Herbicidal Warfare: The RANCH HAND Project in VietnamIn 1961, the United States Air Force began using chemical herbicides as a weapon in South-east Asia. The tactic lasted only ten years, but the controversy it provoked continues to this day. Criticisms range from the charge that the herbicides did irreparable damage to the Asian environment to the recent "Agent Orange" lawsuits claiming that the chemicals have caused U.S. servicemen and their children physical and mental impairments. While much attention has been given to these claims, little light has been cast on the actual history of the herbicidal operation, code-named RANCH HAND. This book is the history of this unique aviation mission, from its conception to its termination. It describes how the operation dispensed over 11 million gallons of chemicals over Southeast Asian jungles and croplands while flying unarmed, obsolescent aircraft at tree-top level. Based on the author's own experiences, hundreds of interviews with RANCH HAND veterans, and careful research of declassified primary sources, this book provides a comprehensive and in-depth view of the men who flew the missions and their role in the events in Southeast Asia. It also reviews the scientific reaction to herbicidal warfare and hoe the controversy that ensued eventually caused the cancellation of the operation. -- from Book Jacket. |
Contents
An Introduction to Indirect Warfare | 1 |
Chemical | 12 |
Defoliation Comes to Vietnam | 21 |
Copyright | |
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Aerial Spray AFSHRC Agent Orange aircrews airlift American April Army attack August Austin American-Statesman Bien Hoa Biological bombs Cambodia Captain chemical warfare chemical weapons CINCPAC combat Command COMUSMACV Corps crop destruction crop targets Da Nang damage December Defense defoliation defoliation missions Department dioxin effective enemy engine EOTR escort Evaluation exposure February fighter File Florida flown flying ground fire Headquarters helicopters herbicidal warfare Herbicide Operations herbicide program hits insecticide January July June Laos later Lieutenant Colonel MACV Major March McConnell military Nang November NSF-VN October officers Orange herbicide PACAF percent personnel pilots Questionnaire quotation RANCH HAND aircraft RANCH HAND crews Report Saigon SASF scientists September Seventh Air Force sorties South Vietnam Southeast Asia spray aircraft spray crews spray flight spray missions spray planes Tactical target area Technical Sergeant Texas USAF USAF(Ret vegetation veterans Viet Cong Vietnamese VNAF Washington Wing York Zone