VA OIG Cries Foul, Agency Duped by a Gun-Toting, Felon, Sex Offender, Only VA Impressed With VA Restructuring Plan. I spent much more time in a contaminated area then just walking guard on the perimeter. - U.S. Army (Retired), A New Zealand RAF Bristol transport. Meltal Shipping Containers near the perimeter at Ubon RTAFB, Annotated Photo of the Defoiliated My understanding is you dont die from Parkinsons, you die form something else. The EB-66C/E flew radar and communications jamming missions to disrupt enemy defenses and early warning capabilities. Day 3 - Phuket - Welcome Pool or Beach Party. [3], After a series of TDY deployments of F-105s to Korat, on 14 March 1966 the 388th Tactical Fighter Wing was activated and on 8 April was organised to replace the provisional PACAF 6234th TFW which was inactivated.[16]. tlxLastPublishedDate.toLocaleString() : now.toLocaleString(); document.write("Last updated on " + edited); Geographical Location: Camp Friendship is located approximately 125 miles North-East of Bangkok in the city of Nakhon Ratchasima and adjoined [29][31] The group constructed the Bangkok By-Pass Road, a 95km asphalt highway between Chachoengsao and Kabin Buri, which was opened in February 1966. This ended with the opening of Nakhon Ratchasima Airport in the early-1990s. Since the 1980s United States Marine Corps F/A-18C Hornet fighters have used Korat as a base during Cobra Gold exercises. [16]:188, In addition to strike missions during Operations Linebacker and Linebacker II, A-7Ds of the 354th assumed the combat search and rescue "Sandy" role from the A-1 Skyraider in November 1972 when the remaining Skyraiders were transferred to the Republic of Vietnam Air Force. Please help. The EF-4Cs suffered from certain deficiencies which limited their combat effectiveness. Heavy jungle on one side of wire, barren , moon scape on the camp side. Editors note: This story was updated to include further input from the Department of Defense. Some TDY personnel from the 354th TFW were assigned to the 388th and placed on permanent party status. Commando Scrimmage covered skills such as dogfighting, aerial refuelling, airborne command posts and forward air controllers. On 17 April, the USAF flew its last mission over Laos, attacking a handful of targets requested by the Laotian government. Yeah, I know it is a peninsula but that is all I have to go on without getting records but I think they might have been lost in the fire in St. Louis. [30], In 1970, the 44th Engineer Group was inactivated in Thailand as part of the draw down of United States forces in Southeast Asia. 55th Signal Company57th MAINT Company, Direct The F-5Es were accompanied by training teams of American civilian and military technicians, who worked with members of the RTAF. VA says the following military personnel are now included in the list of those possibly exposed to the toxins: Vietnam-era Veterans whose service involved duty on or near the perimeters of military bases in Thailand anytime between February 28, 1961 and May 7, 1975 may have been exposed to herbicides and may qualify for VA benefits. Early that year a combined U.S. task force was deployed to Thailand on a military exercise which included a Marine Battalion Landing Team (BLT), the 1st Battle Group. File in PNG (Portable Network Graphics) format, about 2.6 meg in size. [3] The army retained a portion of the aircraft parking ramp for logistical support of Camp Friendship. It is also missing many pages. HHD B 9th Log CommandHQ 809th Engineer Battalion Camp Friendship Reactionary Force - 1967 [This was sent in by Ron Bookwalter (HHD 519th TC] I am working on updating the individual history of other units, documenting their time in Thailand. Military Police Support 1967-70 41st ORD Company, Direct Ammunition Support 3/1966-9/1966 44th Engineer Group, HHC/HHD He testified that he was in Vietnam in January 1968 during a layover between Hawaii and Thailand. I have provided letters to this affect to several former buddies who have been approved for exposure to Agent Orange. 6,650 views. Lao. In November 1970, the 553d RW was inactivated. Also included is the narrated film \"There Is a Way\" focusing on F-105 pilots of the 388th Tactical Fighter Wing and their missions over North Vietnam. Various Japanese facilities were used by the RTAF (including the airfield control tower) until the 1960s. EB-66s were transferred to Takhli RTAFB in late November 1965 and were used as electronic warfare aircraft, joining strike aircraft during their missions over North Vietnam to jam enemy radar installations. The high loss rate of the F-105s in the two combat wings at Korat and Takhli RTAFB required the squadron to send its aircraft to Thailand as replacement aircraft. Its aircraft and personnel were absorbed by the 44th TFS. USAF Base in Thailand during the Vietnam War. Cope Tiger involves air forces from the United States, Thailand, and Singapore, as well as U.S. Marine Corps aircraft deployed from Japan. Sign with the 9th Logistics Command Logo, Camp Friendship was next to the With their return, the 6010th Wild Weasel Squadron was formed. On 30 June 1975, the 347th TFW F-111As and the 428th and 429th TFS were inactivated. For Parents; For Campers; For Staff; COVID-19; Blog; Login; Find Your Way. The facility was initially set up as a forward operating base for equipment storage of the 25th Infantry Division, which would have deployed to Thailand in the event of invasion. var tlxLastPublishedDate = null; var now = new Date(); var edited = (tlxLastPublishedDate != null) ? This really boils my blood. It returned in November 1971, now known as Disco, after North Vietnamese MiGs threatened B-52s and other aircraft operating in southern Laos. details of the RTAFB side of the field, details The accords effectively ended United States military operations in North and South Vietnam. 7th Airlift Platoon7th MAINT Battalion, Direct . [30], Its mission was to build roads and a support (logistics) network in support of US Army and USAF operations in Thailand by executing the troop construction portion of the military construction program, performing engineer reconnaissance, and accomplishing civil action projects as resources permitted. The USAF officially turned Korat over to the Thai Government on 26 February 1976. U.S. Air Force Veterans who served on Royal Thai Air Force Bases (RTAF bases) at U-Tapao, Ubon, Nakhon Panom, Udorn, Takhli, Korat, and Don Muang, near the air base perimeter Army Veterans who provided perimeter security on RTAF bases in Thailand Korat, Thailand 30000 Tel (044) 251652-4 255349, or 255372 Fax (044) 251655 [email protected] Photo Credits Sri Patana Hotel, Korat, Thailand "Make your plans for a Mini-Reunion in Korat at the luxurious Sri Patana from under $15/night (Single Occupancy) to $20/night (Double) - including Room Tax, Service Charge & Continental Breakfast !" Singaporean forces fly F-5Es, F-16C/D Fighting Falcons, KC-130B Hercules, E-2C Hawkeye, CH-47SD Chinooks and AS-532UL Cougars. Storage area at Nakhon Phanom RTAFB, Map 1. 807 Maine Ave., SW Washington, D.C. 20024 Phone (202) 554-3501 Fax (202) 863-0233 www.dav.org ISSUE BRIEF: Agent Orange in Thailand during Vietnam Era - U.S. Army Veterans who were stationed on some small Army installations in Thailand anytime between February 28, 1961 and May 7, 1975. Accordingly, in the 1980s the government allotted large amounts of money for the purchase of modern aircraft and spare parts. Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base is a base of the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) in northeast Thailand, approximately 200km (125mi) northeast of Bangkok and about 4km (2.5mi) south of the centre of the city of Nakhon Ratchasima in the Nakhon Ratchasima Province (also known as "Khorat" or "Korat"), the largest province in Thailand. He died from parkinsons and had been denied previously for Agent Orange exposure; as his spouse, Im still trying to get him the disability rating for Agent Orange. and Bangkok International Airport (Vietnam era), while landing at 258th Transportation Detachment 260th Transportation File in PNG (Portable Network Graphics) format, about 2.6 meg in size. to support an infantry battle group, eg, the 25th Infantry Division I have an appeal for denial of service connection for PD and am using the written report Project CHECO as support in my claim. 46th Special Forces (SF) MMQB: What might West Point do with Your Disability? An advisory force of Army personnel was sent to Thailand and their first reports indicated that significant infrastructure improvement in the country would be needed in order for US forces to land in the Gulf of Siam and move north to the expected invasion areas along the Mekong River between Laos and Thailand. The US was helping the Royal Lao Government achieve whatever advantage possible before working out a settlement with the Pathet Lao and their allies. MED Battalion, HHD Medical Support 1966-68 442nd Signal Battalion 1967-71 501st Field Depot Pregnant Air Force B-1 pilot soars to new heights, Army artillery officer dies during assignment in Thailand, Tax scams How to report them Money Minute, Capitol Hill weighs action on two controversial topics: medical marijuana and abortion, Lockheed wins hypersonics contract | Defense Dollars, Go inside a secret nuclear fallout bunker sealed for decades, Veterans Affairs deputy secretary to leave post on April 1, US increases military support for Somalia against al-Shabab, Air Force advisers study use of satellites for tracking moving targets, US Air Force awards Boeing first contract for fleet of 26 E-7 aircraft. 35th Finance Sec Disb40th MP Battalion, Like This Movie Trailer? I was in the USB Seabees mcb-5 may 1972 we built the rose garden for the Marines. 720th MP Battalion 1 remained at Korat until June 1970, when it left Thailand. I stumbled across a report on the internet about bases in Thailand being sprayed with AO. Udorn Thailand, June 1966-67. In case VA ever decides to remove the page, I made a PDF copy of it here, as well: VA Public Health Thailand Military Bases and Agent Orange Exposure. . HHC USARSUPTHAI G-3 Section 720th MP Battalion RTAF AB. and the office that I worked in was on the perimiter by the front gate . The squadron had a minimum of two aircraft airborne 24 hours a day directing and coordinating the effective employment of tactical air resources throughout Southeast Asia. I was diagnosed with Parkinsons disease (PD) in 2004 and filed my claim in 2005. Now as saying that My husband has Parkinsons, 9 years from being stationed in Thailand and them spraying A.O. of Veterans Affairs' feet to the fire. Construction 1965-70 558th Supply Company561st Engineer Battalion The wars in Cambodia and Laos, however continued. Celebrating Christmas with our house girls and their children/families. GSP-435 Search for Son, Born: 1969 (2512) GSP-438 Search for Child, Born: 1966 (2509) (Camp Friendship) The wing's efforts merited the Presidential Unit Citation in March 1968. Built on dreams over 50 years ago, Camp Friendship is one of those places that lets you forget about the problems of the world. The 388th Tactical Fighter Wing used those parts of Camp Friendship for overflow of personnel assigned or deployed to it until the USAF turned Korat Air Base over to the RTAF in early 1976.[30]. Cant remember the number of times, sprayed, even down wind, inside the base 1000 yards. The DRO who reviewed by claim has acknowledged that I was working with barrels of some substance. Photo Credits: In Thailand, the veteran was assigned to Camp Friendship at the Korat Royal Thai Air Base. The Wild Weasel concept was originally proposed in 1965 as a method of countering the increasing North Vietnamese SAM threat, using volunteer crews. 17, 601st Photo Flight (MAC), (HQ - 600th Photo Squadron), 1974th Communications Squadron and Group (Tenant AFCS), 1998th Communications Squadron (Tenant AFCS), American Forces Thailand Network (Tenant AFRTS), 7th MAINT Battalion, Direct Support 196571, 9th Logistical Command HHD Logistics Support 196370, 40th MP Battalion, Military Police Support 196770, 41st ORD Company, Direct Ammunition Support 3/1966-9/1966, 44th Engineer Group, HHC/HHD Construction 196270, 57th MAINT Company, Direct Support 196371, 133rd MED Group, HHD Medical Support 196870, 219th MP Company, Physical Security 196671, 428th MED Battalion, HHD Medical Support 196668, 528th Engineer Detachment (Utilities) *change (28 August 2011), 538th Engineer Battalion, Construction 196570, 593rd EN Company, Construction 6/1963-8/1963, 597th MAINT Company, Direct Support 196669, 697th EN Company, Pipeline Construction Support 196569, 738th Engineer Support Company, Supply Point *196365*, This page was last edited on 20 December 2022, at 22:20. Support 1963-71 57th Ordinance Company DS70th Aviation Detachment Includes silent and narrated film footage. In September 1992, the veteran was diagnosed with diabetes mellitus, type II. Laos and Cambodia, however, were not signatories to the Paris agreement and remained in states of war. Go to https://www.militaryvideo.com/ to purchase the entire video, or to see movie trailers of over 700 other military videos.This 70-minute DVD Includes excellent aerial views of the base, and show: base construction, President Johnson's visit in 1967, flight line activities, and Army areas on the base. Keep going. Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base (RTAFB) & Camp Friendship Maps Official Department of the Air Force Map Korat RTAFB, dated 1 January 1973. Some of the old US facilities are still in use, and some new construction has also been erected. In April 1965, the 6234th Air Base Squadron was organized at Korat as a permanent unit under the 2d Air Division to support the TDY fighter units and their operations. Before we began to unload our C-124 they had [5] The 36th TFS remained at Korat until 29 October then returned to Japan. After the end of the war, the facilities were taken over by the Thai government as a military base. Thirty-eight F-5E and F-5F Tiger II fighter-bombers formed the nucleus of the RTAF's defense and tactical firepower. This office was in the same boat, over a year ago, and has locked down all of Florida! Korat also housed components of the RTAF and a detachment of No. But it deletes or alters at least 50 previously identified locations, removing some dates and omitting testing sites like Hawaii, where the DoD previously said field tests were conducted, Puerto Rico, where herbicides were sprayed in forests between 1956 and 1967, and locations in Korea where components were stored. The new DoD list contains nearly 150 testing and storage locations, with updates that include specific dates of release or containment, as well as 26 additions, including places like Aberdeen. ITINERARY. The mission of the 501 st Field Depot was assigned to Camp Friendship in Korat to assume the supply mission for Thailand, Laos, Cambodia . [4]:139, On 1415 May 1975, aircraft assigned to Korat provided air cover in what is considered the last battle of the Vietnam war, the recovery of the SS Mayaguez after it was hijacked by the Khmer Rouge. In early 1966, standard F-105Ds with no special electronic countermeasures (ECM) equipment accompanied F-100 Wild Weasel I aircraft equipped with basic ECM equipment. Board (AFPMB) that Agent Orange was not used in Thailand. 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