronic Angioedema
Chronic Bronchitis
Chronic Fatigue
Chronic Headaches
Chronic Lyhocytic Thyroiditis
Chronic Sleep Deprivation
Cleft Lips & Palate
Club Foot
Compromised immune system
Connective Tissue Disorder
Conversion Disorder
Cornelia de Lange syndrome
Crohn's Disease
Common Variable Immuno Defieciendy
Cystic Fibrosis
Debilitating muscle spasms
Depression (includes chronic also)
Deformed Fingers (multiple at birth)
Deformed Sinuses
Deformed Toes (multiple at birth)
Degenerative Disc Disease
dextrocardia Deviated Septum
Diabetes Type I
Diabetes Type II
Diagonal Earlobe Crease
Digestive Disorders
Diverticulitis
Double Uterus/Cervix
Double Uvula
Dysautonomia
Ear Infections/problems
Eczema
Endomertil Cancer
Endometriosis
Epilepsy
Familial Tremor
Felty's Syndrome
Fibromyalgia
Foot Deformity
Fragile X Syndrome
Fused veterbrae
Gall Bladder Disease
Gastritis
Gastrointestinal Problems
GERD
Gluten Intolerance
Growth Hormone defficiency
Growths of the Skull
Hashimoto's
Heart Attack
Heart Disease
Heart Failure
Heart Murmur (newborn)
Hemangioma
Hernia
High Blood Pressure
Hip Dysplasia
Hip Dysplasia (congential)
Hylan Membrane
Hypertension
Hypoglycemia
Hypospadias
Hypothyroid/Hypothyroidism
Hysterectomy
IBS
Imperforate anus
Infertility
Insomnia
Insulin Resistance
Interstitial Cystitis
Intestinal pseudo-obstruction
Intracranial hypertension (rare disease)
ITP platlete disorder
Joint & Muscle Pain
Keratosis Pilaris
Kidney Cysts
Kidney Disease
Knee Dysplasia
Lateral Mycrotia
Learning Disabilities
Leukemia
Loss of Skin
Pigment
Lung Problems
Lupus of the skin
Lymphatic Tumors
Lymphoma Cancer
Macrodactyly
Major Depression
Malformation of both Feet (Severe)
Memory Retention Problems
Mental Health Issues
Mental Retardation
Migraine headaches
Miscarriages
Missing digits
Missing Limbs
Mitral Valve Prolapse
Mullerian Aplasia
Multiple Sclerosis
Musco-skeletal Problems
Nasal Polyps
Neuralgia
Neuropathy
Night Terros
Numbness of the Hands (chronic)
OCD
Oppositional Defiant Disorder
Osteoarthritis
Osteopenia
Osteoporosis
Ovarian cysts
Pallet Problems
Pancytopenia
PCOS
Poland Syndrome
Primitive Neuro-Ectodermal Tumor
PSOD
Psoriasis
Psoriatic arthritis
Psoriatic Rheumatoid Arthritis
PTSD
Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome
Renal Failure
Reproductive Problems
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Salpingitis isthmica nodosa (SIN)
Sarcoidosis
Scoliosis
Seizures Severe Chronic Neutropenia
Sinus infections & problems (chronic)
Skin Cancer Skin Problems
Skin Rashes (newborn)
Sleep Apnea
Spina Bifida
Spina Bifida Occulta
Spinal Cord Disease
Spinal deformities
Spondyloarthropy
Spondylolithesis
Spondylolytis
Strange Growths
Subglottal Stignosis
Syndactyly
Syringomeylia
Tachycardia
Tendinitis
Thyroid Cancer
TMJ
Joint Disease
Tourettes
tracheoesophageal fistula
Tumors
Urinary Tract Infections
VACTERL/VADER Association
Trust me I am not blaming what I have on this but it does make me wonder why only my father and myself are the only two people in my entire family that have PsA. I either have or had several other issues listed on here besideds the PsA. This is just a little food for thought, however I would really like to hear from anyone that had a parent serve in the Vietnam War or that could have been exposed to Agent Orange. I am just wondering how many of us are out there that have this in common.