What were the major impacts of Operation Ranch Hand?
According to the Vietnamese government, the program caused three million Vietnamese health problems, with 150,000 children born with severe birth defects, and 24% of the area of Vietnam being defoliated.
What chemical is in Operation Ranch Hand?
Agent Orange
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.
Was Operation Ranch Hand a success or failure?
The operation succeeded in killing vegetation, but not in stopping the Viet Cong. The use of these agents was controversial, both during and after the war, because of the questions about long-term ecological impacts and the effect on humans who either handled or were sprayed by the chemicals.
Why was Operation Ranch Hand unsuccessful?
The Results of Operation Ranch Hand It wasn’t like the U.S. could carefully select a precise target; the nature of the operation was that large areas were sprayed with the herbicides at once. These were areas that were primarily Viet Cong-controlled, although South Vietnamese and U.S. soldiers were also exposed.
When did Operation Ranch Hand start?
Operation Ranch Hand, the designation for the program, began in January 1962. Gradually, limitations were relaxed; the spraying became more frequent and covered larger areas. The Air Force used C-47s and C-123s equipped to spray herbicides for the defoliation missions.
How much of South Vietnam was sprayed by Operation Ranch Hand?
By the time Ranch Hand ended nine years later, some 18 million gallons of chemicals had been sprayed on an estimated 20 percent of South Vietnam’s jungles and 36 percent of its mangrove forests. See the AFHSO publication by William A. Buckingham: Operation Ranch Hand: the USAF and Herbicides in SEA, 1961-1971.
Did you get Agent Orange exposure during Operation Ranch Hand?
While Operation Ranch Hand ended in 1971, its impact is still being felt decades later. The VA now recognizes a long list of diseases that are associated with Agent Orange exposure. Any veteran who was exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam and has one of these conditions will receive an automatic presumption of service connection:
Where can I find media related to Operation Ranch Hand?
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Operation Ranch Hand. An extensive repository of Agent Orange documentation, especially as regards US Military operations and resultant law suits.