Legal Disclaimer Notice:   Lawyers dispense legal advice; veteran advocates provide advice only.   It is up to you do decide whether you agree with and/or act on these suggestions.     Advocates, unless otherwise explicitly stated, are not attorneys of law and not licensed to practice law under any conditions.   If you need an attorney, please check your phone book.     Some Appeal Cases approved at "Serving in Thailand" for more information.     See also Unit Movement to trace steps in Vietnam.

    Here, we have saved the best for last.

    It is a compilation of photos and documents received and compiled from other sources; contributions from fellow veterans that want the story to be told.

    Here, we have saved the best for last.

    It is a compilation of photos and documents received and compiled from other sources; contributions from fellow veterans that want the story to be told.

Air Force Logistical Power -- the C-141 @ NKP


Army Logistical Power -- 5/10-ton Army Trucks   "Hooah!"

9th Log/519th Transportation Battalion Army Truck Convoy headin' north from Satahip to Korat - Udorn, etc.
 

Army Construction Projects - Roads and Camps

U.S. Army Support, Thailand (USARSUPTHAI) .. finally, given recognition for veterans wear on "combat sleeve" shoulder

    The army engineers came to Thailand to support the war effort in Vietnam.     Primary mission was counter-insurgency efforts by the Communist into Thailand, support of the U.S. Air Force Mission with air bases in Thailand, infrastructure of roads to support logistics and supply channels in Thailand, and major military base operations for contingency movement of complete American Army Infantry Division into Thailand; all for support of the Vietnam War and anti-Communist insurgency.

    Characteristically, the jungle growth in Southeast Asia is monstrous and a formidable adversary to the army engineer mission in Thailand and air force mission, eg, "Operation Ranch Hand" in Vietnam.

    The purpose of this photo exhibit is to illustrate, first hand, that it was physically impossible for the assertions of the United States Government that there was only "minor testing" and spraying in Thailand, and in a short period of time before 1966.

    Jungle growth has to be maintained, oh, just about every 3 months or you will be swimming in it.     You kinda wonder, won't you, after looking at these photos -- how some (bozo) felt they could cover-up this fact?     Kinda silly, don't ya think?

    In fact, most of the photos were taken between 1967 and 1972, well after the asserted period of time.     Herein, I am giving my personal testimony as a researcher, veteran there from 1968 through 1969 in several areas of Thailand and a victim of exposure to these herbicides with complications from diabetes since 1992.

The Bangkok Bypass Road and Jungles

      Project Map     "Isaan" Map     Thailand Map     U.S. Army Engineers

    Legend:   Korat = Nakhon Ratchasima     Udorn = Udon Thani   (North)

    Ubon = Ubon Ratchasima   (East)     NKP = Nakhon Phanom   (Northeast)

    The Deep Water Sea Port at Satahip is where all the major supplies, military equipment comes into Thailand.     Korat, in Central Thailand, was the site for the contingency of the 25th Infantry Division stationed in Hawaii to be deployed to.     Air Force Bases, under the aire of "Royal Thai Air Force" were located in the Northern Provinces of Thailand and near the Cambodian border to the east, eg, Udorn, NKP; Ubon.

    The Port at Satahip was mission critical for logistic operations and it was determined that support military bases be constructed around that strategic complex in the south and a road that would (literally) bypass the capital of Bangkok be constructed for army convoys to take logistical supplies directly from Satahip to Korat and beyond to the north.

    There were some other military bases which the army engineers supported for construction efforts such as the U.S. Army Special Forces camp in Lop Buri; Kanchanaburi for some other activities, Camp Foster.     Under the command of CPT Herman, other than pipeline projects, the 697th was busy building hootches and a certain notariety as "Herm's Hutch Builders"

    In the meantime, air force "junket flights" continued to operate on a weekly basis; moving small amounts of cargo supplies and personnel to the circuit of air force bases around Thailand.     Mission critical supplies, heavy, would be impossible to manage with such limitations on volume and aircraft lift capabilities.     You see, in those days, we didn't have C5-A (Strato-whatever the air force calls them.)     We had (puny) little prop jobs that you were happy every time they got off the ground.

    Therefore, initially under the original military task force and the 9th Logistics Command and thereafter, under the command of the 44th Engineer Group (Construction), the army deployed two battalions of army engineers plus a pipeline company and several other support dump truck companies and administrative headquarters to Satahip, Korat and the Northeast (Udorn, Khon Khaen, NKP.)     Visit my "Photo Albums" (linked throughout) for a nostalgia trip down "memory lane."     Here is one for the 809th Engr Bn, click thru.

    Khon Khaen is the home, today, of one of Thailand's universities for agriculture.   Beautiful country -- then and now.     Yeah, but that darn "over-growth," aka jungle is hard to maintain, as well as rainy season they call "monsoons" and flooding and that terrific (organic) soil that I have talked about, keeps making a mess when they have floods.

    Here are some project photos and other evidence to the extent of jungles the army engineers had to deal with in Thailand; some of the photos are from official "Lessons Learned" Reports of the army that were obtained from the Army Engineer School, Ft Leonard Wood, Missouri and others contributed by Thailand veterans, both army and air force.     I had the opportunity to personally visit the Engineer School in 1994 only to find out that this college-like campus was sitting on the "Old Hospital Area," a WWII hospital facility, complete with indoor corridors between the buildings and where I went to Clerk School in 1967.

Note:   by clicking on the photo, most have a full-size version for 800 x display.

"Oops!   This shit (soil) is too soft for my Cat!"
(Ken from Portland, Oregon .. just call him "Mr Chevy")
-- He likes BIG toys!

"You want jungle?! .. I'll give you jungle .. how high do you want it?"

"Why we gotta pave this shit?   It's only gonna get washed out in August."



This is a good scene .. think of the World Trade Center clean-up
and how long that took and how much jungle we could "remove" in,
say, 3-4 years .. ya'get my drift?
IOW, you don't have to be an army engineer to figure that one out ...

Simple road .. thru a simple jungle .. right.
It hasn't started to rain yet (see below.)



The Thai's were happy as cow manure .. paved or unpaved -- they barreled down
the new "Friendship Highway" -- built with American sweat and sacrifice!

These poor bastards had no idea 30 years later
that they would be fucked .. and, not enjoy it, either.

Army Construction Equipment - Camp #44

That crane was the pride of the outfit .. sittin there in the Motor Pool
But, to see it rumblin' down a road in Thailand -- everyone get the hell out of the way!


For 9th Log Photo Album, click thru
(See sign, self-explanatory)

KIA/MIA Operations - Decades Later
Camp Samae San - Satahip

This is one of my favorite photos.   A "bird" coming into Satahip;
probably carrying the remains of a serviceman, from the war; MIA/KIA Recovery Project.
Oh yeah, please note the jungle over-growth, a few years after the war, in the early 70's...
See a Recovery Project Map of Laos for an idea of the size of operations.
Close-up Photo of plane and crew that "Make it Happen" -- click here.
From a Recovery Site dig in S.E.A. to Punch Bowl Natl Cemetary, Hawaii
From Color Guard to Field Airport to repatriated Ceremony upon arrival at Hickam.
From the Rice Paddys of Vietnam to a Welcome Home in Hawaii.
"Pride of Recovery Team" -- President Clinton visits site.

CIL - Thailand, Camp Samae San, Satahip, Thailand     Story
January 23, 1973 - 1976 .. in Thailand   Unit History
"Recovering the Fallen"

"Never forget."


Military Bases

  Korat RTAFB
History Background       Central Plateau
"Brown"     "Jets"     Bunkers .. complete with (brown) camo
Hootches     Base Perimeter     Aerial View .. of the "brown," of course.
1986 (Green)   Billets   Anyone got a .. match?     AF Mess Hall

View Today - Notice that air force cargo prop sitting on the runway (below.)
That's the air force idea of "lift power."     Army -- "army light." .. like Coors.



Petrol Tank Farm my unit (697th) built for the air force in Korat.
Today .. don't blink .. when you pass it today, covered with jungle (1995)
I guess someone warned the Thai's about spraying that shit ..

70th Army Aviation Detachment (Note drums in foreground)
Yeah .. that's the good shit.


31st Field Hospital - Camp Friendship
That's the army hospital, outside of Bangkok, the biggest one.
We didn't want to take away too much of the "green" jungle
.. just in case the enemy may want to "drop" in .. pund intended.


Camp Friendship Map
Please note the desert-like condition of base photos


NKP RTAFB Perimeter
Northeast

CIA Hqs - Udorn

For a Top Secret Facility, it sure was wide-open!
(I think it was complete -- even with its own golf course!)
.. you know, air force-type, can't live without their "irons.."

CIA (Top Secret) Landing Strip
Laos

I shouldn't be showing you this photo, but what the hell
.. it was de-classified in the 90's .. i think .. oops
(You couldn't land there; to save your life today -- jungle growth, you know ..

Laotian Mountains (Jungles)
Beautiful to look at, but you wouldn't want to walk ten feet..
One of our best allies in the Secret War in Laos was the Hmong Mountain Tribe
and their respected leader, Mr. Vang Pao (retired)   Westminster, California


7th RRFS (Electronic Intelligence Gathering Post)
South of Udorn

"We were an electronics intelligence gathering post.     We were about 10 miles south of Udorn.
I saw herbicide being sprayed on a consistent basis around the antenna field and around the perimeter of the post.     I would think only AO would have the clout to kill that kind of foliage. "
"We called the tall post in the circular pattern "Elephant Cages".     One was at Clark Air Base,
RP and another at Kadena AB, Japan.     However, those were surrounded by tall grass.
I wonder why the Thailand Elephant Cage look so naked?
As one Thailand veteran told me,
"This says that something a tad stronger than Ortho weed-be-gone was used!"
Testimony Source:   VSPA Website


"What drums?"

"What [the bleep] are you talkin about?!"

<geez>
.. some people can't take a joke.

Phillip Roger Coleman, Advocate

Phillip is someone that I lost touch with over the years, but imho, he's a great guy - link
"Guide to a War that lost its way"
p.s.   The two (above) photos are actually of Vietnam .. <rofl>
   
U-Tapao RTAFB (B-52 Bomber Operations)
Satahip - Today   .. aerial   ..still welcomes U.S.

Shit'ie job, if you ask me .. must have been done by the air force ..

Jungle Perimeter


Mission - Bombing the shit out of Vietnam!


KC Mid-Air Refueling Capability
.. necessary for Buff gas hogs

Thai/American Military Exercises
"Cobra Gold" - 2004"
Samae San Village   .. then
Aerial Today - Higher   (Cloud over Camp Area)
C-5A @ U-Tapao ..
Aerial Area View   .. zoom'd
Satahip Construction Projects
Cantonement Area     Port View    Projects     Depot   9th Log Hqs
Deep Water Port/2000 and U-Tapao Intl Airport (Today) Renditions
Port Today; View #2   U-Tapao Old Base Map
Camp Samae San (Army Support)
Later Hqs @ KIA/MIA Recovery Project

Back then (1969,) that place looked like a desert .. dust .. earth-movers rumblin
.. drivin to work, in my '66 Toyota Corona, always had an eye "peeled" for
those (monster) earth-movers!   Unless, you wanted to be squashed!

Reference the water tanks on the hill and Cantonment Area Map

I know .. shit'ie photos .. but, great view!

.. think .. World Trade Center ..

"The Hill" .. it really didn't have a name, but it was home
to the 538th and those of us building Samae San and the new billets
.. down the hill ..

Officers of 697th Engr Co (P/L)
1LT Dennis Turner (r) C.O.
(They always stuck together .. couldn't figure .. may be scared of the locals?


Camp Samae San - 697th laying pipe

"No no no no .. that's unloading the truck -- that's a ditch! (below)
Samae San Trenches
Here's another ditch photo, to give you an idea...

XO "Pineapple" 1LT Furutani (L. ditch) is "supervising."
.. actually, it was the Thai Local, standing next to the XO!   <d>>>
To get a better feel for how large a project it was, laying pipe Cantonment Area Map
and here are some more pipeline photos Illus #1,   Illus #2,   and Illus #3
-- with, at any given time, 2-3 line platoons of men to do the work!

Company Clerk, 697th - desk @ Camp USARTHAI

"I, Francis J. Picchione, do solemly swear that upon visiting Camp Samae San in 2003,
that, at first, it was difficult to find because of the rebirth of jungle.    
There is absolutely no open land as when we built the camp back in 1969."
- Company Clerk, 697th Engr Co (P/L)

And, for you guys that didn't know Franco
has terrific legs --

1984 - Way, way up north (near Chaingmai; along the Mekong River with Laos)
.. One of my (many) junket trips to Thailand and Laos
.. somebody's gotta keep up the public relations.
p.s.   Those are some of the "good guys."     The Communist are on the other side of the river.
p.p.s.   Those (ultra-short) shorts were "in" in '84 .. still wear them today!   <d>>>

"With beard, will travel .."     Above photo, beard-be-gone; hair-cut too.

Just returned from Perth, Australia (Sabatical for Assoc of Surfing Professionals (ASP))
"Endless Summer" .. Tahiti .. Sydney .. Perth .. Bangkok .. Hong Kong .. Honolulu
3 (incredible) months -- somebody gotta   (Wat Arun, Bangkok, Thailand in the background)

"There's no jungle in Korat!" "Korat is on a plateau.." "The Army just moved in and set up house." "Look at these photos from atop the Sri Patana, if you don't believe me!"   Photo #1   Photo #2

Sri Patana Hotel Photo Album, click thru 1968 Today (2003) Front View Strip View Silly boy .. aerial view.

Satellite Technology Views Today   FlashEarth   Earth.Google Camp Friendship   Lat 14 54' 44"   Long 102 5' 3"   View   Downtown   YaMo Korat RTAFB   Lat 14 55' 57"   Long 102 4' 52"   View   Road "Y" View   Sri Patana Tank Farm   Camp USARTHAI   Gate   Bend in Road   (T-Intersection today) Korat Area   (Camp USARTHAI - centered)   Tank Farm (SW, lower left corner) Shopping Center   YaMo (center); lower left large white bldg; good hotel next to

2004
(The Future)
Red Rock
Country Club
Las Vegas

    In 2004, my USARPAC mentor, Lorna L.Y. Yee, visited me from Hawaii to, of course, play golf.

    The photo serves two purposes:   pride I have in Lorna, and we are standing in the (future) backyard of a million dollar home along a "green" golf course already well under construction .. "green."

    If you look hard enough, in the distance, you can see the famous Las Vegas Strip!

Jungles are "green"; grass is "green"
Herbicides aka Agent Orange
is
"brown."

    The above photos gave you a breath of the impact the army engineers had in Thailand.     Here are some photos of around our camps in Thailand.     Photos that reflect the "brown" look of everything because "brown" is toxic, is dead.

Camp Friendship
Korat, Thailand
For Photo Album, click thru

View Today - Sitting in the jungles of the Central Plateau of Thailand
Perimeters of the military base brown, leaving an obvious outline.

Camp Movie Theater

A place to relax; enjoy a movie that will take you back
to the "world."

Camp Mess Hall

A place to relax; and eat
Note the dark cloud over the brown.

Patio Deck Construction

Constructing a recreation patio near the new billets
Literally working down in the toxins on our hands'n knees

Camp Drainage Ditches

"Venice of Camp Friendhsip"
Drainage Ditches throughout the Camp
Handy during Monsoon Rainy Season .. to keep from washing away.
Photo is black & white versus brown & human

Camp USARTHAI
Home of the 9th Logistics Command
44th Engineer Group (Construction)
For Photo Album, click thru
Then .. today ..

My Company Album (697th) - click thru

Tom Petty's Album on Samae San - click thru

Patio Area

A place to relax; listen to some pop music; have a soda and fries
Note the "green" grass .. this was Headquarters; lot of watering
for that "human" look
Walkways came in handy during monsoon season

Camp EM Club

Note -- not everywhere around camp was watered, ie, maintained
This was the back (perimeter) road to the club area

Singha Cinema - Camp Movie Theater

A place to enjoy a movie from back in the "world"

Home of the USARSUPTHAI
"Soldier of the Year"

Command "Soldier of the Year" - promoted to E-6 with 19 months military service

Closing Camp - Dismantling the Outhouse

Conserving materials for what .. later many things were buried in a hole in the ground
Destroying evidence?   Notice just how close the jungle was ..




SP/6 Frank Picchione, USARPAC Hqs (MISO/Payroll Team)
Ft Shafter, Honolulu, Hawaii   (1976)
Graduate of Chaminade College of Honolulu   (Bachelors in Business Administration)
Graduate Studies Student @ U.S.C. in Systems Management
Your Advocate against the V.A.

    Until you live in a tropical place like Hawaii as I did for many years, you really don't know how "green" -- "green" can be.     There are many (natural) shades of green and the breezes and "liquid sunshine" as we would refer to the daily rain, the golf courses maintained themselves.

    But, the unnatural use of herbicides and toxins to clear land and make them a deathly "brown," is a horrific experience, looking back now.     I testify to the conditions we soldiers were subjected to and our government wishes to cover-up so that they do not have to take liability for:   our health conditions and death and compensation.

    The V.A. has used the "rules of law," "well-grounded claims" against those veterans that served in S.E.A., specifically areas like Thailand.     They have let them die with no more recognition than being a veteran.     They have let their widows and families be deprived of any financial compensation.     The Wall, in Washington, D.C. should contain the names of thousands more that have already suffered and died and those like myself yet to come.

Golf - Iraqi Style
"Brown"

.. let's just hope, for the sake of those serving
today
.. our government has learned
from the sacrifices
of those before.




Nong Khai, along the Mekong
in Northern Thailand today (1995)


Question .. as to fact
Frank, why is it that you consider these photos
to be "well-grounded" evidence as to the use of herbicides
in Thailand?     Simple.

(1)   Grass (vegetation) doesn't grow well without water

(2)   Grass, in desert environments (winter too) will brown without watering

(3)   Grass, chemically treated, eg, herbicides, etc., will burn the grass, ie, brown

Note please, in consideration of the above premises, Thailand had a terrific natural resource of water year around -- the monsoons
and soil conditions excellent for agricultural use.
Therefore, one may conclude that something unnatural killed the grass;   contaminated the soil
and refer to my personal experiences in 5+ years in Hawaii

These premises are true, here in Las Vegas (the desert) and Southern California where it is actually a desert with thousands of gallons of water pumped in daily from the Colorado River and Hoover Damn where the State of California was given a federal subsidy of 75% of the waters from that one source.

Only problem with this (scientific) evidence is --
it ain't good enough for court, and the V.A.


Photo Gallery Pages
809th Engr Bn Camp Ruam Chit Chai (Northeast)
Camp Samae San (Satahip)
Camp Vayama
44th Engineer Group (Construction)
Lessons Learned Reports
Project Map
Thailand Map


VBA Judge Rulings @ Thailand

"Thailand Exposed"   Citation No. 0333331   11/28/03

"[he] claims that he was exposed to herbicides while stationed at the Royal Thai Air Force Bases in Korat, Thailand from 1970 to 1971.     He maintains that he worked as an inventory specialist and he was responsible for maintaining a certain quantity of herbicides that were being used in Vietnam.     He also alleges that herbicides were being sprayed around the perimeter of the base."

In support of the veteran's claim, D.S. submitted a statement confirming that herbicides were being stored at the Air Force Based in Korat.     D.S. explained that he and the veteran were assigned to the base supply system and that their duties included counting and inspecting barrels containing chemicals which had arrived from supply depots in Vietnam.     According to D.S., leaking chemical from some of the barrels was carried over the storage area and looked like a greasy tar pit.     D.S. maintained that he and the veteran were exposed to these chemicals on their skin, in their food, and from the air they breathed.     When the shelf life had expired, the chemicals were transported to an open pit and burned under the veteran's supervision.

Unfortunately, there is no presumption of exposure to herbicide agents in Thailand.     However, in light of the statements provided by the veteran and D.S. concerning the use and storage of herbicides at the Air Force Base in Korat, Thailand, VA should attempt to obtain confirmation from appropriate sources.

Case REMANDED .. forever .. to RO .. end of story.


"Assertions of Spraying"   - Korat RTAFB     Citation No. 0000096   01/04/00

In a May 1998 statement, the veteran asserted that he was in Thailand during service, that herbicide was sprayed in Thailand, and that he had leukemia and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma as a result.     That claim was denied in June, the veteran filed a Notice of Disagreement in July, a Statement of the Case was issued later that month, and the veteran filed a Substantive Appeal in August 1998.

New and material evidence has been submitted to reopen a claim of entitlement to service connection for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, the claim is reopened, the claim is determined to be well grounded, and, to that extent, the benefit sought on appeal is granted.     Upon consideration of all of the evidence of record, a preponderance of which is against the claim, entitlement to service connection for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is denied.
 
Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC)
See the Amendments (2004)   re:   (A) 10/year or (B) 5/year requirement

"Assertions of Spraying"   - Ubon RTAFB     Citation No. 0320491   08/18/03

A surviving spouse of a qualifying veteran who died of a service-connected disability is entitled to receive Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) benefits. 38 U.S.C.A. § 1310 (West 2002); 38 C.F.R. § 3.312 (2002).

He was stationed in Thailand from October 11, 1965 to October 10, 1966 with the 3rd Detachment of the 1965th Communications Squadron in an isolated area, specifically at Ubon Air Force Base.     His last duty assignment and major command was with the 1982nd Communications Squadron.     The veteran was awarded the Vietnam Service Medal and the National Defense Service Medal with one Bronze Service Star.

Of record is a June 1999 Internet article regarding the testing of chemicals in Thailand from 1964-65. The article indicates that Agent Orange and other chemicals were tested by the United States military in Pran Buri and Bo Fai[,]

Visit source website for Vietnam Veterans Agent Orange Victims, Inc.

Agent Orange Fact Sheet

Also of record is an Agent Orange Fact Sheet prepared by the Vietnam Veterans Agent Orange Victims, Inc., which was received by the RO in February 2000.     The Fact Sheet indicates that trials of herbicide were conducted in Thailand in the 1960's by Fort Detrick personnel before the chemicals were given to the Republic of Vietnam.     It was noted that the 309th Air Commando Squadron conducted the spraying in an operation originally known as "Hades," which later came to known as "Operation Ranch Hand."    It was noted that during the 1960's, Air America sprayed defoliants for the Central Intelligence Agency in combat operations against Thai insurgents on the Isthmus of Kra.     The drift of herbicides involved in these operations was estimated at an average of 20 percent.

Included in this submission was an article on Agent Orange exposure that indicated that the United States military used a small amount of herbicides (about two percent of the total amount) to clear U.S. base perimeters. These herbicides were applied either by aircraft, such as in Operation Ranch Hand, or by hand.

In statements dated in May and June 2000, the appellant stated that Agent Orange was flown into Thailand on airplanes in drums, was off loaded, and emptied into tanker trunks and planes.     She suggested that the veteran could have been exposed to Agent Orange when one of the drums containing the herbicide possibly spilled at Ubon Air Force Base, or from spraying that was done around the perimeter of Ubon.     She also indicated that the veteran could have received exposure to Agent Orange when rainwater washed away Agent Orange residue from the planes while they were at Ubon.

The appellant submitted an excerpt from Chemical & Biological Warfare:   America's Hidden Arsenal, which was received at the RO in June 2000, which indicates during the Oconus Defoliation Test, chemical agents were applied by air in 1964 and 1965 in Thailand.

Of record is an August 2000 electronic mail message from the Director of the United States Armed Service Center for Research of Unit Records.     The Director indicated that herbicide testing, including Agent Orange testing, occurred in Thailand in the early and mid-1960's, specifically 1964, at Pran Buri, which was located at an isolated site in the jungle. The Director indicated that he had been unable to find any other documentation that indicates that Agent Orange was sprayed around military installations in Thailand.

Based upon a review of the evidence, the Board finds that the greater weight of the evidence is against the claim of entitlement to service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.

The appellant contends that the veteran was exposed to herbicide agents while stationed in Thailand.     Although the evidence of record indicates that herbicides were used in Thailand at Pran Buri, Bo Fai, and on the Isthmus of Kra, the veteran was stationed at Ubon Air Force Base, which was many kilometers away from these remote locations.

The appellant further contends that the veteran was exposed to herbicide agents while stationed at Ubon Air Force Base in Thailand when the perimeter of the base was sprayed with herbicide agents, when a drum carrying herbicide agents leaked while on the base, or when runoff water, such as rainwater, contaminated by residue from planes carrying herbicides, polluted Ubon Air Force Base.     The evidence of record does not support the appellant's contentions.


"Contradiction in Supporting Statement"     Citation No. 0512980   05/12/05

The veteran's personnel records show that he was part of the 388 Supply Sq. and was stationed at Korat RTAFB in Thailand. The Board acknowledges the representative's statements to the effect that the veteran received the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross, and submission of photographs alleging that the veteran was stationed in Vietnam.    However, the veteran's personnel records, his own statements and his testimony before the Board show explicitly that he was not stationed in Vietnam but in Thailand.     See e.g. Statement in Support of Claim from October 2002.     As such he is not entitled to the presumption of exposure to herbicides under 38 C.F.R. § 3.307(a)(6)(iii).     The Board will therefore examine whether a factual basis exists to support the appellant's claimed exposure to herbicides in service.


For more claims with similar assertions, click here.

WHAT NOT TO DO/SAY/REPORT ETC., click here.

Enroute/Intransit Claim - granted on word alone, click here.

"Doors of the plane open .. denied combat pay" - granted on word alone, click here.

Granted - based upon pay stub, click here.

Denied - Satahip to NKP, click here.